description Heartbreak House Overview
Heartbreak House is a play by George Bernard Shaw, written during the First World War and first published and performed in 1920. Set in an eccentric English country house designed like a ship, it brings together wealthy and educated characters who talk extensively while remaining detached from the crisis surrounding them. Shaw subtitled it A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes, signaling its debt to Chekhov and its critique of the ruling classes before the war.
help Heartbreak House FAQ
When was Heartbreak House first performed?
Heartbreak House was written during the First World War and first published and performed in 1920. The delay between writing and production was partly related to wartime conditions in Britain.
Who wrote Heartbreak House?
Heartbreak House was written by George Bernard Shaw, one of the most prominent English-language playwrights of the early twentieth century. Shaw subtitled the play 'A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes,' reflecting Chekhov's influence on his work.
What is unusual about the house in Heartbreak House?
The play is set in an eccentric English country house designed to resemble a ship. This ship-like structure serves as a metaphor for the characters' drifting, rudderless existence amid the gathering storm of global conflict.
What is Heartbreak House about?
The play brings together wealthy and educated characters in the ship-like country house, where they talk extensively while remaining largely inactive. Shaw uses these characters to critique the complacency and moral paralysis of the English upper classes on the eve of destruction.
explore Explore More
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
