The Doctor's Dilemma Literary Elements

The Doctor's Dilemma Literary Elements

Genre

Dramatic Problem Play

Language

English

Setting and Context

Dr. Ridgeon's consulting room and Louis' artist's studio - England, 1906

Narrator and Point of View

POV is that of Dr. Ridgeon

Tone and Mood

Serious, Dramatic with elements of Humor

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist is Louis. Antagonist is Dr. Ridgeon.

Major Conflict

Dr. Ridgeon is given the choice between saving Louis or Dr. Blenkinsop with his cure for tuberculosis.

Climax

Ridgeon chooses to cure Blenkinsop in order to marry Louis widow, Jennifer but she knows what he has done. She remarries and holds an exhibition of Louis' works for her late ex-husband. Works she won't allow Ridgeon to purchase.

Foreshadowing

Ridgeon telling Sir Patrick of his issues with his heart foreshadow his immorality of choosing to allow Louis to die in the care of Dr. Bonington

Understatement

It is understated as to whether Jennifer knew Louis was married to Minnie.

Allusions

The decision left to Ridgeon is allusion to how the privatization of medicine affords doctors the ability to determine who lives and dies, rather than all people getting equal care.

Imagery

The image of Louis passing away without Jennifer noticing creates a portrait of death as also having characteristics of gentleness.

Paradox

Ridgeon allows Louis to die in order to marry Jennifer, paradoxically she re-marries another man.

Parallelism

Louis in his artist studio consulting with the doctors parallels Ridgeon in his doctor's office consulting with Jennifer earlier in the play.

Personification

Ridgeon becomes the personification of genius without honor as he allows Louis to die by placing him in the care of Bonington.

Use of Dramatic Devices

Shaw uses the character of Sir Patrick, a man no longer practicing medicine as he is in later years, to cut through the pleasantries of the younger men in order to get straight to the point. He shows how people do not say what they mean in an attempt to be polite citizen with class.

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