byhas a plot derived
from the classical myth concerning Pygmalion and Galatea, in which the sculptor, Pygmalion,
fashioned Galatea, the perfect women, and then Aphrodite gave the sculpture life. In Shaw's
retelling of the story, Professor Higgins tries to shape Eliza Doolittle into the perfect
aristocratic woman, who can pass for a Duchess at a party.
Shaw, however,
rejects the model of woman simply as a passive object shaped by the male
will. Eliza Doolittle is a woman with a mind of her own and while she learns manners and style
of speech from Higgins, she refuses to be controlled by him. In fact, among the two most
effective and strong-willed characters of the play are Eliza and Mrs. Higgins.
Eliza rejects the role of a passive object to be formed by Higgins and instead chooses
to marry the weak-willed and amiable Freddy. Shaw sees that strength of character can be found
in both men and women equally, and he argues in the Afterword that romantic pairings, rather
than being dominated by males, are balanced, with strong characters marrying weaker ones,
irrespective of gender:
Eliza has no use for the foolish
romantic tradition that all women love to be mastered, if not actually bullied and beaten. ...
[S]trong people, masculine or feminine, not only do not marry stronger people, but ... seek for
every other quality in a partner than strength.
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