# Mr. Burgess — Candida character guide

> Mr. Burgess in Candida by George Bernard Shaw.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Burgess

**First appearance:** 0001-act-i

## Snapshot

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

## Who they are

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.

## Relationships

### [James Mavor Morell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/james_mavor_morell)

_family_

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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/candida_morell)

_family_

Candida is Mr. Burgess's daughter, and she maintains a pragmatic, affectionate but somewhat distant relationship with her scheming father.

### [Proserpine Garnett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/proserpine_garnett)

_social_

Mr. Burgess and Proserpine interact as acquaintances, with Burgess trying to charm her for his own business or social ends.

### [Eugene Marchbanks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/eugene_marchbanks)

_social_

Eugene and Mr. Burgess are barely connected, with Burgess viewing the poet as an oddity and Eugene showing little interest in him.

### [Alexander Mill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/alexander_mill)

_social_

Alexander Mill and Mr. Burgess are polite acquaintances, with Mill treating Burgess with deference due to his age and status.

### [Maria](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/maria)

_professional_

Maria serves Mr. Burgess when he visits, and their interaction is limited to servant-guest formality.

### [James Mavor Morell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/james_mavor_morell)

_family_

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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/proserpine_garnett)

_social_

Mr. Burgess and Proserpine interact as acquaintances, with Burgess trying to charm her for his own business or social ends.

### [Candida Morell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/candida_morell)

_family_

Candida is Mr. Burgess's daughter, and she maintains a pragmatic, affectionate but somewhat distant relationship with her scheming father.

### [Eugene Marchbanks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/eugene_marchbanks)

_social_

Eugene and Mr. Burgess are barely connected, with Burgess viewing the poet as an oddity and Eugene showing little interest in him.

### [Candida Morell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/candida_morell)

_family_

Candida is Mr. Burgess's daughter, and she maintains a pragmatic, affectionate but somewhat distant relationship with her scheming father.

### [Alexander Mill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/alexander_mill)

_social_

Alexander Mill and Mr. Burgess are polite acquaintances, with Mill treating Burgess with deference due to his age and status.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters/mr_burgess
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/candida_se/characters