
Pygmalion
あらすじ
Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion is a witty and thought-provoking play that explores themes of social class, transformation, and the power of language. First performed in 1913, the play remains one of Shaw's most celebrated works, blending comedy with sharp social critique. The story follows Professor Henry Higgins, a phonetics expert, who makes a bet with his friend, Colonel Pickering, that he can transform a poor flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into a refined lady simply by teaching her proper speech and manners. Eliza, eager to improve her station in life, agrees to the experiment. However, as her transformation progresses, she begins to question her own identity and independence. Shaw cleverly satirizes the rigid British class system, highlighting the superficiality of social status. He emphasizes that one's position in society is often determined by external factors such as language and appearance rather than intelligence or character. Eliza's journey raises important questions about self-w