-
Born in Dublin, Ireland to George Carr Shaw and Lucinda Elizabeth Gurly. Has two elder siblings, Agnes and Lucy.
-
Shaw attends school until fifteen, when he decides to work jobs with mundane tasks. All the while, he maintains interest in literature and art.
-
Shaw's mother leaves her husband and takes Agnes and Lucy to London. Shaw later follows.
-
Shaw tries to earn a living as a literary/music critic, advocating the theater of Henrik Ibsen. All the while he writes early novels. However, he struggles financially and frequently has to rely on his mother for support.
-
Shaw's first novel, Immaturity, is deeply autobiographical. However, this novel and his subsequent works are regarded as failures.
-
Shaw joins a group of socialists after his literary failures. He contributes several essays to this society.
-
Widower's Houses was notable for its unconventional treatment of romantic relationships. Shaw rejected English notions of love through satirization and caustic wit. Though critics were relatively dismissive of Widower's Houses, it laid a foundation for his future masterpieces.
-
Shaw's reputation gradually expanded with additional publications. He was inspired by Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House during this period. All the while, Shaw initiated a relationship with actress Ellen Terry, maintaining it purely through letters.
-
Charlotte Payne-Townshend, a socialist political activist of the Fabian Society, meets Shaw after nursing him back to health. The two shared similar principles and got along amiably. They never had children.
-
Composes new plays during this period, including Man and Superman, Major Barbara, Dilemma, and Caesar and Cleopatra. Has considerably more success in terms of both popularity and critical reception.
-
Despite his marriage to Payne-Townshend, the two never consummated their relationship. Campbell inspires the character of Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, but her relations with Shaw lead to conflict with his wife.
-
Austrians perform Pygmalion in Vienna in October of 1913 in a German translation.
-
Opens the first production in English. At the onset of WWI, Shaw also published a pamphlet containing his socialist-influenced opinions of the war. Regarded as outrageous, the work leads to London artistic circle's ostracism of Shaw.
-
His visit to war-torn France would later inspire his masterpiece Saint Joan (1923). This piece details the life of Joan of Arc in Middle Ages and extends it to the present.
-
Received prize in 1926. Awarded for works "marked by both idealism and humanity" and "stimulating satire often... infused with a singular poetic beauty."
-
These travels inspire the now-seventy Shaw to write The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles, The Six of Calais, and The Millionairess.
-
For the entirety of this period, Shaw abstains from publishing further plays.
-
Shaw is adamant about allowing any cuts to the dialogue. The film stars Leslie Howard as Higgins and Wendy Hiller as Eliza.
-
Charlotte Payne-Townshend dies of osteitis deformans, a chronic bone disease.
-
This play remains incomplete, as Shaw only finished five of six scenes.
-
Suffers trauma and kidney failure after falling while attempting to prune a tree. His death leads to worldwide coverage and mourning.