Bernard Shaw Satire in Candida

Bernard Shaw is a world-famous dramatist, who was born in Ireland.
He is respected for his vivid

and appropriate humor and his sharp and incisive satire. He criticize the social evils of his own
time, and his characters' long discussions still attract a large number of readers and audience now.
Candida is one of Shaw's famous parataxis plays. As with all of Shaw's plays, Candidais deeply
satirical. Virtually every character in the piece is mercilessly satirized for one reason or another.
But Shaw's unfailing gift for satire is best shown in his portrayal of the misfortunate socialist vicar
(Christian clergyman), Morell. Morell, in keeping with the social norms of the time, sees his wife
as a weak and feeble creature incapable of coping with the big world without his patient moral
guidance. Contrary to his belief Candida is a strong female character, and indeed "candid" or frank
in her words and actions. When given a chance to decide between the husband and the lover she
decided to live with husband whom she thinks as a weak of the two.
This is very ironical and satirical that a traditional husband who is very protective of his wife is
only favored by his wife because she thinks of him as weak and that he cannot live without her.
Surprisingly Morell who pretends to be a very caring husband forgets altogether to bring candida
from the station on her return. The young poet and lover of candida Eugene Marchbank shames
the self-righteous Morell the clergyman for being very like the king David whom despite his all
glory was despised by his wife in her heart. Eugene Marchbank encourages candida to speak about
her love for him and not to be shy when actually it was he who had madly fallen in love with her.
Candida too in an effort to make her husband Morell realize how careless a husband he, speaks
about the great love and care the young, beautiful and articulate Eugene has for her. Eugene very
good with rhetoric (speech) when asked by candida to join her for amusement satirically says
though it was right when he lived a single but pure life but it was measurable and what was he
doing now is though wrong yet it pleasuring him. Like all the young lovers who make tall claims
and pledge sacrifices for their love but when it comes to the real tests they freak out, Eugene is
very panicked when candida was to make a choice between the two and he foolishly asks Morell
to help him whose wife he was trying to snatch away.
The comedy, satire and the sparkling dialogues are manifested in the play. He uses satire in the
form of irony and ridicule to expose and criticize the marital relationship between Candida and
James Morell. It is a delightful masterpiece which employs fun to delve into really important
issues, such as faith, religion, social status, and ethics. Shaw used comedy to throw light on some
contradictions and hypocrisies in an attempt to correct people’s thinking about such things. The
play is vibrant and joyful and its dialogues shine with wit and humor. However, Shaw through this
comic spirit was aiming to deal with the class discrimination, socialism, feminism and gender; and
to make the people aware of the wrong practices.
The purpose behind the theme of this play is his attack on old and conservative conventions so that
people may become logical and wise in an analytical way. This is the victory of rationality over
foolishness. Morell, the ardent socialist, is a pious Christian and proud of his married life. But with
the passage of time his illusion fades away when the poet informs him about his love for Candida,
his wife. Such high tension in the story is handled by the dramatist in a convincing way. The
characters are unique and very refreshing and they are different from the conventional ones. Morell
is a symbol of conventional morality and intellect. Candida is noted for her candor. And Burgess,
her father, is of bourgeois (materialistic and someone who only wants capital gains) mentality.
Poet Marchbank is an idealist. The concept of love as showed in this play as far from bodily
pleasure. It is really the intellectual aspect of love that is given preference. Morell and Candida
lead a respectable conjugal life even though they do not stand on the same intellectual plane. Man
is the master as it happens in Candida and woman is a dependent. Their relationship is governed
by economic factor. The real face of love is exposed when it comes to choosing between Morell
and Eugene, between security and freedom, between domesticity and boundless imagination. Shaw
shatters the established belief that women would always prefer the stronger man. Rather, as it
appears in the play, woman chooses the more secure and stable life offered by Morell. This is what
makes the play anti- romantic.
Morell never appears to be a jealous husband; nor does he feel hostile to Marchbank Morell retains
his cool without any further altercation with Marchbank. Such crisis of marital relationship is well
avoided as Morell seems willing to give Candida freedom to choose between himself and his rival.
It is absolutely astonishing that a husband appears quite unconventional and generous as to give
his wife freedom of choice. It is contrary to the behavior of a stereotypical husband. Here it is an
appeal to the intellectual stimulation of the dramatist. When he declares love for Candida. Candida
presents herself as the newly emerging emancipated woman. She openly disapproves of her
husband’s sermons. Again, she remains steadfastly dutiful maintaining the traditional conduct of
woman. She never declines her wifely duty.
Another important facet of the drama is the presentation of conflict that is well evident in the
character of Morell who is found the exact opposite to the ideas that he professes in public. He
preaches equality as a believer in Christian piety. Such public orator treats his wife as a slave. This
is the duality of human nature revealed through the characterization of Morell. This Inherent inner
weakness of Morell character is for time being and initiates complexity in the plot. This main
conflict is well managed till the end of the play. It takes a sudden surprising turn when we see
Candida inclined to live with her husband. It is a steady deviation from any traditional happening.
This is a new beginning for the couple but it brings out the hollowness of the ideal of happiness.
Shaw brings out the difference between nobility without happiness and happiness without nobility.
Shaw has brilliantly characterized his characters and satirically exposes the contradictions in their
characters. Like at first, Morell is presented as a proficient orator. His other traits are gradually
revealed: his true pious nature later appears to be a weak man and biased. The rest of the characters,
too, are brought to the same room before long. Candida shows her lack of courage when she rejects
Marchbank in favor of Morell. This is true human nature revealed astonishingly. Candida is
intelligent enough to decide to settle with Morell instead of idealist Marchbank. She never shows
any uncontrolled passion and sentiment. Rash impulsiveness is hardly found in her character.
Apart from the theme of love and marriage the play explores a number of minor theme. The
freedom of women in Victorian society to choose her own way of life is one such theme in the
play. Moreover, the way the central male characters Morell and Eugene show their ignorance of
the reality of their actual importance or the truth in their perceptions highlights the theme of
ignorance and arrogance.

Bernard Shaw Satire in Candida

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Bernard Shaw is a world-famous dramatist, who was born in Ireland.

He is respected for his vivid

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