Pygmalion And My Fair Lady

The movie is credited with being a variation on A Midsummer Night's Dream. This is a more subtle lifting of the works. The similarities are limited to the device of the confused lovers, and the possible use of magic in order

HIGGINS [with the look of confusion on his face]: Fine thank you, Eliza we need to…

There are many similarities and some minor differences between the movie, directed by Claude Chabrol, and the short story it is based off of, written by Guy de Maupassant. The plot, setting, and characters are all highly similar in both the story and the film. In both, the plot follows the same scheme, it is set in Paris in the 1880’s, and all of the main characters are the same. The major difference that stood out to me is how these aspects are displayed at the beginning of the narrative.

Characters in the book and movie are mostly the same to each other. For example, Mildred/Linda and Clarisse are almost exactly the same to their character in the movie and book. Clarisse is still curious and imaginative while, Mildred/Linda is still shallow. In the

Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty are only some that can come to mind when thinking of characters who only do good in the stories they are in. Many classic protagonists are portrayed as the embodiment of pure good. They always do the right thing and are successful in the end. The exceptions to this archetype can always produce great stories with developed characters that interest readers. It is a universal fact that no one in stories is perfect, but authors can make a bold choice when they decide to have the main character less perfect, or even villainous. When flaws are present in a protagonist, readers are drawn to the story, given a new point of view, bringing new concepts and ideas to the audience that they may not have thought of before.

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw is a play that shows a great change in the character Eliza Doolittle. As Eliza lives in poverty, she sells flowers to earn her living. Eliza does not have an education. This shows through the way that she does not have the most proper way of speaking. This happens through when Eliza is speaking to the other characters when she meets then when she is still at a low level of poverty in her life. To understand the reasons Eliza is able to change and be changed into an almost Cinderella like character. With Eliza going from and growing and changing through the hardship she faces. In the play Eliza begins with no confidence and works towards having a way to reach trough from learning during her life

Warner Brothers’ My Fair Lady (1964) a film adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion has been seen as a success in terms of box-office profits and popularity of the work. In it, the protagonist Eliza Doolittle’s is portrayed as a Cinderella-like figure: In a short span of time, she rises from a humble family to become a well-mannered lady. It offers “a fairy-tale story” Paul Bauschatz says that is “bound to please most viewers, while retaining its potential for compelling visual display” (17). At the same time, musical components, witty dialogue, and splendid visual effects all have contributed to the popular appeal of the film to the general public. However, it seems to lose the edge of criticism of the conflict of social class and gender issues, as clearly manifested in Pygmalion. Eliza is presented more as a doll-like Cinderella figure than a woman in search of freedom. In the following, the essay is to discuss the transformation of Eliza from the dynamic and growing awareness selfhood to the romantic and pragmatic woman. Eliza’s quest for self-assertiveness and confidence remains, but she seems to lack the inner drive and momentum she used to have. A comparative study of Pygmalion and My Fair Lady (1964) will help learn the

The main similarity between the play and the movie is the theme of the role of women in the society especially in marriage. Throughout the different periods of the past generations, pieces of art such as plays and films have

Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw, describes Shaw’s viewpoint on social class distinctions in the 1900s by describing characters of the upper, middle, and lower classes in the play. Through the characters’ descriptions, language, and actions, the distinction between classes becomes very prominent. Similarly, Galileo, by Bertolt Brecht, describes Brecht’s take on the social class structure during Galileo’s time and how the differences between classes affected Galileo’s opportunity to do scientific research. Both plays depict a society ruled by the upper-class and a lack of coherence among the upper, middle, and lower classes that leads to eventual conflict. In both Pygmalion and Galileo, the authors highlight the advantages and disadvantages of the different social classes in order to critique how the relationships between people from different classes affect their interactions with each other.

Modern Period brought about many transformations in economy, politics, sociology etc. which were reflected in literature such as Drama as well. Literary works are opened for different discussions and point of views. By the dawn of the twentieth century women’s roles and position in the society had changed a lot. The women entered the public and also were allowed to work, but it wasn’t accepted by the male dominate society yet. Two important Modern Drama’s masterpieces written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw; a Doll's House play written in 1879 by Henrik Ibsen, and George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion written in 1913, depicts the men’s view toward women and their position in the society. Also it is perfectly

Cinderella is a well beloved folktale following the life of a kind hearted heroine trapped in an abusive household, yet despite the obstacles faced, she manages to attend a ball and eventually receives her happily ever after. The story has been reinterpreted in numerous countries where it is estimated that there are nearly seven hundred versions out there. With the continuous popularity of Cinderella, there has been much criticism concerning the representation of Cinderella and the effects it has on the female demographic. By analyzing Cinderella’s gender representation of a particular version in accordance to generated criticism related to the effects it has on the female demographic, it can be determined that as new renditions are being created over time, it can be noticed that Cinderella’s gender representation are gradually becoming more independent, and active.

     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.

In the Victorian England period, how a person is viewed by society determines everything. What kind of jobs are available, who it is ok to marry, and even who is acceptable to interact with. How a person is viewed can change their life for better or for worse, and sadly women during this period must work twice as hard as their male counterparts to get the crucial social respect needed to succeed in their societies. How a person appears and how they dress plays a big part on how someone is viewed, but flower-girl-turned-duchess Eliza Doolittle must learn the hard way that just because a person fits the outside criteria of a lady does not exactly mean she would be treated as so, by society and most of all her mentor Henry Higgins. Throughout the play, Pygmalion, By George Bernard Shaw, the author makes the theme of prejudice against women very apparent by the way they are treated in society and the unreasonable expectations they are held up to, making it very difficult for women like Eliza Doolittle to move up in society and be seen as equal in the eyes of those above them.

“Pygmalion was written to challenge the class system, traditional stereotypes and the audience’s own views.”

Social standing is central to the plot of George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion”. The portrayal of class identity in Shaw’s play appears to be a criticism of the distinctions between high society and the poorer classes in Victorian England. Shaw’s aim was to portray how the upper-crust of Victorian society viewed the lower classes, as evidenced by Higgins’ treatment of Eliza upon her first visit to his laboratory; Higgins treats her as though she is too stupid to understand that he is insulting her. The assumption is that the wealthy view the lower classes as being somehow lesser. So what is it that Shaw is trying to impart upon the reader? Shaw appeared to show open disdain not just for the upper class of society but for society in general, and Pygmalion may be interpreted as an open criticism of class distinctions in Victorian England.