The central characters are clergyman James Morell, his wife Candida and a youthful poet , Eugene Marchbanks, who tries to win Candida's affections. The play questions Victorian notions of love and marriage, asking what a woman really desires from her husband. The cleric is a Christian Socialist , allowing Shaw who was a Fabian Socialist to weave political issues, current at the time, into the story.
Shaw attempted but failed to have a London production of the play put on in the s, but there were two small provincial productions. However, in late actor Arnold Daly had such a great success with the play that Shaw would write by that New York was seeing "an outbreak of Candidamania".
The Royal Court Theatre in London performed the play in six matinees in The same theatre staged several other of Shaw's plays from to , including further revivals of Candida.
The play is set in the northeast suburbs of London in the month of October. Morell is a Christian Socialist , popular in the Church of England , but Candida is responsible for much of his success. Candida returns home briefly from a trip to London with Eugene Marchbanks, a young poet who wants to rescue her from what he presumes to be her dull family life.
Marchbanks is in love with Candida and believes she deserves something more than just complacency from her husband. He considers her divine, and his love eternal. In his view, it is quite improper and humiliating for Candida to have to attend to petty household chores. Morell believes Candida needs his care and protection, but the truth is quite the contrary.
