Androcles and the Lion by George Bernard Shaw
Androcles and the Lion is a play by George Bernard Shaw, first performed in 1912. It is a retelling of the ancient fable of Androcles, a slave who is saved from death by a lion after removing a thorn from its paw. The play follows Androcles as he escapes from his Roman captors and finds refuge in a cave, where he meets the lion. After removing the thorn, the lion becomes Androcles' companion and protector. The two then travel together, encountering various characters along the way, including a Christian hermit, a Roman captain, and a group of Christian martyrs. The play is a comedy, but it also contains serious themes, such as the power of friendship, the importance of faith, and the dangers of religious persecution. In the end, Androcles and the lion are reunited and the play ends with a message of hope and redemption.
By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1912 · Genre: Comedy, Drama, Classical Literature · 3 chapters · 16,225 words
First lines
Overture; forest sounds, roaring of lions, Christian hymn faintly.
A jungle path. A lion's roar, a melancholy suffering roar, comes from the jungle. It is repeated nearer. The lion limps from the jungle on three legs, holding up his right forepaw, in which a huge thorn sticks. He sits down and contemplates it. He licks it.
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Genres
- Comedy — The play is a comedic retelling of the ancient fable of Androcles and the Lion, which is a humorous story about a man and a lion.
- Drama — The play is a dramatic retelling of the ancient fable of Androcles and the Lion, which is a story with a moral lesson.
- Classical Literature — The play is a modern adaptation of the ancient fable of Androcles and the Lion, which is a classic story from Greek mythology.
- Satire — The play is a satirical retelling of the ancient fable of Androcles and the Lion, which is a story with a humorous and critical tone.
Tags
A Christian is Saved by His Devotion to an Animal · English drama (Comedy) · androcles · arena · box · boy · brother · caesar · captain · centurion · christian · christians
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Androcles and the Lion is listed on Textopian as a play by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1912 CE.
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- Work type: Play
- Author: George Bernard Shaw
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Drama, Classical Literature, Satire
- Length: 16,225 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 537 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Androcles and the Lion by George Bernard Shaw
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