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ReflectiononPygmalion06英语师范(2)王健博060143718MostEnglishplaysbeforeBernardShawdidnotdiscussserioussocialissues.TheEnglishdramathenhadbeenremotefromreallifeformanygenerations.Thistendencygraduallychangedbytheendofthe19thcentury.InfluencedbyIbsen,ShawintroducedtoEnglandanewtypeofdrama.Hisplayswerenotperformedmerelytoamuseitsaudiences.Heusedthestageasaplatformforthetransmissionofideas,andofsocialandpoliticalreform.Pygmalionisapoignantsatireonhighlifeandartificiality.Atthebeginningoftheplaytheexternaldifferenceispointedoutbetweenthelanguageoftherichandthewell-educatedandthatofthecommonpeopleofthestreetsandwearetoldthat‘correctspeech’hasbeenconsideredbytheupperclassesastheiconofculture.IttellsthestoryofhowHiggins,alinguist,makesanexperimentbytakinginEliza,aflowergirlinthestreetwhospeaksthesimple,unculturedlanguagewithavulgarcockneyaccent,intoacharmingladyasculturedasanyaristocraticwomanwhoisconsideredsobyallthemenandwomenoftheso-called‘high’societyofculture.Thelinguistsucceedsinchangingtheoutsideofthegirl.Shelearnsthelanguageoftheculturedrich,theirmannersbutsheisdeeplyrootedinherownculturalbackground.EventuallysheleavesHigginsandpursuesherownwayoflife.Theplayisalsoacriticismofanyscientificattempttochangehumanbeingsintoexperimentalobjects.Thestyleoflifecannotbechangedbyanimposingforcefromoutside.Unlessthepersoniswillingtoacceptthechange,noonecanmakeithappenagainsthisorherwill.Andalso,hereShawridiculestheworthlessdollsoftheLondon‘Society’andsatiresthefashionableschoolsfornobleladieswhichtakesuchpainstogiveculturetoaristocraticwomen.Afterall,whatimpressmemostareratherthechangesbetweentheinternalfeelingsofheroandheroinethantheobviousandinitialpurposeoftheplay,i.e.toexposehypocrisyofthethensociety.Ontheonehand,fromthelinguistHigginspointofview,weperceivethevulnerableinternalworldthatwehumanbeingsallhaveafterElizaleaveshimthoughhowpompoushemaybe.Fromtimetotime,wefindourselvesheardtherepetitivestatementsaidbyHigginsthathewouldnevereverletawomanintohislifeafterhespecifiesalmostalltheshortcomingsofwomenhebelievestobe.However,Higgins,asanordinarypersonthoughpresumptuousandbad-temperedsometimes,isahumanbeingwithfleshandblood.Healsoneedssomewhatintricatefeelingstoreliefhisvoidmindandheart;especiallyhehasbeenwithElizaforabout6months.Onlyafterhelosesheraccustomed‘Goodmorning’and‘Goodnight’doesherealizethathelosessomethingsomewhatlikeloveinsideunderhisfakemaskanddoeshecherishthewonderfultimewithhercharmingladythathecan’thelpplaytherecordedsoundofElizawiththoughtfloatingaround.Ontheotherhand,fromtheflowerladyvantagepoint,wemayalsofindsomecluesthatElizainvolvesinthisabove-mentionedloveaffairaswell.Itishardforustobelievethatafterthesuccessfuldanceballceremony,alltheHigginsfamilymemberscongratulatewitheachotherexceptElizatowhomnobodycaresorevenconsidersherfeelings;sheisjustlikeapuppetsuccessfullymadebyanotherpersonforacertainpurpose,butafterallthevanitydisappear,therealsoexistslonelyinherheartandhopelessfuturelyingahead.Howcouldthishappen?Ofcourse,Higginscan’tunderstandwhy.Shemakesherselfunderstoodbysaying‘Icanbearallthescoldingandbeatingbyyourrudeness,butwhatIcannotbearisyourdisregardofmyexistence’bywhichweknowElizastillhasherowndignityeventhoughsheplaystheroleofapuppet.Sheisalsoapersonwithfleshandblood;shealsoneedsother’scareandloveforher.Intheend,somethingsummoninherheartwherebyshereturnstotheprofessor’shouseonlyfindhimselfdeeplyguiltyofwhathehasdonetoher.Thus,twoseeminglyseparatedheartsencounterinconvergenceultimately,whichmakestheendfascinatingandmemorabletoaudiencesbymakingaprettyandcuteinterrogativesentenceaskedbyHiggins‘Whereismyslippers?’,addingaperfectandlaststroketothewholestory.