Back to Methuselah: A Metabiological Pentateuch was published by Constable in 1921 and first performed in its entirety at the Theatre Guild in New York in 1922 (over three consecutive evenings). The cycle comprises five plays: “In the Beginning” (the Garden of Eden), “The Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas” (set in the present day), “The Thing Happens” (in 2170 AD), “Tragedy of an Elderly Gentleman” (in 3000 AD), and “As Far as Thought Can Reach” (in 31,920 AD).
The unifying idea is Creative Evolution — Shaw’s belief, derived from Lamarck, Butler, and Bergson rather than Darwin, that evolution is driven not by random variation and natural selection but by a purposeful Life Force that directs the development of life toward greater consciousness. In the cycle, the Life Force expresses itself through the extension of human lifespan: the brothers Barnabas propose that if humans lived for 300 years instead of 70, they would accumulate enough wisdom to govern themselves properly. By the third play, some humans have achieved this longevity; by the fourth, the long-lived have become a ruling caste; by the fifth, humanity has evolved beyond the physical body entirely, existing as pure thought.
The cycle is Shaw’s most overtly philosophical work, and it poses a problem that no production has satisfactorily solved: the ideas are fascinating but the dramatic realization is uneven. The first two plays are vintage Shaw — witty, argumentative, theatrically effective. The last three become increasingly abstract and static, as the characters evolve beyond the human emotions and conflicts that make drama work. Shaw himself acknowledged the difficulty: he said that Back to Methuselah was not meant to be entertaining but to be true, and that its value would be recognized only by future generations.
The preface — over 80 pages — is one of Shaw’s major prose works: a comprehensive statement of his philosophical position, including his critique of Darwinism (which he rejected as mechanistic and purposeless), his argument for Creative Evolution, and his vision of humanity’s potential future. Whether or not one accepts Shaw’s biology (most scientists do not), the preface is a remarkable intellectual performance.
Collecting Back to Methuselah
First edition (Constable, London, 1921): Green cloth. A thick volume containing all five plays and the preface.
Limited signed edition (Constable, 1921): 210 copies signed by Shaw.
Market values:
- Trade first edition: $60–$200
- Limited signed edition: $400–$1,200
- Later editions: $10–$25