Barbara as Defeated Idealism in Shaw's Major Barbara

Major Barbara is the very incarnation of idealism. She is defeated idealism personified. She is the central character on the basis of whom the play is entitled. She is the daughter of Lady Britomart, and her estranged husband Andrew Undershaft.

In the beginning of the play, Barbara has had little contact with her father, and totally disapproves of the source of his wealth. Young and idealistic, Barbara works with the Salvation Army, whose causes she totally supports. She believes her purpose in life is to save the souls of the poverty stricken individuals who come to the Salvation Army shelter where she is employed. Both kind and patient, she is a hard worker and has risen to the rank of major. Barbara is engaged to Cusins, another employee of the Salvation Army, and they plan to marry soon. Barbara demonstrates sublime devotion to the cause of the Salvation Army. She wants to see the better face of the world by subjecting the world to the Christian ideals. She had such a firm belief that the Salvation Army is the only way.

Barbara's vision about the spiritual potentiality of the salvation Shelter collapsed when she saw the commissioner of the shelter accepting donation from a liquor company and from her own father, a munitions manufacturer. Having realized the limitations and shortcomings of the Salvation Army she resigned. Having convinced by the realistic preaching of her father, she began to teach the workers in Undershaft's munitions empire. She did not renounce her ideals, but used it so as to address the realistic aspects of human life.

By depicting Barbara's conflict between idealism and realism, Shaw seems to be addressing many young people like her, who are striving to reform their society in idealistic ways. He clearly shows that idealism without any basis in reality, cannot provide a solution to the problems of society. The challenge is to come to terms with the real world, like Undershaft, and find real solutions that can work, like Major Barbra.

Major Barbara Study Center

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Andrew Undershaft as a Mouthpiece of Bernard Shaw in Major Barbara