Pygmalion is one of the most famous comedies of all times. Its mythological background is fascinating as the topic is still up to date. This is why it has influenced many artists to use the story for their works. Besides Ovid’s version in his Metamorphoses that very closely sticks to the original of Greek mythology and G. B. Shaw’s one that, although he changes the frame and the plot of Pygmalion, he still holds on to the idea of the original story, there is for example Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s melodrama Pygmalion (1770), Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s poem Pygmalion (1767) and Franz von Suppé’s operetta Die Schöne Galathee (1865).
The mythological background, though, is not the only reason why the story of Pygmalion has attracted that many artists and is that popular. It is the diversity of its themes and actions.
There is for example a love story, a criticism of society, many different characters that are interesting in each way, changes in individual personalities and so on.
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In a way he also forms a woman after his ideas and taste. This point of shaping a woman is present in both, Ovid’s Metamorphoses and G. B. Shaw’s Pygmalion.
However, the most important difference between them is the woman’s behaviour. While in mythology Galatea is only a passive character, in Shaw’s Pygmalion Eliza is active from the beginning on and influences the play’s stream and action. She takes her destiny into her own hands and one could speak of an emancipated woman. As emancipation was a major topic and drastically developed during the Victorian era, one could argue whether the description of women in literature actually reflects society’s attitude towards them in the era in which this literature was written.
For this reason I will elaborate the role of women in Victorian society in general and in Pygmalion in specific. Furthermore I would like to compare the play Pygmalion, which was staged for the first time in 1913, to the musical My fair lady which was released in 1956. The difference in time promises a difference in the reception of the story and it is probable that the changes in society between 1913 and 1956 are reflected in those two versions.Especially the role of women changed in those years.
Therefore the focus of my thesis will be these transforming ideas concerning women in the Victorian age and the 1950’s by means of Pygmalion and My fair lady.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Victorian Society
2.1. Industrialisation
2.2. Women and Feminism in England in the 18th and 19th Century
3. George Bernard Shaw
3.1. Parallels between his Biography and Pygmalion in Respect to Women
3.2. Shaw’s Philosophy Concerning Gender Roles and its Impact on Pygmalion
4. Feminist Realisation in Pygmalion
4.1. Eliza’s Inner Change
4.2. The Relation between Higgins and Eliza
4.3. Mrs. Higgins and Mrs. Pearce
4.4. Higgins’ Development
4.5. The Theme of Prostitution and Slavery
4.6. The Importance of Clara Eynsford-Hill
5. My Fair Lady
5.1. The Development from the Play to the Musical-Film
5.2. The Role of Women in the 1950’s and 1960’s
5.3. The Audience of My Fair Lady
5.4. Differences between the Musical and Pygmalion
5.4.1. Intention
5.4.2. Genre Changes
5.4.3. The Theme of Love and Cinderella
5.4.4. Eliza’s Development in My Fair Lady
5.4.5. Higgins’ Character in My Fair Lady
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Topics
This thesis examines the evolution of gender roles in literature and media, specifically comparing George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion with the 1956 musical adaptation My Fair Lady. It explores how societal shifts from the Victorian era to the 1950s influenced the portrayal of women and the treatment of the Pygmalion motif.
- Victorian society and the emergence of feminism.
- Biographical parallels between G. B. Shaw and his characters.
- Feminist approaches in Pygmalion and Eliza Doolittle's emancipation.
- Socio-cultural differences influencing the adaptation into My Fair Lady.
- Analysis of genre shifts and the construction of the "happy ending."
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Parallels between his Biography and Pygmalion in Respect to Women
George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin in 1856 as the son of a prosperous and respectable family. However, the insolvency of his father’s corn-business led to financial problems and the father’s alcoholism made his relatives withdraw from the family.
Shaw’s mother, Lucinda Elizabeth Shaw, was disappointed by her husband and as a result concentrated her attention on her two daughters and left her son alone. He grew up in an atmosphere of “emotional coldness” (Andrecht 5) and had to live and learn on his own when his mother and his two sisters went to London and left him in Dublin. Nevertheless, he was capable of handling his loneliness and said of himself: “Fortunately I have a heart of stone; else my relations would have broken it long ago.” (“newcriterion”).
This statement clearly resembles Higgins’ behaviour. Higgins, too, seems to have a heart of stone. He is not capable of showing feelings and treats everyone else like they were equipped in the same way: “Eliza: So you are a motorbus: all bounce and go, and no consideration for anyone.” (Shaw, Pygmalion 242).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes the mythological roots of the Pygmalion story and outlines the thesis objective to analyze gender role transformations in Shaw's play and the later musical.
2. Victorian Society: This chapter provides context on Industrialisation and the historical struggle for women's rights, framing the social constraints that defined the era.
3. George Bernard Shaw: This section investigates personal biographical influences, specifically his mother's independence, and how they shaped his views on gender and relationships.
4. Feminist Realisation in Pygmalion: This chapter analyzes the feminist elements in the play, focusing on Eliza's self-actualisation and Shaw's critique of dependency.
5. My Fair Lady: This extensive chapter contrasts the 1950s musical with the original play, highlighting how the audience's demand for romantic fantasy altered the ending and character dynamics.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, asserting that the primary differences between the two works stem from the changing social image of women between 1914 and 1956.
Keywords
Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw, My Fair Lady, gender roles, Victorian society, feminism, Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins, musical theatre, adaptation, emancipation, Cinderella motif, independence, social class, 1950s
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work investigates the changing portrayal of gender roles and feminist ideas, comparing the original text of Shaw's Pygmalion with the later musical adaptation My Fair Lady.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include industrialisation, the Victorian image of women, the biographical impact on Shaw's writing, the nature of economic and emotional independence, and the concept of the "Cinderella" narrative.
What is the research question?
The thesis aims to prove that gender roles in these literary and musical works reflect the values and social attitudes of the eras in which they were written.
Which methodology is employed?
The author performs a comparative literary and cultural analysis, relating the historical context of the Victorian era and the 1950s to the character development and plot structures of both works.
What does the main body cover?
It covers the Victorian background, Shaw's life, the feminist nuances in the play, the shift from the play to the musical, and detailed differences in genre, intention, and character portrayals.
How are these works characterized by keywords?
They are characterized by terms such as feminism, emancipation, social class, adaptation, and gender roles.
Why did Shaw refuse a musical adaptation during his life?
Shaw was concerned about the integrity of his play and the potential for a sentimentalized adaptation that would deviate from his intentions regarding the character of Eliza Doolittle.
How does the "Cinderella" motif differ between the two works?
In the original play, Shaw modifies the Cinderella elements to subvert the romantic genre, whereas the musical leans into these tropes to satisfy the 1950s audience's desire for a fairy-tale happy ending.
- Citation du texte
- Catharina Kern (Auteur), 2007, Changing Gender Roles and the Pygmalion Motif – Shaw’s "Pygmalion" and the Musical "My Fair Lady" in their contexts, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/140546
