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Excerpt ​

Excerpt from Misalliance, by Bernard Shaw

TARLETON. [again impressed] Thats an idea. Thats a new idea. I
believe I ought to have made Johnny an author. Ive never said so
before for fear of hurting his feelings, because, after all, the lad
cant help it; but Ive never thought Johnny worth tuppence as a man of
business.

JOHNNY. [sarcastic] Oh! You think youve always kept that to
yourself, do you, Governor? I know your opinion of me as well as you
know it yourself. It takes one man of business to appreciate another;
and you arnt, and you never have been, a real man of business. I know
where Tarleton's would have been three of four times if it hadnt been
for me. [With a snort and a nod to emphasize the implied warning, he
retreats to the Turkish bath, and lolls against it with an air of
good-humoured indifference].

TARLETON. Well, who denies it? Youre quite right, my boy. I don't
mind confessing to you all that the circumstances that condemned me to
keep a shop are the biggest tragedy in modern life. I ought to have
been a writer. I'm essentially a man of ideas. When I was a young
man I sometimes used to pray that I might fail, so that I should be
justified in giving up business and doing something: something
first-class. But it was no good: I couldnt fail. I said to myself
that if I could only once go to my Chickabiddy here and shew her a
chartered accountant's statement proving that I'd made 20 pounds less
than last year, I could ask her to let me chance Johnny's and
Hypatia's future by going into literature. But it was no good. First
it was 250 pounds more than last year. Then it was 700 pounds. Then
it was 2000 pounds. Then I saw it was no use: Prometheus was chained
to his rock: read Shelley: read Mrs Browning. Well, well, it was
not to be. [He rises solemnly]. Lord Summerhays: I ask you to
excuse me for a few moments. There are times when a man needs to
meditate in solitude on his destiny. A chord is touched; and he sees
the drama of his life as a spectator sees a play. Laugh if you feel
inclined: no man sees the comic side of it more than I. In the
theatre of life everyone may be amused except the actor.
[Brightening] Theres an idea in this: an idea for a picture. What
a pity young Bentley is not a painter! Tarleton meditating on his
destiny. Not in a toga. Not in the trappings of the tragedian or the
philosopher. In plain coat and trousers: a man like any other man.
And beneath that coat and trousers a human soul. Tarleton's
Underwear! [He goes out gravely into the vestibule].

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw ​

Context of the Play ​

Misalliance (1910) is a comedic play by George Bernard Shaw, a master of wit, social satire, and intellectual drama. The play explores themes of class, marriage, generational conflict, and the constraints of conventional society. The title itself suggests a "misalliance"—a mismatched or ill-suited union, both in marriage and in broader social relationships.

The excerpt features Mr. Tarleton, a successful but discontented businessman, and his son Johnny, who works in the family business but resents his father’s low opinion of him. Their exchange reveals generational tension, the stifling nature of commercial success, and the longing for artistic and intellectual fulfillment.

Breakdown of the Excerpt ​

1. Tarleton’s Initial Remark: The "New Idea" of Johnny as an Author ​

TARLETON. [again impressed] That’s an idea. That’s a new idea. I believe I ought to have made Johnny an author. I’ve never said so before for fear of hurting his feelings, because, after all, the lad can’t help it; but I’ve never thought Johnny worth tuppence as a man of business.

  • Literary Device: Dramatic Irony

    • Tarleton claims he has never expressed his low opinion of Johnny as a businessman, but Johnny immediately calls him out, revealing that his disdain has always been obvious.
    • The audience (or reader) recognizes the hypocrisy—Tarleton believes he has been subtle, but his disapproval has been transparent.

  • Theme: The Failure of Business as a Measure of Worth

    • Tarleton admits that Johnny is not suited for business, but instead of seeing this as a personal failing, he suggests Johnny might have thrived as an author—a profession Tarleton himself secretly desires.
    • This reflects Shaw’s critique of capitalist values: success in business is not the only (or even the best) measure of a person’s worth.

  • Characterization:

    • Tarleton is condescending ("the lad can’t help it") but also self-aware—he recognizes that Johnny’s inadequacy in business is not entirely his fault.
    • His suggestion that Johnny should have been an author foreshadows his own unfulfilled artistic ambitions.

2. Johnny’s Sarcastic Retort: The Hypocrisy of the "Man of Business" ​

JOHNNY. [sarcastic] Oh! You think you’ve always kept that to yourself, do you, Governor? I know your opinion of me as well as you know it yourself. It takes one man of business to appreciate another; and you aren’t, and you never have been, a real man of business. I know where Tarleton’s would have been three or four times if it hadn’t been for me. [With a snort and a nod to emphasize the implied warning, he retreats to the Turkish bath, and lolls against it with an air of good-humoured indifference].

  • Literary Device: Sarcasm & Reversal of Expectations

    • Johnny turns the tables on his father, accusing him of not being a "real man of business."
    • His claim that Tarleton’s success depends on him is a powerful reversal—the son, whom the father dismisses, is actually the competent one.

  • Theme: Generational Conflict & Resentment

    • Johnny’s bitter humor ("good-humoured indifference") masks deep resentment—he feels unappreciated despite his contributions.
    • His physical retreat (lolling against the Turkish bath) suggests detachment, as if he has given up on earning his father’s respect.

  • Dramatic Tension:

    • The unspoken threat ("I know where Tarleton’s would have been") implies that Johnny could sabotage the business if pushed too far.
    • This adds suspense—will Johnny rebel? Will Tarleton ever acknowledge his son’s worth?

3. Tarleton’s Confession: The "Tragedy" of Commercial Success ​

TARLETON. Well, who denies it? You’re quite right, my boy. I don’t mind confessing to you all that the circumstances that condemned me to keep a shop are the biggest tragedy in modern life. I ought to have been a writer. I’m essentially a man of ideas. When I was a young man I sometimes used to pray that I might fail, so that I should be justified in giving up business and doing something: something first-class.

  • Literary Device: Tragic Monologue & Hyperbole

    • Tarleton’s speech is dramatically exaggerated ("the biggest tragedy in modern life")—a comic contrast to his actual situation (he is wealthy and successful).
    • His self-pity is satirical—Shaw mocks the romanticized idea of the "failed artist" who blames circumstance rather than taking risks.

  • Theme: The Artist vs. the Businessman

    • Tarleton longs for creative freedom but is trapped by success.
    • His prayer for failure is darkly humorous—most people pray for success, but he sees failure as liberation.
    • This reflects Shaw’s own disdain for materialism and his belief that artistic and intellectual pursuits are superior to commerce.

  • Allusion to Myth & Literature:

    • "Prometheus was chained to his rock: read Shelley; read Mrs. Browning."
      • Prometheus (from Greek myth) was a Titan punished for giving fire to humanity—a symbol of rebellion against authority and sacrifice for a greater cause.
      • Tarleton compares himself to Prometheus, chained by success rather than failure.
      • The references to Percy Bysshe Shelley (Prometheus Unbound) and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Aurora Leigh) reinforce his literary aspirations—he sees himself as a tragic, unrecognized genius.

4. Tarleton’s Dramatic Exit: The "Actor" in the "Theatre of Life" ​

TARLETON. Lord Summerhays: I ask you to excuse me for a few moments. There are times when a man needs to meditate in solitude on his destiny. A chord is touched; and he sees the drama of his life as a spectator sees a play. Laugh if you feel inclined: no man sees the comic side of it more than I. In the theatre of life everyone may be amused except the actor. [Brightening] There’s an idea in this: an idea for a picture. What a pity young Bentley is not a painter! Tarleton meditating on his destiny. Not in a toga. Not in the trappings of the tragedian or the philosopher. In plain coat and trousers: a man like any other man. And beneath that coat and trousers a human soul. Tarleton’s Underwear! [He goes out gravely into the vestibule].

  • Literary Devices:

    • Metatheatre ("theatre of life")—Tarleton frames his existence as a performance, where he is both actor and spectator.
    • Bathos (Anti-Climax): The grand philosophical musing ("a human soul") abruptly shifts to "Tarleton’s Underwear!"—a comic deflation that undercuts his self-importance.
    • Visual Imagery: He imagines himself as the subject of a painting, reinforcing his self-mythologizing.

  • Themes:

    • The Absurdity of Self-Pity: Tarleton’s melodramatic exit is undercut by his own awareness of how ridiculous he is ("no man sees the comic side of it more than I").
    • The Universal Human Condition: His insistence on being "a man like any other man" contrasts with his grandiosity—he wants to be both ordinary and extraordinary.
    • Art as Escape: His sudden artistic inspiration ("an idea for a picture") shows how he romanticizes his suffering, turning it into potential creative material.

  • Significance of "Tarleton’s Underwear!"

    • This absurd, almost surreal line is pure Shaw—it mockingly strips away pretension.
    • The underwear symbolizes the raw, unglamorous reality beneath the performative self—Tarleton is just a man, not a tragic hero.
    • It also foreshadows later themes in the play, where characters shed societal masks (both literally and figuratively).

Overall Significance of the Excerpt ​

  1. Satire of Capitalism & the "Self-Made Man"

    • Tarleton is wealthy but unfulfilled, exposing the hollowness of material success.
    • Shaw critiques the Victorian/Edwardian obsession with business as the only path to respectability.

  2. Generational & Class Conflict

    • Johnny resents his father’s condescension but is trapped in the same system.
    • The father-son dynamic reflects broader societal tensions—old vs. new, tradition vs. individualism.

  3. The Artist’s Dilemma

    • Tarleton’s unrealized artistic dreams mirror Shaw’s own struggles as a playwright (initially rejected before gaining fame).
    • The excerpt asks: Is it better to fail as an artist or succeed as a businessman?

  4. Theatre as a Mirror of Life

    • The metatheatrical elements (life as a play, Tarleton as an actor) reinforce Shaw’s Brechtian approach—exposing the artificiality of social roles.

  5. Comic Deflation & Shaw’s Style

    • The shift from grand tragedy to "Tarleton’s Underwear!" is classic Shaw—using humor to undermine sentimentality.
    • Shaw never lets his characters take themselves too seriously, even in moments of deep pathos.

Conclusion ​

This excerpt is a microcosm of Misalliance—witty, intellectually provocative, and deeply human. Through Tarleton’s melodramatic self-pity and Johnny’s biting sarcasm, Shaw explores:

  • The trappings of success
  • The conflict between art and commerce
  • The performative nature of identity

The humor and irony prevent the scene from becoming overly sentimental, while the underlying sadness (Tarleton’s unfulfilled dreams, Johnny’s unrecognized efforts) gives it emotional weight. Shaw’s genius lies in balancing comedy and critique, making us laugh at his characters while sympathizing with their struggles.

Would you like any further analysis on specific aspects, such as Shaw’s use of socialism in the play or comparisons to his other works like Pygmalion?