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Essay / Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw - 1534
As a young girl named Eliza looks beyond the confines of her beautiful flower garden, she sees a beautifully dressed woman. The woman, draped in beautiful jewelry and a sumptuous evening gown, was very beautiful and incredibly well-off. The young girl Eliza reflects on what made her so different from woman and why she could never aspire to be as successful as this duchess. The reason for this power difference is not a matter of personal or physical attributes, but rather a reason that relates entirely to the time period of this age. In the 19th century, social classes dominated in England; it was a constant struggle for women to gain authority in these classes; George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion helps demonstrate as much as rebuke this idea of inherited social classes (Trussler 980). The 19th century in England was that of a new era, that of the industrial revolution. At that time, technological advancements and the production of goods were one of the main reasons for expansion. New inventions such as TNT, the carpet sweeper and the first successful typewriter all contributed to the giant strides Britain made during this period (Lambert). The telephone was invented in 1876 and, along with the typewriter, it created more jobs for women (Lambert). Furthermore, the invention of the railway also helped Britain grow and develop. According to Trussler (302), “With the railroad boom of the 1850s, most parts of the country could be reached much more easily. » This was a very important part of the Industrial Revolution because not only could people move from place to place, but exports and trade also increased as a result. Almost instantly, towns and villages began to appear and develop middle of paper...... improve, and he did not believe that people were born into social classes, but rather that people had the ability on their own to determine which class they belonged to (Buisel). Buisel states that Shaw's play Pygmalion established Shaw as the leading English playwright. Pygmalion, summarized earlier in this paragraph, expounds Shaw's theme of nature rather than nurture (Bonham 983). Pygmalion was a very representative play of the times, Shaw was well known for taking problematic or conflict-filled topics and revealing them for all to see. see. As explained earlier in this article, Pygmalion is very representative because it addresses both the issue of social classes and women's rights during the industrial revolution. His idea of nature education is definitely revealed in this play, and little Eliza Doolittle is the best example of his theory..