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.