One of Ireland’s most notable literary icons, here are ten facts about George Bernard Shaw that you probably never knew.
Dubbed the leading dramatist of his generation, this Dublin-born writer was known for much more than just his printed prowess.
From dabbling in politics to revising the alphabet, here are ten facts about George Bernard Shaw that you might not have known.
10. He wasn’t fond of his name – changed it in later life
Despite being born George Bernard Shaw in 1856, the Anglo-Irish wordsmith later dropped his Christian name and became known simply as Bernard Shaw.
It is said that his distaste for the name ‘George’ traces back to his childhood and that, as per his wishes, it went unused by those outside of his family.
9. He was a vegetarian – before it was trendy
Though Shaw’s decision to become a vegetarian was initially believed to have been influenced by the poverty he suffered whilst living in London as a young man, his decision was later confirmed an ethical one instead of economical.
His favourite recipes have since been immortalised by Alice Laden and R. J. Minney in The George Bernard Shaw Vegetarian Cookbook (1972).
8. He sought to reform the alphabet – his very own version
One of the most interesting facts about George Bernard Shaw is that he has a version of the alphabet named after him (known as the ‘Shavian Alphabet’ or ‘Shaw Alphabet’).
Unwilling to conform to the English alphabet’s rules regarding spelling and punctuation, he set about creating a new, more precise phonetic version consisting of a minimum of 40 letters.
Shaw was so determined for it to succeed that he left money in his will to fund its creation.
7. He wrote more than 60 plays – a prolific writer
Shaw’s impressive body of work spanned multiple decades with his creations – notably satirical in nature – addressing many social issues of the time: politics, religion, privilege etc.
He is best known for penning Major Barbara (1905), Pygmalion (1912), and Saint Joan (1923).
6. His works were initially deemed to be failures – failure breeds success
Despite his large volume of works, Shaw’s success wasn’t instant – in fact, a number of his early pieces (namely his five novels) were refused by many publishers.
Shaw eventually turned his attention toward other avenues, such as writing plays, wherein he found greater success. However, said early writings were later published, with some coming posthumously.
5. He took a turn as a polemicist, orator, and political activist – politically-minded
Another interesting fact about George Bernard Shaw is that he championed several prevalent issues, including gender equality, women’s rights, and fairer treatment of the working class.
During his time as a political figure in England, Shaw served on the London City Council. He also joined the newly-founded Fabian Society (1884) and drafted their first manifesto.
4. He was a controversial figure – not everyone’s cup of tea
Shaw held numerous controversial opinions for which he faced much criticism.
Alongside opposing vaccinations and organised religion, he actively advocated for eugenics. Further, he was vocal in admiration for the political figures Stalin, Mussolini, and Hitler.
Shaw also condemned all parties involved in the First World War and held strong opinions regarding British policy in Ireland.
3. He worked as a ghostwriter, critic, and columnist – multi-talented
One of Shaw’s earliest jobs entailed ghostwriting for a musical column in the weekly satirical publication The Hornet. Later, he ghostwrote a similar column for The Star (as ‘Corno di Bassetto’).
He also worked as an art critic for The World (as ‘G.B.S.’) and served as a theatre critic for The Saturday Review.
2. He had an aversion to public honours – declined a number of offers
Shaw frequently rebuffed a multitude of honours throughout his lifetime.
Though unsuccessful in declining the Nobel Prize for Literature (1925), he saw that its monetary award was used to fund the translation of Swedish books into English.
And, despite refusing the Order of Merit in 1946, he accepted the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin that same year.
1. Recipient of a Nobel Prize AND an Academy Award – first person to do so
Arguably the most impressive of our facts about George Bernard Shaw is that he was the first-ever person to receive both a Nobel Prize and an Oscar. He earned an Oscar for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ for the film adaptation of his play Pygmalion (1939).
The work also later became a musical that found fame both on stage and screen.
And there you have them: ten facts about George Bernard Shaw you probably never knew.
Let us know which one surprised you the most!
