This blog is based on George Bernard Shaw’s famous play Pygmalion, a social comedy that explores class, language, identity, and gender roles in early twentieth-century England.
George Bernard Shaw was born on 26 July 1856 in Dublin, Ireland. He belonged to a middle-class family, but his childhood was unhappy due to financial difficulties and family problems. His formal education was limited, and much of his learning came through self-education and reading.
In 1876, Shaw moved to London to pursue a literary career. For several years, he struggled with poverty while educating himself in politics, economics, music, and literature. He became deeply influenced by socialist ideas and joined the Fabian Society, which aimed at social reform through peaceful means. These beliefs strongly shaped his writings.
Shaw began his career as a music and theatre critic, known for his sharp wit and bold opinions. He later turned to playwriting and became one of the most important dramatists of the modern age. His plays are called “problem plays” because they address social issues such as class inequality, gender roles, marriage, education, and morality.
Some of his most famous plays include Pygmalion, Arms and the Man, Man and Superman, Saint Joan, and Major Barbara. Shaw’s writing is marked by intellectual dialogue, satire, and social criticism rather than emotional melodrama.
In 1925, George Bernard Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his contribution to drama. He lived a long and active life and continued writing into old age.
He died on 2 November 1950 at the age of 94. George Bernard Shaw is remembered as a bold thinker, social reformer, and one of the greatest playwrights in English literature.
Language, Class, and Identity: A Critical Reading of Shaw’s Pygmalion :
George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion (1912) is a realistic problem play that challenges rigid social class structures and questions the relationship between language and identity. Inspired by the Greek myth of Pygmalion, the play focuses on transformation—not through magic, but through education and social conditioning. This blog examines the plot, themes, characters, dramatic technique, and social context of the play to show its enduring relevance.
The Story of Pygmalion :
The play opens in London, where Professor Henry Higgins, an expert in phonetics, meets Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower seller with a strong Cockney accent. Higgins believes that by teaching Eliza proper pronunciation and manners, he can transform her into a lady who can pass as a duchess in high society.
With the support of Colonel Pickering, Higgins undertakes this social experiment. Eliza undergoes rigorous training and successfully appears at an upper-class gathering. However, while her speech changes, her emotional struggles are ignored. Eventually, Eliza rebels against Higgins’s arrogant behavior and asserts her independence, demanding respect and self-identity.
Language as a Marker of Class :
One of the central themes of Pygmalion is the role of language in social mobility. Shaw shows that accent and speech, rather than intelligence or character, determine a person’s social status. Higgins’s phonetic training exposes the artificial nature of class distinctions.
Through Eliza’s transformation, Shaw criticizes a society that judges people by how they speak rather than who they are.
Identity and Self-Respect :
While Eliza’s external appearance changes, her inner identity becomes increasingly complex. She realizes that she no longer belongs to her old world, yet she is not fully accepted into the new one. This sense of displacement leads her to question her purpose and self-worth.
Eliza’s emotional awakening highlights the importance of self-respect and independence, especially for women in a patriarchal society.
Higgins: Intelligence without Empathy :
Professor Higgins is brilliant but emotionally insensitive. He treats Eliza as an object of experiment rather than a human being. Shaw uses Higgins to criticize intellectual arrogance and lack of moral responsibility.
Despite his intelligence, Higgins fails to understand emotional relationships, making him both humorous and deeply flawed.
Colonel Pickering: True Gentlemanliness :
In contrast, Colonel Pickering represents kindness, respect, and moral decency. He treats Eliza as a lady from the beginning, showing that true gentility comes from behavior, not birth or accent.
Pickering’s character reinforces Shaw’s idea that manners matter more than social class.
Social Criticism and Realism :
Pygmalion reflects Shaw’s socialist beliefs and critiques the British class system. The play exposes how social identity is constructed and maintained through education and cultural codes.
Shaw rejects romantic endings and instead emphasizes realism and independence, particularly for female characters.
Title and Mythological Reference :
The title refers to the Greek myth of Pygmalion, a sculptor who falls in love with his statue. Shaw reinterprets this myth by rejecting the idea that Eliza becomes Higgins’s possession. Instead, she gains autonomy and self-awareness.
Conclusion: The Modern Relevance of Pygmalion :
Pygmalion remains relevant because it addresses issues of class inequality, gender roles, and personal identity. Shaw challenges audiences to rethink social judgments based on language and appearance.
Through wit, realism, and strong characterization, Pygmalion asserts that true transformation is not about imitation but about dignity and self-respect.
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