Major Barbara Hypocrisy Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Act.Line)

Quote #4

Ever since they made her a major in the Salvation Army she has developed a propensity to have her own way and order people about which quite cows me sometimes. It's not ladylike: I'm sure I don't know where she picked it up. Anyhow, Barbara shan't bully me; but still it's just as well that your father should be here before she has time to refuse to meet him or make a fuss. (1.93)

The irony here is, of course, that Lady B doesn't see that Barbara is exactly like her—and it's pretty rich that she would call anyone out for liking to have her own way.

Quote #5

What am I to do? I can't starve. Them Salvation lasses is dear good girls; but the better you are, the worse they likes to think you were before they rescued you. Why shouldn't they av a bit o credit, poor loves? they're worn to rags by their work. And where would they get the money to rescue us if we was to let on we're no worse than other people? You know what ladies and gentlemen are. (2.17)

Rummy is disingenuously pretending that she lies about her backstory to help the ladies of the Salvation Army, since the more dramatic stories are more compelling to the people offering donations. The irony (and hypocrisy) here lies in the fact that the Army has incentivized people to lie in order to get help and "embrace" salvation.

Quote #6

That's what's so unfair to us women. Your confessions is just as big lies as ours: you don't tell what you really done no more than us; but you men can tell your lies right out at the meetins and be made much of for it; while the sort o confessions we az to make az to be wispered to one lady at a time. It ain't right, spite of all their piety. (2.27)

Rummy puts her finger on the hypocrisy of the fact that the Army expects women to tell their sob stories to help the Army raise money/get converts, but they must be ashamed of those stories (and therefore whisper them). Hmm, kind of sounds like how people expect Undershaft to donate money as a display of shame for his own profession, no? If it's something worth doing, shouldn't you just own it and not be ashamed of it—and if it's wrong/something to be whispered about, shouldn't you just avoid doing it? This is the kind of hypocrisy that really gets Andrew riled up.