Candida · Character

Mr. Burgess

Candida's father, a bluff, prosperous businessman whose comfortable worldliness rubs against his son-in-law's Christian Socialist pieties.

supporting

Also known as Burgess

First appearance: act i

As a supporting figure in Candida, Mr. Burgess is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See Mr. Burgess in act i Book page

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Burgess arrives at the parsonage as family and as a reminder of the commercial London that Morell's sermons denounce, cheerfully unbothered by the contradiction. His coarser instincts and good-natured pragmatism expose the gap between Morell's ideals and the ordinary economics of a household. He matters as the play's earthy counterpoint, someone who loves Candida without needing a theory about her.

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The fuller portrait of Mr. Burgess sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Mr. Burgess in act i

Character Web

6 connections

A slice of how Mr. Burgess sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Social

Character groups

Candida's household circle
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point

This scene is the dramatic climax because it reveals the emotional and psychological peak of the tension betwe…

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Relationships

James Mavor Morell
family · negative
Candida Morell
family · ambivalent
Proserpine Garnett
social · ambivalent
Eugene Marchbanks
social · negative
Alexander Mill
social · positive
Maria
professional · positive
James Mavor Morell
family · negative
Proserpine Garnett
social · ambivalent
Candida Morell
family · ambivalent
Eugene Marchbanks
social · negative
Candida Morell
family · ambivalent
Alexander Mill
social · positive

James Mavor Morell
Mr. Burgess is James's father-in-law, and their relationship is strained by Burgess's manipulative business dealings and James's moral disapproval.
Candida Morell
Candida is Mr. Burgess's daughter, and she maintains a pragmatic, affectionate but somewhat distant relationship with her scheming father.
Proserpine Garnett
Mr. Burgess and Proserpine interact as acquaintances, with Burgess trying to charm her for his own business or social ends.
Eugene Marchbanks
Eugene and Mr. Burgess are barely connected, with Burgess viewing the poet as an oddity and Eugene showing little interest in him.
Alexander Mill
Alexander Mill and Mr. Burgess are polite acquaintances, with Mill treating Burgess with deference due to his age and status.
Maria
Maria serves Mr. Burgess when he visits, and their interaction is limited to servant-guest formality.
James Mavor Morell
Mr. Burgess is James's father-in-law, and their relationship is strained by Burgess's manipulative business dealings and James's moral disapproval.
Proserpine Garnett
Mr. Burgess and Proserpine interact as acquaintances, with Burgess trying to charm her for his own business or social ends.
Candida Morell
Candida is Mr. Burgess's daughter, and she maintains a pragmatic, affectionate but somewhat distant relationship with her scheming father.
Eugene Marchbanks
Eugene and Mr. Burgess are barely connected, with Burgess viewing the poet as an oddity and Eugene showing little interest in him.
Candida Morell
Candida is Mr. Burgess's daughter, and she maintains a pragmatic, affectionate but somewhat distant relationship with her scheming father.
Alexander Mill
Alexander Mill and Mr. Burgess are polite acquaintances, with Mill treating Burgess with deference due to his age and status.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Mr. Burgess in act i