Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw
Major Barbara is a play by George Bernard Shaw, first performed in 1905. It tells the story of Barbara Undershaft, a Major in the Salvation Army, and her wealthy industrialist father, Andrew Undershaft. Barbara is a passionate believer in the Salvation Army's mission to help the poor and destitute, while her father is a successful businessman who believes that money is the only true power in the world. When Andrew visits the Salvation Army shelter where Barbara works, he is impressed by her dedication and offers to donate a large sum of money to the organization. Barbara is torn between her loyalty to the Salvation Army and her love for her father. She is also forced to confront her own beliefs about money and power, and the morality of her father's business practices. In the end, she is forced to choose between her ideals and her family. The play is a commentary on the power of money and the moral implications of capitalism. It also explores the idea of charity and how it can be used to manipulate people. Major Barbara is a thought-provoking and entertaining play that is still relevant today.
By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1913 · Genre: Drama, Comedy, Social Commentary · 3 chapters · 32,505 words
First lines
It is after dinner on a January night, in the library in Lady Britomart Undershaft's house in Wilton Crescent. A large and comfortable settee is in the middle of the room, upholstered in dark leather. A person sitting on it [it is vacant at present] would have, on his right, Lady Britomart's writing table, with the lady herself busy at it; a smaller writing table behind him on his left; the door behind him on Lady Britomart's side; and a window with a window seat directly on his left. Near the window is an armchair.
What this Textopian page supports
Major Barbara is listed on Textopian as a play by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1913 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: George Bernard Shaw
- Date: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Comedy, Social Commentary, Romance
- Length: 32,505 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 1,227 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Drama — Major Barbara is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, and is therefore classified as a drama.
- Comedy — Major Barbara is a comedic play, as it contains elements of satire and wit.
- Social Commentary — Major Barbara is a play that critiques the social and economic issues of the time, making it a work of social commentary.
- Romance — Major Barbara contains a romantic subplot between Barbara and Adolphus Cusins, making it a work of romance.
Tags
Children of the rich · Crime · Didactic drama · Drama · Fathers and daughters · Salvation Army · adolphus · andrew · army · baines · barbara · britomart