Don juan Quote by George Bernard Shaw
““In the preface to my Plays for Puritans I explained the predicament of our contemporary English drama, forced to deal almost exclusively with cases of sexual attraction, and yet forbidden to exhibit the incidents of that attraction or even to discuss its nature. Your suggestion that I should write a Don Juan play was virtually a challenge to me to treat this subject myself dramatically. The challenge was difficult enough to be worth accepting, because, when you come to think of it, though we have plenty””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Preface to Plays for Puritans, George Bernard Shaw, 1922
Shaw was challenged to write a Don Juan play, confronting the taboo of depicting sexual attraction directly, which he found a worthwhile artistic test.
In simple terms: He accepted a challenge to portray forbidden desire.
Key Takeaway
Embrace difficult subjects.
Themes
artistic challenge
taboo
sexuality
drama
Mood
provocative
determined
Type
dramatic
critical
When to use this quote
- stage productions
- writing workshops
- cultural critique
Key Concepts
theatre
censorship
creative risk
Questions to Reflect On
- How would you depict taboo topics today?
- What risks do you face when confronting norms?
A Different Perspective
Audience resistance may limit impact.
