Category: Pygmalion

As we started reading the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Show, I honestly felt intrigued. The impression from the little introduction to this work planted an idea that this will be some cliché romance novel, as I circled back to the idea of this play originating from a Greek myth of Cyprus; a sculptor who had no interest in local women and instead carved a sculpture of his ideal girl, named her Galatea and instantly fell in love with her. He was head over heels for his creation, and quickly found himself obsessed with it, later asking Aphrodite to bring the statue to real life, as she does, being flattered by the fact that Cyprusי inspiration was indeed herself. The story ends with everyone being merry. However, this was not quite the case with this play.
The story of a simple poor girl Eliza Doolittle who turns out to be very independent from a young age, sells flowers on the street. She later meets a strange man, Mr.Higgins, a wealthy professor who does not need to bother working himself to sleep as he is so rich. Eliza starts to take speech and behaviour lessons from him in order to sound and look like an upper class woman.

The conditions Eliza is met with in the following weeks are not as great as they might seem at first, as being allowed to live in a wealthy home, eat, sleep and wear fine clothes are all very new experiences to Ms. Doolittle. Her life is difficult, having an unfortunate childhood and growing up with no mother, an alcoholic dad and living in a strict household causes her to experience anxiety at the new place; but she continues to work hard knowing that this is her chance to change her life.
To this all I can slightly relate to, as the situation that Eliza appears in reminds me of our grade transition to DP1 IB; having to adjust to a new lifestyle and working hard towards our dreams. This makes the play Pygmalion one of the examples that show that hard work always pays off.

The duo of Eliza and the housekeeper Mrs. Pearce I found very comforting as well as Eliza`s communication with Pickering. This was the girls first time taking a proper bath, and talking to a real gentleman, with the contrast of Higgins, which I found really cute.

“Sit down“ – Higgins
(Eliza stands, half rebellious, half bewildered)
“Won’t you sit down?“ – Pickering
`Don’t mind if I do“ ( she sits down) – Eliza pg.14

The closer we got to the end of the play, the more I got annoyed by Higgins. He is so used to using his status card everywhere he goes, mentioning his education and wealth as if these are his personality traits. oh, well at this point it almost seems like they are! Clearly in his world, money does solve all the problems. He also thinks that wealth determines a person’s value, therefore laughs at Eliza when she confidently confesses her love for Freddy, and that she will marry him as soon as he is able to support her.

“Rubbish! You shall marry the ambassador. You shall marry the Governor-General of India or the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, or somebody who wants a deputy-queen. I’m not going to have my my masterpiece thrown away on Freddy“ pg.70 -Higgins

“…Mr. Higgins, left alone, rattles his cash in his pocket; chuckles; and disports himself in a highly self-satisfied manner“pg.72

Pygmalion is a great play which shows how important it is to stick to the opportunities around us. And while some people just need a little nudge in order to help them stand straight on the their feet, they will run, just like Eliza who ran straight to her bright future; others won’t even bother listening, just like Professor Higgins, he is an inexorable person who is hard-headed and cannot be convinced to change, no matter what. At the end of the day, this whole situation doesn’t seem to have changed his view on the world and people in the slightest.

Pygmalion is a play that I read. It was a read, that’s for sure. I did not hate consuming it, nor did I particularly enjoy either. I don’t think there’s ever been a book that I’ve felt so little towards in my literary history. So when it comes to writing out my personal feelings toward it, I’m stuck. As I’m writing this late, I read some of the other responses from my classmates. Some compared it to A Doll’s House and I thought maybe I’d write about that. I even began to plan out a discussion about the inherent power of men, and how Mr. Higgins has no respect for the people around him. These texts I could write would not be very personal though, and I’d get caught up in the analytical practices of writing, which isn’t the goal. After reflecting over a couple of days, I think I know why I didn’t have much of an opinion on it; there wasn’t time for me to collect my thoughts.

The time skip that cuts Eliza’s vocal process out of the story bothered me. If Shaw wanted to show portray a story of mistreatment and lack of cultural respect, then he should’ve shown her training. The sudden change to already testing her skills at Mrs. Higgins’s at-home day left no room for deliberation, and it felt like I had a chapter or two missing. The lack of directly seeing Eliza being taught, and the rude nature Henry approaches her with really left me confused. In their argument they toss around the importance of Eliza’s clothes and her ring, these objects had meaning to Eliza as we watch her and Higgins ramble on, “HIGGINS: Hand them over. If these belonged to me instead of to the jeweller, I’d ram them down your ungrateful throat. / LIZA: This ring isnt the jeweller’s: it’s the one you bought me in Brighton. I don’t want it now” (pg. 53). On a stage, how could we have known that out of the various rings Eliza was wearing that one of them had special significance? I’d be more invested in these discussions if perhaps we’d been shown these moments of Higgins buying her the ring, and then that could provide more emotional depth to the fact that he chucks it in the fire, and then subsequently how Eliza goes to desperately retrieve it. It just felt like the story was incomplete while I was reading it.

I had no bonds with the world of Pygmalion. Which left me an uncaring reader. I couldn’t relate to Eliza, nor could I relate to Henry or anyone. I understand there are certain timeframes that are expected for plays, and maybe I’m completely in the wrong while writing this. All I know is, Pygmalion didn’t have much of an impact on me personally, and that I’m excited for the next book and set of excerpts that we get to read.

At first, I figured I would love this book because one of my favourite movies was based off it called My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn, whom I adore. But after reading the book, I found myself loving it even more. For starters, I felt more connected to Eliza after reading the book than I had watching the movie/musical adaptation. Eliza has this huge journey through the play that she takes to try and better herself. She is very ambitious and I connect to that part of her character. More specifically, Eliza’s desire to be someone else, and possessing the knowledge that you are destined to do something much greater than what has been decided for you.

In my case, I am not a poor flower girl living in England in the early 1900’s, but I definitely still experience the whole ‘having your future decided for you’. Not in the same way of course, but this feeling definitely still arises when talking to my parents about universities and possible career choices. In Eliza’s case however, it is her social class and her Cockney accent that decides her future. From the very beginning, Eliza was never destined for greatness. But it was her determination to make something great out of herself that I find so admirable about her. Rather than viewing this play as an intelligent, well-off man trying to transform a weak (vulnerable) woman, I prefer to see it as a strong, inspiring woman who is determined to achieve her goals in life and is willing to overcome any obstacles that are in the way.

Another part of the play that always had, and continues to, strike me is the treatment Eliza receives from the male characters, Mr. Higgins and Colonel Pickering, and the very obvious themes of sexism. We all know by now where Pygmalion gets its name. And at first, I was very confused as to how the original myth related to the play by Shaw even in the slightest. When in reality, it actually makes perfect sense. Both the main male characters in each of the stories are seen creating “the perfect woman” fit to their own ideals. All of Eliza’s freedoms are stripped from her when she goes to Higgin’s to take speaking lessons. Before, she may have been a poor, working-class girl, but she had the freedom to choose her friends, and she doesn’t have to listen to anyone but herself. But once she begins to live with Higgins, she no longer has those choices. She can eat all the chocolate she wants and wear all the fancy dresses, but she no longer has the freedom of her old life. This can also relate to A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen as well. For example, how Torvald treats Nora as an incapable child and tries to control her life.

Of course, the film/musical adaptation, My Fair Lady, will always hold a special place in my heart. I will always be the same young girl dancing around in my grandmother’s living room, trying to mimic Hepburns charisma and grace, but this book was my favourite out of any so far. While I may be slightly biased, I genuinely believe that everyone should read this book in their lifetime.

Pygmalion, by George Bernard Show made me realize the importance about the theme of Middle class morality, and the mistreatment and objectification of women in society, and the people who are in lower classes then others. Pygmalion signifies  how the english language has the result to shape and change us, and how we are persuaded into viewing people wholly based upon the way they speak. Language can further indicate numerous things, our values, culture, education, decency and social class. Pygmalion targets our temerity about language and problems connecting to how classes in society are treated differently.

The characters in this play are separated into two definite classes based upon the way they speak the English language. In contrast, we can evidently see how the lower-class working people talk in a little impolite way, with slang and cockney accents. Compared to the higher-class group of people who talk in a more fashionable way, with sophisticated vocabulary, and strict grammar that is more polite in a speaking manner. Furthermore, Eliza Doolittle, the flower-lady who at the start of the play was a broke working-class lady that talked obnoxiously loud, and impolite, with a cockney accent, can be compared to Professor Higgins, the very rich, highly educated english man who talks in sophisticated way. The difference in social classes established through language can be seen throughout the play. An example, of the contrast between the lower class talking to higher class can be seen here with a significant difference in the language both speak in. In Act 1, when Eliza is trying to sell flowers to the gentlemen.

Eliza: “Garn! Oh do buy a flower off me, Captain. I can change half-a-crown. Take this for tuppence.”

The Gentlemen: “Now don’t be troublesome: there’s a
good girl. I really haven’t any change—
Stop: here’s three hapence, if that’s any use to you

Eliza: “Thanks, sir”

The Mother: “Now tell me girl! Where are your parents?”

Eliza: “I ain’t got no parents.”

“Pygmalion” written by George Bernard Shaw is a book based off the Ancient Greek myth about the artist who fell in love with his own sculpture. While reading this play and watching the movie adaptation I often found myself comparing the main antagonist Henry Higgins to Torvald Helmer in “A Dolls House” written by Henrick Ibsen. This comparison brought up many questions such as How do men treat women in society?  These questions and the thoughts they provoked caused me to think about my own place in society and my own feelings about the gender war.

Torvald Helmer and Henry Higgins are men that have many of the same qualities. The first similarity is their own superiority complex, they both believe that men are far above the likes of women. For example, in “A Dolls House” Torvald does not trust Nora with any business because he believes her to be incapable.  An example of this is when he says,

“I would not be a true man if your feminine helplessness did not make you doubly attractive in my eyes” (p.95).

Similarly, Henry also sees women as inferior to men, for example when he says,

“women might as well be blocks of wood” (p.28)

objectifying Eliza. The second comparison is how they addressed their female companions. Henry always called Eliza by her first name even though the proper etiquette was to say Mrs. Doolittle. Instead, by calling her Eliza, he showed his disrespect and how he viewed her as a piece of art to be studied rather than a human. Similarly, in “a Dolls House” Torvald’s pet names for Nora objectified her and showed how Torvald viewed her as a child that needed to be controlled.  Lastly the scariest comparison between the two characters was how they treated women like dolls. The phrase of the protagonist women being treated like a doll came up in both books. In “Pygmalion” Mrs. Higgins says to Henry and Pickering

“You certainly are a pretty pair of babies, playing with your live doll” (p.35).

This reoccurring concept in both plays raised many questions and personal feelings.

I previously used the word “scary” to describe the similarity of women being treated like dolls by men because the concept scares me. Seeing this idea appear in two plays consecutively really brought my attention to it. How are women treated by men in society? Both plays were set in the past, so it is easy to dismiss the sexism as an “old problem” or something that is irrelevant in today’s world. But I don’t think that is the case. Everywhere I go little examples of sexism are presented right in front of me whether it’s a remark made under their breath, or a questionable social media post. I think that “scary” can be applied to how men treat women in all of society’ s past and present. This question raised many personal feelings and thoughts on how this affects me. As a woman, I sadly wasn’t surprised by this. This dehumanization is a constant battle I must face every day for the rest of my life. These plays really solidified that fact.

Side note: obviously not all men are like this please don’t get offended or come at me for this post.

Prior to the introduction of, Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw, we were given an introduction through a handout, introducing the characters and the theme of the book. The introduction helps us ease into a mindset to explore the topic which the play addresses. The theme is the societal expectations and gender roles at its time (19th century). The theme is the contrast between social classes and the distinctions based on accent, manners, and education.

When I went through the play, I felt a strange sense of comradery with the three protagonists, Higgins, Pickering, and Eliza. Higgins struggles with feeling like an outsider due to being different from the “norm”, which can lead to loneliness. Pickering has a respectful manner of speech towards everyone, even those of the lower class. While Eliza’s strict upbringing also resonates with me. I feel a strong connection with Eliza in particular, as she is constantly pushed by Higgins, but never receives any recognition for her hard work. Instead, Higgins uses her accomplishments to brag to others, including his mother. I can relate to this experience, and so can many of the people I know who had a strict upbringing focused on achieving certain talents or skills, yet never being given proper credit for the hard work put into developing them.

The similarity between my experiences and the characters made me realize the striking similarity between our two distant societies. Many of the issues they face are still prevalent in society today, albeit in different forms. For example, the feeling of being an outsider due to being different from the “norm” is still a challenge faced by many individuals today. Additionally, the emphasis placed on achieving certain talents or skills for the sake of social status or recognition is still a common theme in our society. While the specifics of these struggles may have changed over time, the underlying issues remain the same.

Pygmalion, what a funny name. Then again it is only funny to me because the language of Greek is so vastly different than the language of English. Or is it? Thousands of words in English are thought to be derived from the greek form, languages are diverse and so are the people that speak them. Pygmalion illustrates how language has the ability to mould and change us, as well as how universally shared the desire for self-discovery is. Our image of ourselves and others is shaped by the languages we speak. The crux of George Bernard Shaw’s masterwork Pygmalion is a commentary on the social and linguistic distinctions that exist within society and how language is frequently employed as a marker of class and rank. Language can symbolise many things, including our culture, values, beliefs, and social class. The play confronts our presumptions about language and addresses significant issues regarding how language affects our identities and interpersonal interactions.

The characters in the play are divided into two distinct classes based on how they use the English language. In opposed to the lower-class characters, who talk with a working-class accent and utilise colloquialisms and slang, the upper-class characters are shown as having a sophisticated vocabulary and strictly following grammar and syntax standards. In the words of lower-class flower girl Eliza Doolittle, “I ain’t dirty: I washed my face and hands afore I come, I did.” The play tackles the concept that language may be used as a tool to uphold social boundaries and perpetuate class inequalities through the character of Eliza. While Eliza confesses, “I’m a good girl, I am,” the upper-class people view her as inferior because of her lower-class accent and language. The difference in social class illustrated through language can been seen throughout the play, one particular example of the contrast between lower and higher social classes can be seen in the way Eliza and Higgins speak. Eliza speaks in a cockney accent, using slang and improper grammar, while Higgins speaks in proper Received Pronunciation. In Act 1, when Eliza first meets Higgins, their different social classes are immediately evident through their speech:

Eliza: “Garn! Don’t be so saucy. You ain’t condescending to me, are you? You’re a middle-class lark, that’s what you are.”

Higgins: “I haven’t said a word yet. What makes you think I’m a middle-class lark?”

Eliza: “You talk like one. I’m a good girl, I am.”

Higgins: “I can see that. You also have the manners of a queen.”

In this conversation, Eliza’s use of the word “saucy” and the addition of “ain’t” instead of “aren’t” betray her lower class status. Higgins, on the other hand, speaks in perfect, grammatically correct sentences, further emphasizing his higher class background and further illustrating the difference in social status.

Pygmalion serves as a reminder that language is a potent instrument that can be used to both include and exclude, and that good communication is crucial to forging deep relationships with people. The way we use language may influence our interactions and our perception of the world around us, whether we are speaking with close friends and family or complete strangers from around the world.

Pygmalion, a play by George Bernard Shaw, is named after a famous Greek myth. I did not know what I felt after watching and reading the play as it seemed realistically unrealistic. The play is mainly about the process of a common flower girl named Eliza upgrading her social class by learning the accent of a higher social class from the linguistic professor, Henry Higgins. Pygmalion is originally a myth Pygmalion creates a sculpture that matches the ideal image of his own creation, and then he falls in love with it. Henry Higgins and Colonel Pickering teach Eliza to adapt to the proper English and sculpt her to become a “dutchess”. The ending of Pygmalion is different from the myth of Pygmalion, in which Eliza did not fall in love with either of them, yet she threatens Higgins at the end of the play. Eliza symbolizes the ideal creation, and Higgins symbolizes the sculptor.

The conflict between language and social class derives from Pygmalion. The relationship between language and social class can still be seen nowadays, in every country. “The more standard version of the dialect you speak, the higher social class you belong to” becomes the norm of modern days. It also represents that you have higher education. How do language and manner be the identification of a person? In Pygmalion, both language and manner are used to identify a person’s social class and position. Eliza speaks Cockney English her behavior recognizes her as the lowest social class at the beginning of the play. In my opinion, manner is vigorously associated with a person’s identification. From how a person behaves and talks, I can determine his education level and his background. This is the reason why manner and language are inevitable in the identification of a person.

Pygmalion and A Doll’s House are contrasting plays that include different themes and stories. Eliza is illustrated as a rebellious person when Nora in A Doll’s House is depicted as a doll that fulfills her husband’s wishes. However, similarly, the two female characters of these two plays both have similar endings, in which they both leave their men and have control of their own life. I admire their courage and determination of taking control of their own lives. “I sold flowers. I didn’t sell myself” (act 4) is my favorite quote throughout the book. It caught my attention and hit my heart when I was reading the play.

Compare to other literature we read this year, Pygmalion has an informal and conversational diction that makes it less challenging to read. However, it is unrealistic that the social class of a person changes when their accent changes. This is the most impenetrable part of the play.

The adaptation of the original story by Bernard Shaw was quite clever, as he was able to transform a romance story from early times, into a realistic drama that lacks romance but is still considered one by many people. The original story involves a sculptor, who sculpted his ideal woman, and the goddess Aphrodite granted his wish by bringing her to life, which led to  them they getting married with everyone happy. Shaw’s adaptation on the hand was very different, it had a childish and almost hateful relationship between the main male and female cast in the story. (Liza) “I won’t care for anybody that doesn’t care about me”, (Higgins)” Commercial principles, Eliza (reproducing her Covent Garden pronunciation with professional exactness) s’yollin voylets, isn’t it? “(Liza) “Don’t sneer at me. It’s mean to sneer at me”. (Higgins) “I have never sneered at anyone in my life.” (Pg, 68). Most of their interactions ends up with a fierce argument, over some silly dilemma, usually ones that can be solved easily too. Now, knowing that it was adapted from a romance, you would expect Liza and Higgins to make up somehow and end up falling for each other and then getting married. But that notion is destroyed, as the play ends with yet another argument between them, and Liza going against Higgins’ wishes and marrying the very man he despises, and thinks of as a wimp and an embarrassment, not worthy of the masterpiece he created.

However, you could argue that Higgins might have had some feelings but his nature got in the way and ruined things.  (Higgins) “About you, not about me. If you come back I shall treat you just as I have always treated you. I can’t change my nature, and I don’t intend to change my manners. My manners are exactly the same as Colonel Pickering’s”. (Pg, 66). (Higgins) “I can do without anybody. I have my own soul: my own spark of divine fire. But (with sudden humility) I shall miss you”. (Pg, 67). (Higgins) ” You might  even be what they call “attractive”. (Pg 56). It is evident that Higgins has some warm feelings towards her, but they are likely not romantic  due to the lack of evidence. Although, the peculiarity about Higgin’s character is that those feelings could be romantic but because of his nature, they are expressed in ways in which we (the audience) are unable to decipher.

Throughout the entire duration of this course, no text makes me reflect the way Pygmalion has. The text invokes timeless themes, many of which I can easily identify with. These themes include “Middle class morality”, the mistreatment and objectification of women in society, and the self-supposed superiority that some hold over others. Pygmalion forced me to reflect not only on what I read, but also how I conduct myself. This text has provided an alternative perspective into subconscious and systematic biases in my own psyche. With brutal honesty, Pygmalion casts a light on the part of ourselves we choose not to realize, and forces us to confront our flawed thinking. Never has a text allowed me to feel this seen, and permitted me to address and reflect upon my own flaws.

From birth, the idea that it is wrong to judge others based off our first impressions of them, especially with regard to another’s appearance. However, the vast majority of individuals, myself included, victimize others with our premade notions and assumptions of their character, within seconds of seeing, interacting with, or even simply hearing another person. Pygmalion presents this bias in the third person, allowing for us to recognize and address a prejudice which we all possess,

“There’s menners f’yer. Tee-oo branches o voylets trod in the mad…She is not at all an attractive person. She is eighteen, perhaps twenty, hardly older…Her hair needs washing rather badly: its mousy coloring can hardly be natural…Her features are no worse than theirs; but their condition leaves something to be desired.”(pg. 2).

Mrs. Eynsyard-Hill and her daughter, Clara, are almost a comedic allegory for this bias. Two well-too-do women cast their judgment upon an unsuspecting girl, based upon nothing more than her looks and her spoken word. Through this third person perspective, this systematic error of thinking that each and everyone of us possesses is brought to light and mocked. We are able to see the damage that prejudices can do within seconds of interacting with someone. Further, our greatest collective fear with regards to this bias are demonstrated in the pair’s attitudes towards the girl, whose name is Eliza. This fear is that we are able to recognize that those who we unjustly judge are no different from ourselves, yet our biased judgements persist. This passage remains a pristine example of the unjust judgements that we burden others with. This forced me to honestly evaluate my demeanor upon making a first impression, and made me promise to myself to no longer allow flawed and discriminatory thinking plague my mind.

These judgments, when widely held within a society, can pass irreparable and lasting damage to those who fall victim to them. Over time, this causes innocent individuals to view themselves as “lesser than”, and forces them to live and hold themselves to the standards of those who judge them. this so-called, “middle-class morality”, is a recurring theme throughout the text, and is best demonstrated in the following passage,

“Have you no morals man?”

“Can’t afford them, governor. Neither could you if you were as poor as me. Not that I mean any harm, you know. But if Liza is going to have a but of this, why not me too?”(pg. 27).

Alfred Doolittle is the personified victimhood experienced by those who have unjust judgement cast upon them. He feels as though he has no clear place inn a society that makes it clear he is unwanted. The society in which he lives discriminates against him for his profession, speech, behavior, demeanor, and appearance. This single passage is the most profound and personally striking piece of text I have read during the duration of this entire course. The presentation of the implications of my own systematic errors in thinking have shown me a final perspective into the lives of those who are the most affected by society’s prejudice. This character made me look the consequences of my biases in the face, and most vitally, address them in an honest manner.

As I first read the book, I felt kind of thrown back in Time. The characters and the way the book was written was traditionally old. The way the character talked with each other and the etiquette was lovely. I really liked the way, how detailed the sceneries where described (at the beginning of Act II).

The Play also has an intriguing way to describe the social hierarchy in Edwardian England. Since the beginning of the book we followed the growth and integration of Eliza in the high-society Englands. Her journey from the lower class as a flower girl to the upper class as a lady is pictured as a often humiliating and difficult experience. Shaw the Author uses Eliza’s transformation as a way to critique he unfairness and destructive of class distinctions and the imitation they impose on individuals (Eliza). The book raises many questions about past society and todays society. In more than 150 years there are still some defects and missing constructions such as gender roles and power dynamics between men and woman. Throughout the play, Higgins treats Eliza as an object and project to be molded  and shaped according to his desires. Elizas eventual assertion of her own independence and rejection of Higgins’ control ,challenges traditional notions and highlights he importance of an individual autonomy.

Lastly, Pygmalion is a thought-provoking and entertaining play. It lets us get a picture into the social and cultural dynamics of the early 20th century Englands.It is a wonderful book due to Shaw’s clever writing and appealing characters, and its topics are still relevant to readers today.