Major Barbara

 Introduction of Bernard Shaw (Author):

The Irish legend, George Bernard
Shaw was a dramatist and a literary critic in addition to being a socialist spokesman. His
valuable contributions to literature won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1925. While
Shaw accepted the honor, he refused the money. George Bernard Shaw was a free spirit and a
freethinker who advocated women’s rights and equality on income.

George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin on July 26, 1856. His father, George Carr Shaw
was in the whole sale grain trading business and his mother, Lucinda Elisabeth Shaw was the
daughter of an impoverished land owner. A young George led a distressed childhood. His
alcoholic father remained drunk most of the time. It was due to this that Shaw abstained from
alcohol throughout his lifetime. During the course of schooling Shaw attended Wesleyan
Connexional School, Dublin’s Central Model School and Dublin English Scientific and
Commercial Day School where he ended his education. He first began working as a junior
clerk at the age of 15. In 1876, Shaw went to live with his mother and sister in London. He
did not return to Ireland for almost 30 years.

George Bernard Shaw married Charlotte Payne-Townshend in 1898. Charlotte was a wealthy
woman from an upper class background. The couple settled in Hertfordshire village of Ayot
St. Lawrence in 1906. Although Shaw was occasionally linked with other women, he
remained with Charlotte until her death. One of Shaw’s known linkage to other women
include a series of passionate correspondences with the widowed actress Mrs. Patrick
Campbell.

Shaw turned to literature and began his career by writing theatre, criticism, music and novels
one of which was the semi-autobiographical, Immaturity. However, his early efforts gained
neither recognition nor success. From 1885 to 1911, Shaw served on the executive committee
of the Fabian Society, a middle class socialist group. He wrote the drama Major
Barbara (1905) is a drama of ideas, largely about poverty and capitalism (a system in which
prices, production, and distribution of goods are determined by competition in a free market)
like most of Shaw's drama, the play poses questions and finally contains messages or
arguments. Androcles and the Lion (1911) discuss religion.

Heartbreak House deals with the effects of World War I (1914–18) war fought between the
German-led Central Powers and the Allies England, the United States, Italy, and other
nations) on England; written between 1913 and 1916, it was first produced in 1920. Shaw's
plays explored such topics as marriage, parenthood, and education. Most of his plays
after Arms and the Man begin with long essays that are often not directly related to the drama
itself. Bernard Shaw died in 2 November1950 at Ayot St Lawrence United Kingdom.
 Major Barbara by (George Bernard Shaw):

 Introduction:

Major Barbara is a three-act English play by George Bernard Shaw,

written and premiered in 1905 and first published in 1907. The story concerns an idealistic
young woman,Barbara Undershaft, who is engaged in helping the poor as a Major in the
Salvation Army in London.

George Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara has been called the most controversial of Shaw’s
works. The play was first produced at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1905, and early
reviews were decidedly mixed. Shaw’s seeming criticism of Christianity caused some to
accuse him of blasphemy, while others defended what they saw as Shaw’s realistic
presentation of religion. Critics complained about the violence of the play, particularly in the
second act, saying it was so excessive as to be beyond realism. Others disagreed, saying that
the depiction of that violence, if unrealistic, was so only because the violence was subdued.
Whatever the opinion of the critics, however, the play was a success with the public. It
remains popular and has enjoyed numerous revivals, including an adaptation to film in 1941.
Today it is considered a very important work, not only among Shaw’s plays but also in the
history of modern drama.

He ridicules the superficial family ties of the rich where nothing is sacred except money.
Finally, the play has a socialist leaning, for it questions capitalism, especially the exploitation
of the workers by larger industrialists. The play owes its origins to Shaw’s personal
experiences, for he often observed the girls of the Salvation Army conducting meetings and
judged them to be hypocritical. Major Barbara represents two camps of people supporting
war and peace. Andrew Undershaft represents that camp, which loves war and professor
Cusins and Barbara represent that camp which love peace. The play makes an indirect
reference to the problem of the exploitation of the common laborer due to the
industrialization process. In the play the exploited workers come into the Salvation Army
shelter. This part of the action in the play reflects the existing social problem from which the
nineteenth century English society was suffering.

Many of Shaw’s plays are known for their involved arguments and Major Barbara is no
exception. Shaw himself called the play “a discussion in three long acts,” and much of the
play’s “action” consists, in fact, of words. When the play was published in 1907, Shaw added,
as with many of his works, a lengthy preface, contributing further discussion about the play
itself. In addition, the play is noted for its unconventional attitudes toward morality as well as
its irony and humor. Given the serious nature of the issues examined in the play—wealth and
poverty, business and religion, cynicism and idealism—it is sometimes easy to overlook the
fact that Major Barbara is, in fact, a comedy. Shaw uses the play to entertain his audience, to
make people laugh, while examining issues that are as important today as they were when the
play was first written.
  Social Reflection of Dramma (Major Barbara):
In this play (as in life)
money and the desire for it are pretty important motivators. Whether Barbara or her mother
are happy about it, wealth and money are crucial to their objectives and overall lives. Lady B
basically admits as much at the beginning when she has to resign herself to asking Andrew
for more money to support the girls as they prepare to get married. Barbara is a bit more
reluctant to admit how much money drives even what she does, but she gets a wake-up call
when the Army enthusiastically accepts money from her father and a whisky distille two
people whose businesses, in her view, contribute to the nasty things the Army is trying to
combat. Ultimately, the characters are kind of forced to admit that they need wealth for better
or worse, and it's not really something to be treated as inherently worse than poverty. Major
Barbara is of still greater social importance, in as much as it points to the fact that while
charity and religion are supposed to minister to the poor, both institutions derive their main
revenue from the poor by the perpetuation of the evils both pretend to fight. Major Barbara
the daughter of the world renowned cannon manufacturer Undershaft has joined the Salvation
Army.

The latter lays claim to being the most humane religious institution, because unlike other soul
savers it does not entirely forget the needs of the body. It also teaches that the greater the
sinner the more glorious the saving. There are millions of poor people, abject people, dirty
people, ill fed, ill clothed people. They poison us morally and physically they kill the
happiness of society they force us to do away with our own liberties and to organize
unnatural cruelties for fear they should rise against us and drag us down into their
abyss.Whether Barbara or her mother are happy about it, wealth and money are crucial to
their objectives and overall lives. Barbara is a bit more reluctant to admit how much money
drives even what she does, but she gets a wake-up call when the Army enthusiastically
accepts money from her father and a whisky distiller two people whose businesses in her
view contribute to the nasty things the Army is trying to combat. Ultimately the characters
are kind of forced to admit that they need wealth, for better or worse, and it's not really
something to be treated as inherently worse than poverty.This thought is perhaps the most
revolutionary sentiment in the whole play, in view of the fact that the people everywhere are
enslaved by the awe of the lawyer, the professor, and the politician, even more than by the
club and gun.Major Barbara is one of the most revolutionary plays.

QUOTE: My dear Stephen: where is the money to come from? It is easy enough for you
and the other children to live on my income as long as we are in the same house; but I can't
keep four families in four separate houses. You know how poor my father is: he has barely
seven thousand a year now; and really, if he were not the Earl of Stevenage, he would have to
give up society. He can do nothing for us. He says, naturally enough, that it is absurd that he
should be asked to provide for the children of a man who is rolling in money. You see,
Stephen, your father must be fabulously wealthy, because there is always a war going on
somewhere.
  Social Reflection on Asian country (Major Barbara):

 Relate with Pakistan:

 In the ensuing discussion, I will indicate the Economic inequality has engendered
persistent mass poverty, so that even today, 69 years after Independence over 60
percent of the people live in poverty defined in terms of $2 per person per day. Such
poverty is restricting not only the present but the future potential of the nation because
as much as 45 percent of the country’s children are suffering from malnutrition.
 In most capitalist countries the state taxes the rich to provide public services to the
poor as a way of mitigating the inequality generated by the market mechanism.
However, in Pakistan since about 66 percent of tax revenue is obtained through
indirect taxes, fiscal policy tends to further accentuate inequality in the distribution of
disposable income.
 In relate to Major Barbara I have argued that persistent social, economic and
institutional barriers exclude the majority of the people of our country from equality
of opportunity to develop their human capabilities. This violates not only the basic
requirements of justice but also the foundational principle of the state of Pakistan.

 Moral Reflection Of Major Barbara:

 Major :

Major Barbara is centered on conflicting social and moral ethics, one

realistic and the other idealistic. On the one hand, there is Mr. Undershaft, who looks at life
realistically and believes that poverty is a crime. He accepts that man must have money to
take care of his basic human needs, and until those needs are met, man cannot have any
intellectual or spiritual pursuits. In contrast are the moralists and idealists, like Major
Barbara, who seem to glorify poverty and suffering. They feel that if the poor are treated
kindly and given charity, they can turn them into good people, saving their souls.

Undershaft believes that such views are hypocritical, for he has lived a life of poverty and
knows its pain. As a result, he makes certain that the workers in his factory are given a good
life and rise above poverty. He knows that a hungry man cannot think of lofty ideas or worry
about his soul. At the beginning of the play, Major Barbara feels that she can save the souls of
the hungry and needy who come to the Salvation Army; she idealistically accepts all of their
teachings and tenets. During the course of the play her father, Andrew Undershaft makes her
realize that her idealism must be tempered with reality.

Undershaft is also a stark contrast to Peter Shirley, who would rather starve than accept
charity or earn money through dishonest means. In contrast, Andrew genuinely believes that
it is okay to make a fortune from making and selling guns and cannons, as long as the
common worker is respected. He also believes it is better to be a thief than die as a pauper. In
the final act of the play, states the importance of courage and conviction to any cause it takes
honest, committed, and courageous people to make positive change in the world.
  Minor:

Major Barbara openly criticizes the Salvation Army by inference, Shaw is

also criticizing other twentieth century religious and charitable organizations. He believes
that such groups turn the attention away from the real problems faced by the common people.
Instead of making them into productive workers who can earn a living and gain self-respect,
these organizations are more interested in saving their souls. By preaching forgiveness above
everything, these organizations help to prevent any kind of organized struggle by the workers
for their basic rights.

As a result, the rich industrialists are very interested in helping to fund organizations such as
the Salvation Army, for they reap profit from their existence. Although the Salvation Army
has many sincere and committed members who want to alleviate the misery of the poor, like
Major Barbara, Shaw believes that ultimately it benefits the rich. Another thing developed in
the play is the sad truth about politics. Shaw shatters the middle class myths that the voting
public really influences the government or that the learned ministers in the Parliament make
decisions for the country.

In the play, Undershaft speaks the truth when he says that it is people like him (wealthy
industrialists) that influence the government to make crucial decisions for the nation. He
further states that when people vote, they change the names of the people in the Cabinet, but
they do not change the government. Undershaft believes that only guns and cannons have the
power to change governments by totally destroying the old order and setting up a new one.

He tells Barbara that moralizing and preaching to half-starved people will never change the
world. To truly change society for the better, honest, committed people, like Barbara herself,
will have to wield weapons and defeat the corrupt and unjust people occupying the seats of
power.

QUOTE: “I really cannot bear an immoral man. I am not a Pharisee, I hope; and I should
not have minded his merely doing wrong things: we are none of us perfect. But your father
didn't exactly do wrong things: he said them and thought them: that was what was so
dreadful. He really had a sort of religion of wrongness. Just as one doesn't mind men
practising immorality so long as they own that they are in the wrong by preaching morality;
so I couldn't forgive Andrew for preaching immorality while he practised morality. You
would all have grown up without principles, without any knowledge of right and wrong, if he
had been in the house. You know, my dear, your father was a very attractive man in some
ways. Children did not dislike him; and he took advantage of it to put the wickedest ideas into
their heads, and make them quite unmanageable. I did not dislike him myself: very far from
it; but nothing can bridge over moral disagreement.”
  Religious Reflection:

Major Barbra is a great religious play. She remains

fervently religious and devoted to the cause of conversion for most of the play. However, her
father pits his own wacky set of morals and philosophical/religious views against Barbara's,
challenging a lot of her assumptions about religion and the best way to spread it to
others/help the cause of belief. They probably still have pretty radically different views at the
end, but the dialogue at least helps Barbara separate herself from some of the hypocrisies and
misconceptions that her father believes were standing in her/the Army's way.

When the play was first published, Shaw was calledirreligious and blasphemous. But with the
passage of time the religious greatness of theplay has been admired. Every body appreciates
the spiritual beauty of Major Barbra, agreat woman character of Shaw. It is remarkable that in
Major Barbra, the Salvationistsare treated with respect. Shaw was prompt to recognize the
nobility in a person or in anyorganization.In “Major Barbra” Shaw conveys his religious
belief through a presentation of the day today working of the Salvation Army. Some years
after Shaw had written “Major Barbara”he was told a story about a Salvationist which
pleased with him very much. During the strike in South Africa which caused a good deal of
distress. The religious leaders called ameeting of the strikers, so that their physical needs
could be satisfied. They decided that thestrikers should be grouped according to their sects.
The Salvationist stood up and said, “Allyou chaps who don’t belong to any body, come to
us.”Shaw like Andrew Undershaft was a realist.

This religious and mythological dimension to the play is important, not because audiences
need to pay too much conscious attention to it, but because it allows directors to move
decisively away from the conventions of both drawing-room comedy and Ibsenist naturalism.
With its saints and sinners, its Christ and its devil, its versions of heaven and hell, Major
Barbara is much closer to medieval morality plays than it is to A Woman of No Importance or
A Doll's House. The open, unabashed theatricality of everyman is better suited to Shaw's
material than the fussy cod-realism with which he is often lumbered.

QUOTE:After all, my dear old mother has more sense than any of you. I felt like her when
I saw this place felt that I must have it that never, never, never could I let it go only she
thought it was the houses and the kitchen ranges and the linen and china, when it was really
all the human souls to be saved: not weak souls in starved bodies, sobbing with gratitude for a
scrap of bread and treacle, but fullfed, quarrelsome, snobbish, uppish creatures, all standing
on their little rights and dignities, and thinking that my father ought to be greatly obliged to
them for making so much money for him and so he ought. That is where salvation is really
wanted. My father shall never throw it in my teeth again that my converts were bribed with
bread. I have got rid of the bribe of bread. I have got rid of the bribe of heaven. Let God's
work be done for its own sake: the work he had to create us to do because it cannot be done
except by living men and women. When I die, let him be in my debt, not I in his; and let me
forgive him as becomes a woman of my rank.
  Political Reflection of Dramma (Major Barbara):

Important subjects that

Political affect , Shaw, in Arms and the Man takes up war for a satiric treatment . He criti-
cizes a society that looks to war as a noble adventure. Serguis at first and especially in Raina's
eyes, is a traditional hero, leading the change "like an operatic tenor".

The sense of the topicality of the play, its significance in the contemporary period of
globalization when the political power of international capital is so increasingly visible, has
continued to inspire revivals and condition reception into the twenty-first century. There have
been many productions by large and small companies in North America. It has, as might be
expected of one of Shaw's central works, been often revived at the Shaw Festival Theatre in
Niagara-on-the-Lake, most recently in 1998 with the Shaw's long-serving actor and director
Jim Mezon as Undershaft, and again in 2005. There have been productions in Sacramento
(City Theater 2003) and San José (Repertory Theater 2004), in New York (Irish Repertory
Theater 1997, Roundabout Theatre 2001.

Although the first profitable writings of George Bernard Shaw (18-56-1950) was music and
literary criticism but his talent was for drama. He authored more than sixty plays, which deal
with different problems and ideas. He examined marriage, government, class privilege, and
equal rights for men and women etc. Shaw as a dramatist continued to write, not propaganda
or pamphlet, but plays. He remained fundamentally an artist to the end of his life. As an artist
he aimed at rendering the social and political systems as he saw them, not as he would like to
see them.

QUOTE:Cusins, and to find a theatrical idiom that will lift the play out of the mere
Edwardian period piece which it always risks appearing to be. It offers opportunities for some
genuinely funny social comedy – Lady Britomart is a plum part – for moments of high
theatricality such as Barbara's desolating disillusionment in Act II, and for some of Shaw's
most accomplished dramatic oratory. It remains a disturbing play, a politically provocative
play but one that continues to speak to the predicament of our social and moral condition.