Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s <i>An Enemy of the People</i> and George Bernard Shaw’s <i>The Apple Cart</i>

Njong Divine

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart

Njong Divine

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 10, Issue 4)

Received: 18 July 2022 Accepted: 3 August 2022 Published: 12 August 2022

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Abstract

Although Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw hail from different countries, the two playwright’s lived almost the same realities and they are often considered some of the most distinguished playwrights in the European tradition. While Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of modern realism”, Shaw, who was significantly influenced by Ibsen, is a Nobel prize winner. The two iconoclastic dramatists of the 19^th century addressed almost the same subjects and all castigated the practice of democracy in Europe. Without being anarchists, both playwrights set out to show the unreality of democracy and its conventional institutions. The article entitled “Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart” focuses on the political views of the authors and their disagreement with certain political ideologies of their age. While examining the plays of the authors as serious political forums of satire, the study discusses the authors’ satire of democracy and capitalism and highlights why such institutions should be dismantled. Seen from a Marxist perspective, the study combines the realm of political satire and futuristic visions of both authors and postulate that, for Ibsen, and for Shaw, all political institutions and ideologies that do not improve on the lot of mankind should be abandoned. According to the study, the authors share the Marxist ideology that governments are machineries of exploitation of the masses and the Marxist belief that capitalism is a system of government that alienates the masses. The unreal nature of democracy, royalty and capitalism is justified in the plays of the authors who are considered in this study as political philosophers. Although they did not propound a systematic body of political thought, they put forward in their plays a new agenda for anti-capitalist thought and action.

Published in	International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 10, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17
Page(s)	240-251
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Political Apostasy, Democracy, Satire, Capitalism, Governments, Marxists, Dismantled

References

[1]	Ibsen, Henrik. An Enemy of the People in Ibsen’s Heddar Gabbler and Other Plays. Trans. Una Ellis, London: Penguin, 1950.
[2]	Shaw, Bernard. The Apple Cart. London: Longmans, 1964.
[3]	Abrams, M. H. et al, Eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol 2, New York: Northon, 1962.
[4]	Brown, Ivor. Ed. Shaw: The Critical Heritage. London: Routledge, 1978.
[5]	Chesterton, G. K. George Bernard Shaw. New York: Whitlesey House, 1949.
[6]	Nevinson, H. W. in an untitled article in Shaw, The Critical Heritage. London: Routledge, 1978.
[7]	Letters and Speeches. Ed. and trans. Evert Sprinchorn. New York: Hill and Wang, 1964.
[8]	Rosmersholm. Translated by James Walter McFarlane. Oxford and New York: OUP, 1960.
[9]	Liu Maosheng, Long Yanxia. “The Political Rhapsody and Ethical Expression in Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart”. English Language, Literature & Culture. Vol. 5, No. 3, 2020. pp. 91-97.
[10]	Repucci, Sarah and Amy Slipowitz. «Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege» Journal of Democracy. Volume 33, Issue 2. Washington D. C: Freedom house, 2022. PP 1-9.
[11]	Shaw, Bernard. The Quintessence of Ibsenism. London: W. Scott, 1891.
[12]	The Intelligent Woman's Guide to Socialism, Capitalism, Sovietism and Fascism. London: Constable and Co, 1932.

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Njong Divine. (2022). Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 10(4), 240-251. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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Njong Divine. Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2022, 10(4), 240-251. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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Njong Divine. Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. Int J Lit Arts. 2022;10(4):240-251. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17,
  author = {Njong Divine},
  title = {Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {10},
  number = {4},
  pages = {240-251},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20221004.17},
  abstract = {Although Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw hail from different countries, the two playwright’s lived almost the same realities and they are often considered some of the most distinguished playwrights in the European tradition. While Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of modern realism”, Shaw, who was significantly influenced by Ibsen, is a Nobel prize winner. The two iconoclastic dramatists of the 19th century addressed almost the same subjects and all castigated the practice of democracy in Europe. Without being anarchists, both playwrights set out to show the unreality of democracy and its conventional institutions. The article entitled “Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart” focuses on the political views of the authors and their disagreement with certain political ideologies of their age. While examining the plays of the authors as serious political forums of satire, the study discusses the authors’ satire of democracy and capitalism and highlights why such institutions should be dismantled. Seen from a Marxist perspective, the study combines the realm of political satire and futuristic visions of both authors and postulate that, for Ibsen, and for Shaw, all political institutions and ideologies that do not improve on the lot of mankind should be abandoned. According to the study, the authors share the Marxist ideology that governments are machineries of exploitation of the masses and the Marxist belief that capitalism is a system of government that alienates the masses. The unreal nature of democracy, royalty and capitalism is justified in the plays of the authors who are considered in this study as political philosophers. Although they did not propound a systematic body of political thought, they put forward in their plays a new agenda for anti-capitalist thought and action.},
 year = {2022}
}

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AB  - Although Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw hail from different countries, the two playwright’s lived almost the same realities and they are often considered some of the most distinguished playwrights in the European tradition. While Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of modern realism”, Shaw, who was significantly influenced by Ibsen, is a Nobel prize winner. The two iconoclastic dramatists of the 19th century addressed almost the same subjects and all castigated the practice of democracy in Europe. Without being anarchists, both playwrights set out to show the unreality of democracy and its conventional institutions. The article entitled “Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart” focuses on the political views of the authors and their disagreement with certain political ideologies of their age. While examining the plays of the authors as serious political forums of satire, the study discusses the authors’ satire of democracy and capitalism and highlights why such institutions should be dismantled. Seen from a Marxist perspective, the study combines the realm of political satire and futuristic visions of both authors and postulate that, for Ibsen, and for Shaw, all political institutions and ideologies that do not improve on the lot of mankind should be abandoned. According to the study, the authors share the Marxist ideology that governments are machineries of exploitation of the masses and the Marxist belief that capitalism is a system of government that alienates the masses. The unreal nature of democracy, royalty and capitalism is justified in the plays of the authors who are considered in this study as political philosophers. Although they did not propound a systematic body of political thought, they put forward in their plays a new agenda for anti-capitalist thought and action.
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Author Information

Njong Divine

Higher Teacher Training College-Bertoua, The University of Bertoua, Bertoua, The Republic of Cameroon

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APA Style

Njong Divine. (2022). Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 10(4), 240-251. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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ACS Style

Njong Divine. Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2022, 10(4), 240-251. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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AMA Style

Njong Divine. Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart. Int J Lit Arts. 2022;10(4):240-251. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17,
  author = {Njong Divine},
  title = {Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {10},
  number = {4},
  pages = {240-251},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20221004.17},
  abstract = {Although Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw hail from different countries, the two playwright’s lived almost the same realities and they are often considered some of the most distinguished playwrights in the European tradition. While Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of modern realism”, Shaw, who was significantly influenced by Ibsen, is a Nobel prize winner. The two iconoclastic dramatists of the 19th century addressed almost the same subjects and all castigated the practice of democracy in Europe. Without being anarchists, both playwrights set out to show the unreality of democracy and its conventional institutions. The article entitled “Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart” focuses on the political views of the authors and their disagreement with certain political ideologies of their age. While examining the plays of the authors as serious political forums of satire, the study discusses the authors’ satire of democracy and capitalism and highlights why such institutions should be dismantled. Seen from a Marxist perspective, the study combines the realm of political satire and futuristic visions of both authors and postulate that, for Ibsen, and for Shaw, all political institutions and ideologies that do not improve on the lot of mankind should be abandoned. According to the study, the authors share the Marxist ideology that governments are machineries of exploitation of the masses and the Marxist belief that capitalism is a system of government that alienates the masses. The unreal nature of democracy, royalty and capitalism is justified in the plays of the authors who are considered in this study as political philosophers. Although they did not propound a systematic body of political thought, they put forward in their plays a new agenda for anti-capitalist thought and action.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart
AU  - Njong Divine
Y1  - 2022/08/12
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17
T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
SP  - 240
EP  - 251
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2331-057X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20221004.17
AB  - Although Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw hail from different countries, the two playwright’s lived almost the same realities and they are often considered some of the most distinguished playwrights in the European tradition. While Ibsen is often referred to as “the father of modern realism”, Shaw, who was significantly influenced by Ibsen, is a Nobel prize winner. The two iconoclastic dramatists of the 19th century addressed almost the same subjects and all castigated the practice of democracy in Europe. Without being anarchists, both playwrights set out to show the unreality of democracy and its conventional institutions. The article entitled “Political Apostasy in Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People and George Bernard Shaw’s The Apple Cart” focuses on the political views of the authors and their disagreement with certain political ideologies of their age. While examining the plays of the authors as serious political forums of satire, the study discusses the authors’ satire of democracy and capitalism and highlights why such institutions should be dismantled. Seen from a Marxist perspective, the study combines the realm of political satire and futuristic visions of both authors and postulate that, for Ibsen, and for Shaw, all political institutions and ideologies that do not improve on the lot of mankind should be abandoned. According to the study, the authors share the Marxist ideology that governments are machineries of exploitation of the masses and the Marxist belief that capitalism is a system of government that alienates the masses. The unreal nature of democracy, royalty and capitalism is justified in the plays of the authors who are considered in this study as political philosophers. Although they did not propound a systematic body of political thought, they put forward in their plays a new agenda for anti-capitalist thought and action.
VL  - 10
IS  - 4
ER  -

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