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ran_sophia's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Pygmalion is a very well written play and I loved to read it. I love the great storyline and character development. The author has done a very good job of describing class differences at the beginning of the 20th century.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Misogyny and Classism
Minor: Cursing
akissforcatullus's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The likely destructive relationship of the artist and the muse.
Being the first play I’ve read, it felt essential to listen to the audiobook while I read it (it’s free on youtube) and gosh, everything felt much more fluid and distinguishable and easy while listening to the different accents being read aloud. Pygmalion is a thought-provoking play centred around a poor, Cockney, flower-girl named Eliza. The setting is early 20th century London, so class is certainly a focal point. We have Mr Higgins, a tyrannical phoneticist, and Mr Pickering, a much more gentler phoneticist. Both are intrigued by Eliza’s request for lessons to make her speak more genteel—so she can get a job in a nice flower shop. Pickering offers to pay for her lessons and bets Higgins that he can't teach Eliza to speak so well that she passes as a noble at an ambassador's garden party coming up. Higgins and Pickerings incentive to help her is solely for the reason of seeing if they can fool the upper class—being that Higgins at least sees through the hypocrisy of the Victorian social hierarchy, and because of it, relishes in the opportunity to beat high society at its own game. Mr Higgins agrees and becomes her teacher, but since he’s incredibly callous and insulting to Eliza, Mr Pickering finds himself being a sort of mediator for the two, as well as, a person that Eliza learns the proper manners of a gentle person from.
Being the first play I’ve read, it felt essential to listen to the audiobook while I read it (it’s free on youtube) and gosh, everything felt much more fluid and distinguishable and easy while listening to the different accents being read aloud. Pygmalion is a thought-provoking play centred around a poor, Cockney, flower-girl named Eliza. The setting is early 20th century London, so class is certainly a focal point. We have Mr Higgins, a tyrannical phoneticist, and Mr Pickering, a much more gentler phoneticist. Both are intrigued by Eliza’s request for lessons to make her speak more genteel—so she can get a job in a nice flower shop. Pickering offers to pay for her lessons and bets Higgins that he can't teach Eliza to speak so well that she passes as a noble at an ambassador's garden party coming up. Higgins and Pickerings incentive to help her is solely for the reason of seeing if they can fool the upper class—being that Higgins at least sees through the hypocrisy of the Victorian social hierarchy, and because of it, relishes in the opportunity to beat high society at its own game. Mr Higgins agrees and becomes her teacher, but since he’s incredibly callous and insulting to Eliza, Mr Pickering finds himself being a sort of mediator for the two, as well as, a person that Eliza learns the proper manners of a gentle person from.
It’s a great play that touches upon sexism and classism, as well as puts into question the absurd idea of Victorian/middle class manners and the belief that such things are either innate or not. It was lovely to see an outspoken, female character like Eliza. I revel in this sentence written after the play has ended (sequel): ‘Eliza has no use for the foolish romantic tradition that all women love to be mastered, if not actually bullied and beaten.’
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism and Sexism
ninahuynh's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Love Mrs. Higgins! She was the balance to the characters.
Read it along with the audiobook and got to say, it's a new experience! Plays are meant to be performed, so hearing it while also reading along help me visualize the scene and characters better.
Read it along with the audiobook and got to say, it's a new experience! Plays are meant to be performed, so hearing it while also reading along help me visualize the scene and characters better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing
meghen's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
mark_of_a_reader's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Ableism
keepsleep's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, and Sexism
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