Pygmalion and My Fair Lady - 3190 Words

Discuss the different ways of representing class conflicts. Pygmalion, Bernard Shaw, 1914 My Fair Lady, George Cukor, 1964 â€Å"As the purpose of comedy is to correct the vices of men, I see no reason why anyone should be exempt.† This famous quotation of French playwright Molià ¨re proves how powerfully theater and social criticism are linked, and how in its different genres, drama as well as comedy, theater can, and maybe must, be a way of communicating and expressing the human and society’s flaws. Indeed, theater, as defined by Marvin Carlson, is a â€Å"collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place.† This specificity of theatrical†¦show more content†¦In this scene from the movie, Eliza has attempted to clean up and change her appearance in order to look more lady-like. However, even after her efforts, she stands out as poor and inadequate compared to Henry Higgins, Colonel Pickering and even Mrs. Pearce, who is also of the working class. Physical appearance is of utter importance when it comes to differentiating each class, and can also be modified in order to move among the social hierarchy. During the Vth Act, a maid mistakes Alfred Doolittle for a gentleman, and Bernard Shaw insists on the fact that it is due to his new physical aspect: â€Å" He is brilliantly dressed in a new fashionable frock-coat, with white waistcoat and grey trousers. A flower in his buttonhole, a dazzling silk hat, and patent leather shoes complete the effect.† Furthermore, Eliza’s transformation is made most evident throughout her clothing, which consists of at the beginning of her flower girl outfit, dirty and gloomy, and ends with her ball gown, rich and bright. However, what matters most when it comes to class distinction is speech. The play and the movie are all based on the importance of language, and its power on to build or break an individual. Eliza at the beginning of the plot speaks in a terrible manner, proving her low origins. Her spee ch contrasts vividly with Henry’s, especiallyShow MoreRelatedPygmalion And My Fair Lady1449 Words   |  6 PagesAmanda Franks Professor Egenolf Response Paper 2 11/11/2015 Pygmalion and My Fair Lady: A Comparison George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion (1916) and the 1964 American film My Fair Lady, based on Shaw’s play, are largely similar in plot and character choice; My Fair Lady being an adaptation of Pygmalion. Shaw’s Pygmalion is based on the Greek myth of Pygmalion and his statue Galatea. The film interpretation is similar to the play in many aspects, though it is different in that, because itRead More Pygmalion My Fair Lady Essay652 Words   |  3 Pages Pygmalion amp; My Fair Lady nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The play Pygmalion and My Fair Lady, the musical, are the same story. The only major difference between the two, is that My Fair Lady has songs added to the dialogue. 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 MoreEssay on Comparing Pygmalion and My Fair Lady1009 Words   |  5 PagesComparing Pygmalion and My Fair Lady Through the years, countless film directors have adapted and recreated various novels and plays to make them ideal for the big-screen. In many cases, directors strive to keep their screenplay adaptations true to the original literature; however, viewers often find contrasts in certain areas of the film. George Bernard Shaw, author of the play Pygmalion, who had passed away prior to the production of My Fair Lady in 1964, therefore, he could not assist inRead MoreSocial Classes in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and the Movie My Fair Lady571 Words   |  3 PagesGeorge Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, is a humorous, yet moral, play that portrays the active social classes and lifestyles in Britain. The play features the main character Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, who embarks on the formidable task of teaching a flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, how to speak English properly, and then passing her off as a duchess at the royal ball. Pygmalion was later adapted into the fi lm, My Fair Lady in 1964, and although there are many differences between the two, theRead MorePygmalion And The Pursuit Of Happiness And My Fair Money Analysis1264 Words   |  6 Pagesupon people and treat others different just because they dont have as much money as others, and in a lot of circumstances people are just trying to get by in life by making a minimal amount of money, a day. In the book Pygmalion and in the movies: Pursuit of Happiness and My fair Lady, we see how much of an effect social class has an affect on you as a person. Eliza is constantly treated worse because she doesnt have as much money and is struggling ti survive with her flower job, while Chris worksRead MoreThemes of George Bernard Shaws Play Pygmalion Essay1156 Words   |  5 PagesThemes of George Bernard Shaws Play Pygmalion Pygmalion and My Fair Lady are a modern parallel of the story of Pygmalion, legendary sculptor and King of Cyprus, who fell in love with his own statue of Aphrodite. At his prayer, Aphrodite brought the statue to life as Galatea. George Bernard Shaws 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 to achieveRead MoreThe Controversial Ending of Pygmalion Essay2349 Words   |  10 PagesThe Controversial Ending of Shaw’s Pygmalion George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion is a play that has become a classic in today’s world. It is a retelling of an ancient story, of the same name, by the Roman poet, Ovid, in which a sculptor falls in love with a statue he carved. In Shaw’s story, Henry Higgins, an expert in phonetics, happens upon a poor flower girl with awful English and street manners named Eliza Doolittle. Throughout the course of the play Higgins transforms her into an elegant independentRead More Equality and Social Class in Pygmalion Essay1594 Words   |  7 PagesEquality and Social Class in Pygmalion      Ã‚   The idea of ranking individuals based upon their wealth and behaviors has endured through all cultures, countries, and times.   George Benard Shaws Pygmalion addresses an individuals capability to advance through society, an idea as old as social distinction.   Shaw does so through the social parable of a young English flower girl named Eliza Dolittle, who after receiving linguistic training assumes the role of a duchess.   She receives instructionRead MoreDoes Eliza Become a Lady in In George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Pygmalion’ 2693 Words   |  11 PagesGeorge Bernard Shaw who was born in Dublin in 1856, was a renowned play writer and a talented platform speaker. He is most famously known for his successful play ‘Pygmalion’ which was widely accepted as one of the most noted comedies of the time. It was written two years before the 1st world war, at a time when society was divided and the poor were severely disadvantaged whilst the rich were i dle and blindly living their life, unconcerned about the affairs of others. At the time, Britain hadRead MoreEssay about Pygmalion, by Bernard Shaw3404 Words   |  14 Pages Bernard Shaw Pygmalion A Romance in Five Acts 1. Summary of the Play, page 2 2. Introduction and Short Analysis of the Main Character, page 4 3. Interpretation, page 5 4. Additional Information, page 7 5. Literature and Links, page 8 1. Summary London at 11.15 a.m., on a rainy summer day. Everybodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s running for shelter because of the torrential storm. A bunch of people ist gathering in St. Pauls church, looking outside and waiting for the rain to stop. Among the crowd, there