The rebirth of Pygmalion myth

George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion is inspired by Ovid’s ancient Roman myth in which Pygmalion, a male misogynistic sculptor, fashions an ivory model of a perfect woman and falls in love with her when she finally becomes alive. Shaw’s re-working of the myth differs from Ovid’s poem. The poem deliberately illustrates the power of the male creator and the submission of the female since she is seen as a work of art rather than as a real human being. He enriches the play mainly through three aspects of social, political, and moral life; firstly he expresses his strong feminist views through Eliza, Higgins, and Mrs. Higgins. Secondly, he constantly mocks the frivolity of the upper-class society and its stereotypical views of other classes and he simultaneously celebrates socialism and egalitarianism. Finally, through Higgins’ speech and the unpredictability of other characters’ acting, he attacks the ’’moral absolutes’’ which, for him are ridiculous. Shaw reworks the myth by adding the social, political, and moral issues of the beginning of the 20th century into the play rather than preserving it as a simple romantic tale.

Shaw manifests his strong feminist views mainly through the characters of Eliza and Higgins. Actually Eliza, by realizing her imperfectness, takes the initiative to make a change of herself, differs from the very beginning of Galetea in the myth, who does not have a chance to chose her metamorphosis (class notes). In act two, she firmly tells Pickering the reason of her visit, “He said he could teach me. Well, here I am ready to pay him – not asking any favor – and he treats me zif I was dirt’’ (26). Shaw does not only give Eliza a refined speech, a delightful appearance, or even a gracious manners, but, most prominently, gives her the ability to express herself, the social consciousness about her own situation, the analytical sense to critically examine her transformation, and the sensibility to persuade her audience in order to appreciate her judgment. In a speech meant for Pickering, she makes a remarkably avant-gardes point of view which is contemporarily called “looking-glass self” about the insight of her transformation, ’’the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she’s treated. I shall always be a flower girl to professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will; but I know I can be a lady to you, because you always treat me as a lady, and always will’’ (95). In other words, Eliza, through the process of transformation, finds her self-respect, self-confidence and independence, she also values her own intellectual evolution, thus, it is clear that the title A romance in five acts has an intentional ironic effect, because a conventional romantic story does not exits in the play, the only romance is what Eliza is experiencing with herself. In the other side, Higgins, as a male feminist character, constantly makes speech about gender equality through the play. His statement to Eliza “Yes: and you may walk out tomorrow if I dont do everything you want me to’’ (101) clearly expresses his belief that women have the right to make choices for themselves. Globally, the play is performed from the perspective of a self-reliant female character, Eliza.
Tow characters from the play, Doolittle, as a lower class dustman and Higgins, as an upper-class phonetic professor, with different social and political perspectives, speak out Shaw’s political point of view about his society. Shaw uses Doolittle, a poor dustman, but also an eloquent speaker and a man who has social consciousness and free-well, to deconstruct the stereotypical impression that upper-class society has about lower class people (class notes). Even the name of Doolittle mirrors the irony of that stereotype given to lower class people, which is laziness. From Doolittle’s analytical and convincing speech where he states “I dont need less than a deserving man: I need more. I dont eat less hearty than him; and I drink a lot more. I want a bit of amusement, cause I’m a thinking man’’ (46), Shaw intentionally means to shock the middle class audience by reversing the stereotype that poor people are physically indolent and mentally retired, and he meaningfully implies a socialist and classless society where people from each and every class could live together more comprehensively and pacifically. Shaw, by referring upper-class society as ’’the professional class” (52), mocks upper-class society’s standard of living; generally upper-class people do not exert a profession; they are only professional to live in the rich society (class notes). Shaw, through the character of Higgins, perpetually expresses his view that upper-class life is artificial, meaningless, wasteful and senseless where people only value the appearances but seem to neglect the interior of human being such as knowledge, intellectual growth, and self innovation. Higgins’ greatest speech where he asserts “The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners of good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manners for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another’’ (99) truthfully and sensibly expresses an egalitarian world view that people should be treated equally and should have the same rights to live together in a just and fair world. Amusingly, Shaw manifests his egalitarian view by the fact that Higgins treats everybody the same way, which is indifferent, cold, and uninterested.

Higgins, like Shaw, rejects the notion of absolute moral rules, by implying that nothing in the world is absolutely good or absolutely bad. When Eliza first comes to Higgins’ home, motivated by the intention to create a good impression for herself, continually repeats that she is a good girl, that she is different from other flower girls even if she used to live in the street. Higgins, irritated by her cliché ’’I’m a good girl, I am’’ (33), orders her ’’Eliza: if you say again that youre a good girl, you father shall take you home” (49), explicitly suggests his dislike towards societal established moral norms, in this case, the absolute virtue and chastity of a woman. In an other hand, Clara, the uncompassionate and cruel little girl in the first act, shows another side of her personality in act three where she states her discerning thought about the “new small talk” which is previously improvised by Eliza, “I find the new small talk delightful and quite innocent” (62). Shaw represents several sides of a same character in the play for the aim to indicate that even for humans, there are no unconditional good or unconditional bad people. Finally, Doolittle’s sensitive and philosophical speech about humanity “A little bit of both, Henry, like the rest of us: a little of both” (90) summarizes the principle of human beings; our character is simultaneously composed of good and bad elements.

Overall, Shaw reworks the Pygmalion myth into a contemporary masterpiece of his time. The play deals specifically with three different social, political, and moral concerns which are first emerged in the 20th century such as the women’s movement and the suffragette, the socialist and egalitarian ideologies inspired by Karl Marx’s thought, and the new set of philosophy such as “moral absolutes”. Shaw’s Pygmalion deliberately adds a more realistic outlook to the traditional romance genre, exposes the illusory and fanciful sides of myth, and questions the oftentimes idealized and God-liked status of artist.

before now

我又自己一个人了，自恋的孤独，我回来了她出去了，重新经历曾经经历过的东西忽然间感觉黯然失色，现在的我不再崇拜自己，不再可怜自己，为什么我会一直不断地在转圈？不是陀螺，是圆圈。我不知道，我做不到，我做不到那么伟大，我希望再一次为自己感到骄傲，如果我要我做得到，我可以放得下，这一切只是一时感情的问题，我体会过，我放弃过，我同样悲伤过，我更相信自己，没被发觉不过我想我已经爱上了那一段时间的自己，我在想如果我不去再次触碰过去的回忆，我可能也不会像现在这样难过，再次的兴奋是因为我们都很寂寞，我不能够依靠她，我爱自己一个人的时候，一个人去寻找未来，如果有一天这一切可以回来我会张开双臂迎接她的。。可是不是现在，绝对不是！现在的我们身处在一个比我们大过无数倍的世界，天地的广阔，人群得拥杂，事物的光彩，这一切都使得我们不知所措，不管我们怎样不停的掩饰和躲避，我们需要一个可以把我们容纳进取的群体，我们需要感觉到周围和我们经历同样的人的包围和关怀，我们并不理智，我们更不可能完全理智，我们很努力的在争取，我们要直直的生活，健康的生活，我爱我们朋友我的爱人，可是我还是不能时不时地被自己所感动，被自己的潜在和与自己不符合的举动震惊，我爱自己，我也爱你们，我是一个很小资的人，大人们说的没错，生活是自己闯出来的，你可以一时的回首，但是不能永远，我要真实地活着，我要触摸一切我可以触摸的东西，我喜欢自己的成长，痛楚的成长，我热爱文字因为我只剩文字了，我的圈子越绕越大越绕越寒心，我不停的在被周围所感动着，等长大一点儿吧。。其实这样最好

我们其实并不在乎

I was just thinking about all the things that happened in the last 6 months. It's been a mess, totally. I'm wondering that I' ve got intellectually nothing during all this time. It's like...it's like just wierd...we' ve been so happy together and I even started to plan my future with her, and then suddenly, something seems like broken...it's like one thread was attached to a post, and brutally, maybe there has some imvisible reason, it's detached...although it's unimaginable. After this Outgames, she's been acting distantly with me, no more sweet words, no more lovely attachments...she is cold like a piece of ice, at first, I was trying to fix it up, I didn't ask anything to her..because I know that it is useless...she is like an egocentric person and gets always a lot of responsibility on her own..I know her, so that's the reason why I didn't ask..I feel that I'm her girl..even if i know that each period of good time we had should end one day or an another,,,it's unchangeable...it's her nature and I just respect her,,but inside of my heart, there is one thing I am very clear about is that she knows what she wants...she always knows...but the thing is different with me..cauz I never know what exactly I want in my life...I am such a lost girl...and then I make effort to change,,,to take a decision...and then I made myself cry...I was crying so desperately..I felt like this is the end of the world..and then I thought about break up...but something magic just happend before I stopped crying...I calmed myself down..and i was just like forget about it..I chat with her at usual...it is like absolutely nothing has happened to me...i feel like a baby..and a vain girl who spent money everywhere...she needs a break...i understand..but i want to ask myself a question:" Do you feel yourself have more value when she shows herself in love with you? " that is a stupid question..cauz the answer is obviously YES! cauz you live for her that's all..you don't live for yourself..you make her a huge favor...you always think about if i do this what SHE is going to feel about? will she be sad? will she be unhappy? will she talk to me again? what i am going to do if she will not gonna speak to me? can I imagine my life without her? i'm not a logical person..because all the women aren't logical..but i think she is...I AM A SHADOW OF HER..i have always been...i am totally fucked..


(00:07) I discovered that everyone has been involved into something different since we separated. Me&Mi = desperate...

19 August, 00:48

你可否知道被人发觉了自己极力隐藏的东西的时候是什么感受？那种临近与被人看了赤裸身体过后的愤怒与羞辱和那种似乎被人拨掉了皮的痛楚与无奈，没有经历过你是不会懂得，刚刚我体会到这个貌似很小巧的痛苦。逃不出去的一个圈子，这一个星期以来多少次我哭得像要死一样，我失去了以往的平和与温祥，当一个人连自己的情绪都掌握不住的时候是没有办法关注其他人的需要的。每天天亮的时候我沉浸在almodovar得西班牙电影当中，或是消磨在漫步st-catherine大街上，每夜耳边传来他们看的极度恶俗但当局者不但探查不出反而欢喜之极的早该被排除在大气层之外的倒霉电影的，和他们时不时插入的一些对话，那些完全没有用处的对话，那些明明两个人都相互憎恨但却又无法逃离对方的那种讽刺与坦然地80年代典型夫妻对话。有的时候我真的很想知道他们的对话是和电影有关系的还是和他们那一尘不变的贫乏生活有关，还是。。和他们那个自认清高的活在梦里的lesbo女儿有关。。我真得很想知道。我不知道为什么每次绝望的时候才能想到写作，这可能就是为什么歌词里面全都是唱的背抛弃的人的苦涩心情，是不是每个人畅怀哭泣过后都会找一种安静的方式继续发泄，而我的这各方式就是写作讷，好像之前我的思想全部被叫做乐的塑料布给蒙上了，等到欢乐随着时间消失以后留下来的只有暗淡的退了色的哀伤。刚刚发现了，原来我需要的是一个可以与这个世界暂时隔绝的办法才能得到短暂的平稳心态。其实这样仔细的想一想这2年来我并没有什么程度上的进步，但是我却可以说在哭泣中我确成长了，哪怕那只是外人眼睛里变异的成长，每个人都有每人成长的方式，既然命运这样安排那这种超级忧郁方法就是我的。这让我想起了jenny，我是不是骨子里面很向往她呢，比方说她的写作才华，她的笔记本，她在一个经历段落后疯狂的出现灵感，等等。她的成长过程似乎要比我的曲折一些吧，她的marina可以说真的改变了她的一生，没有必要去谈论这个人的好与坏，不要忘记我们这里所说的只是一个生命的成长过程。生命从一开始就是一场游戏，一场看似很重大的游戏，其实游戏总归是游戏，总又要结束的一天，等到那一天到来的时候你往回望一望会发现原来所很注重的事情今天看来似乎并没有那么重要，可是为了游戏的过程更加舒服并且有趣人们还是尝试着尽量努力一些，说来说去这其实都是一个人的事情，你的选择你要承担，把已经发生的事情返回来思考是我认为最行不通的，因为从一个比较迷信的角度来看这似乎有一部分是早已预订好的，从一个比较现实的角度来看what is done is done,on y peut rien.好像那个众人们认为很可怜的rosa为了一个trans赔进去自己的一条生命和生产下了一个出生就带有HIV positif的孩子，我们不能说他是悲剧吧，至少在电影里任何的荒谬都带有可以推敲的色彩，说的明确一点，在我看来rosa的整个生命已经到了垂死的边缘虽然它表面上看似还很活跃，一个热爱帮助人的社会工作者，一个有着颗爱心的女孩子，可是让我们再往这中心的边缘看一看我们会发现她和她妈妈的冷漠与疏远的关系，和她那个见了人只会问身高与年龄的精神病老爸爸，如果没有死她的生活也可能只是个mess,找那个trasvestis也并不是一件值得或者说可以后悔的事情。刚吃过了cereal+milk,现在有些困了。。感觉好些了，比11点刚过后的时候。。我热爱写作，是写作拯救了我。

ps:我also发现自己是一个非常psychopath的人，洗手要冲数百遍就是一个很好的例子：）希望一切都好起来，keep believing!我爱你，再见！fin(02：10)

我失去了她

面对着一张白纸的压力..当发现自己一点美感都没有了的时候，已经不再有幻想。我放弃了一切本来也不属于我的东西。文字与精神干枯的结晶，我热爱的东西。没有规则没有企图，没有期盼没有等待，我不爱了。为什么不简简单单？为什么我是我？为什么不再有灵感，为什么内心的真实感受永远表达不出来，为什么不敢直视自己？为什么丢掉自信？什么是爱？

身体的里的黑洞..逐渐腐蚀我的肉体..越来越深邃，越来越丧失自我，我不再是我，不再有灵感，我变成了echo,受到女皇的惩罚，只能回应别人的叫喊声，最后的两个字，我不再有感受，我掉了进去。哦！我叫喊着..我不再有轮廓，不再有精髓，不再有躯体，不再呼吸。。。

我爱的人，她是那么美好又是那么邪恶.哦，我懂了，她是上帝派下来的完美之体。我感到疲倦，我不再可以朝远方望去..我丧失了一切能力。我崩溃了，我从不关心，我孤落寡闻，我虚荣谦卑，我反反复复，我不值得任何人的施舍与爱情。我掉下去了..

我一直强调规则，但却不懂得原则是什么。我强调和谐，但却不懂得博爱。一切会好起来么？我有着小女人具备的心态，顺从着别人的牵制，我以为光是虚荣的创作就会给我带来虚荣的幸福与充实感，我不停的期盼，我跟随着梦移动..我爱 我爱 我爱 我爱！我要爱！

我觉得我应该到医院里面去,我觉得那是我的归宿，护士与医生们会很好的照顾我的，那种完全职业化的冷血照顾．．可能这就是我所需要的..我不在有可以承受打击的能力了..我丢失了一切..你甚至还希望有谁会去读你么..你废掉了。。为自己的举动感到惋惜吧..当一切都不再来得及的时候。当你意识到把一个人完美化之后的危险..你其实不见得有othello聪明..你杀掉了你自己。

文法不再有了..风格也不再有了, 你很久没有写字了。将你所有的仇恨都埋葬了吧！你会感到欣慰的..

[未完成过去时态]

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy -- Queen

That song gives me an incredible sensation...I've been listening it for a long time, but there is still something which fascinates me..I'm just not quite sure what it is...I remember clearly that i first heard it in the end of an episode of Queer as folk...the song is matched with an emotional scene of Justin and Brian..Maybe the reason is that image, which impresses me so much, it also makes me think deeply about my own situation. Mi said her character is just like Brian's; they all know what is really going on with their heart and their lover, but they just don't speak it out..they're both extremely sensible, but want to maintain a rough appearance, i love them, both.


A lot of things is going on right now, i think people are never ready to face the things that just about to happen...I don't know..i don't want to change myself while people around me start turning themselves into religion..that is absolutely not what i want for the moment. Is that really a crime to be with a person you love? Is that the right thing to do if i abandon my own happiness to make other people who care about me happy? I just don't know..and don't want to think about it..I love her and I want to share my life with her, forever..


Julie is a nice photographer, who likes to use sepia in her photos..I always like her, as a friend..i like her character, her style..almost everything..

PS: McGill law school, dream of my eighteen's

Good old fashioned lover boy

I can dim the lights
And sing you songs full of sad things
We can do the tango just for two
I can serenade and gently play
On your heart strings
Be your valentino just for you

Ooh love ooh lover boy
What are you doing tonight hey boy?
Set my alarm turn on my charm
That's because I'm a good old fashioned lover boy

Ooh let me feel you heartbeat
(grow faster faster)
Ooh can you feel my love heat
Come on and sit on my hot seat of love
And tell me how do you feel right after all
I'd like for you and I to go romancing
Say the word your wish is my command

Ooh love ooh lover boy
What are you doing tonight hey boy?
Write my letter feel much better
And use my fancy patter on the telephone

When I'm not with you
Think of you always I miss you
(I miss those long hot summer nights)
When I'm not with you
Think of me always I love you love you
Hey boy where did you get it from?
Hey boy where did you go?
I learned my passion
In the good old fashioned school of lover boys

Dining at the ritz well meet at nine precisely
(one two three four five six seven eight nine)
I will pay the bill you taste the wine
Driving back in style in my saloon will do quite nicely
Just take me back to yours that will be fine
(come on and get it)
Ooh love ooh lover boy
What are you doing tonight hey boy?
Everythings all right just hold on tight
Thats because Im a good old fashioned lover boy