Major Barbara by Bernard Shaw

"Major Barbara" by Bernard Shaw is a three-act play written and premiered in 1905. The story follows Barbara Undershaft, an idealistic Salvation Army officer, whose work helping London's poor is challenged when her estranged father reappears as a wealthy munitions manufacturer. When he donates his "tainted" money to the Salvation Army, Barbara faces a moral crisis. Her father argues that providing steady employment does more good than charity work, forcing Barbara to confront difficult questions about poverty, wealth, and how to truly help society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950
Title Major Barbara
Note Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Barbara
Credits Produced by Eve Sobol. HTML version by Al Haines.
Reading Level Reading ease score: 84.9 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PR: Language and Literatures: English literature
Subject Fathers and daughters -- Drama
Subject Salvation Army -- Drama
Subject Children of the rich -- Drama
Subject Crime -- Drama
Subject Didactic drama
Category Text
eBook-No. 3790
Release Date
Last Update Aug 26, 2025
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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