Themes in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion
George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion is the story of Henry Higgins, a master phonetician, and his mischievous plot to pass a common flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, off as a duchess at the Embassy Ball. In order achieve his goal, Higgins must teach Eliza how to speak properly and how to act in upper-class society. The play pokes fun at "middle class morality" and upper-class superficiality, reflects the social ills of nineteenth century England, and attests that all people are worthy of respect and dignity. Pygmalion pokes fun at middle class morality through the characterization of Mr. Doolittle, Eliza's father. Mr. Doolittle is a "common dustman," an indolent man who spends his time drinking alcohol at the local pub. He is not too proud to beg for money, even from Eliza. Moreover, he lives with a woman to whom he is not married. When Henry Higgins writes to a politician and refers to
Indeed, the play reflects George Bernard Shaw's socialist views. Shaw was a great advocate of education for the working classes and social equality. As a member of the Fabian Society, Shaw worked to educate the public through seminars, schools, discussions, and lectures. He believed in evolutionary or democratic socialism--the idea that wealth should be gradually redistributed among all classes through public ownership of industry and business (Compton's 95). Shaw's background as a political and social reformer is reflected in Pygmalion. Eliza is faced with a similar situation. After Higgins introduces her to fine society, Eliza can not go back to being a flower girl. Her former acquaintances do not recognize her anymore. She is miserable and confused. Shaw maintains that perhaps it would be better if Higgins had never introduced Eliza and her father to upper class society. A
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Approximate Word count = 611
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)
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