Problems and the structure of the play Shaws Pygmalion All the pieces show corresponds to an important claim brought Brecht contemporary theater, namely: the theater should strive "to depict the nature man as modifiable and depends on the class Amenities "[1]. far as Shaw was interested in us the character and social status, particularly evidenced by the fact that a radical restructuring of the character he made even the main theme of the play "Pygmalion".
After the exceptional success play and made it to the musical "My Fair Lady" story of Eliza was converted by Higgins Professor of Phonetics of street girls in fashionable lady, today, perhaps better known than the Greek myth. Pygmalion was a fabulous king of Cyprus, fell in love with the mess it created statue of a girl, which subsequently married after the revitalization of Aphrodite at his urgent request. Clearly the intent which pursued Shaw, calling the name of a mythical king of the play. Name Pygmalion should recall that Eliza Doolittle was created by Alfred Higgins in the same manner as Galatea Pygmalion.
Man created man-this is the lesson that, by his own admission Shaw, "intensively consciously didactic "play. This is the same lesson, which called Brecht, demanding that "the construction of one shape was carried out according to construction of another figure, because in life we are forming mutually friend another "[2]. Among literary critics, there is a perception that the play Shaw, more than play of other playwrights, promote certain political ideas. The doctrine of the mutability of human nature, and depending on the class Gear is nothing, as the doctrine of social eterminism of the individual. The play "Pygmalion" is a good handbook, which addresses the problem of determinism. Even the author himself considered it "an outstanding didactic play?. main problem, which show skillfully addresses in "Pygmalion" was the issue "Whether the person alter the substance?. This provision in the play is specified that the girl from the East End London with all the character traits of a street child, becomes a woman with character traits of ladies of high society To show how you can radically change a person, Shaw chose the transition from one extreme to another.
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If such a radical change in human possible in a relatively short time, the viewer must tell ourselves that if possible, and any other change in human beings. second important question of the play - how it affects the human life. What gives a person the correct pronunciation? Is it enough to learn how to say, to change the social situation? Here's what he thinks on this subject, Professor Higgins: ?But if you knew how interesting - take the man and by teaching him to speak otherwise than he spoke, so far, making it a very another, a new creature.
After all, it means - to destroy the gap, which separates class from class and soul from the soul "[3]. as shown and repeatedly emphasizes in the play, dialect East London is incompatible with being a lady, as well as the language lady can fit in with the essence of a simple flower girl from the eastern district London. When Eliza had forgotten the language of his old world, for it was closed there traversals. Thus break with the past was final. Eliza herself in During the play is well aware of this. That's what she tells
Pickering: ?Last night, when I roamed the streets, a girl spoke with me, I wanted her to answer as before, but I did not work "[4]. Bernard Shaw paid much attention to the problems of language. The play was a serious task: Shaw wanted to attract attention of the British public to the issues of phonetics. He advocated the creation of a new alphabet, which is more would correspond to the sounds of the English language than the existing, and which would facilitate the task of learning the language to children and foreigners. o this problem Shaw repeatedly returned throughout his life, and according to his testament large sum was left to them to research designed to create a new English alphabet. These investigations still going on, and only a few years ago published a piece "Androkl and Lion", printed marks a new alphabet, which was selected special committee of all the options proposed for the award. Shaw, perhaps the first to recognize the omnipotence of language in society, his exclusive social role, which indirectly in the same years, said psychoanalysis.
That Shaw said this in a poster-didactic, but from the no less ironic, engrossing "Pygmalion. " Professor Higgins, albeit in their narrow specialty field, but still ahead of structuralism and post-structuralism, which in the second half of the century will make the idea of "discourse" and "totalitarian linguistic practices" of its central theme of [5]. In "Pygmalion" Shaw joined his two equally exciting topics: the problem of social inequality and the problem of the classical English language. He believed that the social nature of man is expressed in various parts of the language: in phonetics, grammar, vocabulary.
While Eliza emits such vowels as "aN - aN-aN - oy-oy", she does not like correctly notes Higgins, no chance to get out of the street environment. Therefore all his efforts are focused on changing the sound of her speech. What grammar and vocabulary of the language of rights in this regard are not Equally important, demonstrates how the first major failure of both phonetician in their efforts to re-education. Although the vowel and consonant sounds Eliza excellent attempt to introduce her into society as a lady fails.
Eliza's words: "And that's where her straw hat, new, which was I get one? Stolen! So I say, who stole his hat, he and his aunt bump off "[6] - even with perfect pronunciation and intonation are not English for the ladies and gentlemen. Higgins acknowledges that Eliza along with the new phonetics must also learn new grammar and new Dictionary. And along with them and a new culture. But language is not the sole expression of a human being. The release of an appointment with Mrs. Higgins has a single mistake - Eliza not know what they say in the society in that language. Pickering also admitted that Eliza is not enough to possess inherent Lady pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. It must have develop in a typical lady interests. Until her heart and consciousness is filled with problems of its old world: the killing due to straw Hats and favorable effect of gin on the mood of her father - she could not be a lady, even if its language is indistinguishable from the language of a lady "[7]. One of the theses of the play states that human nature is determined set to the identity, linguistic relationships are only its part.
In the play this thesis is concretized by the fact that Eliza, along with learn more language lessons and rules of conduct. Consequently, Higgins it explains not only how to speak the language of a lady, but, for example, how to use a handkerchief. If Eliza did not know how to use a handkerchief, and if it resists a bath, then any viewer should be clear that the change it also requires a substantive change in its everyday behavior. Extralinguistic relations between people of different classes so states the thesis, no less diverse than their speech in form and content. ombination of behavior, ie, form and content of speech, image opinions and thoughts, habitual behavior and typical responses Lyuda adapted to the conditions of their environment. Subjective and objective world being correspond to each other and mutually penetrate each other. From the author be costly dramatic means to convince each audience. Shaw found a means to systematically applying a kind of alienation effect, forcing his characters time from time to act in a foreign environment, to then step by step back them in their own environment, artfully creating initially false presentation about their real essence.
Then it seems gradually and methodically changed. ?Exposition" character of Eliza in a foreign environment is the impact that it is ladies and gentlemen in the audience seems incomprehensible repulsive, ambiguous and strange. This impression is reinforced by reaction ladies and gentlemen on the stage. Thus, Shaw makes Mrs. Eynsford Hill visibly excited when she watches as unfamiliar florist in a chance encounter on the street calls her son Freddie as "my dear friend ?. ? The end of the first act is the beginning of "the process of re-education" biased audience.
She seemed to be merely points to mitigating circumstances that must be taken into account when sentencing the defendant Eliza. Proof of innocence Eliza is given only in the next act through its transformation into a lady. Who really believed that Eliza was intrusive because of innate depravity or corruption, and who could not correctly interpret the description of the environment at the end of the first act to open the eyes self-confident and proud statement that has been turned Eliza "[8]. How carefully when re-education of their readers and viewers Shaw akes into account the biases can be confirmed by numerous examples. Widespread view of many wealthy gentlemen, as you know, lies in the fact that residents of the East End are to blame for their poverty, so as can not "save". Although they, like Eliza to Covent Garden, a greedy for money, but only to ensure that as soon as possible again wastefully spend it on absolutely useless things. They did not thought to use the money wisely, for example, for professional education. Shaw seeks a bias, as did others, first strengthened.
Eliza, barely having obtained some money, already allows himself go home by taxi. But immediately begins an explanation of this Eliza's relationship to money. The next day, she hurries to spend it on own education. ?If a human being due to the environment and if the objective being and objective conditions are mutually consistent with each other, then transformation being possible only by replacing the medium or its change. This thesis in the play "Pygmalion" is specified so that the creation possibility of transformation of Eliza her completely isolated from the old world and transferred to a new "[9].
As a first step of its plan of re Higgins manages about baths, in which Eliza is released from heritage of the East End. Old dress, the closest to the body of the old environment, not even put aside, and burned. Not the slightest particle of the old World Eliza should not bind him, seriously think about it transformation. To show this, Shaw has put in place another particularly instructive incident. At the end of the play, when Eliza, in all probability, already finally turned into a lady, suddenly appearing in her father.
Unexpected there is a check, giving the answer to the question of whether human Higgins, considering Eliza's possible return to his former life: (In the middle window appears Doolittle. Throwing on Higgins reproachful and dignified look, he silently approaches his daughter, who sits with his back to the window and therefore does not see it. ) p> Pickering. He is incorrigible, Eliza. But you can go back, right? Eliza. No. No longer. I have learned my lesson well. Now I I can not make such sounds, as before, even if I wanted to. Doolittle behind places his hand on her shoulder. She drops her embroidery, looks around, and the sight of her father's splendor all its exposure immediately evaporates. ) Y y -y! Higgins (triumphantly). Aha! Here, here! Oo-oo--y! Oo-oo--y! Victory! Victory! "[10]. slight contact with only part of its old world makes low-key and seemingly ready to conduct a refined lady at some point again in a street child, who not only reacts as before, but, to my surprise, again, may make, seemed to have forgotten the sounds of the street.
Given careful underscore the influence of the environment the viewer could easily the false idea that if the characters in the world of heroes Shaw entirely amenable to limit the influence of the environment. To prevent this Show unwanted confusion with similar care and thoroughness introduced in his play counter-theses on the existence of natural abilities and their implications for the nature of an individual. It position is specified once in all four main characters of the play: Eliza, Higgins, Doolittle and Pickering. ?Pygmalion" - is a mockery of the fans of "blue blood" ... ach My play was a stone which I threw into the window of the Victorian being "[11] - so the author himself spoke about his play. For Shaw it was important to show that all the qualities of Elise, which she reveals how a lady can already be found in the flower-like natural ability or the quality of that flower you can again be found in lady. Concept Shaw already contained in the description of the exterior of Eliza. After detailed characterization of its outward appearance says: ?Without a doubt, it is in their own clean, but next to the ladies strongly believe draggle-tail.
Facial features her bad, but the skin condition leaves much to be desired, in addition, it is noticeable that she needs the services dentist "[12]. transformation Doolittle in a gentleman, just like his daughter in ladies should appear on the external process. Here is how to modified only by his natural ability because of his new social status. As a shareholder cheese Trust "Friend of the stomach and prominent speaker uonnafellerovskoy the World League of moral reform, he, in Indeed, even stayed in his present profession, which,
Eliza's testimony, even before its social transformation was to extort money from other people, setting in motion his eloquence. But the most convincing argument for the presence of natural abilities and their importance for the creation of character is demonstrated by the example of couples Higgins Pickering. Both of their social status gentlemen, but with the difference that Pickering and his temperament gentleman, at the While Higgins prone to rudeness. Difference and similarity of both characters systematically demonstrated in their behavior towards
Eliza. Higgins, from the outset is drawn to her rude, impolite, unceremoniously. In her presence, he spoke of her "silly girl", "scarecrow? , "So irresistibly vulgar, so blatantly dirty, nasty, spoiled girl "and the like. He asks his housekeeper Eliza wrapped in newspaper and thrown into the dustbin. The only normal conversation with her is imperious form, but the preferred way to influence Eliza - a threat. Pickering, an innate gentleman, on the contrary, in the treatment of Eliza
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