She asks James to go out and help Eugene Marchbanks with the luggage. He is soon disappointed, however, when he realizes that Burgess is renewing their relationship in order to meet, through Morell, influential people who can provide him with commercial contracts.Ĭandida arrives home and is delighted that her husband and father are communicating again. As proof of this, he claims that he has raised his workers’ wages. Burgess assures Morell that he has reformed. Morell and Burgess have not spoken to each other for three years, not since Burgess called Morell a fool for preaching Socialism, and Morell called his father-in-law a scoundrel for underpaying his employees. The curate leaves the office as Morell enters. Then Burgess informs Lexy that he wishes to speak to Morell in private. She goes out, bristling, to fetch her boss. He irritates Prossy by pointing out how much younger Morell’s former secretary was. When Lexy supports Morell for praising Candida, Prossy accuses him of simply copying Morell’s opinions and manner of expressing himself. As soon as he is gone, Prossy, who is secretly in love with Morell, remarks that Morell should not make a fool of himself by constantly praising his wife. Clearly annoyed, Morell goes out to greet his father-in-law. He informs Morell that Candida’s father, Mr Burgess, is on his way to visit him. Morell’s young curate, the Reverend Alexander (Lexy) Mill, arrives for work, late as usual. She has taken their two boys away on holiday and is about to return home for a short time to pick up some additional things for them. At the moment he is looking forward to the arrival of his wife Candida on the 11.45 train. They are trying to find time in his busy schedule for another speaking engagement for in addition to being a popular clergyman, Morell is in great demand as a guest speaker. The Reverend James Morell (Church of England) is at work with his secretary Miss Proserpine (Prossy) Garnett. The setting is a combination study and sitting-room in St. Although more than a hundred years have passed since people first saw the play, the story still rings true and the jokes are still as funny as ever. Along the way, Shaw makes some witty observations about love, the institution of marriage, the treatment of women in society and the age-old problem of having to choose between the ideal and the practical. What follows is a marriage in crisis, as the couple’s comfortable life begins to fall apart, and Candida is forced by the two men to choose between them.

Eugene confronts Morell, declaring his love for Candida and claiming that the pastor does not deserve such a charming, magnificent wife. Eugene is horrified by what he considers to be the mundane life that Candida is forced to lead with her husband, the Reverend James Morell.

Bernard shaw's candida