Jan 4, 2010

Major Barbara | Topics for Further Study

Research the place of women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. How does Barbara rebel against traditional feminine roles?

In view of Shaw's socialism, what might have been his purpose in making Andrew Undershaft's armaments factory and the adjacent town a model of success? In what ways does Shaw manage to show the negative side of Undershaft's achievement?

Compare Barbara and Cusins to the character Dr. Faustus in Christopher Marlowe's play The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus. Given that Undershaft is frequently referred to as a Satanic character,...