Pygmalion Essay - 1651 Words

Pygmalion An interpretation of Class Relations in Pygmalion In Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, there is a distinct variance in class relations and the way that early 20th century Britains were perceived as being different by their speech, money, wealth, style, manners, and appearance. Being a lady or a gentleman was an acquired status desirable among most of London’s society. However, in Pygmalion, Shaw tells a story about the transition of a homeless young woman with the aspiration to become a respected lady. Eliza Doolittle is an 18 or 19 year-old young women, making a living from selling old flowers on the streets. When she comes across a rude Professor, named Henry Higgins, he sarcastically offers her to â€Å"learn how to speak†¦show more content†¦Another example is when Eliza goes to get in the taxi and the driver is trying to keep her out, assuming that she has no money to pay for the ride. When Higgins meets Eliza, he comes across as very rude, saying: â€Å"Woman; cease the detestable boohooing instantly; or else seek the shelter of some other place of worship†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to be anywhere – no right to live†¦. this creature with her kerbstone English: the English that will keep her in the gutter till the end of her days†¦Well sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassador’s garden party†¦..† He then goes on to call her names like â€Å"squashed cabbage leaf† ; â€Å"disgrace to the noble architecture of these columns† and an â€Å"incarnate insult to the English language†. With obviously no respect for the poor girl, he would say anything that he wants to her, with no spare to her feelings at all. An example related to this scenario can be compared to â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack†, by Peggy McIntosh. In this article, she describes how gender, race and sexual preference are a problem in America. In this case, however, it is more a subcultural problem, but it is related to the way classes differ. She discusses how white people, males particularly, have â€Å"skin color that was an asset for any move one was educatedShow MoreRelatedPygmalion Essay1544 Words   |  7 PagesA text may promote obvious distinction between the authorial voice and characters viewpoint. This can be seen in the play of Pygmalion in by George Bernard shaw and the film Pleasantville directed by Gary Ross. Both of these texts show distinctive voices through dialogue the use of dialogue which highlights the relationships and differences between characters. Pygmalion is a play in five acts. It is about a young woman named Eliza Doolittle who sells flowers on the side of the street. 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I believe the musical version is more enjoyable because the music adds more feeling to the story. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The opening scene is after an opera. The higher class people spill out into the streets. It is here that Eliza is selling her flowers. Eliza isRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Pygmalion `` By George Bernard Shaw1545 Words   |  7 PagesIn Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw illustrates an everlasting tale of a women trapped in a world dominated and controlled by men. By using the crucial themes of class, language, and independence Shaw reveals the overall meaning of his work: how a man’s dream to turn an impoverish women into a sophisticated duchess only succeeds in pushing her further away, how the love he had for her was of his own creation, and how his heart of stone could not be sated by a statue that was nothing more than rock