MANONMANIAM SUNDARANAR UNIVERSITY COLLEGE,

GOVINDAPERI
Department of English
II B.A English
IV Semester - British Drama [SMEN42]

Principal​: ​Dr.K.S.MONY,MSUCollege,Govindaperi​.

Name of faculty​ : L. DEVAKI @ SUBASRI M.A, NET

Unit V : Candida by G. B. Shaw

Summary of Candida by G. B. Shaw

Contents
● Introduction
● Act 1 (in the morning)
● Act 2 (in the afternoon)
● Act 3 (in the night)

Introduction

The play is a serious comedy. It is a domestic play having common aspects of

day-to-day life. It doesn’t possess any hero-heroine story or an adventure or
magic story etc. The play has been divided into three Acts. It starts in the
morning & ends on the night of the same day.

Act 1 (in the morning​)

The play opens in the morning. It is October. James Morell is going through the
letters that he has just received. Prossy is sitting beside him & is typing letters.

James Morell has been invited by Huxton Freedom Group, a part of Communists
to address them on Sunday. He cannot accept the offer because on Sunday he
has to deliver the speech at Churches, so he asks Prossy to search for a day on
which he is not engaged.

Prossy tells him that on 28th he has been invited by a renowned company for
dinner. Thus he cancels the dinner & decides to do to Huxton Freedom Group.

Just then enters Lexy. Morell tells him that he is going to pick up his wife from the
railway station at 11:45 am, who is coming back for two days.

It appears that the children are suffering from some infection. She is coming to
take warm clothes for them. Morell suggests Lexy get married to a Candida-like
girl.

Lexy tells Morell that Burgess (Morell’s father-in-law) is coming to have a private
conversation with him. Morell is surprised as Burgess has not come since last
three years after some fight.

He goes out. Prossy tells Lexy that she doesn’t like the over-praising of Candida
by Morell. He used to say, “Candida here, Candida there & Candida
everywhere.”
Lexy accuses her of jealousy of Candida. As Lexy is about to leave Burgess
enters. Morell also comes back. He offers his handkerchief to Lexy. Burgess
doesn’t like this.

Initially, he says to Morell that he has forgiven him but seeing the anger of Morell,
he asks him to forgive him. After the initial exchange of words, it becomes visible
that he has come to him as he has heard about his upcoming promotion. He
considers it boon for himself & his business.

While they are talking, enters Candida. Morell regrets forgetting to pick her up
from the station. She tells that Eugene (a young boy of 18) was with her. Morell
goes out to pay the fare to cab-man.

He brings Eugene with him & introduces him to Burgess. Burgess upon learning
that he belongs to the royal family welcomes him & offers him to join him for
dinner & goes away as he has to catch the train.

Candida goes to see & amend the situation of the house. Eugene tells Morell that
he loves his wife & doesn’t like the way he (Morell) behaves with his wife He also
says that he will free Candida from his slavery.

Morell drags him in anger & asks him to leave his house. Just then enters
Candida. She inquires about the matter but can’t get it. She asks Eugene to stay
with them until lunch.

Act 2 (in the afternoon)

It is the afternoon of the same day. Eugene is sitting alone in the room. Finding
the printer idle, he meddles with it. Prossy comes back. She blames him for
meddling with the printer.

After some discussion, Eugene says that she is in love with Morell & insists upon
it till she confesses it. Just then enters Burgess. He says to Eugene that he must
have been bored with the typewriter. At this, she calls him “Old Silly fathead”.
Burgess complains to Morell, but he doesn’t take it seriously.

As dinner would be served after a couple of hours, Morell gives some illustrated
papers to Burgess to read. Candida is busy filling paraffin in lamps.

Seeing this, poet blames Morell for making her do such odd jobs. When Prossy
asks Candida to slice onions, Morell experiences “poetic horror”. He compliments
Candida in his poetic language but Candida breaks all his illusions.

He goes with Candida to slice onions. Burgess goes out to smoke. Morell says to
Prossy (just to tease her) that she should not have blamed Burgess.

She bursts into tears & rushes out. Candida comes to Morell & tells him frankly
that Eugene is in love with her. She also tells him that Prossy is in love with him
calling it “Prossy’s complaint and that people hear him as he delivers lecture
nicely but does just the opposite of his advice. So she asks him to not spend so
much time in delivering lectures.
Morell is shattered with such response from Candida. Lexy enters. He asks
Morell to get ready to go to Church. He denies. Candida regrets saying so to
Morell. She insists that all will go with him to hear him in the Church. But Morell
asks her & Eugene to remain at home. She protests but cannot succeed.

Act 3 (in the night)

Eugene is reading poetry to Candida but she is in deep thoughts. Eugene brings
her back to senses. She asks Eugene to rather talk to her. Eugene says that he
likes to say her name again & again as it is his prayer.

While they are talking, enters Morell. He tells that he has delivered his lecture
splendidly. Lexy, Prossy & Burgess come. Lexy & Prossy thank Burgess for
offering them such a great supper. All leave.

Candida goes to send Maria to bed. Eugene taunts Morell. Ultimately it is

decided between the two that Candida must choose one of them. Candida
enters. She inquires about the matter.

Morell asks her to choose one of them. She decides to remain with her husband
as he can’t live without her. Eugene goes out saying that he has some secret in
his heart so he is satisfied although Candida has rejected him.

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 the 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 of 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 work more & also by
paying the 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. They
are Children of Candida and Maria (the maid of Candida).