George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple

George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple

When we are first introduced to Richard Dudgeon, at the reading of his

late father Timothy's will in his childhood home, we have already

learned of his character from the opinions of three other characters:

firstly, his mother, then from Anthony Anderson, the minister, and

finally, from Anderson's wife Judith. None of these accounts are in

Richard's favour, although Anthony Anderson is perhaps the least

against Richard of them all. Richard's mother considers Richard to be

the lowest of the low and a disgrace to his society; she believes that

there is nothing admirable about him at all. However, one could argue

that she is not much of an admirable woman herself, embittered by

having been forced to marry Timothy Dudgeon and not Timothy's late

brother Peter, for whom she really had feelings. We learn that Timothy

was the good and righteous brother, whereas Peter was not and was

therefore disgraced and cast into shame by his relatives and peers.

Richard, however, shows a profound liking and support of Peter, and

this means that he too is looked upon in disgust, particularly by his

mother. Judith Anderson has much the same opinion of Richard as his

mother does, though her dislike is perhaps not quite as severe.

Richard is put down simply because of his religious beliefs; whereas

all of his relatives are Puritans, he simply wants to enjoy life, and

this is what has earned him the title of the 'Devil's Disciple'.

Indeed, those who despise him the most are all God-fearing; his

younger cousin Essie shows a liking for him because not only does he

show her kindness, but because she herself is not a devout Puritan,

being put down herself simply for being the illegitima...

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...ero, but Anderson tells him otherwise.

In conclusion, what Shaw is trying to tell us from this play is that

you should not judge upon first impressions; and that what a man

appears as outwardly, is not necessarily what he really feels

inwardly. The audience is quick to judge upon Richard's character from

the accounts we are given at the beginning of the play, but as the

story progresses, we learn that there is more to the man than meets

the eye, and that perhaps the comments and tales of his God-fearing

relatives and neighbours are not enough to judge him upon. Richard,

despite his great display of bravado and arrogance through his

confident manner and use of dialogue, as well as having a reputation

which he clearly feels proud of, is really a very good hearted man,

and perhaps even more willing to save his fellow man than all his

puritanical relatives.