Play: Candida by George Bernard Shaw

Candida by George Bernard Shaw

Candida, a comedy by playwright George Bernard Shaw, was written in 1894 and first published in 1898, as part of his Plays Pleasant.

Characters in the Play Candida

Candida: She is the main character of the play. She is a woman of 33. She is very attractive & has a charming personality. She knows well to use her beauty to get her ends. She is the wife of James Morell & mother of two children.

James Morell: He is the husband of Candida. He is a healthy man of 40. He is a clergyman. He is also a socialist & an active member of the Guild of St. Mathews & Christian Socialist Union.
He is a well ornate & is very popular. Every Sunday he delivers lecture at the Church. He is constantly invited to different places for delivering lectures. Hence he hardly has time for himself.

Eugene Marchbanks: He is the nephew to an Earl. He is a young boy of 18. He is a poet. He is very shy. Later on in the play, he falls in love with Candida, who is 10 years older than him.

Alexander Mill (Lexy): He is curate to James Morell. He has just graduated from Oxford University. He has great respect for James Morell.

Miss Proserpine Garnett(Prossy): She is the typist of James Morell. She is about 30 years old. She is secretly in love with James Morell.

Burgess: He is the father of Candida. He is old & greedy. Previously he was a petty trader, but became rich by making the workers of his factory to work more & also by paying them lowest possible wages. He has no value for relations. He seeks for profit in everything.

Other Characters These characters have no role in the play. They are found only in the talks.
Children of Candida
Maria: The maid of Candida

Summary:

The play is set in the northeast suburbs of London in the month of October. It tells the story of Candida, the wife of a famous clergyman, the Reverend James Mavor Morell. Morell is a Christian Socialist, popular in the Church of England, but Candida is responsible for much of his success. Candida returns home briefly from a trip to London with Eugene Marchbanks, a young poet who wants to rescue her from what he presumes to be her dull family life.

Marchbanks is in love with Candida and believes she deserves something more than just complacency from her husband. He considers her divine, and his love eternal. In his view, it is quite improper and humiliating for Candida to have to attend to petty household chores. Morell believes Candida needs his care and protection, but the truth is quite the contrary. Ultimately, Candida must choose between the two gentlemen. She reasserts her preference for the "weaker of the two" who, after a momentary uncertainty, turns out to be her husband Morell.