About The Book
Candida, a classic comedy, was written in 1894. Set in London’s East End during the Victorian era, the play is about the domestic turmoil that ensues when an impetuous young poet comes between a progressive-minded clergyman and his charismatic wife. Candida, the wife of a clergyman, Reverend James Morell, returns home 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 that 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 that Candida needs his care and protection, but the truth is quite different. Ultimately, Candida must choose between the two gentlemen.
Though the story is centered on a classic romantic triangle, the questions it raises about the nature of love, fidelity, and the imagination of the artist are universal and thus relevant in the modern times.
