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Annajanska, the Bolshevik Empress

Bernard Shaw

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Book Excerpt: 
. . .I ask myself how can a man shed his blood for empty words used by vulgar tradesmen and common laborers: mere wind and stink. [He rises, exalted by his theme.] A king is a splendid reality, a man raised above us like a god. You can see him; you can kiss his hand; you can be cheered by his smile and terrified by his frown. I would have died for my Panjandrum as my father died for his father. Your toiling millions were only too honored to receive the toes of our boots in the proper spot for them when they displeased their betters. And now what is left in life for me? [He relapses into his chair discouraged.] My Panjandrum is deposed and transported to herd with convicts. The army, his pride and glory, is paraded to hear seditious speeches from penniless rebels, with the colonel actually forced to take the chair and introduce the speaker. I myself am made Commander-in-Chief by my own solicitor: a Jew, Schneidekind! a Hebrew Jew! It seems only yesterday that these things woul. . . Read More

Community Reviews

This little bagatelle of Shaw's premiered in 1918, shortly after the Bolshevik takeover in Russia. Except that Russia is never named in the play: It is Beotia, lately controlled by the Panjandrum of that country. We are on the front lines of World War One with two Beotian officers, the senior of who

A small fun toy of a play by Shaw is worth ten serious plays from lesser pens.

This is another short play that Shaw wrote during World War I. The title rather gives away the punchline at the end: Gasp! The Bolshevik leader this princess has been talking about is... herself!

A comedy look at the revolution where instead of the gore and massacres of real events there is a princess of the realm travelling dressed up as an officer of the military, which leads people to conclude she is kidnapped by the officer; what she intends is to take over the revolution, and since the

That one wasn't so bad...If it made me a bit confused