Comparing Journey of the Magi by Eliot and Pygmalion by Shaw

T. S. Eliot’s poem ‘Journey of the Magi’ is rich in content, imagery, symbolism and above all Biblical References. The poem throws some powerful questions to all the readers and seeks answers from them. This poem is very deep and hard to understand at the very first reading. Its charm lies in its complexity and ambiguity. Here the poet talks about journey of three wise men from East and their struggle. Their journey starts at a very tough time of the atmosphere – “the worst time of the year” and that makes the task altogether more difficult. The very first step proved hard and unbearable for them. They know from the beginning that the journey is too long and will be tough to accomplish. The very weather was sharp and it was bone chilling, “very dead of winter”.

On the other hand, in ‘Pygmalion’ G. B. Shaw speaks something very similar. In the preface itself he makes his purpose very clear and tells that as a phonetician one can change the life of a layman. The reformation of the inner soul is possible if proper and systematic training could be provided to the countrymen. A planned rigorous linguistic training can bring a sea-change in the character of the person. He tells that English language can uplift the status of the person in the society. In the first act he introduces a Notetaker who is interested in noting down the speech of different class of people in the throng. The Notetaker feels that these people are not correct users of English language and in a way they are insulting the whole country. He is aware of all the hurdles in making them fluent speakers but as a humanitarian he never looses his hope. Hoping against hope he lives in the expectation that one day the change will come. The Flower Girl is also someone who ...

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...ns or Pickering. She realizes her own strengths and power and decides to opt for Freddy. In a way like a powerful woman she makes her mind to support Freddy life long.

Finally the poem takes so many references from Bible and it revolves around the events in Bible. On the other hand the play is based on a Greek Myth of Pygmalion and Galatea. But unlike the Myth here the heroine of the play rejects her trainer – creator – sculptor , Prof. Henry Higgins and leads her own destiny.

In the poem – ‘Journey of the Magi’ the transformation is well decided and not induced but in the play – ‘Pygmalion’ the transformation comes from someone else. Eliza wants to end up as a Lady in a Flower Shop and that is why she takes lessons from Higgins. In poem the magi are not satisfied with the change and same way in the play also Eliza is not satisfied with the transformation.