Pygmalion

Playing the part of Mr Doolittle in last term's performance of Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, it brought back the memories of reading the play a couple of years ago in none other than English class. Even though I reread a script that had been altered slightly by our delightful directors, I was still able to appreciate the wonder that is Shaw's witty comedy. If you haven't the faintest clue what play I'm talking about, though you really should, think of My Fair Lady. I've never seen it but apparently it's good.

To understand Pygmalion, you need to know about the Victorian Era and how terribly classist we all were. I assume most of TER's readers are indeed English, however, considering I am hooked to our 'stats' page I can confidently state that since we have readers from every continent (woop!), not everyone will know that if there was a well-spoken and well-mannered gentleman or lady in Victorian London, they would automatically fair better in life than a someone who conversed in Cockney Rhyming Slang.

Therefore, we can conclude that dear Eliza Doolittle really does need Professor Higgins to help her succeed in life. Though on the surface a wonderfully crisp comedy with exaggerated characters and witty lines, Shaw really does put his opinions and ideas about the contemporary society across to the audience, albeit subtly. It seems that while Higgins believes that language is what makes us who or what we are, Shaw is portraying that it is not only language which places us where we belong in society. The Eynsford-Hills and Mrs Higgins are constantly visiting friends and acquaintances, yet Higgins and Pickering both have proper jobs. And therefore the overall question and tone of the play seems not to be whether or not the adventurous Higgins can pass a flower-girl off as a duchess, but rather what is to be done with her once he has achieved his goal. For once Eliza enters that "middle-class morality", as my character Mr Doolittle likes to put it, shouldn't Eliza be acting like a proper lady at all times? She shouldn't be working in a flower shop as she initially intended - in fact, she is doing as all ladies either did or were expected to do: marry up in society. She does it, her father does it, no doubt nearly all the other characters have or had the intention to do so.

So my question is, what is the distinction between class, money, and distinction in society?

I really recommend that everyone goes and sees the play. Enjoy it as a comedy, and afterwards think about what I've mentioned in this review. Even if it isn't on at the moment, go to the library and borrow it. Reading a play might not have exactly the same effect as seeing it, but you can always imagine what it could be like until it pops up at the Old Vic or otherwise.

By Jess