February 4

Pygmalion

480px-Gerome_pygmalion-galateePygmalion, the play written by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, was based on the Greek myth about a sculptor, Pygmalion, who fell in love with one of his statues, Galatea.

The play was first presented to the public in 1914, and made into a film in 1938. Other film versions of the play have followed, as well as films and musicals that are thematically linked to Pygmalion, such as Pretty Woman (Education Rita, Lars and the Real Girl, Mannequin, Her, She’s All That) and My Fair Lady.

The myth has not only inspired art (Pygmalion et Galatée by Jean-Leon Geromes – pictured, used under Creative Commons license) but also evoked a feminist backlash and, conversely, the term ‘Pygmalion effect’, which refers to the sociological phenomenon whereby higher expectations lead to an increase in performance.

Library Resources

822 SHA Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (2 copies)

DVD0878 Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion

822 LER My Fair Lady

DVD0210 My Fair Lady

Internet Resources

Pygmalion (full audiobook of the play)

Pygmalion, 1981, starring Robert Powell and Twiggy:


The author

The Nobel Prize in Literature 1925 was awarded to George Bernard Shaw “for his work which is marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty”.

ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw – biography

George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw quotes:

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”

“There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.”

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

You will find lots more Shaw quotes on Quotation Page here.

220px-Pygmalion_serialized_November_1914 Understanding the play

A video summary of Pygmalion

A teacher’s guide to George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion

Pygmalion guide (Shaw Festival)

Spark Notes

Cliff notes

Book Rags notes on Pygmalion

Pygmalion (Wikipedia)

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