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Pygmalion 2. Sub Title

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123 views

Pygmalion 2. Sub Title

Uploaded by

shreyamondal116
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Q) Do you think the subtitle ‘A Romance in Five Acts’ of Shaw’s Pygmalion appropriate?

Give reasons
for your answer. (2021) / “Pygmalion is a romance.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. /
‘Pygmalion’ is sub titled ‘A Romance’. Do you think this sub-title to be quite appropriate? Give reasons
for your Answer.

Ans- The subtitle "A Romance in Five Acts" attached to George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion" is both
apt and ironic, as it encapsulates the unconventional romantic elements within the narrative while
challenging traditional notions of romantic storytelling. This label is suitable for several reasons, including
the evolving relationship between the central characters, the thematic exploration of transformation and
self-discovery, and the play's departure from conventional romantic tropes. As is well known, Shaw was
an anti-romantic and in one play after another he has punctured age-old romantic notions, e.g. we may
name his “Arms and the Man,” “Man and Superman,” etc.

At first glance, the term "romance" may evoke images of conventional love stories filled with passion and
sentimentality. However, in the context of "Pygmalion," the romance is unconventional, driven by the
transformation of Eliza Doolittle under the tutelage of Professor Henry Higgins. The play unfolds as a series
of acts, each contributing to the gradual development of a unique and complex romantic dynamic. Eliza's
metamorphosis from a Cockney flower girl to a refined lady serves as the central thread weaving together
the acts, creating a narrative that is, at its core, a romance of personal growth and self-discovery.

The romantic undertones in "Pygmalion" are heightened by the evolving relationship between Higgins
and Eliza. While the conventional notion of romance often involves overt expressions of affection, Shaw's
play delves into a different kind of intimacy—one forged through linguistic transformation and intellectual
connection. The acts trace the subtle shifts in their interactions, moving beyond the surface level of
phonetics into the realm of mutual understanding and dependency. The romance here is not born out of
grand gestures but emerges organically as the characters navigate the complexities of their changing
dynamic.

Shaw’s view is that if the recovery of the ‘golden fleece’ by Jason (‘Jason and the Golden Fleece’ by
Apollonius) could be called a romantic act, Higgins’ recovery of the human soul in Eliza by reforming her
speech and her manners is no less a romantic act. Higgins himself explains the supreme significance of his
experiment to his mother thus: “Playing! The hardest job I ever tackled: make no mistake about that,
mother. But you have no idea how frightfully interesting it is to take human being and change her into
quite a different human being by creating a new speech for her. It’s feeling up the deepest gulf that
separates class from class and soul from soul.”

Moreover, the subtitle serves as a nod to the Pygmalion myth, adding a layer of irony to the term
"romance." In the classical myth, Pygmalion falls in love with his own creation, a sculpture brought to life
by the goddess Aphrodite. In Shaw's play, the parallel can be drawn between Higgins molding Eliza into a
refined lady and Pygmalion sculpting his ideal woman. The irony lies in the fact that, unlike the traditional
romantic narrative, Eliza is not a passive object of affection; she undergoes her transformation actively,
challenging and reshaping the dynamics of her relationship with Higgins.

Furthermore, the subtitle aligns with Shaw's satirical approach to societal norms and conventions. By
labeling the play a "romance," Shaw invites the audience to question and reevaluate their expectations
of romantic storytelling. The unconventional romance in "Pygmalion" challenges traditional gender roles,
societal expectations, and the superficiality often associated with romantic narratives. The play, in
essence, becomes a romance that transcends the limitations of traditional love stories, delving into the
complexities of human connection, identity, and societal expectations.

In conclusion, the subtitle "A Romance in Five Acts" is entirely appropriate for Shaw's "Pygmalion." It
captures the essence of the unconventional romantic elements woven into the narrative, highlighting the
transformative journey of Eliza Doolittle and the evolving relationship between her and Professor Henry
Higgins. The term "romance" in this context goes beyond the conventional notions of love and passion,
encompassing themes of self-discovery, intellectual connection, and societal critique.

Shaw's choice of subtitle not only reflects the essence of the play but also serves as a deliberate deviation
from traditional romantic tropes, adding depth and complexity to the overall narrative. A. C. Ward writes,
“Pygmalion is not a romance, as it could rightly have been called if Higgins and Eliza had fallen in love
and married. It is a problem play, and the problem goes much deeper than the bare story told in
Pygmalion. Every teacher who sets out to fight ignorance is in a similar position with regard to his pupils
as Higgins was with regard to Eliza. He leads them towards a new way of life and is compelled to leave
them at its threshold to go on by themselves.”

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