The story of Professor Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, who wagers that he can turn a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into the toast of London society merely by teaching her how to speak with an upper-class accent. In the process, he becomes fond of her and attempts to direct her future, but she rejects his domineering ways and marries a young but poor man of the genteel class, Freddy.
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The story of Professor Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, who wagers that he can turn a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into the toast of London society merely by teaching her how to speak with an upper-class accent. In the process, he becomes fond of her and attempts to direct her future, but she rejects his domineering ways and marries a young but poor man of the genteel class, Freddy.
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Pygmalion is one of several volumes in the Treasury of Illustrated Classics. The books in this series are adaptations of great works of literature and are designed for younger readers. Though written for children, adults will enjoy this version of George Bernard Shaw's classic play, Pygmalion.
In ancient Greek mythology Pygmalion was a sculptor who ruled as king of the island of Cyprus. Disappointed with the wicked women of his day, he carved a beautiful ivory statue of a woman and fell in love with it. In answer to his prayer, Aphrodite made the statue a living woman, Galatea. Pygmalion married her, and they had a son, Paphos.
In 1912 George Bernard Shaw wrote Pygmalion, a play with some similarities to the ancient Greek myth. Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, seeks to change a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into a duchess and win a bet in the process. Thus begins a strained relationship between two members of the upper and lower classes of England. Shaw's support of social reform and disdain for class distinctions is evident in this story. As previously mentioned, this book is designed for younger readers, but adults will find it to be a well-written adaptation of a classic play about English society. The book concludes with a brief biographical profile of George Bernard Shaw.
