Ο παράλογος κόμπος

by George Bernard Shaw

This novel was written in the year 1880, only a few years after I had exported myself from Dublin to London in a condition of extreme rawness and inexperience concerning the speci-fically English side of the life with which the book pretends to deal. Ever

Genres: Fiction, Novels, 19th Century, Irish Literature

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1880

About the author

George 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.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

PT:
Quando lemos o Prefácio, no qual o próprio autor critica vigorosamente a obra que estamos prestes a ler, enfatizando a sua qualidade limitada e mencionando apenas alguns aspetos positivos, é natural questionar se vale a pena continuar com a leitura. Não temos a certeza se o autor estava a ironizar, como era seu costume, mas, na verdade, não estamos perante uma obra-prima.

Contudo, longe de ser um livro mau, "Casamento Desigual" (The Irrational Knot) é um romance sólido de costumes que aborda temas clássicos, como a mulher e o casamento, desigualdades sociais de classe, o elitismo da "Velha Inglaterra" em contraste com o "novo dinheiro" americano, a hipocrisia entre os membros da igreja e da alta sociedade, entre outros.

Com um toque de subtileza na escrita e criatividade na narrativa, o autor constrói uma narrativa robusta que não fica atrás de outros clássicos que exploram os mesmos temas. Pessoalmente, senti falta de um pouco mais de sátira e ironia, características tão marcantes deste autor.

ENG:

When we read the Preface, in which the author himself strongly criticizes the work we are about to read, emphasizing its limited quality and mentioning only a few positive aspects, it is natural to question whether it is worth continuing with the reading. We are not sure if the author was being ironic, as was his custom, but in fact, we are not facing a masterpiece.

However, far from being a bad book, "The Irrational Knot" is a solid novel of manners that addresses classic themes such as women and marriage, social class inequalities, British elitism in contrast to "new money" from America, the hypocrisy among church members and high society, among others.

With a touch of subtlety in the writing and creativity in the narrative, the author constructs a robust narrative that is not inferior to other classics that explore the same themes. Personally, I missed a bit more satire and irony, which are such distinctive features of this author.

[Έλσα · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ένα βιβλίο που το βρήκα τυχαία στο βιβλιοπωλείο του Πατάκη κ μου κέντρισε το ενδιαφέρον. Ένα κλασικό ρομαντικό story με φόντο την πραγματική αγάπη , εγωιστικούς χαρακτήρες, ίντριγκες, ζήλιες, κρυφούς έρωτες, παρατυπίες, εκμετάλλευση.
Ωραία, ρέουσα γραφή, ευχάριστο ανάγνωσμα γεμάτο εικόνες κ μυρωδιές.

[Keith Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Irrational Knot was awesome. It's a very funny comedy of manners that turns serious just past the half-way point. Well worth hunting down a copy and reading. The introduction alone where Shaw writes about how the novel is awful and he doesn't understand why anyone would want to read it is worth the price of admission.

[Ιωάννα Γιαννακού · Rating 5 out of 5]

Είχα καιρό να μην θέλω να αφήσω ένα βιβλίο.

[Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a novel begins with a preface in which the author disavows the work as mere juvenilia, one might second-guess the decision to read further—especially when the book is over 800 pages (at least as measured by an iPhone screen). Nonetheless, I ended up really enjoying "The Irrational Knot." In fact, I liked it a lot better than much of George Bernard Shaw's more mature work.

Unlike my experience with many of his plays, I found myself believing that the various characters could be real people. We meet most of these characters at the beginning in a sort of amateur musical salon. Then the men and women begin pairing off in different combinations. I suspect Shaw was attempting to show how male-female relations must by necessity create an "irrational knot." In his later works, he would have belabored the point in a ponderous introduction. But at this stage of his career, in his early 20's, he was content to let the work speak for itself.

It may be more conventional than Shaw's later plays, but I think Shaw fans will enjoy this one.

[Wendy Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once you commit yourself to exploring all the intricacies of social life and matrimony from the perspective of London and New York's late 19th centuries, then you will enjoy this tale. At that time, marriage between members of the working class and high society were viewed with severe disapproval, which behavior is explored in this novel. However, Connolly, the most interesting character, successfully dismembers the taboo of inter-class marriage, turning the argument on its head by suggesting that the working class man actually marries beneath himself when taking on a high society wife. Connolly maintains that the working class are providing society with their every need, whereas the upper classes remain idle and effectively useless. An intruguing read, and one that can be applied to present-day society (take the Republican/Democrat divide, for instance) with only a slight eye squinch.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good early Shaw

I admit when I downloaded this I thought it was a late work, reading Nonage as one would Nonagenarian (it actually means youth, I believe.) The subtitle and preface were added when this early 20th c edition was published. An unconventional romance/novel of ideas, anycase, and enjoyable.

[Brainsgalore · Rating 3 out of 5]

The background of the fairer sex differed from that of the workman leading to the aptness of the title THE IRRATIONAL KNOT - CONOLLY WAS NEVER MARIAN'S MAN

[Antonio Papadourakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ένα νεανικό μυθιστόρημα (το έγραψε σε ηλικία 24 ετών) που θα μπορούσε να ήταν θεατρικό έργο.
Οι Άγγλοι αριστοκράτες Μάρμαντιουκ και η Μάριαν ανατρέφονται σε μια κοινωνία που τους μαθαίνει από νωρίς τα απαγορευτικά της.
Οι Αμερικανοί Έντουαρντ και η Σουζάνα που ήρθαν στην Αγγλία, μεγαλώνουν αγνοώντας τις κοινωνικές επιταγές, διεκδικώντας τη ζωή που τους πρέπει, όχι τη ζωή που "πρέπει".
Ο Μάρμαντιουκ ερωτεύεται τη Σουζάνα και κάνει μαζί της ένα παιδί, τη Λούσι. Ο Έντουαρντ ερωτεύεται τη Μάριαν και παντρεύονται, αλλά αργότερα η Μάριαν τον εγκαταλείπει γοητευμένη από τον αργόσχολο αριστοκράτη Ντάγκλας.
Καθένα από τα ζευγάρια αντιτίθεται, με τον δικό του τρόπο, σε όσα ορίζουν οι άλλοι. Αφήνονται στα συναισθήματά τους και κάπως έτσι δημιουργείται "Ο Παράλογος Δεσμός". Παράλογος είναι ο δεσμός μεταξύ ενός αδρανούς αριστοκράτη και ενός δραστήριου σκεπτόμενου ανθρώπου.
"Δεν υπήρξα ποτέ καλός γιός ή καλός αδερφός ή καλός πατριώτης, με την έννοια ότι ποτέ δεν σκέφτηκα ότι η μητέρα μου ή η αδερφή μου ή η πατρίδα μου ήταν καλύτερη από αυτή των άλλων, απλά και μόνο επειδή τύχαινε να είναι η δική μου."
"Πιστέψτε με, ούτε οι ηθοποιοί ούτε και καμία άλλη τάξη ανθρώπων πρόκειται να ενδιαφερθεί ποτέ για τη γνώμη μιας κοινωνίας στην οποία δεν έχουν ούτε λόγο, ούτε θέση."
"Όλα για όσα μετανιώνουμε, διαιρούνται σε δύο ίσα μέρη και οφείλονται στο γεγονός ότι τη δεδομένη στιγμή της ζωής μας είτε φανήκαμε επιφυλακτικοί είτε απερίσκεπτοι."
"Δεν αρνούμαι το δικαίωμα σε σας που αποτελείτε την καλή κοινωνία, να καλύπτετε όλα τα άσχημα πράγματα στη ζωή, αλλά θεωρώ έγκλημα το να πείθετε τις κόρες σας ότι αυτά που καλύπτουν είναι υγειές."
"Υπάρχουν δύο ειδών αγάπες. Υπάρχει αυτή που είναι συνέπεια μιας λογικής σκέψης, μία μορφή ηθικής έγκρισης. Το άλλο είδος είναι μία ακατανίκητη έλξη, μία επιθυμία, μία πίστη, που αψηφά τη λογική, κάτι που εύχεσαι να νιώσεις στα νιάτα σου για να μπορεί να σου ζεσταίνει την καρδιά όταν θα το θυμάσαι στα γεράματα σου."
"Το να αψηφάς τη γνώμη του κόσμου είναι απόδειξη τιμιότητας."
"Απλά σκέφτομαι ότι αν όντως υπάρχει τόπος τιμωρίας στον άλλο κόσμο, είναι πολύ άδικο, αν σκεφτεί κανείς πως υποφέρουμε και σε αυτόν."

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Shaw's second novel, originally written in 1880 and not published until 1905. So far I have enjoyed this the best of the three novels I have read by Shaw. Everything that will make Shaw a great playwright is already here being explored: the new woman, criticism of the social mores of the time, the hypocrisy of the upper class and the church, and dismantling of social institutions such as marriage. Throw in some colorful characters, including a silly clergyman, a music hall singer who likes champagne too much, a gentleman who is really a self-important cad, and a workman turned entrepreneur (who is a bit of a precursor of Henry Higgins aka Shaw himself). The novel is heavy in dialogue versus description. The "irrational knot" is of course the marriage knot - can two people of different social classes have a happy marriage? Especially if the common workman is practical, hard-working, treats his wife with equality, and does not give in to the social graces and pretentions of the upper classes, on which his wife was raised and comes to expect? The ending is a bit of a surprise but is pure Shaw, who would later that decade join the Fabian Society, devour the work of Ibsen, become a music and drama critic, and meet a famous actress (Janet Achurch) who would destroy herself with drink. I found this novel very enjoyable and engaging and look forward to reading his last two. Without Shaw developing his work and style in these novels, we may not have had the great playwright.

[Carlyon Viles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel seems to progress from something like a light operetta comedy to something much deeper and serious. Shaw seems to be analysing the effect of different class backgrounds on a relationship and at times the novel seems more theoretical than naturally real as he tests out hypotheses particularly from the view of the male character who is supposed to have a different outlook on life having an American background. Funnily enough, Shaw, in a later preface to the novel appears to disown and undermine it ... which of course increases one's curiosity. I'm not an expert on Shaw's plays but I understand that this intellectual analytical study of a theme, in this case, class sensibilities, is the mode of action for the plays. There is another novel, forgotten what it's called now, but I would like to read that.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

One or two of the minor characters were believable. That says it all, really, his hero and his wife and sister are there to make the social points. Good enough points, yes, but they don't make for an engaging read.

[Akeru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ήθελα η Μάριαν να καταλήξει χαρούμενη με τον νεαρό και ΝΑΙ ΞΕΡΩ ότι το βιβλίο είναι κυριολεκτικά κριτική στον θεσμό του γάμου και την δυτική κουλτούρα. Ω

[Tess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of Shaw's earliest works. It's a novel, but whilst reading it one can see that he is destined to become a playwrite.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Austen? Jane Austen? Bernard Shaw has a nicer (and ironic) view of the world.