George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was an Irish playwright, critic, and political activist. He is considered one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925. Shaw’s plays often dealt with social and political issues, and he was known for his wit and satire. He often used satire and humor to explore how language, class structure, education and gender influenced how people are seen in society. Shaw was socialist, radical reformist and man of ideas. Deeply influenced by thoughts of Ibsen and Henri Bergson, Shaw introduced “Problem Plays”, which were theater of Ideas , as opposed to sentimental theater of the time. With that introduction , let us delve into his classic play “Pygmalion”, which perfectly brings out the conflict between social snobbery and conventional morality among other things that gripped English society in the early 20th century .
What does pygmalion mean ?
Pygmalion is a main protagonist in the Greek mythology story “The Pygmalion and Galatea.” The Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea tells the story of a sculptor named Pygmalion who creates a statue of a beautiful woman, so perfect in every way that he falls deeply in love with it. The goddess Aphrodite, taking pity on Pygmalion, brings the statue to life and it becomes the woman Pygmalion had always wanted, Galatea. She is a living breathing woman. Pygmalion and Galatea get married and have a child. The myth is a story of how a man’s idealized vision of a woman became a reality through the intervention of a goddess. The myth is believed to have originated in ancient Cyprus and was first recorded in Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” a collection of myths from Greek and Roman literature. The story of Pygmalion and Galatea has been retold in various forms throughout history, including in literature, art, and theater. It is often interpreted as a story of love and transformation, and is seen as an allegory for the power of imagination, art, and desire. In literature and art, Pygmalion has been used as a metaphor for the creative process, the power of art, and the ability of the artist to bring his creations to life. Additionally, the story has been used to explore themes of self-love, self-acceptance, and the relationship between art and reality.
Historical socio-economic and political background in which the play was written.
Post 1900, Edwardian and Georgian era:
George Bernard Shaw wrote “Pygmalion” in 1913, during the post-Victorian era in England, which saw a number of political, economic, and social changes. Economic growth, industrialization, and a rigid class system characterized the Victorian era, which lasted from 1837 to 1901. However, these conditions began to change in the years following Queen Victoria’s death. Economically, the country was in the grip of a recession, and there were growing concerns about poverty and unemployment. The working class, in particular, was suffering from low wages and poor living conditions. Politically, the country was in turmoil. The Liberal Party, which had ruled for much of the late Victorian era, was facing growing opposition from both the Conservative Party and a growing labor movement. The Labor Party, which represented working-class interests, was becoming a more powerful force in British politics. Significant social changes were also taking place. The rise of the middle class and increased access to education had increased awareness and interest in the plight of women and working-class people. The suffragette movement, which fought for women’s right to vote, was gaining traction, and there were growing concerns about how children and the poor were being treated.
Brief summary of the story Pygmalion
Pygmalion” is a play about a poor, uneducated flower girl named Eliza Doolittle and a phonetician named Professor Henry Higgins. The play begins with Eliza, who is selling flowers on the street. Professor Higgins, a phonetician, becomes interested in her accent and makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can pass her off as a duchess at an embassy ball by teaching her to speak like a lady. Eliza agrees to take lessons from Professor Higgins and is transformed into a refined, educated lady under his tutelage. Eliza develops a sense of self-worth and begins to assert herself as she becomes more polished. This transformation leaves Eliza with an identity crisis. In the end she is neither a flower girl, nor the aristocratic girl she always wanted to be.
Professor Higgins becomes increasingly arrogant and dismissive of Eliza as her transformation progresses, causing tension between them. Despite this, Eliza agrees to attend the embassy ball, where she is a huge success, proving Professor Higgins’ bet was correct. After the ball, Eliza leaves Professor Higgins, realizing that she no longer needs him, and that she has truly become a lady. The play ends with Professor Higgins realizing that he has fallen in love with Eliza, but it is too late as she’s moved on and has found a new life. Besides the above three main characters, the play also features other characters like :
Alfred Doolittle: Eliza’s father, a dustman and a drunken, irresponsible man. He is initially eager to take advantage of Professor Higgins’ offer to teach Eliza, but later becomes more concerned about her well-being. He later gets a bounty from a dead millionaire thus gets married again and becomes a middle class man. His values change accordingly. Alfred Doolittle plays an interesting role in “Pygmalion” as a representation of the working class and a foil to Eliza and Professor Higgins. He starts out as a drunken, irresponsible father who is only interested in getting money from Eliza’s transformation, but over the course of the play, he becomes more responsible, caring, and realizes the value of education and self-improvement.
Mrs. Pearce: Professor Higgins’ housekeeper, who takes care of Eliza during her transformation. She serves as a maternal figure to Eliza, and is often the voice of reason in the play. She protects Eliza and keeps Higgins in line. She is represented as a strong woman who shelters the poor girl Eliza.
Freddy Eynsford-Hill: A young man who becomes infatuated with Eliza after she speaks to him in a flower shop. He reappears throughout the play as Eliza’s suitor. Freddy’s purpose in the play is to contrast with the other male characters. He is a wealthy upper-class young man, but he is not as intelligent or cultured as Professor Higgins or Colonel Pickering. He also lacks Professor Higgins’ ambition and ruthlessness. Freddy’s character is used to demonstrate the arbitrary nature of social status and the superficial nature of class distinctions. Freddy is also used to emphasize the theme of transformation and love. He is the only character who truly loves Eliza for who she is, not what she could become. He is also the only character who makes no attempt to change her. He embodies the idea that true love is unconditional and not based on superficial factors such as social standing or wealth. Zoltan Karpathy: A phonetic expert from Hungary, who recognizes Eliza as a flower girl after the embassy ball and exposes Professor Higgins’ deception to the guests. The characters in “Pygmalion” are complex and multi-dimensional, each with their own motivations and attitudes. The play explores the relationships between these characters and how they change over the course of the story.
Learnings from the play
The play “Pygmalion” contains several valuable lessons, some of which are as follows:
1. The arbitrary nature of social status and the superficial nature of class distinctions: Through the transformation of Eliza Doolittle, Shaw emphasizes the arbitrary nature of social status and the superficial nature of class distinctions. The only thing that distinguishes Eliza from the upper class is her accent and manners, and the play implies that class is not a true indicator of a person’s worth or intelligence.
2. The value of education and self-improvement: The play emphasizes the importance of education and self-improvement. Eliza’s transformation involves her learning to think for herself and assert herself, as well as changing her accent and manners.
3. The perils of passing judgment on people based on their appearance or background: the play also criticizes the concept of passing judgment on people based on their appearance or background. Professor Higgins initially views Eliza as nothing more than a lower-class flower girl, but as she matures, he sees her as a valuable and intelligent individual, and even falls in love with her.
4. The theme of love and transformation: The theme of love and transformation is also explored in the play. Freddy Eynsford-Hill, the only character who truly loves Eliza for who she is, exemplifies the idea that true love is unconditional and not based on superficial factors like social status or wealth.
5. The theme of women’s struggle for autonomy and equality is also addressed in the play. Eliza’s transformation involves not only a change in her social status, but also a change in her identity as a woman. Shenot only learns to speak properly, but also to think for herself and assert herself. Eliza’s character is also used by Shaw to comment on the limited opportunities available to women at the time, as well as the societal expectations placed on them. Eliza is forced to rely on her looks and charm rather than her intelligence and talents to advance. She is also expected to conform to feminine societal norms and to be submissive to men. The play also criticizes the concept of gender bias. Eliza is initially perceived as nothing more than a lower-class flower girl, but as she evolves, she is recognised for her intelligence and abilities, emphasizing the limited opportunities and expectations placed on women.