The play "The Devil's Disciple" by Bernard Shaw.

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“The Devil’s Disciple”

Within the play “The Devil’s Disciple” by Bernard Shaw, one of the main characters is forced to compromise his life for someone who he barely knows.  Within this essay, I will discuss how the character’s decision affects the ideas and outcome of the play by studying key scenes and themes.

Shaw’s play tells of a man called Richard.  Richard opposes the Puritan faith, however, is prepared to sacrifice his own life for a Minister called Antony Anderson.  This unfortunate situation arose one night when Mr Anderson invited Richard to his house to warn him that the army would kill him as a warning to other rebels, however, Anderson was the one the army were going to hang.  When the army called for Anderson he was out and Richard willingly allowed himself to be mistaken for the minister and was taken away to be hung.

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One of the key scenes within the play was when Judith (the Minister’s wife) went to speak to Richard about him sacrificing himself for who she sees as her cowardly husband.  This scene shows Richard’s brave opinion and the idea that even though he is not conventionally religious, he in fact has higher and more admirable morals than those who are strictly religious:

JUDITH         “Do you realize that you are going to kill yourself?”

RICHARD         “The only man I have any right to kill.”

This important scene indicated that Richard was to some degree being forced ...

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