George Bernard Shaw and His Play : Pygmalion

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

• He was England's most important dramatist since the Renaissance
•  In 1882, Shaw's life changed with hearing a lecture by the American political theorist Henry George. It made Shaw read Karl Marx's "Das Kapital."
• This set Shaw to work on the problems of capitalist society.

• Shaw and his friends found the Fabian Society and then he worked on changing the British society for the rest of his life.

FABIAN SOCIETY :  It was founded in 1883-1884 in London, having as its goal the establishment ot a democratic socialist state in Great Britain. The Fabians put their  faith in evolutionary socialism rather than in revolution.The name of the society derived from the Roman general Fabius cunctator,whose patient and elusive tactics in avoiding pitched battles secured his ultimate over stronger forces.It aims to promote greater equality of power, wealth, and opportunity, the value of collective action and public service, liberty,human rights.

• Bernard Shaw thought that he could use the theater as a vehicle for serve his own idea.

He was only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize in Literature and on Oscar, for his contributions to literature and for his work on the film of his play Pygmalion.

PYGMALION // The source of the title

The myth of Pygmalion and Galatea

       

      Pygmalion's title came from ancient Greek myth with the same name Pygmalion. Pygmalion was a talented and famous sculptor who could find nothing good in women and never fell in love with a women. He spent most of his days at home sculpting beautiful things.

He resolved to live out his life unmarried until he create his beautiful statue with an image of "perfect women"

His statue was so perfect that no living being could possibly its equal and he fell in love with his own  creation.

He put clothes on it, gave it jewelry and named it Galatea.Consequently at festival, he prayed to goddess of beauty and love Aphrodite,  that he might have the statue come to life.

When he reached home, he found that his wish had been fullfilled then he wanted to marry his statue.

• Shaw's Pygmalion Professor  Henry Higgings is the most renowned man of phonetics of his time. Higgings is also like Pygmalion view of woman-cynical and derogotary 

Higgins says : " I find that the moment that I let a women make friends with me, she becomes jealous,exacting, suspicious and a damned nuisance."

In the myth, Pygmalion carved sth beautiful and raw stone and gave it lafe. Shaw's Higgins takes a "gutternipe", "squashed cabbage leaf" up out of the slums and makes her into exquisite work of art.

Pygmalion is a play which includes  crucial values such as social-criticism, self-improvement, humanitarian grounds. It reflects the social system of its era.

HERE IS MY ANALYSİS OF PYGMALION PLAY

       If Pygmalion is thought as a social criticism, Bernard Shaw, tries to demonstrate us the segregation between  the upper class and the lower class people.  That's kind of hiearachy. Both Shaw's stage direction and  expressions about lower class apparently reveal the social discrimination. Additionally, there is a character who reach his ideal state thanks to will of power, it emphasizes the power of self improvement. Bernard Shaw as a socialist,criticizes the British Society' circumstances. We witness Eliza Doolitle's self developmen in process  .By this respect we understand the frustration of human regarding of their social class. Shaw prove us that the people havent got inferiorty because of their inheritance, they are responsible for themselves throughout their life and they have the capability of develeoping themselves properly. At the beginning of the play Shaw displays us Liza is manipulated to grow up as a lady just because of simple  bet  which come true due to Pickering and Higginns' quarrel.

 Also we are over against the behaviour which scorn human's feeling and just exploit them as an object for the sake of their personal satistaction.

Bernard Shaw , beginning of the play named the character according to their jobs. Especially Lize is given " flower girl"   and her speech and peculiar language display that she belongs to lower class . The nickname of flower girl lay stress on the proper aim of the play in a sense.

Moreover , Shaw harshly criticize the commercial system  in those times. When Alfred Doolitle , Liza's father, comes to stage ,  he consent to sell his daughter to Mr. Higgins for the sake of gaining even 5 pounds. It is a bitter truthness regardings of not to caring about their own family member for the aim of  gaining money.

The social dignity   is one of the stressed matters in this play. In the quarrel between Mrs. Higgins and Liza , she says social marriage is nothing better than the exchange of sex for the money like what one sees among prostitutes. Liza indicates that an upper-class marriage market as more degraded than her previous profession of selling flowers. Here Shaws expresses the deepest condemnation of society. It can be understood that Shaw frames Liza's words intentionally to draw attention about the pathetic conditions of those times and the working class can and often do have more dignity than the hypocritical segments of upper class.

Furthermore, Eliza's final declaration of independence might have a political connotation . We can deduce as a socialist, Bernard Shaw, founded Fabian Society to defend human's right and protect people from oppression as a defender of human rights. Since the beginning of the play, Shaw often bring up style of language an location have been mentioned. The fact that English forced their language on the Gaelic-speaking Irish, after invading Ireland , where we witness a male forcibly teaching a female to speak.

As a conclusion, Shaw tries to reveal the barrier's between classes arent natural and can be broken down and if one want something  by heart , ıt can come true (  Liza ). Shaw , in this play, comments on the capacity for the individual to overcome the boundaries established by system of class and gender. The dominant assumptions and expectations, may essentially prevent on individual from beginning socially mobile withing a seemingly rigid hieararchical socail structure.

 

George Gordon, Lord Byron as an Influential Poet

      

GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON (1788-1824)

 The man of paradoxes who grew up with Romantic Movement  brought new  manner and style for English Literature isn’t any other person but George Gordon, Lord Byron. He was born in 1788 in London. He was not only an English poet but also presented   historical tragedy, romantic narrative, ode and especially epic satire to Romanticism. His style was a bit satirical as he considered Alexander Pope who was one of the most important satirist in Age of Reason was a model for him . Byron was sort of  persona, doing what he pleased to do , living his life without caring anything, and  never conceded his own truths which is felt him under pressure. Because of his perspectives towards to life made him like a hipster and leaded to essence liberty themes on his works of art and also reflected his deeds as well. During Greek Struggle, he fought against Ottoman to attain Greek’s Independence.  His characteristics directed him action than just making a point on his works. He addressed such an extraordinary poems and something else as writing for him is an overcoming the obstacles in his life. It is understood that his life was quite scandalous and intriguing that he can hardly ease from his deep feelings and also didn’t take notice of people’s rumors about him by writing down on paper. Despite of all things, he still became a controversial poet of his day. Also, during his life time he chased love , fame and adventure   made him to become a person like movie stars and rock musician between ladies. It made him notorious during his life time. His unusual way of approaching to life and some scandalous things with his old wife made him self-exiled from England.’’ Matthew Arnold states Byron’s moral banishment from England as he wandered across the Continent ‘’Despite being half mad during the time … between metaphysics , mountains , lakes , love extinguishable , thoughts, unutterable, and nightmare of my own delinquencies,’’ Byron poured out some of his greatest work.’’(qtd. in England in Literature : 459) The poets whom he wrote always about unusual love affairs with his numerous cousins and intimate friend’s wife, he mentioned in these works from his real life experience. That’s why his works of art like an autobiographical creation. The thing which became so interesting is that after his death the committee who consist of his friends made a tense discussion about Byron’s unpublished poems and then these works cannot be published because of the context of them. Despite of his oddity character, he made a different statement to the world. Byron leaded on indelible impression on English Literature, authors and poets of Romantic Era, works of art and also social attitude and reform with his contradictory manner even if he was condemned on moral grounds.

Lord Byron left a huge impact on English Literature with the character which is created by him called ‘Byronic Hero’  and also  he brings new  aspects to Romanticism unlike some authors who essence only deep emotions on their works of art. Andrew Rutherford underlines the importance of using the figure of ‘’Byronic Hero’’ by influencing Peter L. Thorslev’s book ‘Byronic Hero Types and Prototypes ‘’:

For it is one of Mr. Thorslev’s strengths that he seeks the origins of Byronic Hero in no single literary form or fashion, but in a whole gallery of hero-types(culled from English and European novels, poems, and dramas), which he categorizes in his chapter titles as the Child of Nature, The Hero of Sensibility: Man of Feeling or Gloomy Egoist, and the Gothic Villain (all characteristically eighteenth-century figures); and the Noble Outlaw, Faust, Cain and Ahasuerus, Satan and Prometheus (all characteristically Romantic prototypes).(814)

The literary world use  the figure of  ‘Byronic Hero’ as it provide more satisfied impact  and sharp impression on readers as Byronic hero, lives in an outrageous life of fantasy who broke all restrictions, rules and had outstanding characteristics. These are mysterious , rebellious , having trouble his past , exhibiting great passion , noble virtues ,  having distaste  for society and social institutions , freedom fighter, seductive and sexually attractive , emotionally conflicted, sophisticated .  Apparently, Byronic Hero is Byron himself when ıt ıs noticed Byron addressed his own life on his works. Byronic figure contributed for English Literature with archetype that differentiated in time. It dragged readership to the world of unconsciousness and widen the limits of their minds. The main character Satan in Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ displayed rebellion just like persona of Byron who against under domination and obedience as he was like the leader of liberty for his own life . One of the clear samples on the issue of putting author’s Byronic Hero on their works is Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights. ‘Emily lived in the era of Lord Byron. Thus by influencing his outrageous character, Bronte made essence Byronic figure’s characteristics on her novel. The main character who is Heathcliff was a gentleman, sophisticated and educated which are the apparent distinctive of Byronic Hero. Also there are other inspirations in gothic novels which Byronic hero became protagonist. He is protagonist because ‘’he was born for opposition.’’(Don Juan xıv.22.8) ^. In addition , He brought new aspects to Romanticism together with the poems which included melancholic tunes and inspiration from the nature . He was a poet who ever lost  touch  with reality and supported liberalism in his works of art and especially his private life.So he made difference an vastly popular Romantic hero, interested by  secret guilt additionally he was a Romantic paradox .Thus he uses the reality of theme regarding social attitude,situation and political views as well  like the authors of Age Of Reason and created an unusual characters like Byronic Hero  which  the other authors or poets can hardly courage by using such a contradictory characteristics just like themselves as they thought that ıt was a lunatic thing which isn’t gained an admission against society . But Lord Byron achieved it then most of poets imitated that.

Byron put a new face on some authors’ and poet’s manner with lively images, characters and  posture on his works and influence some poets and author’s lifestyle because  he had exotic and contrarious singularity. His contemporaries considered his poems like a model which brought different aspects on their works. Mary Shelley was an intimate friend of Byron who had reputation in the field of English novel, short story , drama, and essay  influenced Byron, her contemporary as they had been residing  in Geneva  for years , they had literary relationship  to do with ‘Frankenstein.’ He played a big role for Mary’s career as a novelist. Ernest J. Lovell Jr. mentioned Mary Shelley’s own words concerning their cooperation while She was writing ‘Frankenstein’: ‘’we will each write a ghost story.’’ (35) By influencing ‘Darkness’ which is Byron’s one of the poems Shelley created same atmosphere from these lines in her novel:

Swift  as light…was the idea that broke in upon me.   I have found it! What terrified me will terrify others; and I need only describe the spectre which I announced that I had thought of a  story. I began that day with the words, It was on a dreary night of November, making only a transcript of the grim terrors of my waking dream.(qtd. in  The Dream Encyclopedia: 87)

The image of ‘grim terrors of my waking dream’ recollects  Byron’s lines in ‘Darkness’ ; ‘’ I had a dream which was not all a dream ‘’ (530)  She inspires the profound words  in here which is hidden here  and lead us to frightened world which fulfill with images .’Darkness’ became a sample source some parts of Frankenstein but Mary Shelley uses it by giving more detailed imagery. In addition  Byron  play significant role  for Alexander Pushkin’s ‘Eugene Onegin’.Just like Byron’s young man in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage who was world-weary  and looked for entertainment in foreign lands , Eugene approached the characteristics of   his personas by this point of view too.  Also Pushkin wrote works of art which are about liberal themes. The reason why he approached liberty on his works is as he imitate Byronic  characteristics  , ıt was possible that he influenced his  nationalist attitude as well because during his lifetime , Byron fought against all restrictions and lack of independence. Also, George Gordon, Lord Byron had an impact on American poet Edgar Allan Poe had dreams of being a writer of his childhood hero Lord Byron. In ‘Tamerlane ‘, Poe influenced by Byron’s drama Manfred and his poem ‘The Giavour’ with regards to his manner and style. He followed Byron’s method of writing and the way of expressing events or something else. One of the characters in ‘Tamerlane’ is Ada who was peasant and reference to Byron’s daughter Ada Lovelace. The poem involved parallelism to works of Byron. Moreover he wrote ‘ The Assignation ‘ by having model the love affair of the man who is George Gordon while he was in Italy with his lover Teressa Gamba Guiccioli .It can be understood  from here his life is so scandalous and  like kind of  story which discussed  in stories, and poems. Additionally, Oscar Wilde was influenced by Lord Byron , but it was about his lifestyle and notorious persona much more his style of writing or characters .He sympathized with Byron’s characteristic’s and adopted lifestyle similar to him. Moreover the national poet of Greece , Dionysus  Solomos wrote a poem dedicated to Lord Byron , the unexpected loss in Greek Struggle  named ‘To the Death of Lord Byron’  to express his deep feelings   in memory of  his  honor  and bravery .Additionally ,  Byron was one of the first poets who gave place about un-dead creature  on his works whose themes is extremely gothic and his image , appearance inspired the appearance of monsters. Thanks to him, vampires became an aristocratic, noble figure going on people by his sophisticated characteristics. His influence on vampire figure as the archetype of poet is stated in Lezlie Kinyon’s article: “The association of vampirism and George Gordon, Lord Byron, arguably began with the publication of a tale by John Polidori, an embittered employee of the poet, entitled The Vampyre.”

            Byron’s impression not only done with  Romantic era or Literature which was his influence area but also  the name of his works became a sample for some painters, sculptors and musicians’ composition like Tchaikovsky, Robert Schumann. These two composers attached to their composition with Byron’s painful ambiguities, and spiritually confused world on his work. It is required to examine how Schumann connected his composition and Byron’s works , the answer migth be that he  read his work so closely  and felt deep admiration his lively rhyme and poetic virtues. ‘Music in Schuman’s treatment retains music’s infinite unapproachable quality and expressive rhetoric, despite the superficial ordering of the music along the lines of a dramatic story that has been mediated by poetic diction.’  He named his one of the famous composition as ‘Manfred’, Byron’s drama by influencing uniqueness of harmony. Also, Some painters such as Eugene Delacroix  was influenced Byron’s one of the tales  ‘The Giaour’ then imagine a scene The Combat Between the Giaour and the Pasha which involved in his works , reflected his painting.On central area of Athens in Greece , there have been Byron’s statue while the women was crowning him. This statue is made by Henri-Michel Chapu and Alexandre  Falguiere. The reason why this statue is standing in Greece may be Byron’s liberal attitude and his bravery for Greek independence to fight against Ottoman and unfortunalety his death during the  struggle. Byron and his poetry became representative of artistic genuineness  and all of influences on works of art shows us how one poet who had a peculiar personality , could have enchant even painters and musicians during the 19^th  century.
           Byron appeared on some social reforms also as he has liberal attitude and lover of independence. He became an idolized character of London society , he took place in the ‘ House of Lords’ and influenced people who were his  around and members of this parliament with his harsh attitude for maintaining independence. Byron as a strong advocate of social reform, he spoke whatever he want to say without fearing in  the House of Lords . In 1811 , He standed up for Luddities  who were group of worker in London during 19^th century and  violently protested against the machinery using during the Industrial Revolution  as it made them less-skilled and  less-needed, at last leaving them without work . He defended their rights by determined way . He made some speeches against government which intended to accept death – penalty because of their protests. Also Byron tried to beware society on these politicial issues .His attitude about this matter left a deep influence on his poetry such as Song for the Luddities ( 1816) and  The Landlord’s Interest (1823).Morever, He wrote English Bards and Scotch Reviewers to satirize the Scotch  reviewers in the field of poetry , possibly as his poems cannot be published because of their context  By this way , he emerged people to pay attention  Edinburgh Reviewer’s action and strictness about expressing feeling sincerely in poems. Thus, the became the voice of most poets.

            Consequently , Lord Byron is one of the most effective poet in English Literature regarding of not only his poetic style but also his thoughts , deeds, reforms  and, struggle for human condition. ‘’Outside of this one significant connection it is somewhat difficult to place Byron in relation to the other poets of his time; though he has been labeled as a Romantic due to his radical views of politics and morality, his verse does not share the nature-obsession and fascination with the supernatural that more generally characterizes poets of the Romantic school.’’ ( qtd. in New World Encyclopedia) He was described by his lover Lady Caroline Lamp ‘ mad, bad and dangerous to know ‘ but though all scandalous characteristics he still is the most influential poets  even at the present time for bringing outrageous  manner in writing and odd character ‘ Byronic Hero ‘ . Above all he has a kind of fame like the stars who blaze even it they were in hereafter.

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Biography of Lord Byron by History Channel

Sources

Blue, Drummond, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Byron. U.K: Cambridge UP Press, 2004. 53. Google Book Search. Web. 20 March 2013. <books.google.com.tr/books?isbn=0521786762>

Botstein, Leon. ’’The Romantic Soul: Lord Byron ın Music.’’ Americansymphony.org, 9 Feb. 2003.Web. 25 March 2013.< http://www.americansymphony.org/concerts/the-romantic-soul-lord-byron-in-music>.

 

Kinyon,Lezlie. ‘’Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know: Le Vampyre, the Gothic Novel, and George Gordon, Lord Byron. Strange Horizons. Strange Horizons , 1 Dec. 2003. Web. 27 March 2013.< http://www.strangehorizons.com/2003/20031201/byron.shtml>.

Lewis R. J.,and Evelyn Dorothy Oliver. ‘’Frankenstein.’’ The Dream Encyclopedia. Ed. Kevin S. Hile. 2^nd ed. Canton: Visible Ink Press,2009.p.87.Google Book Search.Web. 25 March 2013.< books.google.com.tr/books?isbn=157859216X>

Lovell Jr. Ernest J.”Byron and Mary Shelley.”  Keats-Shelley Journal.Vol 2. ( 1953) : 35-49. JSTOR. Web. 1 Apr. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/30212479>

Moore Thomas, and Baron George Gordon Byron. ‘’Darkness.’’ The Works of Lord Byron.. 3^rd ed. California,1837. 530. Google Book Search. Web 15 March 2013. < books.google.com.tr/books?id=JZ8gAAAAMAAJ>

Pfordresher, John, Glayds V. Veidemanis, and Helen McDonnel. England in Literature: America Reads (Classic Edition). Illinois: Scott, Foresman, 1989. 490. Print.

Thorslev Jr. Peter L. “The Byronic Hero Types and Prototypes.”The Journal  of English and Germanic Philology 63.4 (1964) : 814-816. JSTOR Web. 4 Apr. 2013 http://www.jstor.org/stable/27714563

“Lord Byron.” New World Encyclopedia. New World Encyclopedia Online. Web.  25 March                  
            2013. < http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Lord_Byron>