Major Barbara

Set in Lady Britomart Undershaft's library on a January evening, the story introduces a complex character—a fifty-year-old woman who embodies the contradictions of her social class. She is well-dressed yet careless, well-bred but outspoken, and manages her household with a blend of practicality and high temperament. Her worldview is shaped by her upper-class upbringing, viewing the universe as an extension of her domestic space, while remaining open-minded about culture and literature. This setting and character exploration highlight themes of class and personal identity.