I think George Bernard Shaw was mocking the socialist opinions of the time regarding women's place in life. I also feel he was mocking people who believed that money was what made them a "somebody". We see this many times in the play when Mrs. Warren preached to Vivie about the importance of financial well being. Not only to be able to support yourself, but to enable yourself to marry someone "worthy", meaning someone who could afford you. Page 1734 we see Mrs. Warren defending her actions. She's "explaining" to Vivie the ways of the world ....