Title: Comparative essay on G. B. Shaw's Pygmalion and the film My fair lady
Comparative essay on G. B. Shaw's Pygmalion and the film My fair lady
Comparative essay on G. B. Shaw’ s Pygmalion and the film ‘My fair lady’ Shaw wrote his play Pygmalion in 1913, while My fair lady, the cinema adaptation was filmed in 1964. Although the basic line of events remained the same, there are a number of differences that can be observed between the two works. The play takes place in London, sometime around 1900. The main characters are introduced in the starting scene: Eliza, the poor flower girl, Mrs. Eynsford Hill with his son, Freddy, Mr. Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics and Colonel Pickering, another fan of linguistics all meet in front of St. Paul’s cathedral, driven there for shelter from the rain. It turns out that Pickering and Higgins are looking forward to get to know each other for a long time, and now the professor invites the colonel to live with him. The plot then continues with the flower girl turning up at their home the next day, asking the Higgins to teach her proper English talk The two consider it a good opportunity to have fun and decide to make a bet, on whether Eliza can be passed o
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Besides this altered ending, the director of the film places greater emphasis on certain events and characters than Shaw. The films message is not of social concern, but of an individual’s only: it presents the possible development one can achieve if she/ he tries really hard. " It is also added that she "needs the services of a dentist. So she stays, and gradually, not without difficulties, gets used to live and speak like a lady. Altogether, I would say that Shaw’s Pygmalion is more enjoyable than its 1964 movie adaptation. During their first attempt, at Higgins mother’s at-home, Eliza proves to be still unprepared: her speech is already presentable but her manners are not. First, the nature of the film: it is in fact a musical, full of songs, which already suggests an aim of entertainment. After Higgins goes to bed she dresses up and leaves with Freddy. The ending also shows an idealized Eliza: she does not seem as sincere in her feelings as the play describes, and she seems very noble and dignified when put under pressure. However, the next time, at an ambassador’s party she plays her role so well that a foreign linguist believes her to be a Hungarian princess.
Approximate Word count =
955
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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