What do you think?
Rate this book
كيف كذب على زوجها
George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin in 1856. Before becoming a playwright he wrote music and literary criticism. Shaw used his writing to attack social problems such as education, marriage, religion, government, health care, and class privilege.Shaw was particularly conscious of the exploitation of the working class.How He Lied to Her Husband is a one act play set in an English drawing room. The characters are Henry, a beautiful young man, a middle aged woman, and her husband, Teddy. Aurora is distressed because poems written by Henry, her lover, are gone. When her husband confronts the two, young Henry tries to convince him the poems were inspired by the goddess Aurora and not Aurora the woman. At the end of the play Teddy wants the poems published as a tribute to his wife. "What shall we call the volume?," Teddy asks. "To Aurora, or something like that, eh?," to which Henry replies, "I should call it How He Lied to Her Husband."
Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
12 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
George Bernard Shaw
2,010 books4,154 followersGeorge Bernard Shaw stands as one of the most prolific and influential intellectuals of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a man whose literary output was matched only by his fervent commitment to social reform. Rising from a modest background in Dublin to become a global icon of letters, Shaw redefined the purpose of the stage, transforming it from a place of mere entertainment into a forum for rigorous intellectual debate and moral inquiry. His unique "Shavian" style—characterized by sharp-witted dialogue, paradoxical reasoning, and a relentless assault on Victorian hypocrisy—ensured that his voice resonated far beyond the footlights. As a playwright, critic, and philosopher, he remains a singular figure in history, being one of only two individuals to have been honored with both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award. This rare crossover of high-art recognition and mainstream cinematic success speaks to his versatility and the enduring relevance of his narratives. His dramatic work, which includes over sixty plays, often tackled the most pressing issues of his day, from the rigid structures of the British class system to the complexities of gender roles and the ethical dilemmas of capitalism. In masterpieces like Pygmalion, he used the science of phonetics to demonstrate the artificiality of class distinctions, a theme that would later reach millions through the musical adaptation My Fair Lady. In Man and Superman, he delved into the philosophical concepts of the "Life Force" and the evolution of the human spirit, while Major Barbara forced audiences to confront the uncomfortable relationship between religious idealism and the industrial military complex. Beyond his theatrical achievements, Shaw was a foundational force in political thought, serving as a leading light of the Fabian Society. His advocacy for gradual socialist reform, rather than violent revolution, helped shape the trajectory of modern British politics and social welfare. He was instrumental in the creation of the London School of Economics, an institution that continues to influence global policy and economic theory. Shaw was also a formidable critic, whose reviews of music and drama set new standards for the profession, characterized by an uncompromising honesty and a deep knowledge of the arts. His personal lifestyle was as distinctive as his writing; a committed vegetarian, teetotaler, and non-smoker, he lived with a disciplined focus that allowed him to remain productive well into his ninth decade. He was a man of contradictions, often engaging in provocative public discourse that challenged the status quo, even when his views sparked intense controversy. His fascination with the "Superman" archetype and his occasional support for authoritarian figures reflected a complex, often elitist worldview that sought the betterment of humanity through radical intellectual evolution. Despite these complexities, his core mission was always rooted in a profound humanitarianism and a desire to expose the delusions that prevented society from progressing. He believed that the power of the written word could strip away the masks of respectability that hid social injustice, and his plays continue to be staged worldwide because the human foibles he satirized remain as prevalent today as they were during his lifetime. By blending humor with gravity and intellect with accessibility, Shaw created a body of work that serves as both a mirror and a compass for modern civilization. His legacy is not just in the scripts he left behind, but in the very way we think about the intersection of art, politics, and the individual’s responsibility to the collective good. He remains the quintessential public intellectual, a man who never feared to speak his mind or to demand that the world become a more rational and equitable place.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 5, 2017
مراجعة
#كيف_كذب_علي_زوجها
إنها التجربة الأولي والرائعة مع #برنارد_شو
عرفت عندما قرأت له أن برنارد شو كاتب مميز لا يكتب أحد مثله ، فنادرا ما تجد من يكتب بأسلوب السخرية اللاذعة هذه مع الكوميدية الظريفة في آن واحد ، بالإضافة إلي حضور الذهن .
هذه المسرحية من مشهد واحد هي مسرحية صغيرة ولكنها تناقش بعض السمات النفسية للرجل والمرأة
ففيها يحب أحدهم واحدة جميلة بل أجمل من ألوف النساء ، وهي أيضا تنساق معه في هذه النزوة بالرغم من كونها متزوجة ، ولكنها تحب أن تكون محبوبة من الجميع ومحط أنظارهم ، ولكن عندما أحست أنها مهددة بفقد زوجها ، تراجعت وأعترفت أنها ظنت أنها مجرد لعبة ستفرغ منها في وقت ما عندما تريد ولم تعرف أن ذلك قد يؤدي إلي انفصالها عن زوجها ، فقررت مع عشيقها الكذب علي زوجها محاولة بذلك الحفاظ علي العلاقة التي بينهم .
يعلم الزوج بخيانة زوجته ولكن الغريب في الأمر أنه لم يثر إلا عندما انكر العشيق أنه يحب زوجته وان العلاقة التي تجمع بينهما هي مجرد علاقة سطحية ولا يكن لها اي مشاعر ، فغضب في حنق شديد ، فذكر له أن زوجته قد أحبها من هم أفضل وأنبل منه فكيف يتجرأ ويقول أنه لم يقع في غرامها وهي التي لم يصمد أمامها رجل لثلاثة أيام .
وفي النهاية. أعترف العشيق بفعلته فارتاح الزوج بل طلب منه نشر القصائد الذي بعث بها إلي زوجته .
نعم هناك بعض الرجال من يشعر بالفخر عندما تكون زوجته محط أنظار الجميع ويتهافت عليها كل الذين يعرفونها ولكنها فضلته عليهم جميعا ، ولكن لا استطيع أن اتقبل أمثاله .
وايضا هناك تلك المرأة التي قد تخون ولكن إذا كان الثمن زوجها وأسرتها تراجعت وايضا لا يمكن أن اتقبلها .
التقييم العام : خمس نجوم
#كيف_كذب_علي_زوجها
إنها التجربة الأولي والرائعة مع #برنارد_شو
عرفت عندما قرأت له أن برنارد شو كاتب مميز لا يكتب أحد مثله ، فنادرا ما تجد من يكتب بأسلوب السخرية اللاذعة هذه مع الكوميدية الظريفة في آن واحد ، بالإضافة إلي حضور الذهن .
هذه المسرحية من مشهد واحد هي مسرحية صغيرة ولكنها تناقش بعض السمات النفسية للرجل والمرأة
ففيها يحب أحدهم واحدة جميلة بل أجمل من ألوف النساء ، وهي أيضا تنساق معه في هذه النزوة بالرغم من كونها متزوجة ، ولكنها تحب أن تكون محبوبة من الجميع ومحط أنظارهم ، ولكن عندما أحست أنها مهددة بفقد زوجها ، تراجعت وأعترفت أنها ظنت أنها مجرد لعبة ستفرغ منها في وقت ما عندما تريد ولم تعرف أن ذلك قد يؤدي إلي انفصالها عن زوجها ، فقررت مع عشيقها الكذب علي زوجها محاولة بذلك الحفاظ علي العلاقة التي بينهم .
يعلم الزوج بخيانة زوجته ولكن الغريب في الأمر أنه لم يثر إلا عندما انكر العشيق أنه يحب زوجته وان العلاقة التي تجمع بينهما هي مجرد علاقة سطحية ولا يكن لها اي مشاعر ، فغضب في حنق شديد ، فذكر له أن زوجته قد أحبها من هم أفضل وأنبل منه فكيف يتجرأ ويقول أنه لم يقع في غرامها وهي التي لم يصمد أمامها رجل لثلاثة أيام .
وفي النهاية. أعترف العشيق بفعلته فارتاح الزوج بل طلب منه نشر القصائد الذي بعث بها إلي زوجته .
نعم هناك بعض الرجال من يشعر بالفخر عندما تكون زوجته محط أنظار الجميع ويتهافت عليها كل الذين يعرفونها ولكنها فضلته عليهم جميعا ، ولكن لا استطيع أن اتقبل أمثاله .
وايضا هناك تلك المرأة التي قد تخون ولكن إذا كان الثمن زوجها وأسرتها تراجعت وايضا لا يمكن أن اتقبلها .
التقييم العام : خمس نجوم
Read
October 4, 2024women in male dominated fields (having an affair with a questionably young lover)
February 5, 2016
How He Lied to Her Husband:-
I seem to have lost a review of this play, a most favourite one, that I remember - vividly - writing, only a few weeks ago about this play, and while this is not the first time it has happened it is difficult to think of how it could have.
This play is one of the most delightful ones penned by the writer and it is completely unlike anything anyone (outside old British social life) might imagine. One of the most wonderful plays by Mr. Shaw, full of quite unexpected turns when one is in the world of literature but quite normal in real life, which is what makes it hilarious and sobering.
A very talented and romantic poet who is in love with a beautiful woman, who wishes nothing as much as seeing her every evening for a session of theater and dinner or at least reading poetry to her that is written for her, in praise of her exquisite beauty, and is ever ready to do anything his love might demand of him.
Only, she is married, and to a very rich man who gives her everything she could wish for materially and socially but is no romantic poet, or at any rate not a man of words. On the other hand he is not stingy about providing her with an expensive social lifestyle with dinners, parties, artists invited and theater and carriages, jewellery. And so on. Still, he is no poet. Is he literate, is hard to remember from the play. Does he appreciate her beauty more than in terms of his own pleasure, one doubts to begin with.
There is the whole setting - the very beautiful and wealthy Aurora who is married to a common businessman although able to have a social life of consorting with various artists and so forth.
And then the play begins to unfold. The husband, the very practical and very much bourgeois man who has provided his wife with everything she could ever wish for in terms of wealth and social life, has now rumoured to have found out about the poet and the wife. Someone has told the husband about the poet's writing extensive poetry every day about the wife, and the love (still platonic in fact) that is the soil for the poetry to grow from, and so on. And the wife has come to know about the husband having been informed, and she is frantic in worry about what will happen.
The poet who is in love with her, writing poems to her, willing to do anything for her, whether taking her our to theater every evening or stay in and amuse her or be shot by her husband or elope with her, whatever destiny might have in store for the love of his very exhilarated heights of romance. The poet is willing to do anything she wishes, while his own noble instinct is to accept the blame and confront the husband with the truth and walk off into the sunset with his beloved beautiful Aurora.
What comes next is the typical Shaw sequence of twists and turns that leaves one helpless in hilarious laughter while totally in sympathy with the poor poet. I have no intention of spoiling the delight of reading further by saying another word about what comes next, for those that have not read this yet. Any attempt to describe it will spoil it for the reader, so I shall desist.
Thursday, November 20, 2008.
........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
I seem to have lost a review of this play, a most favourite one, that I remember - vividly - writing, only a few weeks ago about this play, and while this is not the first time it has happened it is difficult to think of how it could have.
This play is one of the most delightful ones penned by the writer and it is completely unlike anything anyone (outside old British social life) might imagine. One of the most wonderful plays by Mr. Shaw, full of quite unexpected turns when one is in the world of literature but quite normal in real life, which is what makes it hilarious and sobering.
A very talented and romantic poet who is in love with a beautiful woman, who wishes nothing as much as seeing her every evening for a session of theater and dinner or at least reading poetry to her that is written for her, in praise of her exquisite beauty, and is ever ready to do anything his love might demand of him.
Only, she is married, and to a very rich man who gives her everything she could wish for materially and socially but is no romantic poet, or at any rate not a man of words. On the other hand he is not stingy about providing her with an expensive social lifestyle with dinners, parties, artists invited and theater and carriages, jewellery. And so on. Still, he is no poet. Is he literate, is hard to remember from the play. Does he appreciate her beauty more than in terms of his own pleasure, one doubts to begin with.
There is the whole setting - the very beautiful and wealthy Aurora who is married to a common businessman although able to have a social life of consorting with various artists and so forth.
And then the play begins to unfold. The husband, the very practical and very much bourgeois man who has provided his wife with everything she could ever wish for in terms of wealth and social life, has now rumoured to have found out about the poet and the wife. Someone has told the husband about the poet's writing extensive poetry every day about the wife, and the love (still platonic in fact) that is the soil for the poetry to grow from, and so on. And the wife has come to know about the husband having been informed, and she is frantic in worry about what will happen.
The poet who is in love with her, writing poems to her, willing to do anything for her, whether taking her our to theater every evening or stay in and amuse her or be shot by her husband or elope with her, whatever destiny might have in store for the love of his very exhilarated heights of romance. The poet is willing to do anything she wishes, while his own noble instinct is to accept the blame and confront the husband with the truth and walk off into the sunset with his beloved beautiful Aurora.
What comes next is the typical Shaw sequence of twists and turns that leaves one helpless in hilarious laughter while totally in sympathy with the poor poet. I have no intention of spoiling the delight of reading further by saying another word about what comes next, for those that have not read this yet. Any attempt to describe it will spoil it for the reader, so I shall desist.
Thursday, November 20, 2008.
........................................................................................
.........................................................................................
February 5, 2016
How He Lied to Her Husband:-
I seem to have lost a review of this play, a most favourite one, that I remember - vividly - writing, only a few weeks ago about this play, and while this is not the first time it has happened it is difficult to think of how it could have.
This play is one of the most delightful ones penned by the writer and it is completely unlike anything anyone (outside old British social life) might imagine. One of the most wonderful plays by Mr. Shaw, full of quite unexpected turns when one is in the world of literature but quite normal in real life, which is what makes it hilarious and sobering.
A very talented and romantic poet who is in love with a beautiful woman, who wishes nothing as much as seeing her every evening for a session of theater and dinner or at least reading poetry to her that is written for her, in praise of her exquisite beauty, and is ever ready to do anything his love might demand of him.
Only, she is married, and to a very rich man who gives her everything she could wish for materially and socially but is no romantic poet, or at any rate not a man of words. On the other hand he is not stingy about providing her with an expensive social lifestyle with dinners, parties, artists invited and theater and carriages, jewellery. And so on. Still, he is no poet. Is he literate, is hard to remember from the play. Does he appreciate her beauty more than in terms of his own pleasure, one doubts to begin with.
There is the whole setting - the very beautiful and wealthy Aurora who is married to a common businessman although able to have a social life of consorting with various artists and so forth.
And then the play begins to unfold. The husband, the very practical and very much bourgeois man who has provided his wife with everything she could ever wish for in terms of wealth and social life, has now rumoured to have found out about the poet and the wife. Someone has told the husband about the poet's writing extensive poetry every day about the wife, and the love (still platonic in fact) that is the soil for the poetry to grow from, and so on. And the wife has come to know about the husband having been informed, and she is frantic in worry about what will happen.
The poet who is in love with her, writing poems to her, willing to do anything for her, whether taking her our to theater every evening or stay in and amuse her or be shot by her husband or elope with her, whatever destiny might have in store for the love of his very exhilarated heights of romance. The poet is willing to do anything she wishes, while his own noble instinct is to accept the blame and confront the husband with the truth and walk off into the sunset with his beloved beautiful Aurora.
What comes next is the typical Shaw sequence of twists and turns that leaves one helpless in hilarious laughter while totally in sympathy with the poor poet. I have no intention of spoiling the delight of reading further by saying another word about what comes next, for those that have not read this yet. Any attempt to describe it will spoil it for the reader, so I shall desist.
Thursday, November 20, 2008.
............................................................................
............................................................................
I seem to have lost a review of this play, a most favourite one, that I remember - vividly - writing, only a few weeks ago about this play, and while this is not the first time it has happened it is difficult to think of how it could have.
This play is one of the most delightful ones penned by the writer and it is completely unlike anything anyone (outside old British social life) might imagine. One of the most wonderful plays by Mr. Shaw, full of quite unexpected turns when one is in the world of literature but quite normal in real life, which is what makes it hilarious and sobering.
A very talented and romantic poet who is in love with a beautiful woman, who wishes nothing as much as seeing her every evening for a session of theater and dinner or at least reading poetry to her that is written for her, in praise of her exquisite beauty, and is ever ready to do anything his love might demand of him.
Only, she is married, and to a very rich man who gives her everything she could wish for materially and socially but is no romantic poet, or at any rate not a man of words. On the other hand he is not stingy about providing her with an expensive social lifestyle with dinners, parties, artists invited and theater and carriages, jewellery. And so on. Still, he is no poet. Is he literate, is hard to remember from the play. Does he appreciate her beauty more than in terms of his own pleasure, one doubts to begin with.
There is the whole setting - the very beautiful and wealthy Aurora who is married to a common businessman although able to have a social life of consorting with various artists and so forth.
And then the play begins to unfold. The husband, the very practical and very much bourgeois man who has provided his wife with everything she could ever wish for in terms of wealth and social life, has now rumoured to have found out about the poet and the wife. Someone has told the husband about the poet's writing extensive poetry every day about the wife, and the love (still platonic in fact) that is the soil for the poetry to grow from, and so on. And the wife has come to know about the husband having been informed, and she is frantic in worry about what will happen.
The poet who is in love with her, writing poems to her, willing to do anything for her, whether taking her our to theater every evening or stay in and amuse her or be shot by her husband or elope with her, whatever destiny might have in store for the love of his very exhilarated heights of romance. The poet is willing to do anything she wishes, while his own noble instinct is to accept the blame and confront the husband with the truth and walk off into the sunset with his beloved beautiful Aurora.
What comes next is the typical Shaw sequence of twists and turns that leaves one helpless in hilarious laughter while totally in sympathy with the poor poet. I have no intention of spoiling the delight of reading further by saying another word about what comes next, for those that have not read this yet. Any attempt to describe it will spoil it for the reader, so I shall desist.
Thursday, November 20, 2008.
............................................................................
............................................................................
October 16, 2015
Yet another prime example of George Bernard Shaw's excellent skill at writing. And, also, another great look at how to write a good short play. This is probably the shortest play of the short plays that I've read- taking me a record of 30 minutes to read!- but something stands out in this play between Love Suicides, Everyman, and Eurydice, this feels like a completed, condensed drama of characters within the much shorter amount of pages. Yes, it does feel like it could be a part of a larger play, but it's so well-written that it doesn't really matter to me. Probably because the character of Henry is so fleshed-out. He such a smart, sly bastard and such an intriguing character, that you can't help but chuckled during his conversation with Teddy as he slips through accusations and inquiries like a snake. This is one play I certainly feel satisfied after reading, and in such a short time. This is probably one of the best short plays I've read so far.
January 23, 2012
."Nothing in the theatre is staler than the situation of husband, wife and lover, or the fun of knockabout farce. I have taken both, and got an original play out of them, as anybody else can if only he will look about him for his material instead of plagiarizing Othello and the thousand plays that have proceeded on Othello's romantic assumptions and false point of honour."
(George Bernard Shaw about his play How he lied to her husband)
October 30, 2015
A simple, yet interesting drama,running on the lines of infidelity,budding romance,and the fear of being caught by the better half. A short drama,but every scenario brings sheer pleasure to the reader. The husband of the lady,is the character who in my opinion, embellishes the comic element( for being a blatant idiot and a humbug).
April 4, 2016
As far as short comedies go, this is top-shelf, knock-you on-your-ass-faster-than-a-punch-from-a-heavyweight-boxer stuff. It helps to see a proper performance of the thing, but not everyone has time for all that flapdoodle. Anyway, don't take my word for it. Shaw's work has always been rather adept at speaking for itself; the play doesn't need my review to prove its merit.
Want to read
June 18, 2012Shaw, George Bernard
The Complete Bernard Shaw Plays
In compilation only.
The Complete Bernard Shaw Plays
In compilation only.
May 21, 2016
Fantastic, outstanding
July 10, 2018
Great short little play, which we saw recently. Twists and turns between a woman, her lover and her husband.
January 24, 2020
GBS AT HIS UNCHARITABLE BEST
There can be no adverse remark on Bernard Shaw, who is brutally, when analyzing human relations. He is depictive of the manners of his Age and he knows that people are never beyond reproach. This Play is just a sample of his brutal analysis of the hypocritical Times.
There can be no adverse remark on Bernard Shaw, who is brutally, when analyzing human relations. He is depictive of the manners of his Age and he knows that people are never beyond reproach. This Play is just a sample of his brutal analysis of the hypocritical Times.
May 30, 2022
A bit of light entertainment. Very curious about the single line I read on Shaw's Wikipedia page that his marriage was never consummated. There seems to be a lot going on in this writing, in that sense.
March 12, 2019
Somehow I missed this short play from 1905 when I was working through that period of Shaw's work. It is an interesting companion piece to his earlier full-length play, "Candida," which is referenced directly by name and indirectly by situation. In both plays, a woman is torn between her husband and a younger, more poetic admirer. It was fairly bland.
July 21, 2022
3 1/2 stars. Fun short read.
November 28, 2018
My first play of Mr Witty Shaw. Legend of his style. Shortest play with 3 characters revolving around, stunned with the conversation b/w Henry aka Mr Apjohn Aurora aka Mrs Bompas.
Well, I mean it. Yes, I can see feel the transition of the characters when the play started. How does a woman thinks and a teen thinketh.
Good one:)
Well, I mean it. Yes, I can see feel the transition of the characters when the play started. How does a woman thinks and a teen thinketh.
Good one:)
August 12, 2020
This was a really fun read. My first Bernard Shaw which i thoroughly enjoyed. A good romp.
November 3, 2024
This is a short play but quite entertaining! The dialogue is witty and the plot twist was fun. (It was a ruse the whole time between the husband and wife leading the poor poet along as a game.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2025
A cute, very happy read. If you're posh and sipping something expensive get ready to chuckle. Why do we still perform this? Who knows, but again, you'll probably chuckle if you're seeing it live.
April 18, 2017
Great farcical plot!!!
Couldn't put it down. Great narrative very very Bernard like!! How the lie is despised and the truth works with a very strange effect on the protagonist is why one must read it.
Couldn't put it down. Great narrative very very Bernard like!! How the lie is despised and the truth works with a very strange effect on the protagonist is why one must read it.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews