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Pygmalion

by George Bernard Shaw

Pygmalion

Pygmalion is a play by George Bernard Shaw. It tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics who makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can successfully pass off a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, as a refined society lady by teaching her how to speak with an upper class accent and training her in etiquette.

Source: Shaw, G. B. (1916). Pygmalion. Brentano's Press; New York, NY.

Preface
Preface to the text.
Act 1
Foul weather brings a common flower girl, note-taker, and gentleman together. The note-taker and the gentleman reveal their identities to one another.
Act 2
Eliza pays a visit to Higgins and Pickering.
Act 3
Higgins presents Eliza to a new crowd. Freddy finds himself infatuated with Eliza.
Act 4
Higgins and Pickering's conversation angers Eliza.
Act 5
Higgins and Pickering attempt to make amends with Eliza.
  • Year Published: 1916
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Ireland
  • Readability:
    • Flesch–Kincaid Level: 9.0
  • Word Count: 36,025
  • Genre: Romance
  • Keywords: history, philosophy, politics, society
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