Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw
"Pygmalion" by Bernard Shaw is a play that was written in the early 20th century. The narrative primarily revolves around the themes of social class and transformation, focusing on the journey of Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower girl with a strong Cockney accent, as she seeks to elevate her status in society through speech and manners. The story is sparked by Professor Henry Higgins, a phonetics expert who bets that he can
train Eliza to speak like a duchess. The opening of "Pygmalion" sets the stage in Covent Garden during a rainstorm, where various characters congregate, revealing distinct social classes and attitudes. We are introduced to Eliza, who sells flowers to make a living, and we see her abrupt interaction with Freddy, a gentleman. As Eliza gets caught up in a lively conversation with a note-taking man, Professor Higgins, who is also present, observes her speech and becomes intrigued by her potential to be transformed with proper phonetic training. This moment marks the beginnings of their dynamic, hinting at the themes of class mobility and identity that will unfold throughout the play. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950 |
|---|---|
| Title | Pygmalion |
| Note | Reading ease score: 84.5 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Note | Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_(play) |
| Credits | Eve Sobol. HTML version by Al Haines |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Comedy plays |
| Subject | Speech and social status -- Drama |
| Subject | London (England) -- Drama |
| Subject | Linguistics teachers -- Drama |
| Subject | Social classes -- Drama |
| Subject | Flower vending -- Drama |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 3825 |
| Release Date | Mar 1, 2003 |
| Most Recently Updated | Apr 13, 2021 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 7286 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
