The Division Of Society In Pygmalion Essay

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Since about the beginning of civilization, people have been divided into societal categories. There was ever an upper category ; rich, powerful and in control. Then there was a in-between category ; less comfortably off than the upper category, and surely less powerful, but respected however. Last of all ( and normally least ) the lower on the job category doing up the bulk of people, seldom holding the necessities of life and ne’er considered by other categories no affair how long or hard they worked on bettering their state of affairs. In the undermentioned essay, I will discourse whether George Bernard Shaw agreed with this differentiation and division of society and how he exhibited his positions through his renowned drama & # 8220 ; Pygmalion & # 8221 ; .

Throughout the drama, ladies and gentleman are continuously recognised for who they are through four factors: how they are dressed, their manners, how they speak and their money. It is nevertheless noticeable that a combination of all four factors is seldom to be found. For case Henry Higgins, although good & # 8211 ; dressed, good spoken and with money, has manners which could non be characterised as genteel. Alfred Doolittle ( after geting some money ) is good dressed, has some signifier of manners and could be classified as rich, yet is non good spoken. Nevertheless, when the amah opens the door to him she immediately percieves that he is a gentleman. So what truly does do a lady or a gentleman?

Many times during the drama the difference between the visual aspect of the categories is expressed. It is particularly noticeable in the first two Acts of the Apostless. An indicant of this would be when Higgins is distinguished as a gentleman and non a investigator because of the boots he is have oning.

Bystander: & # 8220 ; E & # 8217 ; s a gentleman, expression at his boots. & # 8221 ;

The bystander evidently knew what kind of dressing a gentleman would have on. This implies that it was good known what sort of boots were worn by whom, which means that the difference between the categories was so evident that everyone was cognizant of the boundaries of their category. Another theoretical account for this differentiation would be when Alfred Doolittle arrives at Wimpole St, in the 2nd act, and doesn & # 8217 ; t even recognize his ain girl, Eliza, merely because she has been washed and elegantly dressed.

Alfred: Beg Pardon, girl.

Eliza: Garn! Don & # 8217 ; t you know your ain girl?

Alfred: Bly me! Its Eliza.

This demonstrates that the working category were non used to rinsing and dressing up, which was customary for the upper category. The unsimilarity in the visual aspect of the upper category from the working category was so sensational that even person who was your ain flesh and blood could be of course mistaken. This tendency of picturing visual aspects goes right through to the terminal of the drama, when on reaching at Mrs Higgins & # 8217 ; house, Doolittle is mistaken for a gentleman by the amah, simply because of the manner he is dressed

Higgins: Doolittle! Do you intend a garbage man?

Maid: Garbage man! Oh no sir, a gentlema

N.

The visual aspect of Doolittle is taken into chief consideration when it comes to make up one’s minding what category he belongs to. The inquiry is the raised, what separates the categories truly, if vesture can make so much for how person is perceived. Apart from the manner people dress, they are besides defined by the manner they speak. In Pygmalion the manner people converse is a really of import portion of the drama, non least because the construction of it is based on the fact that Eliza can & # 8217 ; t talk & # 8220 ; decently & # 8221 ; and Higgins can learn he how. It was evidently well of import to talk good at that clip, which is emphasised by Shaw over and over once more. The drama even starts with Higgins knocking the manner that Eliza speaks, because it is non merely up to standard compared to & # 8220 ; proper & # 8221 ; English it will besides resultantly maintain her in the trough for the remainder of her yearss. He expresses that he could learn even person with such awful pronunciation within 3 & # 8211 ; 6 months, this already means that whether you can talk adequately or non doesn & # 8217 ; t really average anything, if you can be taught how to in such a short period of clip. Perceptibly Shaw doesn & # 8217 ; Ts make it a must to talk right, this is likely for the ground that a lady or gentleman, although would sooner hold to hold good English, would non needfully have perfect English to be accepted into the upper category. This is demonstrated by Nepommuck at the embassadors ball & # 8221 ;

Can you demo me any Englishwoman who speaks English as it should be spoken & # 8221 ; .

This leaves merely money. There will ever be a division between the categories merely because there shall ne’er be equality in money, but this is non what distinguishes ladies and gentlemen from flower misss and garbage man. I believe, out of all the contrasts between categories, that manners are the most of import cause of differentiation. For it is true that money can purchase a batch, rubrics, apparels, but it can non purchase manners, and in my sentiment Eliza is right when she says:

& # 8220 ; Really and genuinely, apart from the things anyone can pick ( the dressing and the proper manner of speech production and so on ) , the difference between a lady and a flower miss is non how she behaves but how she is treated I learnt truly nice manners and that & # 8217 ; s what makes one a lady. & # 8221 ;

Because International Relations and Security Network & # 8217 ; t the manner you are treated more of import so what you are treated to?

In decision, I believe that Shaw strongly comprehended that the categories were divided for all the incorrect grounds, and that the of import grounds were ever blocked out, because the manner people treat each other truly does find what category they are in. If every working category citizen was treated as a Duke, there wouldn & # 8217 ; t be inequality because even money can & # 8217 ; t command people & # 8217 ; s kindness. In the Bible it is stated that in the eyes of God we are all equal, no affair how we speak, what our fiscal position is, or what we dress in, that love can non be bought and sold, but merely given, so doesn & # 8217 ; t it intend that our manners towards each other determine whether we are of higher or lower category?

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