Critical Appreciation of the play Pygmalion which was written by George Barnard Shaw ......
Hello ! Reader I am writing this blog in order to justify the quest of my students who need the proper answer of the particular topic so , I hope you understood this mentioned topic .
Question ( write a critical Appreciation of the play Pygmalion / write a detail note on the play Pygmalion )
- Introduction
" Beware of false knowledge ;
It is more dangerous than ignorance "
- George Barnard Shaw
George Barnard Shaw was born on 26 July 1856 at Dublin , Ireland . He was an Irish comic Dramatist , Literary critic and Sociologist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925 . He died at the age of 94 at England .
- His Notable Works :
- Arms and the man
- Saint Joan
- Pygmalion
- His Achievements :
- Oscar Award - 1938
- Academy Award - 1939
- Nobel Prize - 1925
- About the play " Pygmalion "
" I sold flowers I didn't sell myself . Now you have made a lady of me I am not fit to sell anything else "
Pygmalion was written by George Barnard Shaw . It was a Greek mythology . It was divided into 5 acts . " Pygmalion A Romance in 5 act " .In Ancient Greek mythology , Pygmalion the king of Cyprus , also a sculpture fell in love with Ivory statue of a beautiful woman that he created . Eliza falls to convince people into believing that she is now Duchess by changing her appearance .
- Title :
" Title refers the name of a
book , composition or other ( any) artistic work "
Shaw took the title from the Greek Legend of the famous sculpture named " Pygmalion who could find nothing good in women . The full title of the play Pygmalion is " Pygmalion ..A Romance in Five Acts " .
- Theme
" Theme depicts the core idea of any literary work "
In the play Pygmalion there are many theme that reflects the main idea of the play . Let's discuss the main theme of the play Pygmalion .......
1) Class
" Class is the basis of any Society
We all are the human being and living the society so we aware with the fact that our society is divided into classes and in the play Pygmalion we also see the effect of the class system . In the play there is the class distribution like .....
1) Upper class
2) Middle Class
3) Working class
So, - Upper class is reflected by Henry Higgins and Mr. Pickering etc .
- Working class is reflected by Eliza Doolittle ....etc
2) Language ;
" Language is the means of Communication and lack of Communication."
It is the importance theme in the play Pygmalion . The language is the main elements that divides people into the class like Poor and the rich .In the play Pygmalion .....
1) Eliza represented poverty ..
2) Higgins represented language of Duchess ...
Language plays very vital role in the play Pygmalion . Language makes a bridge between
1) Poor people .
2) Rich people .
3) Education and Intelligence ....
Two of the plays main characters like Higgins and Pickering are academics. Early in the play Eliza is intimated and confused by Higgins academics language .
Exa.... However Eliza lacks the education ...
4) Feminity and Gender Roles......
The title of Shaw's play is taken from the myth of Pygmalion . In This story Pygmalion scorns all the women around him . The sculpture is do beautiful that he falls in love with it and it comes to life . So there is a clear that woman's role is not depicts much more .
Exa.........
The entire important of the character is given to Higgins instead of Eliza ...
- Act wise summary..
Act 01 ..
" Higgins a professor of Phonetics , is taking notes about the dialects spoken in that area "
The starting act is set near a garden outside .All the scenes occur in the same setting .We are introduced to Clara and her mother .They are waiting for her brother Freddy to arrange, transportation to return home . Freddy is frustrated .Eliza is taking the opportunity and take the cab and exist the space .
Act 02.....
She offers to pay for her lesson "
In the second act the story continues with Higgins and Pickering having a conversation at the former's residence . Eliza claims to learn and improve her language skills . She offers to pay the tuition fees to Higgins .
" He will teach her to speak standard English so that no one will be able to tell her from a member of the Lower class "
Act 03......
" Mrs .Higgins worries about what will
happen to Eliza when the experiment
is over "
A few months pass after the event at the end of the second act and the story resumes at the Higgins residence.Mrs .Higgins the mother of Mr. Higgins is greeted his experiment to his mother .
Act 04 ......
" He has taken Eliza to an Embassy Hall in London " .
Several months later Higgins has won his bet . He has taken Eliza to an Embassy bull in London where she mingled with the upper classes . She realises that Higgins is only interested in his own success and has no consideration as a human being she leaves his house .
Act 05.......
" Eliza shows she has a will of her own "
Next day mrs .Higgins house , Mrs. Higgins scolds Higgins and Pickering for how they have treated Eliza and reveals that Eliza is there . she will became a teacher of phonetics , stealing everything . She has learned from him in order to take his clients .
- Setting ........
" Setting describes where the action takes places"
Pygmalion is set in London in the early 1900s century . The setting of the play like
1) st. Paul's in covent Garden ....
2) Higgins Laboratory ....
3) Drawing Room ....
4) Wimpole Street .....
- Structure :
The play Pygmalion was written by George Barnard Shaw . It was written into five acts .
Like ....
- Characterization ....
" Characterization means art of presenting
characters"
In this play there are some major characters and some are minor characters .In this play the major characters are like
1) Eliza
2) Mr Higgins
3) Pickering
In this play some are minor characters like
1) Freddy
2) Aunt etc
So let's discuss theme in detail
1) Mr .Higgins ...
Mr.Highins is the protagonist character in the play Pygmalion .He was the professor of Phonetics . He was intelligent , educated , talented intellectual
Higgins is a bachelor . He is hater of woman . He was interested in humans only as subject of scientific study.
2) Eliza Doolittle ...
She was known as a flower girls .A comman girl with a " Dreadful " accent . She wants to learn how to talk more gentle . So , She can get a job in a nice flower shop .
3) Colonel Pickering ....
He was tender and solicitous . He calls Eliza " Miss Doolittle " He reminds Higgins that the girl might have some sensitive feelings.
- Symbols.......
" Symbols shows the poetic beauty
through the symbols "
1) Flower Shop .....
The flower shop symbolises the dream of Eliza.
2) Clothing ....
Clothing symbolises the social status of Eliza .
Mrs .Pearce burns Eliza's old clothes and orders her a new wardrobe .
3) Mirror ...
The mirror symbolises self awareness and identity
Reference :
Wikipedia
Pygmalion text ...
