Reviews - Пигмалион

1.32k reviews for:

Пигмалион

George Bernard Shaw

3.75 AVERAGE

cecifeli's review against another edition

2.5

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jeslyncat's review against another edition

4.0

mariafernandagama's review against another edition

5.0

Oh my God, this is absolute perfection. How smart, how funny, how sharp and well written! An instant favorite for me. The play itself is wonderful but the afterword is where this really stands out. Here I was, a modern, feminist woman, partly hoping to see the main characters married, him finally admitting that his feelings got the better of him and her being able to conquer him, sweep him of his proud pedestal, change him in the most fundamental ways through the power of love and passion. Yes, that would have been an extremely pathetic story, but what can I say? Sometimes these ingrained and false notions of reality still get the better of me. And how devastated I am to admit that a white man from a century ago has schooled me on this subject by explaining in no uncertain terms that this isn't a love story, it's an emancipation story. People can't be changed and can't be brought out from stone unless they're willing to do so. And nobody should be expected to endure bullying and disrespect from their partners for the sake of love and a happy ending. It was so refreshing to find such a mature and healthy outlook coming from a place I wasn't at all expecting. And don't get me started on her father: I must have highlighted every single line he spoke. I wish I could see this in action someday, I really hope I get a chance to.

typewriter's review against another edition

I saw My Fair Lady years ago and Pygmaion definitely dredged up costume and set memories I didn't know I still had. The humour, as in My Fair Lady, absolutely didn't land for me, but I can see how it would've for Shaw's contemporaries. I don't think that necessarily makes it a bad piece of art; I can definitely (with help from the very well-written Penguin preface) see how Shaw was working to critique classism and include feminist perspectives. Overall an interesting play that I don't think I'll ever be able to appreciate as intended. I would absolutely read a modern sequel about Liza's messy messy relationship (NOT in a romantic sense) with Higgins and Pickering and also how she

runs the flower shop with Freddy

(the sequel included in the penguin edition was borderline more interesting than the play itself in terms of plot).

ethanssss's review against another edition

4.0

A classic for a reason. I'm looking forward to studying it for my literature class.

evelinmonde's review against another edition

3.0

*3.75

ali_enza's review against another edition

5.0

I grew up watching My Fair Lady. I love that movie, the music, the storyline, everything about it (except for maybe the ending, I could never quite understand why she goes back to Higgens after he was such an ass... but that's another issue entirely). When I found out it was based on a play, I knew I had to read it, but I never seemed to have the time until now. I read it in a day. It was a great read, both easy and fun. I was impressed at how many of the lines I recognized from the movie. It's incredible how much was able to stay.
While reading the play, I was totally engrossed by the storyline even though I already knew the story so well.