Colonel Pickering bet Mr. Higgins, a phonetic professor, that Eliza, the lower-class flower girl, could be changed into an upper-class duchess. And the experiment was successful.

Plot

History Background

1. Victorian, British Empire, Revival of Drama

2. The Suffragettes

3. From Pygmalion in mythology to Shaw’s Pygmalion

4. Darwin’s Theory

History Background

1. Victorian, British Empire, Revival of Drama

2. The Suffragettes

3. From Pygmalion in mythology to Shaw’s Pygmalion

4. Darwin’s Theory

History Background

1. Victorian, British Empire, Revival of Drama

2. The Suffragettes

3. From Pygmalion in mythology to Shaw’s Pygmalion

4. Darwin’s Theory

History Background

1. Victorian, British Empire, Revival of Drama

2. The Suffragettes

3. From Pygmalion in mythology to Shaw’s Pygmalion

4. Darwin’s Theory

History Background

1. The History Of Britain

• Victorian Era- British Empire: existence of colonial- Industrial Revolution : wealth and

educated middle class • Revival of drama

History Background

2. The Suffragettes

• Suffrage = the right to vote in political election

• The movement of middle class women

• In 1928, they achieved suffrage on the same terms as men.

• Women were inferior to men.

History Background

3. Darwin’s Theory

• Natural Selection

• Only the superior members can survive.

• How will Eliza survive?

History Background

4. PYGMALIAN in mythology to Shaw’s PYGMALION

In Mythology• Pygmalion created Galatea, the

beautiful female sculpture.• He was in love with his own work, NOT with Galatea herself.

In Shaw’s Pygmalion• Pygmalion = Professor Higgins• Galatea = Eliza Doolittle

AuthorGEORGE BERNARD

SHAW(1856-1950)

• A Socialist• Dramatist• Intellectual and

emotional

Characters

• A cockney flower girl• Liza• Low class

ELIZA DOOLITTLE

Characters

• A cockney flower girl• Liza• Low class

ELIZA DOOLITTLE

vCharacters

PROFESSOR HIGGINS

• Phonetic prof. • Upper class• Proud of his

ability.

Characters

COLONEL PICKERING

• Higgins’ friend• Linguistic• Worked in

India• Upper class

Characters

MRS. PEARCE

• Higgins’ housekeeper

• Higgins’ experiment

• Low class

Characters

MRS. PEARCE

• Higgins’ housekeeper

• Higgins’ experiment

• Low class

Characters

FREDDYEYNSFORD HILL

• Loves Eliza• Middle class

Characters

ALFRED DOOLITTLE

• Eliza’s Father • Low class

Characters

MRS. EYNSFORDHIL

• Freddy’s mother

• Middle class

Characters

MRS. HIGGINS

• Higgins’ mother • Upper class• Protect Eliza

Summary

ACT I : Introduce Liza, a lower-class flower girl

Summary

ACT II : Professor Higgins and Pickering

Summary

ACT II : A bet between Higgins and Pickering

Summary

ACT II : The transformation

Summary

ACT III : The 1st test of Eliza met the Eynsfordhills

Summary

ACT III : The 2nd Test for Eliza at the ball room

Summary

ACT III : Everyone thought she was a real princess

Summary

ACT IV : The conflict between Eliza & Higgins

Summary

ACT IV : Eliza escaped from Professor Higgins

Summary

ACT V : Eliza shows her dependence marrying Freddy

Theme1. Classes in British society

2. Gentility and Manner

3. Gender solidarity or antagonism

Theme1. Classes in British society

2. Gentility and Manner

3. Gender solidarity or antagonism

Theme1. Classes in British society

2. Gentility and Manner

3. Gender solidarity or antagonism

vTheme1. Classes in British society

• Servant Class : Mrs. Pearce• Lower Class : Eliza• Upper Class : Higgins, Pickering• Class structures are rigid

(unchangeable)• Social hierarchy: unavoidable in

reality in Britain

vTheme1. Gentility and Manner

• Higgins (upper class) treated Eliza badly

• Colonel Pickering treated Eliza well• Eliza thanked Pickering for teaching

her manner• Eliza give no thank to Higgins for

teaching her upper-class language

vTheme1. Gender solidarity or antagonism

• Same gender helps each otherEx. Eliza & Mrs. Higgins

Mrs. Pearce & Eliza• Different genders have troubled

relationshipEx. Mrs. Higgins & Mr. Higgins

Mrs. Pearce & Mr. Higgins

vQuestionAre social classes very important?

NO!YES!

THANK YOU

Thank you

Muah