Pygmalion : A Romance in Five Acts [Paperback]

George Bernard Shaw (Author), Dan H. Laurence (Editor), Feliks Topolski (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Shaw Library | Publication Date: March 29, 1988

When George Bernard Shaw wrote "Pygmalion" more than a half century ago, it seemed unlikely that his little play would eventually be converted into one of the great musicals of our time, "My Fair Lady," and a motion picture that captured numerous Academy Awards. Yet such popularity should not have been surprising since succeeding generations of readers and playgoers find continual relevance in the story of a speech therapist who successfully converts an untutored flower girl into a darling of high society. The extraordinary wit of the master dramatist of the twentieth century has not lost its sharp edge as it cuts away at the artificially of class distinctions and the callousness of indifference to human worth.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was one of the most prolific writers of the modern theater. He invented the modern comedy of ideas, expounding on social and political problems with a razor-sharp tongue. He won the 1925 Nobel Prize for literature.

Dan H. Laurence edited Shaw's Collected Letters, his Collected Plays with Their Prefaces, Shaw's Music, and (with Daniel Leary) The Complete Prefaces. He is series editor for the works of Shaw in Penguin.

Nicholas Grene is professor of English literature at Trinity College, Dublin. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (March 29, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014045022X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140450224
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,298,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Wit and Social Commentary: A Great Play With Importance Today, July 4, 2006

By 

A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "What should ... (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Pygmalion (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

George Bernard Shaw uses of wit and insight into England's 1800s arrogant class system to show class is not bred, but made, and the highest class of people see no class at all, being humble enough to know we are equals. Shaw's "Pygmalion" was not written just to add to his wallet with its publication, but to influence society, much the same as Charles Dickens "Oliver Twist" and "David Copperfield" have.

As fun as the musical, "My Fair Lady" is, read Shaw's take on this old Greek myth.

From the plot of whether or not a pauper can made a princess to the subplot of love and true romance, the story is intertwined with memorable characters, delightful banter and intriguing thoughts.

Shaw's understanding of English's accents and how these separated the masses (do they still?) causes me in America to wonder if my Chicago-istic pronunciations affect how I am seen. What about African-American accents, or the New England accents? Does a Kentucky girl's accent come across as higher or lower class than her Alabama neighbors? How do I see others? Am I as affected?

Drop down a little cash, sneak this book into a larger order, and read, "Pygmalion." Review Edith Hamilton's book on mythology, discover who Shaw refers to (as in Galatea and Pygmalion, a fascinating story in its own right).

I fully recommend "Pygmalion" by George Bernard Shaw.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From Rags to Riches, July 12, 2005

By 

P. Strobel - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pygmalion (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful play to read. Henry Higgins and Colonel Pickering make a bet that they can take a poor flower girl, Eliza Doolitle, and pass her off as a duchess. The pair teaches her perfect English, manners, and how to dress like a lady. They succeed, but they don't realize Eliza has her own opinions. This play is great because you really get a feel for the early Victorian era and Shaw's feminist views.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pygmalion Rocks!, June 7, 2007

By 

Deborah Smith Cook "IB Reader" (Springfield VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pygmalion (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

T. Cook writes: A true "diamond in the rough," Pygmalion is one of the cleverest and underrated plays written. Shaw conveys the faulty class system of Europe through the memorable Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. Eliza, a cockney girl from the poor part of London, has trademark accent and original sounds, like "Ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-ow-oo." Despite her poor living conditions, she is able to retain her honor and good character. She often repeats "I'm a good girl, I am." This shows that she is not willing to sell her own body and sacrifice her integrity in order to get by. Henry Higgins, in comparison, is on the higher end of the class scale. His ability to replicate any sound and to place a man within any part of London demonstrates his expertise in his field. He uses vulgar words, however, like "bloody," "devil," and "damned." He is also oblivious to his faults such as his anger and foul language. The differences in characterization show the problems with the class system; the high moral characters are in the lower class while vulgar characters are found in the high class.
While the general population is not as familiar with Pygmalion as it is with My Fair Lady, Pygmalion is superior to its movie counterpart. First, Eliza's strong accent is more evident in the play due to the strange spelling of words; the confusion of the reader in deciphering these words mirror the Londoners' confusion in listening to Eliza. Second, Rex Harrison does not fully convey the volatile nature of Higgins; Higgins in Pygmalion is capable of going from happy to furious within one line and Harrison's emotions are similar to that of a wall.

I highly recommend Pygmalion because it is a classic that is enjoyable to read and better crafted than its more famous movie adaptation.