Previous
Act 1
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Man and Superman, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love and Marriage
Ideal Humanity (the Superman)
Morality and Hypocrisy
Gender Roles
Summary
Analysis
Tanner stands beside his motor car, which has broken down outside an estate near Richmond, London. He decides to take a walk around the property while he waits for his chauffeur, Henry Straker, to repair the carriage. Before Tanner departs, he observes that Octavius and an American man named Mr. Hector Malone have already arrived in Mr. Malone’s new steam car. Tanner explains that Mr. Malone is supposed to drive Octavius, Violet, and Ann, while Tanner and the chauffeur are to take Miss Rhoda (Ann’s sister).
It’s still too early in Act 2 to gauge how things have panned out in this social circle in the aftermath of Violet’s two shocking announcements in Act 2, but the fact that she’s going out driving with her friends—on a co-ed outing, no less—suggests that Violet’s social circle has chosen to keep up appearances in the aftermath of Violet’s scandal, pretending as though everything is fine and ignoring what in their eyes amounts to a crisis.
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Tanner approaches Octavius and introduces him to Straker, pronouncing Straker’s first name “Enry” (with a cockney accent). He mocks Straker’s working-class background. Anticipating Octavius’s judgment, Tanner justifies his mocking of Straker with the explanation that Straker is “more swollen with the pride of class” than anyone Tanner has met before. Octavius assures Straker that he has great respect for “labor.” Tanner urges Octavius not to talk politics with Straker, who is “a scientific [socialist],” whereas Octavius is only “a poetic socialist.” Straker, bored of this conversation, heads off toward the house.
Tanner’s mocking of Straker’s accent offers further insight into Tanner’s character. Tanner, a gentleman, is wealthy and doesn’t have to work. When he mocks Straker, who must work for a living, for his cockney accent (which is stereotypically associated with an uneducated, lower-class background) Tanner implicitly shows that he considers Straker beneath him due to Straker’s lower-social class. This in turn indicates that Tanner’s rejection of social norms has its limits and is perhaps less morally motivated than he claims.
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Alone with Octavius, Tanner asks him if he’s proposed to Ann yet. Octavius says he tried to last night, but Ann only wept and said she’s too sad about Mr. Whitefield’s recent death to think about anything else. Now, Octavius himself breaks down. Reluctantly, he admits that Ann also told him he should have asked one of her guardians for their blessing before proposing to her, which Octavius finds utterly humiliating. Tanner, speaking as Ann’s guardian, gives Octavius his blessing. Octavius resents Tanner for mocking him.
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Tanner urges Octavius to stop letting his love for Ann consume him. He warns that though Ann might be Octavius’s poetic muse now, she’ll inevitably become a homely wife and will cease to inspire him. Octavius accuses Tanner of not understanding since he’s never been in love. Tanner retorts that he has been in love—he loves Ann, in fact—he’s simply “neither the slave of love nor its dupe.”
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Octavius remembers that he has a note for Tanner from Rhoda. He hands it over. Tanner reads the note, in which Rhoda explains that Ann has forbidden her from going out with Tanner, who Ann claims is a bad influence. Octavius thinks Ann has a point, but Tanner is furious. Straker interrupts, announcing that Ann has emerged from the house and is headed their way.
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Ann greets the men and then explains that Rhoda is feeling unwell and can’t accompany Tanner today in his car. Tanner feigns ignorance about Ann’s obvious lie before revealing that he’s just read Rhoda’s letter and is aware of what Ann told Rhoda. Octavius tells Ann to ignore Tanner and praises her efforts to protect her younger sister. He beams when Ann tells him how “kind” he is. Then, Ann asks Octavius to return to the house and entertain Hector Malone so she can speak to Tanner alone. Octavius obliges, kissing Ann’s hand before he departs. “Ricky Ticky Tavy!” Ann exclaims, and Octavius blushes.
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Alone with Ann, Tanner accuses her of messing with Octavius, who has no idea that Ann is “an incorrigible liar.” He asks why she lied to Rhoda. Ann explains that Mrs. Whitefield “made” her do it after glimpsing Tanner’s book. Tanner goes off on a long, raging tangent about the inherent hypocrisy of the conventions of polite society. He thinks that men and women who abide their parents’ wishes cannot call themselves men and women. When Tanner is finished, Ann commends his gift for public speaking.
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Tanner, not yet finished, dares Ann to break free from Mrs. Whitefield’s authority and go driving with him in a fast motor car. They’ll travel the world together, from Marseilles to Algiers. Ann agrees to accompany him. Tanner is her appointed guardian, after all, so it would be entirely appropriate—not to mention a grand time!—for her to join him on such a trip. Ann’s enthusiasm catches Tanner totally off guard. Backtracking, he adds that “if there’s no harm in it there’s no point in doing it”—so maybe it’s not such a great idea for Ann to travel with him, after all.
Just then, Mrs. Whitefield, Hector Malone, Ramsden, and Octavius emerge from the house, bringing Ann and Tanner’s argument to a halt. Hector engages Mrs. Whitefield in conversation. With his American mannerisms, he remains blissfully unaware that she would rather he let her be. Ann gleefully announces to her mother Tanner’s plans to take Ann to Nice. Tanner, anxious now, hopes aloud that Mrs. Whitefield disapproves of these plans. To his horror, however, Ann’s mother happily supports the trip—and she invites Tanner to take Rhoda out sometime, too. Ann introduces Tanner to Hector. Hector suggests that he might take Violet out driving sometime. His forwardness leaves everyone feeling awkward, though Hector seems not to notice.
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Ann pulls Mrs. Whitefield aside and suggests they tend to Ann’s “travelling kit.” After Ann and Mrs. Whitefield head off toward the house, Octavius tells Hector that Violet likely won’t be able to go anywhere in Hector’s car. Octavius gives vague excuses as to why Violet can’t go anywhere alone, but Hector doesn’t pick up on Octavius’s unstated discomfort with this subject of conversation. Tanner, impatient, finally tells Hector that Violet can’t go anywhere with Hector because she’s a married woman. Ramsden interjects, explaining that the marriage isn’t yet public knowledge. An awkward silence falls.
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Octavius admits that the situation is “very strange,” and Hector agrees. Ramsden, irritated, explains that Violet married in secret, and her husband has ordered her not to make his identity known. He thinks Hector ought to know, since he’s clearly interested in her. Hector admits that while he’s disappointed, he can’t fathom a man leaving his wife in such an awkward situation. He also thinks that Ramsden is letting the rude mystery man off easy. “Surely marriage should ennoble a man,” observes Hector. This prompts a disapproving scoff from Tanner, who declares there’s nothing “ennobling” about marriage.
Hector explains to the group that in America, society sees women as fundamentally more moral than men, which is why they consider marriage a purifying rite for men. Octavius likes this idea. Tanner scoffs that this attitude explains why American women prefer to live in Europe: it must get so boring “standing all their lives on an altar to be worshipped.” Just then, Violet emerges from the house. Hector asks the men to excuse him so he can have a word alone with Violet; they oblige.
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Violet and Hector wait until the coast is clear, then they kiss. Hector pleads with Violet to let him come clean with the others, but Violet holds firm: Hector’s father, a wealthy furniture manufacturer, wants Hector to marry an English woman with a title, and he would cut Hector off if he knew about the marriage. Violet thinks they can’t afford for that to happen. Hector promises to keep Violet’s secret, but he feels bad about lying to his father. He promises to find work soon so he can support himself and Violet without his father’s money.
Tanner and Straker return just then, bringing Violet and Hector’s tense conversation to a halt. Tanner compliments Hector’s car, which Hector’s engineer has been showing to Ramsden. Hector, caught off guard, addresses Violet as “Vi” and eagerly invites her to come see the car. He realizes his error when she glares at him. He rephrases the question with more deference. They go off together.
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Returning to the subject of the car trip, Tanner asks Straker to try to leave Octavius to entertain Ann. Tanner assures him that Ann reciprocates Octavius’s interest in her. Straker is skeptical—and critical of Tanner’s scheming. He thinks Octavius’s love is doomed anyway: it’s obvious to everyone that Ann is smitten with Tanner.
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Tanner acts genuinely shocked, though Straker assumes Tanner is messing with him. Horrified, Tanner laments his vulnerable position as “the destined prey.” Then, resolutely, he demands that they hit the road—immediately. He runs through the plan: they’ll speed off to Folkestone, and from there they’ll sail far away, “to a Mahometan country where men are protected from women.” Tanner, impatient, gets in the car and starts the motor—and away they go.
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