George Bernard Shaw: Pygmalion

Playwright, essayist, and pamphleteer, born in Dublin, Ireland. In 1876 he left office-work in Ireland and moved
to London, England. In 1882 he turned to socialism, joined the committee of the Fabian Society, and became
known as a journalist, writing music and drama criticism, and publishing critical essays. He began to write plays
in 1885, and among his early successes were Arms and the Man (1894), Candida (1897), and The Devil's
Disciple (1897). There followed Man and Superman (1905), Major Barbara (1905), The Doctor's Dilemma
(1906), and several others, displaying an increasing range of subject matter. Later plays include the "religious
pantomime' Androcles and the Lion (1912), and the "anti-romantic' comedy Pygmalion (1913), adapted as the
musical play My Fair Lady, in 1956 (filmed, 1964). After World War 1 followed Heartbreak House (1919),
Back to Methuselah (1921), and Saint Joan (1923). He wrote over 40 plays, and continued to write them even
in his 90s. He was also passionately interested in the question of spelling reform, wrote most of his own work in
shorthand, and left money in his will for the devising of a new English alphabet on phonetic principles (which
came to be called Shavian). In 1935 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.


Pygmalion (1913):

Liza Doolitle was a poor florist who had a horrible accent and manners. She was selling flowers in London's
streets where She met Professor Higgins and his friend Coleman Pickering. Liza's father was a dustman, but he
didn't want to work, so he was taking money from his daughter Liza.Higgins' job was studying and teaching
languages and his friend was interested in languages too. So Professor and Coleman made a bet: Liza would
have to speak english properly within 6 months. A few days later Mr. Doolittle came to Professor's house and
requested some money from him (5 pounds). Approximately 4 months later they examined Liza's manners at the
horse races in Ascot, where she met Professor's mother and Freddie, who fell in love with her. At the end of her
lessons they went to The Ambassadors' Ball. She proved her english knowledge and would certainly get an „A"
on an exam, because all the people thought that she was a princess. When They were going home They were
happy but Liza wasn't. Professor and Coleman were congratulating them-selves and talking about their success,
but They didn't talk to Liza at all. That's why she left Professor's house that night. She didn't know where to
go.. At the end She went to Professor Higgins' mother's house where She met Freddie. In spite of the fact that
Professor came back for her and She loved him, She decided to stay with Freddie.

My opinion:

I uderstood the play very bad, so I had to borrow the film (musicial) My Fair Lady. I think it was wery good
play, but I like horror and advetures stories so I was bored.