The Devil’s Disciple by George Bernard Shaw

The Devil’s Disciple by George Bernard Shaw

In the melodrama The Devils Disciple by George Bernard Shaw, Judith

Anderson is the only character that becomes a ‘changed’ person at the

end of the play. At first glance, the two main characters Richard

Dudgeon and Anthony Anderson seem to be the characters that undergo a

character exchange. But as we study the play in greater detail, we are

able to explore the significant changes Shaw has intentionally

inflicted in Judith Anderson, to convey the theme of ‘appearance and

reality’.

Perhaps it was Judith’s identity as the Presbyterian minister of

Springfield, Anthony Anderson’s wife, that subconsciously pressured

her to be the ‘very polite’ or even ‘patronizing’ character that she

is.

An example of the patron character that Shaw is trying to portray in

Judith can be seen at the start of the play where Mrs Dudgeon,

Richard’s mother, is impatiently waiting for her husband’s will to

arrive. During the scene Mrs Dudgeon had told Judith to “never mind”

Essie, and says “You know who she is and what she is” reminding Judith

that Essie’s is an illegitimate child. Judith who was trying to

fulfill her responsibilities of being the minister’s wife shows

sympathy by –

“Patronizing Essie” by explaining to her, “you must not mind if your

aunt is strict with you. She is a very good woman, and desires your

good too.”

But as Essie replies in “listless misery...” Judith becomes –

“Annoyed with Essie for her failure to be consoled and edified and to

appreciate the kindly condescension of the remark.”

Through this “annoyed” expression, the idea of Judith continuous

efforts to seek appreciation of the angelic appearance that she is

successfully making can be communicated towards the audience. This

therefore shows that this was simply an ‘act’, to gain acknowledgement

and to fulfill her responsibilities as the minister’s wife, instead of

from her true motives. This idea is further reinforced when Judith

thinks herself as –

“being a more thoughtful housekeeper than Mrs Dudgeon”