First Impressions in Bernard Shaw’s play The Devil’s Disciple Essay

Bernard Shaws play The reproofs follower is set in 1777 when the American War of British Independence was at its height.Richard high dudgeon is the main character in this production and he begins as a black sheep in a family of self-righteous puritans. Richard has entitled himself The Devils Disciple.In the commencement Act of the play, Richards experience has died and this starts the reading of his will. During this scene we get a lot of the other characters views on Richard before we meet him.It seems that almost everyone apart from Essie (Richards cousin). Everyone construes it hard to berate about him as if it is against the rules, e.g. Judith Anderson says to Essie, Dick Dudgeon Essie do you wish to be a really respectable and grateful girl, and to make a household for yourself here by steady and good conduct? Then you essential never mention the name of Richard Dudgeon never think compensate about him. He is a bad man. This suggests that Judith believes flush sentim ent about Richard could mean you were becoming a bad person yourself. However, we find out later that she has never actually met Richard Dudgeon, so is only utter this from what she has heard.Whilst Mrs Dudgeon and Mr Anderson are talking at the very beginning of the scene, Mrs Dudgeon also expresses her view of Richard. She says, Let it be a warning to him. He may end that way himself, the wicked, dissolute, godless This shows us that he is even hated by his own mother.From all of the views shown in the early stages of the first act about Richard, we get the impression that he is a frightful person, with no respect or cares for anyone else. Even when we meet Richard, our opinions as an hearing dont change greatly, he shows himself as quite big-chested and sarcastic. How... ... a fool.Judith Like a hero.I think that Shaw made us change our opinion of Richard in the context of the story that he is recounting because it shows us how even the worst people among us can change, or that these people are not so bad after all, on the nose covering up their true selves until the time is right. Anderson (whilst talking to the British soldiers) says, Sir it is in the hour of struggle that a man finds his true profession. This foolish youthful man placing his hand on Richards shoulder boasted himself the Devils Disciple, but when the hour of trial came to him, he found that it was his destiny to suffer and be faithful to the death. I conceit myself a decent minister of the gospel of peace, but when the hour of trial came to me, I found that it was my destiny to be a man of live up to and that my place was amid the thunder of the captains and the shouting.