Saturday, March 9, 2019
Middle Class Morality in Pygmalion Essay
Pygmalion is a brilliant play written by Bernard Shaw that gives us an topic of the value in the prudish era through the humourous and rousing lines of his characters. The message Shaw tried to limn through his genius trim is vividly drawn and is dearly am lifesizeuous to anyone who is paying attention. In Pygmalion, Shaw focused his theme on the Victorian decorum of the contemporary society, which is named in some(prenominal) parts of Mr. Doolittles speech in the play as the bosom class ethics.In the Victorian times, the rich were distinguished from the lamentable vehemently as they lead distinct lives-they dress differently, they act differently and they even speak differently. Above all, the ethics exercised by the rich deviates from the poor, if there were any for them in the first place. Thus, nothing is anticipate from a pauper whereas everything is expected from a sufficient ( lay class).The first and most potent item of substance class morality is the obligation of men to protect and foster women no matter it is needed or not. In the very first act of Pygmalion such(prenominal) burden is observed through the harsh demands of Clara (woman) to Freddy (man), compelling him to come ab come out a taxi for her. Freddy, as uneager as he was, still induce and carried out his role in the middle class morality, only to find that his endeavors were in vain as his darling mother and sister were ample gone upon his return. Another example of this is also from Act I, where nosy bystanders (men) stood out for Eliza (woman) with the silly sense of heroic conquest to save her from the vile Higgins and his notes, solely soon learnt that it was merely a mistake. These deeds, however, were not chivalry, they were more like the blank prayers before dinner make in a sanctimonious fashion-a hypocritical routine.On the other hand, women also bears expectation from men and other women during Victorian times to find a wealthy man to support her because she isnt supposed to work but to polish herself and other trophies like herchildren or household. Professor Higgins believes in such a virtue, as he intend Eliza to be a consort for a king and is stunned at her decision of marrying Freddy. Also, Elizas stepmother decided to marry Doolittle again as middle class morality claims its victim, meaning that she was in a bureau coerced into the action.Mr. Doolittle, a minor character in the play, takes a rather big role interpreting middle class morality. After his unlikely luck with the Wannafeller Moral Reform World League and the fortune that comes along with it, he became a living contrast of being poor and being rich. By his own words, he stood testimony to the joy of poverty and the woe of prosperity-I have to live for others and not for myself thats middle class morality, portraying an ironic picture of the poor enjoying life more than the rich-the valet de chambre of Pygmalion and the Victorian times.From his script, we can see all the n ot-so-subtle offenses Shaw made to taint the idea of middle class morality and it becomes a prominent factor that made the strong tale worth reading and studying.
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