Pygmalion :: essays research papers

Shaw’s play "Pygmalion" and the movie "Born Yesterday" both explore many of the same issues and characteristics. They are similar because they both portray that what other people think should not matter as much as what you think of yourself but, what show yourself to be is how people will think and view of you. This is shown by similarities between the characters Billie and Eliza and the combined attitudes of Harry and Paul to Henry Higgins. They also both share the plot of taking someone who does not belong and changing them to belonging. Both pieces have quite similar themes. They both focus on the idea that the way you carry yourself and the way you speak shows to the outside world what type of person you are. They also explore that what you think of yourself should matter more then what others think of you. In "Born Yesterday" Billie, played by Melanie Griffith, is viewed by her intellectual level and not for her soul. When her intellect grew so did her self worth. In her growth of self worth she began to carry herself confidently. In exchange people treated her better. In "Pygmalion", Eliza is also judged on superficial matters. Even though Eliza did not have much class she still had some pride in herself that kept her strong. But unfortunately, Higgins did not pay attention to her words. He only paid attention to how she said them. He showed how he thought of her when he said, "It’s almost irresistible. She’s so deliciously low, so horribly dirty." [p 26] Higgins never once says what a nice woman Eliza is only how irritating her voice is. In both stories, there is also the sub-theme that the lead female is misplace by the changes that are thrust upon them. Billie feels less happiness about all her old favorite things when exposed to knowledge. Eliza realizes that the truthfulness of her old life when she is exposed to the superficial way of high society. This brings out the theme that ignorance is bliss and that we should not take anything we already have for granted. Eliza shows this point when she says, "I an a child in your country. I have forgotten my own language and can speak nothing but yours. That is the real break off with the corner of Tottenham court road." [page 94] The characters in "Born Yesterday" And "Pygmalion" are uncannily similar to one another.