George Bernard Shaw 
Man and Superman (Annotated) 

• This edition includes the editor’s reflection on Philosophical themes addressed in Shaw’s ‘Man and the Superman’

“Man and Superman” is a four-act drama written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903. The drama was written in response to a call for Shaw to write a play based on the Don Juan theme. Although “Man and Superman” can be performed as a light comedy of manners Shaw intended the drama to be something much deeper, as suggested by the title. This title comes from Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophical ideas about the ‘
Übermensch’ (‘Superman’).



“Man and Superman” centres on John Tanner, a confirmed bachelor despite the pursuits of Ann Whitefield and her persistent efforts to make him marry her. Ann is referred to as ‘
The Life Force’ and represents Shaw’s view that in every culture, it is the women who force the men to marry them rather than the men that take the initiative.