# Tarleton — Misalliance character guide

> Tarleton in Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Mr. Tarleton, John, Tarleton Walking, Tarleton Good, Tarleton Both, Tarleton Puzzled, Tarleton Ingrate, Tarleton Eh, Tarleton Hugely, Tarleton Violently, Tarleton Come, Tarleton Lina, Tarleton Miss Lina, Tarleton Gunner, Tarleton Bentley, Tarleton Patsy, Tarleton Chickabiddy

**First appearance:** 0000-misalliance

## Snapshot

The self-made underwear magnate whose Surrey house is stuffed with Turkish baths and croquet sets, a man who talks as expansively as he spends.

## Who they are

Tarleton has converted Tarleton's Underwear into a fortune and a country estate, but his appetite for debate, gadgets, and grand gestures keeps him restless. He presides over a household where his daughter's marriage is being negotiated like a business deal, and his own opinions on love and money are as unbuttoned as his leisurewear. He matters because his wealth and volubility set the play's terms: everything from marriage to morality gets argued in his drawing room.

## Relationships

### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/unknown_narrator)

_social_

Tarleton is a primary subject of the narrator's account, often portrayed as a loquacious and opinionated patriarch.

### [Johnny Tarleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/johnny_tarleton)

_family_

Johnny is Tarleton's son, often clashing with his father's bombastic views and business decisions.

### [Gunner John Brown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/gunner_john_brown)

_rivalry_

The gunner confronts Tarleton with accusations of capitalist exploitation, creating a tense ideological clash.

### [The Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/the_man)

_friendship_

Tarleton is intrigued by the man and engages him in philosophical debate, treating him as an intellectual equal.

### [Lord Summerhays](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/lord_summerhays)

_social_

Lord Summerhays is a polite acquaintance of Tarleton, engaging in witty banter and social commentary.

### [Bunny](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/bunny)

_friendship_

Bunny is a friend and younger companion to Tarleton, often listening to his monologues with amusement.

## In the story

### [Misalliance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/chapters/misalliance)

Defends the romance of business and family legacy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters/tarleton
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/misalliance_se/characters