This drama is set in late nineteenth-century Victorian England. Major Barbara is one of George Bernard Shaw’s “discussion” plays, a style of playwriting that is achieved through a series of conversations. Ideological conflicts arise between Barbara, a major in the Salvation Army, and her father, a wealthy industrialist. Shaw addresses morality, religion, hypocrisy, and society in this play and makes reference to the “Gospel of St. Andrew Undershaft” in his preface—a gospel that promises society’s redemption. The play emphasizes poverty as the cause of society's ills.

Students participate in a variety of activities. They identify plot elements and conflicts, study vocabulary, and research allusions in the play. They discuss the characters in depth and study multiple facets of the characters’ personalities. Students insert themselves into the play as objective observers to complete a letter-writing activity.

 

Supplementary materials include a quiz with answer key and essay topics.