toward an interpretation of "major barbara"

Toward an Interpretation of "Major Barbara"Author(s): Bernard F. DukoreSource: The Shaw Review, Vol. 6, No. 2 (May, 1963), pp. 62-70Published by: Penn State University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40682000 .

Accessed: 10/06/2014 17:15

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Penn State University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The ShawReview.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 62.122.73.213 on Tue, 10 Jun 2014 17:15:57 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=psup

http://www.jstor.org/stable/40682000?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


Toward an Interpretation of "Major Barbara" by Bernard F. Du ko re1

The apparently dominating presence of Andrew Undershaft, as well as Shaw's prefatory designation of him as the hero of Major Barbara, has disturbed, perplexed, or at least caused concern among the play's various commentators. Beatrice Webb called the play "a dance of devils" and "the triumph of the unmoral purpose."2 The Marxist Alick West roundly condemns Shaw for heresy: "The capitalist, the armaments manufacturer, the promoter of wars, the power behind governments, is glorified and exalted as the chosen instrument of God; the imperialist is canonized as St. Andrew Undershaft." He concludes: "Shaw's Fabianism made him choose the wrong hero, the capitalist himself."3 Eric Bentley declares that although Shaw intended Cusins to be "the synthesis of Barbara's idealism and her father's realism," the intent was not realized because "Undershaft remains far more impressive than Cusins. . . . Like so many other writers, he makes his monster so impressive that no good man can match him."4 Sidney P. Albert implies that Shaw intended the Major of the title to be the play's major character when he admonishes those "who regard this as really a play about Undershaft, to which Barbara's problems are merely incidental"; he points out that "such critics seem more impressed by the fact that he contemplated calling the play Anddrew Undershaft's Profession than by the fact that he actually decided to title it Major Barbara."5

Shaw had perhaps only Joyce as his rival as most extensive re- viser in modern literature, never permitting anything of his to be published with a series of revisions. Further, as new editions of Shaw's plays appeared, he quietly and without public announcement revised them. Differences between the texts in the early editions of Shaw's plays (or reprints therefrom) and those in the Standard Edition (or reprints therefrom) are sometimes astonishing. A perusal of these revisions might provide information as to which elements Shaw felt needed further emphasis or greater clarity. It might be useful in help- ing to determine the relative importance of Undershaft, Barbara, and Cusins. At the very least, it would tell us something of Shaw's dra- matic technique. I will therefore examine the two basic editions of the play, the first of 1907 and the Standard Edition of 1931, for the most pervasive revisions were made when Shaw prepared his plays for the Standard Edition.0 1 Professor Dukore is on the faculty of Speech and Drama at Los Anpries State College. * Beatrice Webb, Our Partnership, cd. Barbara Drake and Margaret I. Cole (New York: Long-

mans, Green, 1948). pp. 314-315. • Alick West, A Good Man Fallen Among Fabians (London: Lawrence & Wish art. 1950), pp.

1 Eric Bcntlr*. Bernard Shaw (Norfolk, Conn.: New Directions, 1947), pp. 166-167. « Sidney P. Albert, "The Mood of Barbara," The Regional, II (October. 1958), 8. * The early edition that I havr used for this study is Bernard Shaw, John Bull's Other Island

and Major Barbara (New York: Brcntano's, 1907). The Standard Edition is Bernard Shaw, John Bull's Other Island with How He Lied to Her Husband and Major Barbara (London: Constable, 1931). As H. M. Geduld has shown in connection with Back to Methuselah - sec "The- Textual Problem in Shaw," The Shaw Review, V (May, 1962), 54-60; see also the pioneer work in Shaevian textual analysis: Charles H. Shattuck, "Bernard Shaw's Bad Quar- to." The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, LIV (October. 1955), 651-663 - there may be differences in almost every separate edition of Shaw's play. I have selected these two editions as the most basic "different" editions. A comparison with the "Screen Version"

- 62 -



ACT ONE The opening stage directions are more specific in the later edition.

Shaw is ensuring that the reader sees the action and locale of the play as it was when he first printed it. At that time, he could take for granted that the reader would add "now" to the opening stage direction, "It is after dinner on a January night." But a quarter of a century later, the "now" became "then." The specific conditions ( in the second act, for example) did not exist in 1931 in quite the same way as they had previously. Also, clothing styles were vastly different. Therefore, the opening direction is changed: "It is after dinner in January 1906." Similarly, a 1931 reader needs explanations for references which were clear to a 1907 reader. Thus, in place of "He [Stephen] takes up The Speaker," we read "He takes up a Liberal weekly called The Speaker."

Character is more sharply defined in the later version. In the opening dialogue between Lady Britomart and her son, wherein she shocks him by disclosing information about his father, Stephen at one point says, in the earlier edition, "Mother: you have no consideration for me. For heaven's sake either treat me as a child, as you always do, and tell me nothing at all; or tell me everything and let me take it as best I can." In the later edition, he begins the speech with "Mother: have you no consideration for me?" Etc. The first sentence tempers the remainder; the new version is more appropriate to the character, for Stephen would not reprimand his mother in the positive fashion of the earlier text.

When Lady Brit announces to the assembled family, including the girls' prospective husbands, that her husband is going to arrive that evening, Shaw has added to the Standard Edition several stage directions generally aimed at particularizing the behavior of the characters, giving the reader a clearer notion of the stage picture, and in- structing the actors and directors of future productions. (There are other reasons, as noted.) After Lady Brit's announcement ("Your father is coming here this evening."), the early version has the bare stage direction: "General stupefaction!' In the later version, Shaw has added to this: "Lomax, Sarah, and Barbara rise: Sarah scared, and Barbara amused and expectant." Cusins remains seated. The Greek professor is able to greet this news with greater equanimity than the others. Barbara's response is not only more characteristic, but by it Shaw sets up an anticipation of the confrontation between her and her father. When Lady Brit tells them, "It [Undershaft's arrival] is on your account, Sarah, and also on Charles's," the reaction in the early version is "Silence. Charles looks painfully unworthy." In the new version, Shaw indicates a characteristic response from Sarah as well: "Sarah sits, with a shrug." He also indicates a characteristic response from Barbara, one which carries further the expectation indicated just before. After she says, "My father has a soul to be saved like anybody else. He's quite welcome as far as I am concerned," Shaw adds the stage direction: "She sits on the table, and softly whistles 'Onward Christian Soldiers.' " Not only does the movement serve to emphasize the line, but by the particular property used (she sits on a tablel)

published by Penguin would also be helpful, but since changes dictated specifically by the nature of the different medium would have to be considered, I have deemed the screen version to be outside the limitations of this particular study. The "Screen Version," it should be noted, was not actually the screen play as filmed, and contains scenes not filmed, or at least cut from the film as released.

- 63 -



brings out her joyfulness in a way which sets her apart from the others and which helps make her defeat in Act II even more crushing. The stage business is completed in the new version when Lomax acqui- esces: "He sits!9

When the final member of the quartet, Cusins, gives his consent to Lady Brit ("You have my unhesitating support in everything you do/'), she no longer merely turns from him to Sarah with a question ("Sarah: have you nothing to say?"). Before her question, she now dismisses Cusins' gallantry with a "Tush!" This not only makes clearer the fact that she relates differently to the different individuals, but prepares us for her statement to Cusins later in the act that he is not deceiving her about his reasons for having joined the Salvation Army.

Shaw also particularizes the response after Cusins completes Lady Brit's disturbed train of thought (to the effect that since Undershaft will form his opinion of the way she brought up the children on the basis of their behavior that evening, they should particularly endeavor to behave properly). In the earlier edition, the response was simply Lomax's statement, "Look here: Lady Brit didnt say that." The new edition expands it:

LADY BRITOMART. (with emphatic approva) Precisely. LOMAX. Look here, Dolly: Lady Brit didnt say that.

In addition, there is a new stage direction to Barbara's line, "Well do you credit": "She comes of the table, and sits in her chair with lady- like elegance!0 The result of these additions is an enrichment of character and situation, and a clearer picture for the reader.

Shaw has added some illustrative stage business to Undershaft's entrance. His gallantry ("Time has stood still with you"), after being told by his wife that he looks older, is visually helped by his "Taking her hand" and her response of "throwing away his hana* in the new version.

In the early edition, when Lomax brings Undershaft a chair, we read simply that he accepts it. In the new one, he accepts it but remains standing. He does not sit until his line "Well, here I am. Now what can I do for you all?" This change not only provides a comic emphasis for the line, but is more characteristic: he is initially uncer- tain, but finally decides to let his checkbook settle the matter.

Lady Brit tells Undershaft, "You are one of the family. You can sit with us and enjoy yourself." What follows, in the early text is: "Lomax s too long suppressed mirth explodes in agonized neighings!' However, Lomax is not subtle enough to perceive the humor in that statement. Shaw came to recognize this, and created, by slightly al- tering the stage directions, a different motivation for the same response. After Lady Brit's statement, the new text reads: "A painfully conscious^ pause. Barbara makes a face at Lomax, whose too long suppressed9 etc.

There are more idiosyncratic details of character behavior in the Standard Edition than in the previous one. When Barbara tells Lomax to bring his concertina and play something for them, Lomax says in

- 64 -



the early version: "(doubtfully to Undershaft). Perhaps that sort of thing isnt in your line, eh?" In the new version the stage direction reads: "jumps up eagerly, but checks himself to remark doubtfully to Undershaft." In the early version, when Barbara tells her father that she made Lomax come to their meetings and take the collection in his hat, Lady Brit quickly explains, "It is not my doing, Andrew. Barbara is old enough to take her own way. She has no father to advise her/' In the new one, preceding Lady Brit's speech, and pro- viding additional motivation for it, is: "UNDERSHAFT (looks whim- sically at his wife)!!"

Shaw piles up more descriptive details to add to our perception of the characters' behavior on stage. When Undershaft announces that he plays the tenor trombone, Lomax is "scandalized?' in the old version; in the new one, Cholly's stage direction reads: "scandalized - putting down the concertina' - for that is what he has just brought into the room. In the early text, when Lomax interrupts Undershaft with "I'm not saying anything against you personally, you know," Undershaft politely adds "Quite so, quite so. But consider" etc. In the new one, Undershaft interrupts the upstart: "I'm not saying anything against you personally -

" "Quite so, quite so." Etc. Then, in

the same speech, instead of describing himself as "a manufacturer of mutilation and murder," he calls himself "a profiteer in mutilation and murder." At the end of the act, Cusins, after charming Lady Brit (who told him she knew why he had joined the Salvation Army) with the wonderful line "Dont tell on me," now "steals out" instead of merely "goes out."

Immediately before Cusins' departure, however, there is a change which marks a distinct shift in emphasis. In the newer version, Bar- bara is more dynamic. When Undershaft persuades her to hold a small service in the drawing-room, she is comparatively subdued in the 1907 text: "She goes out with Undershaft, who opens the door for her? In the 1931 treatment, however, she is much more aggressive: "She throws her arms around her father and sweeps him out, calling to the others from the threshold." Barbara, not Undershaft, is given the emphasis and the power here in the new version.

ACT TWO

In this act, the most obvious change is the spelling of the dialect. Shaw carried further his attempts to alter spelling to indicate pro- nunciation. To list each case would be to copy down most of the act, but the following examples are typical.

STANDARD EDITION: Aw'll stend ap to enny menn alawv, if he was ten Todger Fairmawls. But Aw dont set ap to be a perfeshnal. EARLY EDITION: Til stand up to any man alive, if he was ten Todger Fairmiles. But I dont set up to be a perfessional. STANDARD EDITION: See eah. Awve ed enaff o this. EARLY EDITION: See here. Ive ad enough o this.

The result of these changes seems to be confusion instead of clarity.

Occasionally, the stage direction is changed. For example, while Bill Walker is badgering Peter Shirley, the old stage direction reads

- 65 -



at one point: "He [Shirley] returns to the table to finish his meal." The new one reads: "He turns his back on him and sits down moodily at the table." As in Act I, these changes result in sharper visualization of the action. This is also the case when Barbara deals with Shirley in her very confident manner. She tells him she can find a job for him, and in the old version, "Shirley, disarmed, touches his hat" In the new one, he is "disarmed and a little bewildered."

By the time Shaw revised the play for the Standard Edition, he realized that unusual names had to be repeated for the audience to grasp them. In the earlier edition, when Bill tells Barbara that his girl's name is "Mog Abbijam" ("Mog Ebbijem" in the Standard Edi- tion), Barbara simply tells him that she has gone to Canning Town. In the later one, Barbara repeats her name - for our benefit, actually - before doing so: "Mog Habbijam! Oh, she's gone to" etc.

At the same time, unnecessary redundancies are deleated. While Barbara is giving Bill the treatment, she jibes, "Youre not getting con- verted, are you?" And he replies, blustering, "Not ME. Not likely. Not arf." In the new version, it is simply, "Not ME. Not lawkly."

Shaw provides better descriptive words in the newer version. Earlier, when Undershaft offers Barbara ninety-nine pounds if she will accept Bill Walker's pound, the stage direction reads: "Bill, as- tounded by such opulence, instinctively touches his cap." In the new version, he is u dazed by such opulence" Etc.

ACT THREE, Scene One There are very few changes in this scene. Instead of telling Cholly that they are going to the works at

Perivale St. Andrews in the afternoon, Sarah simply informs him that they are "going to the works." This makes more reasonable the vaudeville exchange which follows in both editions ("What works?" "The cannon works." Etc.)

Cusins, describing the Salvation Army meeting, says in the older version, "Jenny Hill went stark mad with hysteria." There is consider- ably less exaggeration in the newer one. "Jenny Hill simply gibbered with hysteria."

Undershaft terminates the interview with his son with the conclusion that since Stephen is "a born journalist," he will start him off with "a high-toned weekly review." In the first edition, Shaw expedi- tiously gets Stephen out of the way in order to make room for the entrance of Sarah, Barbara, Lomax, and Cusins. Immediately following Undershaft's decision, "Stephen goes to the smaller writing table and busies himself with his letters." With him conveniently out of the way - and that is the sole reason for his movement - the others may enter. In the Standard Edition, this is improved, both in motivation and in visualization for the reader. After the decision, we read: "Be- fore Stephen can reply . . ." and the four enter and are placed on stage. Then, after Stephen has regained his composure, he goes to the writing table as before.

Finally, Lomax is given another Chollyism. Before leaving for the works, he calls for his fiancée. "Come, Sarah," he says in the earlier version. "Come, my ownest," he says in the latter one.

- 66 -



ACT THREE, Scene Two

Prior to this scene, the changes have generally been in the areas of making the action clearer to the reader and particularizing details of character and behavior. Here, for the second time (the first was the going off to prayer meeting at the end of Act I), we have signifi- cant changes in relation to the meaning and tone of the play. Barb- ara's stage position is made more obviously prominent, and Under- shaft's cruelty is emphasized.

In the newer version, Barbara is standing on a level instead of merely leaning over the parapet. In addition, her area is more obviously set off from the rest of the stage: it is furnished. The old version reads.

The parapet has a high step inside which serves as a great seat. Barbara is leaning over the parapet, looking towards the town.

Here is the new version: The firestep, being a convenient place to sit, is furnished here and there with straw disc cushions; and at one place there is the additional luxury of a fur rug. Barbara is standing on the firestep, looking over the parapet towards the town.

In the early version there was a deck chair near the office door. In the new one, there is none. Barbara's area is the only part of the stage that is clothed rather than bare. Also, she is not now only on a higher level but is standing rather than leaning. She is therefore - because of her stage position and the decoration of the stage area - always the recipient of at least secondary emphasis throughout the scene.

Since Shaw has eliminated the deck chair, he later eliminates some stage business concerning it. Originally, when Lady Brit enters, she comes impetuously between Undershaft and the deck chair. In the new version, she simply comes to him impetuously. Still later, instead of having her exasperatedly sitting "with a vehemence that almost wrecks the chair," he has her do so (evidently on a step or level) "with a vehemence tiiat the rug fortunately softens.'0

Undershaft's cruelty is revealed. The newer version has an inter- esting piece of set decoration not found in the older one:

Several dummy soldiers more or less mutilated, with straw protruding from their gashes, have been shoved out of the way under the landing. A few others are nearly upright against the shed; and one has fallen forward and lies, like a grotesque corpse, on the emplacement.

Undershaft's arguments to Cusins take place against this background of mutilated corpses. Also, the first changes in dialogue and action in the scene concern Undershaft's cruelty. In the earlier version, Under- shaft enters flashing some telegrams.

UNDERSHAFT. . . . News from Manchuria. STEPHEN. Good news, I hope. UNDERSHAFT. Very.

The good news which Undershaft announces is a weapon that has just destroyed a fort with three hundred soldiers in it. In the later

- 67 -



version, it is only Undershaft who describes this news as "good"; he enters with the telegrams, saying "Good news from Manchuria." When Cusins asks whether the three hundred soldiers destroyed were dummy soldiers, Undershaft replies: "(striding across to Stephen and kicking the prostrate dummy brutally out of his way) Nò: the real thing/ The stage direction is not in the earlier version.

In the exchange between Undershaft and Cusins, wherein the latter announces the circumstances of his birth, Shaw makes changes which result in Cusins receiving greater emphasis. In the early edition, Cusins springs up when he hears that the community has a William Morris Labor Church. Then, when Undershaft dismisses Cusins' candidacy to the Undershaft sucession on the ground that since he is not a foundling, there is an end to it, Cusins "diplomatically" says, "Not quite." As everyone turns and stares at him, "He comes from the platform past the shed to Undershaff' and makes the announcement. In the new edition, Cusins is more dynamic, and Under- shaft comes to him. In addition, the bombshell is prepared and ex- ploded more effectively. Instead of springing up when he hears of the Labor Church, Cusins "mounts the firestep distractedly, and leans with his elbows on the parapet, turning his back to them." Since his position and focus are different from those of the others, he receives emphasis while he is pondering the problem. We therefore wonder what he is pondering, and there is greater anticipation. Moreover, his physical energy is saved until such time when it will be more powerful. When Undershaft dismisses Him and tries to make an end of it, Undershaft "makes for the office door!9 At this point, Cusins be- haves more strongly than "diplomatically." Shaw now has Cusins "turning to them'9 - from a closed position to an open one, and therefore stronger than the previous method - saying "Not quite," and as they all turn to him - emphasizing him still further - "He jumps down to the emplacement," which is more dynamic than merely going to Undershaft. And now Undershaft goes to him.

In the early version, while Cusins is telling Uunershaft of his qualifications, Shaw has Barbara come from the platform and go between Cusins and Undershaft, then turn away and stand by her mother, listening. In the new one, Barbara rises. We now have her on a higher level and in a stronger position since she is literally standing above the others. While the scene between Cusins and Under- shaft is being played, a strong secondary emphasis goes to Barbara. And when Cusins announces that he is a foundling, Shaw adds the following to the new version:

BARBARA. Silly! (She climbs to the cannon, and leans, listening, in the angle it makes with the parapet.)

We now have Barbara emphasized still further: not only is she on a still higher level, but she is pictorially framed by the cannon. Our eyes must stray to her during the exchange between fiancé and father.

Barbara's different position gives her a further advantage later in the scene. When Undershaft takes her hands as he asks her to tell Cusins what power really means, he has to reach up to do so. And here, the focus on Barbara is unmistakable. Then, when she with-

- 68 -



draws her hands from his "with a power equal to his own" (both editions), she is obviously the dominant party.

There are several minor changes in the scene. In the new version, there is a less ironical commentary on Lazarus. Earlier, Shaw had Undershaft say to Cusins of him: "He will get the credit of your rapacity in money matters, as he has hitherto had the credit of mine." In the new text we have: "He will be blamed for your rapacity in money matters, poor fellow! as he has hitherto been blamed for mine." Perhaps the irony got lost in performance and Shaw decided to settle for accuracy. In the 1907 version, Undershaft accuses Cusins: "You love the needy and the outcast: you love the oppressed races, the negro, the Indian ryot, the Pole, the Irishman." In 1931, the Poles were no longer the oppressed nation they had been in 1907, and the Irish Free State had been formed a decade earlier (though finally ratified by the Irish themselves early in 1922). The new speech reads: "You love the needy and the outcast: you love the oppressed races, the negro, the Indian ryot, the underdog everywhere." Thus, the picture of the tender-hearted but powerless liberal was maintained. Also, the reference to "weak souls crying with gratitude" is changed to the more alliterative "weak souls sobbing with gratitude."

In the penultimate scene, between Barbara and Cusins, there is one major change. Cusins summarizes his position in the early edition: "I want a democratic powßr strong enough to force the intellectual oligarchy to use its genius for the general good or else perish." In the Standard Edition, this is made much clearer: "I want a power simple enough for common men to use, yet strong enough to force the intellectual oligarchy to use its genius for the genera.1 good."

The final change is the final line. In the older edition, Undershaft calls to Cusins: "Six o'clock tomorrow morning, my young friend." In the later one, this becomes: "Six o'clock tomorrow morning, Eurip- ides."

Some conclusions may be drawn from this anaylsis. Shaw's revisions generally fall into two categories: refinement of

details, and interpretation. The first accounts for the majority of changes. These generally concern characterization and stage business. Their results are more precise delineation of character and action, and greater clarity and visualization of stage business for the reader. These revisions are largely a matter of polishing.

There is another set of changes, however, which has a signifi- cance regarding the play's meaning and emphasis. These changes point toward more important roles for Barbara and Cusins, and give some evidence for regarding Barbara as the play's heroine. These revisions make Barbara and Cusins - particularly the former - more prominent, and Undershaft (therefore) correspondingly less prominent. Barbara's exit in the first act, for example, helps to make her much more dynamic in the newer version - at the expense of her father. Throughout the final scene at the foundry, she is consistently given greater emphasis.

- 69 -



There is some external evidence as well for this last conclusion. Desmond MacCarthy, in his review of the original production in 1905, had labeled the last act weak.7 Shaw's correspondence with Mrs. Patrick Campbell reveals that when he directed a revival of the play early in 1929, one way by which he tried to strengthen the last act was to make Barbara more prominent. Mrs. Campbell attests that attention was drawn to Barbara in that act because of her "new" position when she observes: "it was hard on her to sit perched up by the wall and by that gun for so long" and proceeds to tell Shaw how she would have acted the scene.8

In addition, the revised edition reveals a new aspect of Under- shaft's personality - his cruelty - which has the effect of blunting the reader's or spectator's admiration for him.

Finally, the play now ends with the reminder that it is the professor of Greek who will take over the munitions works, thus referring us to the Platonic paraphrase: "society cannot be saved until either the Professors of Greek take to making gunpowder or else the makers of gunpowder become Professors of Greek." We are left with this image - which somewhat mitigates the image of Undershaft Tri- umphant - as we leave the theatre.

COMING IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE

"The Image of the Artist in the Plays of Bernard Shaw," by Judith B. Spink

"Max on Shaw," by Katherine Lyon Mix

"The Heartbreak Houses of Shaw and Chekhov," by Michael J. Men- delsohn

"Shaw, Chekhov, and Two Great Ladies of the Theatre," by Harold J. Harris

7 Desmond MacCarthy, Shaw (London: MacGibbon & Kee, 1951), p. 49. 8 Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patrick Campbell: Their Correspondence, ed. Allan Dent (New York:

Knopf, 1952), p. 313.

- 70 -



toward an interpretation of "major barbara"

Documents