ИСТИНА

The turn of the XIX–XX centuries, as any other turbulent period in human history, evoked interest in myth, legend, lore and medieval epic. Their potential to explain the forces behind global changes, and exemplary role models taming the monsters and harmonizing the surrounding chaos seemed to be key in resolving up-to-date crises. That is why numerous fin de siècle writers (and later existentialists) turned to ancient plots and characters for reinterpretation in response to the demands of the new era and its challenges. Bernard Shaw was no exception. However, for some reason, epic elements in his works were considered only within the framework of Brecht’s epic theatre whereas the traditional heroic epic structures were largely ignored and never seen as a system. The aim of this speech is to: 1) indicate such common epic plot elements as miraculous birth, initiation, quest, voyage to the Netherworld, battle with a female warrior, heroic wooing, and others in Shaw’s dramas (including "Caesar and Cleopatra", "Heartbreak House", "Back to Methuselah", "Saint Joan", "Too True to Be Good", "Village Wooing", "Buoyant Billions", "Farfetched Fables"); 2) analyse the changes that those elements have undergone in Shavian interpretation as well as their inner connections, and 3) establish the features of the protagonist in what can be called the Shavian Epic of an Intelligent Man.