Shaw’s Strong Female Characters in Mrs Warren’s Profession Hannah Moats College

George Bernard Shaw exemplifies values of the “new woman” and “superhero” through the character of Vivie Warren, in the play Mrs. Warren’s Profession, in order to promote individualism and critical thinking amongst females. Even the male characters like Sir George Crofts and Frank Gardener are depicted as weaker conformists in comparison to the characters of the opposite sex, like Vivie and Mrs. Warren. The play as a whole display’s Vivie as a smarter and overall better person because she questions societal standards and takes drastic action in isolating herself from high society in order to live by her own values. Furthermore, Vivie’s character fit’s all of the characteristics that classify her as a Shaw’s “superman” because of her non-conformist beliefs.

Mrs. Warren, mother to Vivie, has a mysterious occupation that drastically contributes to her complex character. Mrs. Warren is a high society woman who while a single mother (there is never any clarity as to who Vivie’s biological father is),made a name for herself in upper class society and she intends for it to stay that way no matter how degrading the career may be. When we discover her occupation is in fact prostitution, we also know that in 1894 it was very uncommon for...