Introduction To Major Barbara

INTRODUCTION TO “MAJOR BARBRA”: This play was written in 1905. Shaw underlined its theme in the preface as: “The crying need of the nation is not for better morals, cheaper bread, temperance, liberty, culture, redemption of fallen sinners and erring sisters, nor the grace, love and fellowship of the Trinity, but simply for enough money. And the evil to be attacked is not sin, suffering greed, priest craft, kingcraft, demagogy, monopoly, ignorance, drink, war, pestilence, nor any other of the scapegoats which reformers sacrifice, but simply poverty.” As such, the play revolves round money and lack of money. Barbara, the heroine of the play, holds the rank of a Major in the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army was founded in 1877 by William Booth for the revival of religion among the masses. The movement was organized on a military model. Its social services included maternity homes, children’s homes, industrial homes, prison gate homes, shelter and cheap food depot for the homeless, labour bureaus, farms, industrial schools and slum posts. In 1904, King Edward sent for General Booth to express his admiration for the work. In the beginning, Shaw found this movement as a welcome change. But later on he condemned these activities, in the words of AC. Ward, “as mean bargaining with God”. Preaching a simple life with bare necessities in this world for promise of eternal bliss in heaven hereafter is hypocrisy. Shaw believes that virtue consist in well doing without desire or thought of reward or any personal advantage. So long as there is poverty and its attendant miseries, there can be no more pure religion. Undershaft, the heroine’s father, is the mouthpiece of Shaw’s secular morality. He who is a capitalist, a merchant of weapons, thinks that poverty breeds discontents that may be threat to capitalism. So he uses his immense power to eliminate poverty at least among his own workers. He shows his daughter that he can buy the Army’s good graces for the price of a donation. He converts his daughter to his own creed. Directly involved in this struggle for Barbara’s soul is her suitor, Adolphus Cusins, a professor of Greek. Shaw’s hope for the salvation of society lies in Undershaft’s power of money, Barbra’s moral fervour and Adolphus’s intellect. Synopsis of the Play: Act-I Sir Andrew Undershaft and Lady Britomart are husband and wife who have been separated for a very long time. They have a son – Stephen and two daughters — Barbara and Sarah. Barbara is engaged to Adolphus, and Sarah to Charles. Undershaft is a weapon merchant and is not ashamed of his trade. He earns millions; both Lady Britomart and Stephen do not like his trade. She invites her husband and asks him to provide for her children. Barbara tells him that she has saved the souls of thousands of criminals and infidels. She asks him to visit the Salvation Shelter. She hopes that her father will be impressed, become a convert and give up his trade. He agrees on the condition that she will visit his works in Perivale St. Andrews in Canning Town. He accepts her challenge and retorts: “Are you sure it will not end in your giving up the Salvation Army for the sake of the Cannons.” Act-II Undershaft visits the Salvation shelter and is unmoved. He believes his trade is more effective in soul-saving than the activities of the Salvation Army. After some days, there is a financial crisis in the Army. Unless money is arranged immediately from some source, the activities of the army will cease. A trade whisky offers 5000 pounds on the condition if pound, 1000 each is donated by five other gentlemen. Undershaft seizes the opportunity of helping the army and writes a cheque for 5000 pounds. Barbara shows repulsion to her father’s money which she believes is tainted. She thinks that the Army should not have sold itself like this. But a superior member of the Salvation Army overcomes her repulsion. But Barbara is shocked and frustrated at this turn of the situation. She throws off her badge and refuses to go with the Army. She refuses to pray with them and says that perhaps she will never pray again

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Act-III Barbara and her family visit the town of Perivale St. Andrews. They find it a clean, fine place where everybody is well-fed and well-clad. Undershaft persuades her daughter to accept that capitalists save the souls of poor, hungry, miserable people better by providing them with respectable jobs. He suggests that the bread and treacle and dreams of heaven offered by the Salvation Army sustain poverty which blights whole cities and spreads horrible pestilence. Poverty, he says, is the worst crime and souls are not saved by words and dreams but by a permanent job, good wages, and a sound house in a handsome street. He tells Barbara that it is cheap work converting starving men with a Bible in one hand, and a slice of bread in the other. He succeeds in winning his daughter to his point of view. Barbara declares: “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.” According to family tradition, Undershaft accepts Cusins, a foundling, as his successor. Barbara accuses him of having sold his soul by being the successor of her father. Cusins informs her that he has not sold his soul for money or position or comfort, but for reality and for power. Barbara also realizes that there are no good or wicked sides of life. One must face life with all its wickedness and evil. She accepts Cusins because he has the courage to face life as it is. She decides to continue her work of Salvation but in a different manner “raising Hell to Heaven, and man to God” and unveiling light in the valley of the shadow. Undershaft asks Cusins to come at 6 ‘O’clock the next morning, and begin work. Written&Composed By: Prof.A.R.Somroo M.A. English&Education. 0662-610063 Cell:03339971417 Khangarh.

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