John Agreed as to the Trial and Crucifixion
The play John Agreed as to the Trial and Crucifixion, by George Bernard Shaw, is a retelling of the story of Jesus Christ from the perspective of his disciple Judas Iscariot. It challenges traditional Christian beliefs about the nature of God and the role of religion in society. The play was first performed in 1936 and has been adapted for film and television several times since then.
By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1946 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Historical Fiction · 714 words
First lines
Although John, following his practice of showing Jesus's skill as a debater, makes him play a less passive part at his trial, he still gives substantially the same account of it as all the rest. And the question that would occur to any modern reader never occurs to him, any more than it occurred to Matthew, Mark, or Luke. That question is, Why on earth did not Jesus defend himself, and make the people rescue him from the High Priest? He was so popular that they were unable to prevent him driving the money-changers out of the temple, or to arrest him for it. When they did arrest him afterwards, they had to do it at night in a garden. He could have argued with them as he had often done in the temple, and justified himself both to the Jewish law and to Caesar. And he had physical force at his command to back up his arguments: all that was needed was a speech to rally his followers; and he was not gagged.
What this Textopian page supports
John Agreed as to the Trial and Crucifixion is listed on Textopian as an essay by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1946 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: George Bernard Shaw
- Date: 1946 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction
- Length: 714 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for John Agreed as to the Trial and Crucifixion by George Bernard Shaw
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- After The Crucifixion by George Bernard Shaw
- The Crucifixion by Charles Kingsley
- The Gospel According To Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago
- Matthew Imputes Dignity To Jesus by George Bernard Shaw
- The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton
- Retrospective Atonement And The Expectation Of The Redeemer by George Bernard Shaw
Genres
- Religious Fiction — The narrative centers on the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, exploring theological themes and interpretations of biblical events.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text delves into existential questions about Jesus's actions and motivations, reflecting on faith and destiny.
- Historical Fiction — The work reimagines historical events from the life of Jesus, providing a narrative that aligns with historical and biblical accounts.
- Drama — The narrative presents dramatic elements through the depiction of Jesus's trial and the emotional and moral conflicts involved.
Tags
religion · Christianity · theology · drama · play · historical · philosophy · sacrifice · redemption · faith · doubt · morality