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Interpret: slavery of man to nature

Short answer

Shaw contrasts natural slavery to nature with unnatural slavery of man to man. Nature compels us to eat, drink and sleep, yet makes these necessities pleasant, so we often overdo them. Human slavery, being unnatural, causes suffering and should be abolished.

Read the following text and interpret its meaning in your own language: Now mark another big difference between the natural slavery of man to nature and the unnatural slavery of man to man. Nature is kind to her slaves. If she forces you to eat and drink, she makes eating and drinking so pleasant that when we can afford it we eat and drink too much. We must sleep or go mad; but then sleep is so pleasant that we have great difficulty in getting up in the morning.

Bernard Shaw contrasts two kinds of slavery. Man is the "natural" slave of nature, but nature treats him kindly. The "unnatural" slavery of man to man is cruel.

Explanation

  • Natural slavery. Human beings are bound to nature's needs: we must eat, drink and sleep. We cannot refuse these demands.
  • Nature's kindness. Nature is a gentle master. She forces us to eat and drink, but she makes eating and drinking so pleasant that we often eat and drink more than necessary when we can afford to.
  • Sleep. We must sleep or go mad, but sleep is so pleasant that we find it hard to leave our beds in the morning.
  • Implied contrast. In the same way, nature's compulsion brings enjoyment, while slavery of one person to another brings only suffering, humiliation and loss of freedom. The word "unnatural" shows that it is against the natural order and has no justification.

Message

The necessities imposed by nature are rewarded with pleasure, but the forced labour of one human being for another is a harsh wrong that human society should abolish.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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