What is Shaw's Concept of Life-force and of Superman in “Man and Superman”?

Shaw's Concept of Life-force and of Superman in "Man and Superman"

 

Life force is Shaw's name for creative evolution and his main philosophy outlook that he wants to draw in Man and Superman. Shaw called his play "a dramatic parable of creative evolution- and added that 'nobody noticed this new religion in the center of the intellectual whirlpool." Superman is the higher being evolved from those few who are dedicated to contemplation and who have rejected base aims and the pursuit of happiness as the goals of life.

 

Theme of 'Life Force' in "Man and Superman":

 

Shaw's life force is a spiritual power in the universe. It is neither all powerful nor all knowing, but strives to become both through its own creations. Don Juan says in the play: 

 

"Life is a force which has made innumerable experiments in organizing itself." 

 

Life-force is the sustained will to progress, to rise on the hierarchical ladder of life. Through union of the Mother woman and vital man, Superman will emerge—the ideal philosophical human. 

 

Shaw's philosophy of Life-force is optimistic. It visualizes continuous improvement of ceaseless progress towards the emergence of the superman.  It is conscious of its purpose and is callous to all obstacles. It has no regard for conventional morality, happiness, beauty and traditional frivolities such as love, constancy, honor, virtue and—chastity in Man-Woman relationship. It impels man like Tanner to respond to biological urges of woman like Ann. In fact, a Tanner cannot but submit himself to the dictates of creative evolution. He may hesitate for some time, but ultimately he has to exclaim; "I am in the grip of the life force."

 

Shaw believes that the Life-force has neither the time nor the intelligence to meet out rewards and punishments. The Life-force to Shaw is the creative power behind the universe. It strives always for perfection and rejects the lower forms, biological and philosophical. It strives only for such creations through which it can realize its purpose. It is a force immanent to move men upwards. The purpose of Life force is to supersede man, to evolve a high race of man, the superman. 

 

Shaw has given an idea of a superman in Back to Methuselah. Don Juan tells in the Hell Scene, that the superman is "Omnipotent, omniscient, infallible, completely self-conscious and in short a god." He would not be a great warrior, or a great hero or a great artist nor a great politician or a romantic; but a philosophic-man who seeks to find 'the inner will of the world'. He would be self-conscious and self-understanding.