Transcript THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE.

THE DEVIL’S DISCIPLE.
The Devil’s Disciple is a
melodrama written by Bernard
Shaw set in the year 1777.
Bernard Shaw:
• Victorian, product of an era where warfare
was seen in a positive light. Shaw
unusually for his time, saw war as murder.
Melodrama:
• (Melody Drama.) Music in background to
illustrate the drama. Popular in its day.
Now can be seen as a bit silly. (Phrase
“melodramatic”). Common themes in a
Melodrama are love, a goodie and a
baddy, in the end everyone lives happily
ever after.
Shaw’s melodrama differs from
others
• Shaw’s melodrama differs from most others in
that it is not written just to entertain but has a
powerful and important message.
• The hero (Dick Dudgeon) is seen as the baddy
at the beginning.
• The now dead Mr Dudgeon’s (an upstanding
pillar of the community) lover is someone else’s
wife.
• These Issues that lie behind the story comment
on the Christian values of the church and the
idea of presenting an image of goodness rather
than living a good life.
Important characters.
• Mrs Dudgeon. Only does things for her own
benefit. Only helps others to make herself look
good. A Christian by name but her character
suggests otherwise.
• Richard Dudgeon. Mrs Dudgeon’s son. Hated
by everyone. Has nasty image, which he plays
up to, but in reality he is a kinder person than
some of the supposed Christians in the play.
Essie.
• Left in the care of Mrs Dudgeon. She is
treated badly by her, and is only looked
after because it’s her duty and because it
would reflect badly on her image if she
didn’t. Richard is the only person who is
genuinely kind to Essie.
Mr Anderson.
• The town’s minister is a kind person but he
doesn’t really believe he should be a minister.
He is also the only person who sees through
Richard’s image.
• Judith Anderson. Wants to seem like the
perfect, caring minister’s wife. She is younger
than Anderson and starts off hating Richard but
ends up in love with him.
ACT 1.
• Set in Mrs Dudgeon’s house. Mr Dudgeon has just died.
• ‘Mrs Dudgeon buries her face in her hands, as it is her duty as a
widow to be overcome with grief.’
• Mrs Dudgeon isn’t upset about the death of her husband but more
concerned that her husband saw her son and changed his will.
• ‘Why should we do our duty and keep Gods laws when there is to be
no difference made between us and those who follow their own likes
and dislikes and make a jest of us and their makers world.’
Mrs Dudgeon
• Mrs Dudgeon doesn’t believe in the Christian idea of forgiving
sinners.
• Mrs Dudgeon tells people what to believe ‘If I am against him who
has the right to be for him.’
‘They call me the Devil’s disciple.’
• Richard doesn’t drink – the minister does.
This shows a contrast between who is
meant to be good and who is meant to be
bad. The good people are not any better –
in fact in many ways they are worse.
• Richard wants to wind up his family. He
wants to play up to his reputation
“They call me the Devil’s disciple.”
• He shows his colours when Essie is upset.
“Children suffer enough in this house”
• This shows Richard had a bad childhood.
• Richard is the only person who cares about Essie as a person.
“ Who has been making her cry? Who has been ill treating her? By
God.” Richard
• When Richard is angry the real him comes out. He refers to God,
this contrasts with the idea of him being ‘the Devil’s disciple’
It’s how you behave.
• Richard pours himself some wine but he is not going to drink it.
•
After getting away from his wife Timothy Dudgeon changes his will.
This shows he is intimidated by his wife.
• Dick claims that he worships the devil. This seems bad but the way
he does so seems more like a reference to God. Bernard Shaw is
trying to say – It doesn’t matter what you claim to be; it is more
about how you behave.
• At the end of the section all the people apart from Richard walk out
on Essie.
ACT 2.
Set in Anderson’s house.
• Judith changes from being confident to being worried
about her husband
• Anderson ‘you’ll be surprised how like hate is to love.’
• ‘You are really fonder of Richard than you are of me, if
only you knew it.’ Anderson to Judith.
• Judith says she hates Richard but deep down she’s in
love with him. Anderson realises this before Judith.
if you believe one person is worth
saving then everyone is worth
saving.
• ‘I am no great preacher’ – Anderson realises he is not a
minister at heart.
• ‘Because there is something in you that makes me
desire to have you as me enemy.’ Richard to Anderson .
• Anderson doesn’t react to Richard’s act. This forces
Richard to start acting himself in front of Anderson. This
makes him uncomfortable because he feels respect for
Anderson.
• Shaw is trying to say if you believe one person is worth
saving then everyone is worth saving.
underlying decentness.
•
Richards’s behaviour changes instantly when Judith starts crying showing
his underlying decentness.
‘ You are yourself again, so is Richard.’ – Richard admits his act.
‘Shall we go to tea like a respectable couple’ Richard to Judith
‘If any stranger came in here now he would take us for man and wife.’
•
There is only one coat in the house; Richard isn’t wearing his coat so
anyone entering the room would assume they were husband and wife.
•
British soldiers enter the Anderson’s house looking for Anderson – as
Richard predicted they would. Richard tells them he is Anderson.
Jesus and Richard
• Richard sacrifices himself for the good of
others; like Jesus.
• Shaw intends us to think that Jesus and
Richard have a lot of similarities.
ACT 3
• Similarities between the trial of Christ and the trial of
Dick Dudgeon.
• Dick meant for Anderson to run away. He sees the
reality of the situation. Judith thinks it is inappropriate for
Anderson to run away from his problems.
• Judith is in love with Richard
“ Am I not to care at all?”
“ Women have to lose those they love”
‘The only man I have the right to
kill’
• ‘The only man I have the right to kill’ Richard doesn’t
believe he has the right to kill someone. This shows him
in a positive light. Just before they try hang him Dudgeon
reminds the parson of the commandment,' thou shalt not
kill’
• Richard makes his will for Essie. This shows that even
though he is about to die he still has the kindness to
think of others.
• Richard has attracted both Essie and Judith but it is
implied that he is above sex and attraction much like
Jesus was.
‘Amen! My life for the world’s
future.’
•
Richard’s speech to Judith. He thinks that the only love
should be the love of God. He doesn’t seem to
understand love because of his upbringing. Richard is
still trying to make Judith believe that he is not sacrificing
himself for the good of others but for himself.
‘Amen! My life for the words future.’ Richard .
Showing again the similarities between Jesus and Richard.
• At the end it is argued by some that Richard becomes
the minister – it is implied that he might. Richard is seen
now as being good, totally transformed from ‘the Devil’s
Disciple’.