The Art of Speech in the Play Pygimalion

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The interchange between language and social class can be symbolized through Shaw’s characters. The author uses different characters to portray different aspects of class divisions. England’s social class, as a major theme, was clarified greatly through the art of speech. Throughout most of civilization, people have been divided in classes. There is the rich and powerful, the middle class who are less powerful but nonetheless respected, and the incapable poor. The author cleverly bestows his characters’ their own identity, by giving each a language and speech that suits their bubble of reality: their own social class. Shaw depicts members of all social classes, the lowest being Liza, known for her London’s working class cockney accent. Furthermore, the middle class (Doolittle after his inheritance) to the genteel poor (the Eynsford Hills) to the upper class (Pickering and the Higgins’ family). Those who were classified in the upper class, where known for their proper articulation for the English language. Even though the articulation was proper, it did not need to reach perfection. The author reflects this through Mr. Higgins, who was rich and well articulated, but his manners when speaking where not genteel as it was naturally supposed to be. Nevertheless, Shaw symbolizes the idea of language being intertwined with speech through our very own Pygmalion Mr. Higgins, a professor of speech and phonetics. Higgins was marvelous at his job and hobby, that he was capable of identifying where people were born- reveling their class- from their accents. This can be shown when the author stated, “ I can place any man within six miles. I can place him within two miles in London. Sometimes within two streets.” Not only where characters, throug... ... middle of paper ... ...ss than she is. That is of course, without her uttering a word. At her surprising transformation, even her father couldn’t recognize his own flesh and blood. This is shown when the author states: “: Beg Pardon, miss. Eliza: Garn! Don't you know your own daughter? Alfred: Bly me! Its Eliza.” Shaw uses both language and appearance to demonstrate how the working class where not used to the luxuries of the upper class. This trend of judging ones’ class from his appearance associated with speech was dragged till the end of the play. Without knowing about Doolittle’s alteration, Higgins judges Doolittle’s class from his appearance when talking to the maid. The author depicts this when he said, “Doolittle! Do you mean a dustman? Maid: Dustman! Oh no sir, a gentleman”. The way the rich viewed the poor, indicated the wide gap in society, as well as the arrogance of the elite

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