Great Catherine

Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 81K words
Chapters: 9

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Great Catherine (Whom Glory Still Adores) by Bernard ShawAuthor: Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 1, 2002

Editor's review

Great Catherine is a satirical comedy by Shaw set in the court of Catherine the Great, and its subtitle, "Whom Glory Still Adores," is itself mocking. Using a historical shell, Shaw explores the collision between power, vanity, and British pragmatism: he places a British officer in the elaborate ritual and pomp of the Russian court, generating humor through cultural dislocation while letting words like "glory" and "great" be steadily deflated in the dialogue. The play's strength lies in Shaw's sharp dialogue and irreverence toward authority; he does not aim to recreate history but uses historical figures as props for satirizing contemporary politics and human weaknesses. It is best read as a blend of comedy and intellectual debate rather than a history play. Of moderate length with concentrated scenes, it suits theater lovers, readers of English literature, and anyone interested in how Shaw handled historical subjects. Note that its portrayal of the Russian court and of women carries the prejudices and exaggerations of its era, and should be read with a critical eye today.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Theater readers who enjoy Shaw's witty dialogue and satirical comedy
Readers interested in historical satirical plays and court comedies
English literature students analyzing Shaw's approach to history plays
Beginners looking for an easy way into Shaw's work

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for a rigorous historical biography of Catherine the Great
Readers sensitive to cultural stereotypes and period prejudice
Readers who prefer serious drama and dislike exaggerated comedy

Reading tips

First read it as a comedy and enjoy the rhythm of the dialogue, then go back to analyze how Shaw uses cultural dislocation to create satire.
Watch where words like "great" and "glory" appear, and observe how the author makes them ring hollow in context.
Compare it with Shaw's other historical plays to see his habitual handling of fact and fiction.
After reading, look up the basic facts about Catherine the Great to distinguish the play's imagination from the historical record.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Does the play faithfully portray Catherine the Great?

Not at all. Shaw uses history as a shell for satirical comedy; characters and plot serve the jokes and intellectual debate and should not be read as historical reconstruction.

Can I understand it without experience reading drama?

Yes. The play moves through dialogue, with concentrated scenes and modest length; on a first read, simply follow the relationships and the jokes—no prior knowledge of dramatic theory is needed.

Why does the subtitle say "Whom Glory Still Adores"?

The subtitle is ironic, pointing to the inflated rhetoric of "greatness" and "glory" in the play; Shaw uses it to mock blind worship of authority and historical reputation.

Comments

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About the author

Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950 Author

Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was an Irish playwright and critic. Public information about the details of his life is limited, yet his works have had a profound influence. The collection here contains 53 of his works, covering drama, criticism, and discursive essays. His representative works include Pygmalion, Mrs. Warren's Profession, Man and Superman, Candida, Caesar and Cleopatra, Major Barbara, and Arms and the Man. His plays often use witty, sharp dialogue to explore such issues as social class, gender relations, moral hypocrisy, and idealism, combining comic tension with argumentative force to form a distinctive style of drama of ideas. Shaw was skilled at presenting conflicts of ideas through exchanges between characters, turning the stage into a place of public discussion and exerting an important influence on the development of modern English-language drama.