The Origin of the Play Click the link above to read more about the Pygmalion Myth!
This artwork is painted by Jean-Baptiste Regnault in 1786 with the inspiration of the Pygmalion myth. The man in the orange robe is the sculptor, Pygmalion, who fell in love with his sculpture. This is similar to Shaw's version of the play as Higgins evidently falls in love with his "work of art", Eliza Doolittle, after transforming her into a lady. However, he fails to express his true feelings and thus, Eliza falls in love with another man, Freddy Eynsford-Hill.
Setting of Act IThis is the location where all the characters of the play were first introduced. The Eynsford-Hills were waiting for Freddy to get a cab while Eliza tried selling Clara and Mrs. Eynsford Hill flowers. Then, Higgins and Pickering appear and it turns out that they were looking for each other.
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Need help understanding the play?Click the link below to read a summary and analysis of each act! You can also take a reading quiz to test your knowledge!
Visual SynopsisHere is a video made by a student named Rebecca Bost. It decodes the Pygmalion myth and compares it to the play written by George Bernard Shaw.
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Pygmalion Movie (1938) |
My Fair Lady Movie (1964) |
Watch the original Pygmalion Movie here! This movie was nominated for a best Picture Academy Award, and won one for Best Screenplay (Written by famed playwright George Bernard Shaw and adapted by Ian Dalrymple).
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Watch the movie My Fair Lady here! It is a reenactment of Pygmalion starring Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle.
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Photos from a Pygmalion Play
Browse through this slideshow to look at pictures from a play produced by the Old Globe Theatre Center.