Heartbreak House

Name: Heartbreak House
Author: George Bernard Shaw

Heartbreak House is a play by George Bernard Shaw, first performed in 1920. It is set in the early 20th century, in the English countryside, and follows the lives of the eccentric and wealthy Captain Shotover and his family. The play begins with the arrival of a young woman, Ellie Dunn, who has been invited to stay with the Shotovers. She is soon joined by a variety of other guests, including the charming and mysterious Hector Hushabye, the wealthy businessman Boss Mangan, and the mysterious and dangerous figure of the Russian anarchist, Professor Ratchett. The guests soon find themselves in the midst of a heated debate about the state of the world, and the need for change. As the play progresses, the characters’ relationships become increasingly complex, and the play culminates in a dramatic climax. Heartbreak House is a powerful and thought-provoking play, exploring themes of love, death, and the need for social change. It is a classic of modern drama, and remains one of Shaw’s most popular works.

By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1919 · Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance · 4 chapters · 47,743 words

First lines

The hilly country in the middle of the north edge of Sussex, looking very pleasant on a fine evening at the end of September, is seen through the windows of a room which has been built so as to resemble the after part of an old-fashioned high-pooped ship, with a stern gallery; for the windows are ship built with heavy timbering, and run right across the room as continuously as the stability of the wall allows. A row of lockers under the windows provides an unupholstered windowseat interrupted by twin glass doors, respectively halfway between the stern post and the sides. Another door strains the illusion a little by being apparently in the ship's port side, and yet leading, not to the open sea, but to the entrance hall of the house. Between this door and the stern gallery are bookshelves. There are electric light switches beside the door leading to the hall and the glass doors in the stern gallery.

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Heartbreak House is listed on Textopian as a play by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1919 CE.

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Work type: Play
Author: George Bernard Shaw
Date: 1919 CE
Language: English
Genres: Drama, Comedy, Romance, Tragedy
Length: 47,743 words
Structure: 4 chapters, 1,654 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Drama — Heartbreak House is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in the early 20th century. It is a comedy-drama that follows the lives of a group of people living in a house in the English countryside. The play is full of witty dialogue and explores themes of love, death, and the human condition.
Comedy — Heartbreak House is a comedic play that follows the lives of a group of people living in a house in the English countryside. The play is full of witty dialogue and explores themes of love, death, and the human condition in a humorous way.
Romance — Heartbreak House is a play that follows the lives of a group of people living in a house in the English countryside. The play explores themes of love and romance, as the characters grapple with their feelings for one another.
Tragedy — Heartbreak House is a play that follows the lives of a group of people living in a house in the English countryside. The play explores themes of death and tragedy, as the characters grapple with the inevitability of mortality.