Servants by George Bernard Shaw
"Servants", a play by George Bernard Shaw, explores the power dynamics between masters and servants in Victorian England. The story follows the lives of two families who are connected through their domestic staff. Throughout the play, Shaw highlights the class divide and the struggles faced by those at the bottom of society.
By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1923 · Genre: Social Commentary, Satire, Philosophical · 187 words
First lines
When domestic servants are treated as human beings it is not worth while to keep them.
The relation of master and servant is advantageous only to masters who do not scruple to abuse their authority, and to servants who do not scruple to abuse their trust.
The perfect servant, when his master makes humane advances to him, feels that his existence is threatened, and hastens to change his place.
Masters and servants are both tyrannical; but the masters are the more dependent of the two.
What this Textopian page supports
Servants is listed on Textopian as an essay by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1923 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: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Social Commentary, Satire, Philosophical, Drama, Literary Fiction
- Length: 187 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Servants by George Bernard Shaw
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Servants?
- How does this essay by George Bernard Shaw fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Social Commentary first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Faute De Mieux by George Bernard Shaw
- For Better Or Worse by George Bernard Shaw
- The Alternative To Barrabas by George Bernard Shaw
- The Lord Chamberlain Tells Of A Famous Meeting by Robert Graves
- A Mad World My Masters by Charles Kingsley
- Reginalds Drama by Saki
Genres
- Social Commentary — The text critiques the dynamics between masters and servants, highlighting societal norms and power structures.
- Satire — The work uses humor and irony to expose the absurdities and contradictions in the master-servant relationship.
- Philosophical — It explores philosophical themes about human nature, authority, and dependency.
- Drama — The interactions and conflicts between characters suggest dramatic elements.
Tags
class struggle · social commentary · satire · drama · theater · servitude · power dynamics · human relationships · morality · inequality · dialogue · character study