Pygmalion
1941 version with variants from the 1916 edition : Definitive 1941 version with footnotes indicating the textual variants
(Author) George Bernard ShawWhen professor of phonetics Henry Higgins wages with Colonel Pickering that he could teach even a gutter-mouthed flower seller how to speak like a duchess, little does he expect that his social experiment will be riddled with difficulties, and that, behind her cockney parlance, the girl in question, Eliza Doolittle, has a mind, ideas and aspirations of her own. Things come to a crux when the creature starts to rebel against her creator – and the scene is set for a play that questions the class system, social appearances and the role of women in society. Universally regarded as Shaw's most successful work for the stage, Pygmalion – here presented in its original 1916 version, with a wealth of extra material, including the author's subsequent revisions and additions to the text – has spawned a great number of screen adaptations, among them the famous 1956 Broadway musical My Fair Lady, and shows ancient myth's undiminishing ability to find new incarnations in modern life.
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright, critic, and socialist known for his wit, humor, and social commentary. His most notable works include "Pygmalion," "Man and Superman," and "Saint Joan." Shaw's writing style was characterized by his sharp wit, satirical humor, and exploration of social issues such as class struggle, gender roles, and the role of the individual in society. He was a prominent figure in the literary genre of modern drama, challenging traditional conventions and pushing boundaries in his plays. Shaw's most famous work, "Pygmalion," has been adapted into the popular musical "My Fair Lady." His contributions to literature continue to be celebrated for their enduring relevance and thought-provoking themes.