Character Relationship Map: Major Barbara

Characters

• Major Barbara Undershaft (played by Wendy Hiller) — protagonist

  A Salvation Army leader whose religious mission centers on reforming troubled people through compassion, discipline, and conviction. She confronts Bill Walker, resists accepting money from a whiskey b...

• Adolphus Cusins (played by Rex Harrison) — supporting

  A family associate who has joined the Salvation Army and appears strongly drawn to Major Barbara Undershaft. He refuses to take part in a family prayer he considers dishonest, while his musical experi...

• Andrew Undershaft (played by Robert Morley) — supporting

  A powerful industrialist and member of Major Barbara Undershaft’s family who treats the family prayer with irony. He explains the tradition that the industrial business must pass to a foundling rather...

• The General (played by Sybil Thorndike) — supporting

  An authority within the Salvation Army who is prepared to accept financial support from a wealthy whiskey maker. The General argues that the donor’s soul still deserves saving and that alcohol has pra...

• Bill Walker (played by Robert Newton) — supporting

  A violent man confronted by Major Barbara Undershaft at the shelter after mistreating Jenny Hill. He denies being unhappy or needing change, but Major Barbara argues that his guilt and repeated though...

• Jenny Hill (played by Deborah Kerr) — supporting

  A woman who has been treated violently by Bill Walker at the shelter. Although she does not lead the debate herself, her mistreatment becomes the immediate reason Major Barbara Undershaft confronts Bi...

• Lady Britomart (played by Marie Lohr) — supporting

  A senior member of the Undershaft family who tries to organize a respectable family prayer. She suspects that Adolphus Cusins joined the Salvation Army largely because of his admiration for Major Barb...

• Stephen Undershaft (played by Walter Hudd) — supporting

  A member of the Undershaft family who rejects the cannon business and declares that he intends to enter politics. His refusal to accept the industrial inheritance conflicts with Andrew Undershaft’s ex...

• Todger Fairmile (played by Torin Thatcher) — minor

  A person Major Barbara Undershaft cites as an example of fierce resistance followed by spiritual surrender. His earlier struggle helps her explain Bill Walker’s condition and supports her belief that...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Adolphus Cusins → The General (Professional Organizational Associate) — Cusins is connected to the Army's leadership through his participation and practical talents.

  Cusins has joined the Salvation Army, whose leadership is represented in the discussion by The General, and his musical skills are considered useful t...

• Major Barbara Undershaft → Todger Fairmile (Professional Spiritual Reformer) — Todger serves as an example within Barbara's religious reform work.

  Barbara compares Bill Walker's struggle with salvation to Todger Fairmile's fierce resistance before Todger surrendered spiritually.

• Major Barbara Undershaft → Adolphus Cusins (Romantic Interest) — Cusins's admiration links his religious involvement to Barbara personally.

  Lady Britomart suspects that Adolphus Cusins joined the Salvation Army largely because of his admiration for Major Barbara Undershaft.

• Lady Britomart → Major Barbara Undershaft (Family Mother) — Lady Britomart attempts to influence the family's religious and social direction.

  Lady Britomart tries to arrange family prayer at home and discusses Major Barbara Undershaft's religious work and personal life.

• Andrew Undershaft → Stephen Undershaft (Family Father) — Andrew's succession policy conflicts with Stephen's personal ambitions.

  Andrew Undershaft explains that the family business should pass to a foundling rather than to Stephen Undershaft, while Stephen rejects the cannon bus...

• Major Barbara Undershaft → Andrew Undershaft (Family Daughter) — Their family bond is strained by opposing views of religion, charity, and power.

  The family discussion places Major Barbara Undershaft and Andrew Undershaft within the same household and directly connects her religious work with hi...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Major Barbara Undershaft → The General (Conflict Institutional Opponent) — They disagree over whether practical funding justifies accepting money from an opposing trade.

  The General is willing to accept financial support from a wealthy whiskey maker, while Major Barbara objects that the donation would compromise the sh...

• Major Barbara Undershaft → Jenny Hill (Alliance Protector) — Barbara acts on behalf of Jenny within the shelter's reform mission.

  Barbara confronts Bill Walker specifically because of his violent treatment of Jenny Hill and seeks to address the guilt and harm surrounding the inci...

• Bill Walker → Jenny Hill (Conflict Abuser) — Bill's violence toward Jenny is a central reason for Barbara's intervention.

  Major Barbara Undershaft confronts Bill Walker over his violent treatment of Jenny Hill.

• Major Barbara Undershaft → Bill Walker (Conflict Moral Opponent) — Barbara challenges Bill's violence and denial through religious confrontation.

  At the shelter, Major Barbara Undershaft confronts Bill Walker over his violent treatment of Jenny Hill and insists that his guilt reveals a conscienc...

• Lady Britomart → Adolphus Cusins (Social Family Acquaintance) — She evaluates Cusins's motives and his connection with Barbara.

  Lady Britomart participates in the family discussion and suspects that Adolphus Cusins joined the Salvation Army largely because of his admiration for...

Story Analysis

A religious reformer confronts violence, compromised charity, inherited industrial power, and conflicting ideas of social duty.

Plot Progression

1. A Family Beneath Prayer — The opening public speech leads toward Major Barbara's religious world. At home, family prayer exposes irony, dishonesty, and Cusins's admiration for Barbara.
2. Conscience at the Shelter — Barbara confronts Bill Walker over his violence toward Jenny Hill. She interprets his denial and guilt through the example of Todger Fairmile's spiritual resistance.
3. The Price of Respectability — A wealthy whiskey maker offers money to the Salvation Army. The General defends accepting it, but Barbara argues that the donation would compromise the shelter's mission.
4. Inheritance and Conviction — Andrew reveals the foundling succession tradition governing the industrial business. Stephen rejects the cannon business and chooses politics, intensifying the family's conflict over power and duty.