Back to Methuselah: Analysis of Setting
"Back to Methuselah" is a play by George Bernard Shaw that delves into themes of evolution, longevity, and the human condition through a series of interconnected scenes set in various locales. The narrative begins in the Garden of Eden, a symbol of innocence, where the biblical figures Adam and Eve engage in trivial disputes, interrupted by a vivid serpent, representing temptation and knowledge. The setting shifts to an oasis in Mesopotamia, where the couple grapples with their son Cain's rebellious nature, highlighting the trials of parenthood and the complexities of human emotions.
As the timeline progresses to post-World War I London, the Brothers Barnabas seek to revive the lost longevity of humanity through a concept called Creative Evolution, reflecting a desire for progress in a world scarred by conflict. The story further unfolds in a futuristic parlor in 2170, where political and religious leaders struggle to embrace principles of the rediscovered Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas, showcasing the tension between tradition and change.
The narrative culminates at Galway Bay in the year 3000, where cultural clashes occur among representatives from different civilizations, revealing the challenges of reconciling ancient beliefs with modern realities. An oracle’s revelation becomes a focal point for these debates, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for understanding across generations. The exploration concludes at a temple on a hill, where themes of rebirth and the evolution of the soul come to the forefront, as iconic figures from mythology engage with the new realities of humanity. This multi-layered analysis of setting invites readers to contemplate the interplay between time, culture, and human evolution.
Back to Methuselah: Analysis of Setting
First published: 1921
First produced: 1922
Type of work: Drama
Type of plot: Fantasy
Time of work: From the beginning of time to 31,920 c.e.
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden. Playground of the biblical Adam and Eve, whose petty quarrels are interrupted by a gigantic and gloriously colored serpent.
Oasis
Oasis. Location in Mesopotamia where, a few centuries after leaving Eden, Adam and Eve are confronted by their son Cain’s adolescent rebellion.
*London
*London. Capital city of Great Britain, where, after the end of the Great War, in a house overlooking Hampstead Heath, the Brothers Barnabas conceive a scheme of Creative Evolution to recover the longevity of Adam and Eve. They attempt, unsuccessfully, to interest various politicians.
Board
Board. Parlor of the president of the British Islands in the year 2170. The room’s end wall is a massive television screen. The Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas has been rediscovered, and its principles found to be in action; however, the president cannot convince the representatives of various religions of this fact.
*Galway Bay
*Galway Bay. Atlantic Ocean inlet in western Ireland where, in the year 3000, a confrontation occurs among a diplomat from the capital of the British Commonwealth (located in Baghdad), the emperor of Turania, and representatives of a long-lived, culturally superior race. The revelations of an oracle voiced in a temple near Burrin pier fail to convince the visitors that their folkways are obsolete.
Temple on the hill
Temple on the hill. Edifice on a wooded slope, perhaps on the same site as the temple previously featured. A ritual performed before its altar ends with the oviparous birth of a Newly Born individual, whose curiosity requires a prompt education in the mysterious ways of the Life Force. The ghosts of Adam, Eve, and Cain subsequently reappear outside the temple, so that Lilith can explain to them that their ultimate descendants have given up on vulgar matter to become purified souls.
Bibliography
Crompton, Louis. Shaw the Dramatist. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1969. Includes an excellent chapter on Back to Methuselah, which discusses Shaw’s debts to the thinkers and writers of his time.
Ervine, St. John. Bernard Shaw: His Life, Work and Friends. New York: William Morrow, 1956. An account that draws on personal knowledge of and correspondence with Shaw. The author often takes issue with Shaw’s ideas.
Joad, C. E. M. “Shaw’s Philosophy.” In George Bernard Shaw: A Critical Survey, edited by Louis Kronenberger. New York: World Publishing, 1953. The best overall view of Shaw’s ideas of Creative Evolution and the Life Force and their relations to other basic Shavian ideas.
Shaw, George Bernard. “Preface: The Infidel Half Century.” In Bernard Shaw: Collected Plays with Their Prefaces. Vol. 5. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1972. Indispensable. Shaw’s own lengthy and discursive discussion of the play, why he wrote it, and how it should be understood.
Whitman, Robert F. Shaw and the Play of Ideas. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1977. A discussion that emphasizes the way in which the play presents and resolves contradictions. Also deals with the importance of hope in the play and in the Shavian scheme of things.