Why does the relationship between Mr Crampton and Mrs Clandon fail in “You Never Can Tell”?

Answer

Why does the relationship between Mr Crampton and Mrs Clandon fail in “You Never Can Tell”?

In “You Never Can Tell” (1897), Shaw (1856-1950) displays the cynical marriage life between Mr. Crampton and Mrs. Clandon. Shaw satirizes Victorian modern relationships by presenting this unsuitable couple. Mr. Crampton belongs to the old school of ideas and morality, whereas her wife is a lady of advanced concepts.

Victorian tendency: In the play, Shaw highlights the Victorian modern tendency of feminists. Victorian women want freedom and privacy from their husbands. But in the play, Mr. Crampton is a different one. Because of the difference in taste and temperament, Mrs Clandon separated herself and her children from her husband, whom she considers a domestic tyrant. That is why she changed her family title and taught her children her ideas and morality.

Lack of mutual understanding: Shaw expresses in the play that conjugal life depends on mutual understanding, but the lack of mutual understanding leads to separation. In the play, we notice a lack of mutual understanding in the judicial separation between Mr Crampton and his wife, Mrs Clandon, and children. 

Lack of familial love: Conjugal life depends on familial love and happiness, but Mr Crampton’s and Mrs Clandon’s conjugal lives do not have familial love. Due to lacking familial love, Mrs. Clandon goes far away from her husband and child. That is why they fail to win each other’s hearts. Man needs a family, and marital life needs mutual understanding. Walter Buhon says:

It’s unwise to be born; it’s unwise to be married; it’s unwise to live; and it’s unwise to die.

In conclusion, we can say that Conjugal life depends on mutual understanding, familial love, and happiness, but lacking these features, they fail to win each other’s hearts.