Project Gutenberg
2004-02-01
Public domain in the USA.
186
Shaw, Bernard
1856
1950
Shaw, George Bernard
Shaw, Bernhard
Shaw, G. Bernard (George Bernard)
Bassetto, Corno di
Shaw, G. B. (George Bernard)
The Irrational Knot
Being the Second Novel of His Nonage
Rick Niles, John Hagerson and PG Distributed Proofreaders
"The Irrational Knot" by George Bernard Shaw is a novel written in the early 20th century, specifically in the late 19th century during Shaw's formative years as a writer. This book explores themes of class, morality, and the complexities of human relationships, using characters that represent a cross-section of society and its values. Central to the story is Conolly, an Irish-American electrical engineer whose interactions with society reveal the tension between social ambition and the constraints of class and personal ethics. The opening of "The Irrational Knot" sets the stage for the story by introducing Conolly as he prepares for a concert at which he will perform. This moment establishes his character—confident and competent in his art. The scene shifts between Conolly and a young woman named Elinor, who is portrayed as both intriguing and critical of her surroundings. Through their interactions, Shaw exposes the characters' nuances and the social commentary inherent in their exchanges, hinting at deeper explorations of self-identity, aspiration, and the tangled web of social expectations. This beginning effectively lays the groundwork for a narrative that examines human connections and the irrationalities that bind individuals in both personal and societal contexts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 83.0 (6th grade). Easy to read.
en
Social classes -- Fiction
Marriage -- Fiction
PR
Text
Category: Novels
Category: British Literature
751823
2025-07-05T07:19:14.687476
text/html
768814
2024-10-28T18:38:09
text/html
374093
2025-07-05T07:19:24.201441
application/epub+zip
374337
2025-07-05T07:19:16.806499
application/epub+zip
374336
2025-07-05T07:19:15.532467
application/epub+zip
632941
2025-07-05T07:19:29.950406
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
608100
2025-07-05T07:19:23.407470
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
598268
2022-09-05T12:52:24.570294
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
711429
2025-07-05T07:19:13.711512
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
691674
2024-10-28T18:38:09
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
16955
2025-07-05T07:19:30.077394
application/rdf+xml
13791
2025-07-05T07:19:16.045453
image/jpeg
3779
2025-07-05T07:19:15.787471
image/jpeg
339521
2025-07-05T07:19:14.744467
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog
en.wikipedia