Summary:
The Doctor’s Dilemma is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1906. It explores themes of medical ethics, morality, class privilege, and the limitations of the healthcare system. The play centers around Dr. Colenso Ridgeon, a newly knighted doctor who has discovered a cure for tuberculosis but has limited resources and must decide which patients to save. Dr. Ridgeon faces a moral dilemma when he must choose between saving Louis Dubedat, a talented but immoral artist, or an honest but less remarkable patient. His decision becomes even more complicated when he falls in love with Dubedat’s wife, Jennifer. The play critiques the commercialization of medicine and the subjectivity of moral judgments in life-and-death decisions. Shaw uses satire to question whether doctors should play the role of “God” in choosing who deserves to live. The play highlights how wealth, influence, and personal bias affect medical treatment, making it a powerful commentary on the ethics of healthcare.
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| Question | Answer |
| Play Name | The Doctor’s Dilemma |
| Author | George Bernard Shaw |
| Year Written | 1906 |
| Main Themes | Medical ethics, morality, class privilege, commercialization of medicine |
| Literary Devices | Satire, irony, realism |
| Protagonist | Dr. Colenso Ridgeon |
| Dr. Ridgeon’s Discovery | A cure for tuberculosis |
| Dr. Ridgeon’s Dilemma | Choosing which patient to save |
| Message | Medicine should be based on need, not wealth or personal bias |