The Doctor's Dilemma

"The Doctor's Dilemma" by Bernard Shaw is a play written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by doctors in the medical profession, particularly focusing on the character Sir Colenso Ridgeon. As a newly knighted physician, Ridgeon struggles with the implications of his innovative treatments for tuberculosis and the value of human life, navigating relationships with both colleagues and patients. At the start of the play, we meet medical student Redpenny and the old servant, Emmy, in a doctor's consulting room, setting the scene for discussions about Sir Colenso Ridgeon’s knighthood and the impact of his medical discoveries. Ridgeon, surrounded by fellow medical professionals, grapples with his position as a healer and the implications of choosing between patients. The entry of Mrs. Dubedat introduces the personal stakes of his work, as she pleads for his help to save her artistic husband from tuberculosis, forcing Ridgeon to question the worth of life and who deserves his life-saving treatment. The opening portion establishes key characters and themes that set the stage for the complex moral questions to unfold.