PYGMALION by George Bernard ShawShaw's early life

Shaw's family life was very unconventional. His father, a pleasant, easy-going man, was a corn-dealer. Unfortunately he was not a good businessman and so the family had very little money. He also drank heavily. Mrs Shaw did not find out about her husband's weaknesses until later, but still tried to keep up the appearance of a respectable family. As Protestants, the Shaws were associated with Ireland's wealthy, pro-English elite. Bernard inherited his mother's snobbery. Although he was poor until middle age his desire to be considered a member of the upper classes made him determined not to work for a living if he could possibly help it. Bernard, then, grew up in an atmosphere of genteel poverty, which he later described as more humiliating than if he had been born poor with no need to maintain a facade of respectability. When Mrs Shaw could no longer stand her domestic life she went to London to become a singing teacher, taking her two daughters with her. She sold the house, forcing her husband and son to live in lodgings.Bernard's formal education was poor and constantly interrupted. Although he found school a complete waste of time, he had a thirst for knowledge and read everything he could get his hands on.Eventually, at fifteen, he left and went to work in a Dublin office. Five years later he decided to become a novelist and joined his mother in London. For nine years he took on various odd jobs, but had to rely on his mother for financial support. During this time he continued educating himself in the reading room of the British Museum. He managed to write five novels, but could not get them published.Bernard soon began to attend debating societies, where a frequent topic was the state of society, particularly that of the working classes. At that time the upper and upper middle classes were wealthy and powerful, but the working classes led miserable lives in the factories and slums. Shaw became involved in the problem of social inequality and took the side of the poor. In those days he was a dreary figure, always dressed in the same shabby clothes. Being naturally shy, he tried to cover this up by affecting an arrogant, aggressive manner, which, of course, did not increase his popularity. But he deliberately took everyopportunity to speak on political and social matters in order to build up his self-confidence and before long he was a popular public speaker. In 1884, aged twenty-eight, he joined the new Fabian Society.The Fabians were a group of middle class intellectuals, who wanted to bring about economic and social reforms in England by exposing the evils of capitalism. They can be described as the architects of the Welfare State, which the Labour Party established after World War II. Besides speaking in public, Shaw also wrote many leaflets, newspaper and magazine articles for the movement. By the end of Shaw's life the Welfare State had been established, women had won the right to vote and free education was available to everyone from five to fifteen. Many of these improvements were the result of the changed climate of opinion which the Fabians - and also Shaw's plays - helped to create. All his life G.B.S., as he was known, drew attention to the social evils caused by poverty. Pygmalion, for example, reveals the discrepancy between the deprivation and insecurity of the poor and the comfort and even luxury of the upper and upper middle classes.Shaw's career as a writer started in 1885 at the age of twenty-nine, when he began to review books, art and music. He amused and shocked the public with his original and witty comments. His criticism played an important part in paving the way for the revival of drama in England. He began to write plays in 1890 because he realised that this was the best way to publicise his socialist views.In 1898 Shaw married a wealthy upper class Irishwomen and fellow Fabian Socialist, Charlotte Payne Townshend. From then on he no longer needed to work as a journalist and could concentrate on his writing. But although his financial difficulties were over he did not become really famous until he was well over forty.Altogether Shaw wrote hundreds of leaflets and critical essays and thousands of letters. He gave opinions on everything from vegetarianism to non-violence and animal rights. He was also the author of over 50 plays, of which the best-known are perhaps Mrs Warren's Profession, Arms and the Man, Candida, Man and Superman, Major Barbara, Pygmalion and Saint Joan.

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Please fill in the missing words

at fifteen- poor - when twenty - belonged to 'genteel poor', snobbish - on mother for ten years - everything he could at home - writing plays - born Dublin 1856 - playwright in Europe -middle class, Protestant, poor - loved music, Bernard surrounded by music, literature, painting - which wanted to reform British society - unsuccessful corn-dealer, heavy drinker - Unconventional - went to London as singing teacher - popular public speaker - with evils caused by poverty - aged 94, millionaire- reviews of books, art and music

Irishman, ________________________________________________________________

Family __________________________________________________________________

Mother _________________________________________________________________

Father __________________________________________________________________

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Mother _________________________________________________________________

Schooling ______________________________________________________________

Thirst for knowledge, read _________________________________________________

Office job ______________________________________________________________

Mother left family, _______________________________________________________

Joined mother ___________________________________________________________

Odd jobs, financially dependent _____________________________________________

Began to speak at debating societies, soon _____________________________________

Joined Fabian Society, _____________________________________________________

All his life concerned ______________________________________________________

1885 career as writer started: ________________________________________________

About 1690 started ________________________________________________________

Not famous until over forty, then most popular __________________________________

Died 1950, _______________________________________________________________

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Pygmalion – the title

Pygmalion was a very talented sculptor in ancient Greece who loved his work, and would spend hours carving beautiful ivory statues, immersing himself in his art. One day, he chose a large, beautiful piece of ivory, and worked diligently at it, chiseling and hammering until he finished. It was a statue of a beautiful lady. Pygmalion thought it was so beautiful, he clothed the figure, gave it jewels, and named it Galatea (sleeping love). Pygmalion went to the temple of Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love and beauty to pray for a wife just like the statue in his home.

When Aphrodite heard him, she went to the home of he sculptor to see what all the fuss was about. She was delighted when she saw Galatea. She thought it looked a lot like herself, so she brought it to life. When the sculptor returned home, he found Galatea alive, and threw himself at her feet. Galatea smiled down at him. They soon got married, and Pygmalion didn't forget to thank Aphrodite for his good fortune. He and Galatea brought gifts to her altar as long as they lived. Aphrodite blessed them with happiness and love in return.

Act 1: CharacterisationRead Act I until page 26. Do not worry if you don’t understand each single word As you read, collect quotations and descriptions which give insights into the characters.These words might help you to describe them:

arrogant, bossy, cold, down-to earth, elderly, emotional, friendly, generous, impatient, impetuous, initiative, kind, lower class, mean, not very good at, open, organize, polite, poor, quick-tempered, rude, self-respect, selfish, spontaneous, stuck-up, unsympathetic, upper class, upper middle class, used to be, wealthy, young…

Character Quotations/Descriptions Conclusions

Freddy

— p. 14: If Freddy... gumption— p. 14: rushes in, young, evening dress— p. 15: You really... helpless— p. 15: dashes... collision

The daughter

— p. 14: If Freddy... gumption

— p. 15: Do you expect... ourselves?

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— p. 17: Do nothing of the sort... Make her give you...; Sixpence thrown away...— p. 25: out of patience... rudely... violently... Don’t dare... angry... haughtily

The flower girt

— distinctive dialect

— p. 15: not at all a romantic figure... dentist— pp. 19—20: springing up... Hysterically... crying wildly

— p. 24: I'm a good girl

The gentle- — p. 17: elderly... evening dress

— p. 19: I'm sorry... heres three-hapence

Language and social classFactors determining social classThink of all the people sheltering from the rain at the beginning of Pygmalion. If you were conducting a survey on social class, whether in your own country or in Britain, what kind of questions would you ask? Compare your ideas with the findings in the following survey.That there are speech differences associated with social class differences is something well-known to every member of the speech community. In 1972 a survey carried out by National Opinion Polls included the question 'Which two of these factors would you say are most important in being able to tell which class a person is?' The respondents were a random sample of the British public.

Try to grade them: Nr 1 is on the top,…The amount of money they have

The way they spend their money

The sort of school they went to

The way they speak

Their job

Where they live

The friends they have

What about Austria? Is accent in our society such a marker of social class as in Britain?

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Notes

The subtitle of the play - 'A Romance' is significant as it reveals Shaw's attitude toward one of the main character's (Higgins) ambitious venture. Note that romance here is not used in the contemporary context as being about love but in the more traditional literary definition of a romance having a plot that is highly improbable. Shaw uses the term "romance" to refer to the impossibility of transforming a simple flower girl into an elegant duchess by phonetic education. This fantastical quality gives Pygmalion its romane epithet.

The opening act performs an expository function by supplying the necessary Background Information essential for understanding the play. Shaw provides these expository details imaginatively. From the very beginning the interest of the audience is caught by the credible and lively characters and the dialogue exchanged by them. Act One introduces the principal characters of Higgins, Colonel Pickering and the flower girl (Eliza) as well as the minor characters - Freddy, Clara and Mrs. Eynsford-Hill.

The setting of the act is replete with naturalistic imagery and is symbolic of the physical as well as chaos and confusion into which Eliza is soon plunged. The act opens late at night during a heavy downpour in a church portico. The crowd that gathers under the portico to seek shelter from the rain are fairly representative of the diverse classes of England from the working poor of Eliza to the genteel Eynsford-Hill family to the well-mannered and well- spoken Colonel. These people would never be caught in the same room otherwise and so it is this random gathering that allows Higgins to dissect their accents and place them within a socio- economic context. They are treated to an exquisite performance by Higgins, very much like a sideshow or music hall performance although they are antagonistic as well as enthralled by his powers to detect dialects. Yet at the same time Shaw's skilful dramaturgy is able to focus attention upon Eliza's plight rather than upon the rudiments of phonetics. She becomes the main draw in this discussion of phonetics as she becomes a target of Higgin's derision because she is so poor spoken.

Act II: 1. What will happen next?Please put these quotations into the right order. The different styles give clues as to who is speaking.

a) We’ll start today.b) When Ive done with her, we can throw her back into

the gutter.c) The wont take me on unless I can talk more genteel.d) I’ll bet all the expenses of the experiment you can do

it.e) If my money’s not good enough I can go elsewhere.f) The girl doesnt belong to anybody – is no use to

anybody but me.

Who said it and what will happen next?

perform an experimentto offer s.o. a joblay a betimmediatelywhere she came fromrefinednobody elsesome sort ofsend backoffer to pay for s.th.

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2. Correcting Liza’s speechWrite down seven short phrases from the beginning of Act II in which Liza gets her grammar wrong.

Liza Standard English1. You aint heard what I come for yet (p. 37). 1.

2. Did you tell him I come in a taxi? (p. 37 2.

3. He aint above giving lessons (p. 38). 3.

4. I aint come here (p. 38) 4.

5. — if you was a gentleman (p. 38). 5.

6. unless I can talk more genteel (p. 38). 6.

7. why wont he speak sensible to me? (p. 39) 7.

3. Persuading Liza

a) If you ____________me teach you to speak like a lady lots of men ___________________.

b) If you do not__________ me teach you I _________________________________.

c) If you _______________ my offer you ____________________________________ girl

d) If you ________________ a lady you ______________________________ clothes.

e) When you _____________ a lady you _________________________________every day.

f) When we __________________ this experiment you ______________________ around

in taxis all the time.

g) When you _____________ a lady you _____________________ an officer in the Guards.

h) If you ___________ as you are told you __________________________ of nice things.

i) If you _______________ the final test you _______________________ in a flower shop.

j) If you ___________________ this offer you ________________________________ girl.

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4. Higgins and women

How would you describe Higgin’s attitude to women?

Fill in: aims – bachelor - bossy - demanding - get on – makes friends – marriage - modeled –

prevent – reject – society - suggests

Like the Pygmalion he is _____________ on, the professor dislikes women and cannot

____________ with them. He finds that whenever he ______________ with a woman she

becomes possessive and _______________. He, too, changes, becoming self-centred and

____________. He feels that men and women have different ______________ in life and that

they ________________ each other from achieving these aims. For these reasons he wants to

remain a ______________________.

The author's sympathetic portrayal of Liza ____________________ that he does not agree

with Higgins. In fact, he seems to be rather critical of the professor.

The information about Shaw makes it clear that he did not __________________ women, like

Higgins, but had great sympathy for their position in __________________. However, like

Higgins, he was sceptical of the institution of _______________________.

5. Characterising Doolittle

Explain why Doolittle goes to see Higgins. How do you know that Eliza shares her father’s

suspicious?

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(In fact, in those days it was not uncommon for wealthier men to pick up girls from the street and keep them for

sex. Just before the play was first produced a case was reported in the paper which would have been fresh in the

audience's mind.)

What is Doolittle’s attitude towards his daughter?

Finish these sentences:

Doolittle does not want _____________________________.

On the contrary, he is glad to ______________________________.

She was a burden to him. He does not care ____________________________. He even says

that if he thought that Higgins's intentions were dishonourable he would ask _____________.

He sees an opportunity for making money from his daughter and finds it reasonable to want

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Mark Doolittle’s beliefs:

a) He deserves to be given more money.

b) He does not deserve more money, but should be given more because he needs it.

c) The middle classes refuse to give charity to the poor.

d) The middle classes will only give charity to the poor if they 'deserve 'it.

e) 'Deserving money means working hard, saving money and being 'respectable'.

f) If Doolittle had a lot of money he would spend it.

g) If Doolittle had a lot of money he would be tempted to save it.

h) Doolittle thinks saving money is a good thing.

6. My new lifeImagine you are Liza. List the things you like about your new life and those you are not so happy about. Then write a letter to a friend, explaining what has happened to you and how you feel about it.

PROS CONS

Dear...,I'm writing to give you my new address.

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7. Liza’s first appearance in polite societyThere is a discrepancy between Liza’s appearance and her speech.Liza can now pronounce her words properly, but still makes grammatical mistakes. Please correct them.

Liza’s mistakes

they done her in

She come through

sudden

What become

them as pinched it

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Them she lived with

It never did him no harm

what I could see

regular

Theres lots of women has to

proper

Act III

1. AlternativesComplete this flow chart by putting everything that happened after Eliza met Higgins in the left-hand boxes. There were times when things might have turned out differently. Put these alternatives into the right hand boxes.

Fill in these sentences into the chart:

Eliza takes lessons - Mrs Higgins persuades Higgins and / or Pickering to stop experiment - Eliza changes her mind, goes home - Eliza marries Freddy - Higgins refuses to teach her - Mrs Pearce / Pickerng persuade Higgins not to teach her - The first test - Eliza gives up

Eliza meets Higgins

Eliza visits Higgins

Eliza does not visit Higgins. Nothing changes

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Act IV

1. The scientist’s responsibility

Is Liza’s reproach “I wish youd left me where you found me” fair?

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The figure of Higgins is better understood against the background of nineteenth-century Britain. Shaw's society was going through a period of great changes: the British Empire was expanding, the country was industrialising (which brought power and wealth to the middle classes) and there were new developments in science. For instance, Darwin's new evolutionary interpretation of the world was challenging traditional concepts of an eternal, God-given order. Shaw was influenced by Darwin and warned that society could only survive if it freed itself of its rigid norms and values and adapted to a changing world. Yet, although he was fascinated by recent advances in science, he also worried about its amorality and lack of responsibility. In particular, he attacked the cruelty of scientific experiments. He warned against putting blind faith in science.

In answer to Eliza’s despairing cry Higgins says, “How the devil do I know whats to become of you? What does it matter what becomes of you?”Do you think the figure of Higgins might be a criticism of scientists?

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2. The two sides

Higgins shows his lack of respect for Liza and his failure to see that she has changed

Liza tries to “get her own back”

He is rude to her and compares her with She tries to avenge herself on him by making him

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2. The paradox of marriageFill in this table to explain how Shaw used paradox to shock his audience into reflecting about their own bourgeois norms.

Respectable for women Degrading for women

Middle class norms find a wealthy husband

Shaw's views go out to work

Shaw confronted his audience with the paradox that what they saw as 'respectable' was for him degrading and even came close to prostitution.

3. The 'real' people?Look at Pickering’s comment:“lots of real people cant do it at all: theyre such fools that they think style comes by nature to people in their position”Put these sentences together correctly to show how Pickering' comment relates to the general theme of Pygmalion, the connection between language, education, and social class.

1. If someone comes from a respectable family2. If the only difference between a flower girl and a duchess is speech and manners then3. If social status depends on learning something which everyone can learn4. If the differences between the social classes are artificial they5. If class barriers were broken down society6. If the Lizas of this world were given a better educationa) anyone can become an aristocrat.b) can be broken down.c) they could improve their chances in life.d) then class barriers are artificial and meaningless.e) they do not necessarily have good manners.f) would become more equal.

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1_____ 2_____ 3_____ 4_______ 5_______ 6______

The theme of 'Pygmalion is that social status is not acquired automatically by birth but can be gained by effort, which means that the barriers between the various social classes are artificial and can be changed.Also, a high social standing does not guarantee that the person will behave like a lady or gentleman. This raises the questions of who the 'real' people are and what is really meant by 'genteel' behaviour.

Additional information:Pygmalion not only reflects Shaw's Fabianism, but also his reaction against the complacency and conservatism of Victorian society. The Victorian bourgeoisie were predominantly materialistic and despised socialists. They were also shocked by the new, rebellious type of woman with her demand for the vote. In all his works Shaw consistently supported freedom and attacked hypocrisy and self-deception. He believed that his function as an artist was to strip away illusion to reveal the truth, no matter how unpleasant.Yet, despite his fierce criticism of society, Shaw was an optimist, who believed that people were capable of great improvement. He felt that society would become more equal if individuals could change. This applied to all classes: the working class should try to improve their own position and the middle and upper classes must free themselves of their rigid, empty attitudes and conventions.A note on educationIn Shaw's day all children were supposed to attend school from the age of 5 to 13. But poorer families usually needed their children to help at home, or they sent them out to work, which meant that they had very little schooling. Girls, in particular, were often kept at home because their education was not regarded as so important. They could also leave school earlier than boys. But from the middle of the nineteenth century there was a drive to improve girls' education. Education, then, was the privilege of the wealthier classes. It was not until 1902 that state secondary schools were established for the working class. Eliza's rise is an accident, but by the time Shaw wrote the play in 1912 mass education was booming in Britain and there were already signs I that it was enabling the underprivileged to move up in society.

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Act V

1. Doolittle’s changed attitudes

How would Alfred finish these sentences?

a) When I was poor I felt _____________________________________________________

b) Now everybody wants _____________________________________________________

c) Now that I’m respectable people wouldn’t think it right if Liza _____________________

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d) I’ll have to learn __________________________________________________________

e) I feel restricted because I’m expected to _______________________________________

Alfred is supporting the ideology (often found in romantic fiction) that money does not make people happy, but miserable. The poorer classes might welcome this idea as compensation for their own situation. The wealthier might also agree because it would deter the less fortunate from demanding more. Such a philosophy helps to keep everyone in their place and cement class privileges.

2. Higgins – a positive or a negative figure?

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3. The ending; the legendThe Pygmalion legendThese are six main features of the Pygmalion legend. Compare them with Shaw’s play and fill in ticks for the similarities and crosses for the differences between them.

Pygmalion legend Shaw's playsimilarities differences

Disliked real-life women

sculpted an ideal one

dressed and decorated it

fell in love with it

statue came alive

married his creation

Explain that table with the help of these expressions:Both, in both cases, neither….nor, in contrast to, on the other hand, unlike, whereas, whilst

4.What will happen next?

What do you think will happen next?

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