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Pygmalion - My Fair Lady

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“Pygmalion,” by George Bernard Shaw is a modern recreation of the Greek myth, where legendary sculptor who fell in love with his own statue of Aphrodite. Many versions speak of him praying to Aphrodite and granting his wish, she brought the statue to life in which he named Galatea. Though Shaw’s play sees this story in England, to portray the aspects of common social class classification, where Professor Higgins a man of the middle class transforms a mere flower girl into what he claims to be a Duchess and through teaching her how to speak ‘proper’ English she on her own would convince that she is of a middle class family. Shaw uses speech and choice of words, along with other features to shed light on the social distinctions. The film adaptation ‘My Fair Lady’ lacks the original ending because Eliza returns to Higgins in the end, but in Shaw’s play she does not return but bids farewell at Mrs. Higgins household. Though we cannot see if Eliza really returns to him in a romantic way, it is not seen. But the film given its positive outlook on male dominance; shows that she could possibly return to him for that reason. Though, if Eliza were a real person in this situation then it should not end this way. Eliza’s characteristics won’t allow her to return to Higgins’s because she does not feel the need to be dominated by anyone; especially Higgins. Their personalities continue to clash even when she is ‘refined’ because of Higgins’s attitude and pride. Because Eliza does not like to be controlled this is why she is suited to marry Freddy, his character as a male is weak and this makes Eliza feel strong because she has control. Apart from the characteristics of the characters that keep them apart, it is the fact that they are of two different social classes. Higgins coming from an upper social class and Eliza from a working class background as romantic as it would sound, the adjustment of living to each other

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