Pygmalion

Act 1 of Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

• Setting: The play is set in London in the early 20th century. Act 1 takes place in Covent Garden, a bustling marketplace known for its flower sellers and street vendors.

• Introduction of Characters:

  • Professor Henry Higgins: A renowned phonetician and language expert who believes that one's accent determines their social status.

  • Eliza Doolittle: A poor, flower girl with a strong Cockney accent who becomes the subject of Higgins' experiment to transform her into a refined lady.

  • Colonel Pickering: A fellow linguist who is intrigued by Higgins' claims and offers to fund the experiment.

  • Mrs. Pearce: Higgins' housekeeper who is sceptical of his intentions but supports his endeavours.

  • Alfred Doolittle: Eliza's father, a dustman, initially seeks money from Higgins but later becomes entangled in the experiment.

• Themes:

  • Social Class: Shaw explores the impact of language and accent on social class and how it shapes one's opportunities and interactions in society.

  • Identity and Transformation: The play delves into the idea of self-identity and the possibility of transforming oneself through language and manners.

  • Gender Roles: The portrayal of Eliza as a working-class woman challenges traditional gender roles and highlights the struggles faced by women in society.

• Plot:

  • Higgins encounters Eliza selling flowers and is intrigued by her strong accent. He boasts to Pickering that he can transform her into a duchess by teaching her proper speech.

  • Eliza, desperate to improve her life, approaches Higgins for elocution lessons. He agrees to take her on as a project.

  • Higgins' housekeeper, Mrs. Pearce, expresses concerns about the experiment, but Higgins dismisses her worries.

  • Eliza's father, Alfred Doolittle, visits Higgins to demand money for "losing" his daughter. Higgins offers him five pounds, which Alfred happily accepts.

  • Higgins begins Eliza's transformation by teaching her proper pronunciation and manners, while Pickering observes.

  • Act 1 ends with Eliza struggling to pronounce the phrase "In Hertford, Hereford, and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen."

• Language and Dialogue:

  • Shaw's use of phonetic spelling and dialects reflects the diverse range of accents and social classes present in London

Act 2 of Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

Summary: In Act 2, Eliza Doolittle arrives at Professor Higgins' house for her first language lesson. Higgins and Colonel Pickering discuss their bet on whether Higgins can pass Eliza off as a duchess at an upcoming garden party. Eliza struggles with the pronunciation of vowels and consonants, leading to humorous exchanges. Mrs. Pearce, the housekeeper, expresses concern about Eliza's presence in the house. Eliza's determination to improve her speech is evident, and she impresses Higgins with her quick learning. The act ends with Eliza practising her newly acquired speech skills.

Themes:

1. Social Class: The act explores the theme of social class as Eliza, a poor flower girl, attempts to improve her speech to fit into higher society. The contrast between Eliza's Cockney accent and the refined speech of the upper class is highlighted.

2. Transformation: Eliza's transformation from a lower-class flower girl to a refined lady is a central theme. Her desire to change her social status drives her to endure the challenges of learning proper speech.

Motifs:

1. Language and Communication: The act emphasizes the importance of language and communication. Eliza's struggle to pronounce vowels and consonants reflects the difficulties she faces in adapting to a new social class.

2. Education and Learning: The act showcases the process of education and learning. Eliza's determination to improve her speech skills and Higgins' role as her teacher highlight the transformative power of education.

Overall, Act 2 of Pygmalion delves into the challenges and aspirations of Eliza Doolittle as she embarks on her journey to transform her social standing through language and education.

Act 3 of Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

Summary: In Act 3, revolves around Eliza's transformation and her confrontation with Higgins. Eliza, now speaking flawlessly, attends Higgins' mother's at-home day, where she impresses everyone with her refined manners and speech. However, she feels objectified and disrespected by Higgins and Pickering, who treat her as a mere experiment. Eliza confronts Higgins, expressing her desire for independence and respect. The act ends with Eliza leaving Higgins' house, determined to start a new life.

Themes:

1. Identity and Transformation: Eliza's transformation from a flower girl to a refined lady highlights the malleability of identity and the impact of language on social status.

2. Gender and Power: The act explores the power dynamics between men and women, as Eliza challenges the patriarchal norms and demands equality and respect.

3. Social Class and Inequality: The play delves into the rigid social class system of Edwardian England, exposing the prejudices and inequalities that exist based on one's birth and accent.

Motifs:

1. Language and Communication: The importance of language and its ability to shape perceptions and social standing is a recurring motif throughout the act.

2. Appearance vs. Reality: Eliza's outward transformation challenges the notion that one's appearance determines their worth, highlighting the superficiality of societal judgments.

3. Independence and Self-Assertion: Eliza's quest for independence and self-assertion is a central motif, as she strives to break free from the constraints imposed by society and the expectations of others.

Act 4 of Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

Summary: In Act 4, Eliza has left Higgins' house and is staying with Mrs. Higgins. Higgins and Pickering are discussing Eliza's absence when she suddenly returns. Eliza confronts Higgins about his treatment of her and asserts her independence. She declares that she will marry Freddy, a young man who has fallen in love with her. Higgins is dismissive and believes Eliza will come back to him. Mrs. Higgins scolds Higgins for his insensitivity. Eliza leaves, determined to start a new life.

Themes:

1. Independence and self-assertion: Eliza asserts her independence by leaving Higgins and making her own choices, including deciding to marry Freddy.

2. Class and social mobility: Eliza's transformation from a flower girl to a refined lady challenges the rigid class system and highlights the possibility of social mobility.

3. Gender roles and expectations: Eliza challenges traditional gender roles by refusing to be controlled by Higgins and making her own decisions.

Motifs:

1. Language and communication: The power of language is a recurring motif, as Eliza's transformation is primarily achieved through her mastery of proper speech.

2. Identity and self-discovery: Eliza's journey involves discovering her true identity and finding her place in society.

3. Transformation and growth: The act showcases Eliza's growth and transformation from a marginalized individual to a confident woman.

Overall, Act 4 of Pygmalion explores themes of independence, class, and gender roles, while emphasizing the motifs of language, identity, and transformation.

Act 5 of Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw:

Summary: In Act 5, Eliza returns to Higgins' house after leaving him in Act 4. She demands that Higgins treat her respectfully and acknowledge her efforts in transforming herself. Higgins, however, remains indifferent and fails to understand Eliza's feelings. Eliza decides to leave Higgins and start a new life. She expresses her desire to marry Freddy, who has been waiting for her outside. Mrs. Higgins, Higgins' mother, supports Eliza's decision and scolds her son for his insensitivity. Eliza leaves, leaving Higgins to reflect on his actions.

Themes:

1. Identity and Transformation: Act 5 explores Eliza's transformation from a flower girl to a refined lady. It highlights the importance of self-identity and the power of personal growth.

2. Gender and Social Class: The play delves into the issues of gender and social class, as Eliza challenges the societal expectations placed upon her. She asserts her independence and refuses to be treated as a mere experiment by Higgins.

3. Communication and Empathy: Act 5 emphasizes the significance of effective communication and empathy in relationships. Eliza seeks recognition and understanding from Higgins, but his lack of empathy leads to their separation.

Motifs:

1. Language and Speech: Throughout the play, language serves as a symbol of power and social status. Eliza's transformation is primarily achieved through her mastery of proper speech and language.

2. Independence and Autonomy: Eliza's journey represents the pursuit of independence and autonomy. She refuses to be controlled or defined by others, asserting her agency and making choices.

3. Motherhood and Maternal Influence: Mrs. Higgins' support for Eliza reflects the theme of maternal influence. She acts as a guiding figure, encouraging Eliza to assert herself and make decisions that are best for her.

Overall, Act 5 of Pygmalion concludes the play with Eliza's decision to leave Higgins and pursue her happiness, highlighting themes of identity, gender, and communication, while utilizing motifs of language, independence, and maternal influence.

Vocabularies:

• Assimilated: To collect

• Dissipated: Vanish, disappear

• Occluded: To close up or block off

The formula for Topic Sentence: AUTHOR DOES “EFFECT” BY THE CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE

effect: amused yet disappointed

A: Author

does

X + Y: effect

by

Omega + Tower: Choices

:) : purpose

Techniques create another technique

The link shouldn’t always be linked to the question, but it can be to the next paragraph

The author also convinced the reader that he wasn’t expecting this type of day when he was cycling to the city of Sofia.

how language shapes the world

1. can transmit thoughts to one another

2. able to transmit ideas through vast space and time

3. language can make you think

4. some language has different sound vocab and structure

5. language craft reality

6. in eng, only blue, in Russia, you need to separate light blue and dark blue

7. the language guides the resonance of our events

8. language had a big, deep, early, broad, weighty effect

9. language can shape how you think about a noun

10. language is a living thing that can be created again

Paper 2:

• 4 Essay Questions

• Use 2 literary works (Persepolis and Pygmalion)

• HL weighting: 25%

I think in Pygmalion, the struggle to be understood is in Act 4 where Eliza wanted to be understood on what her future will be after Higgins and Pickering

Things to compare:

• Plot

• Genre

• Form

• Theme

• Characterization

Not only the similarities but also the difference

Good: while ‘good’ has a synonym of exceptional, favorable, excellent, righteous, and superb. The meaning of it is to be desired or approved of, having admirable, pleasing, superior, or positive qualities; not negative or bad.

the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions.

one book, good is focused justice, while the other one is from morality