Pygmalion

Written by George Bernard Shaw

Part of the Dover Thrift Editions series

A linguist bets he can transform a flower girl into a society lady.

3.9 Goodreads · 111,949 ratings

82 pages· 32,030 words· Est. 3 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Professor Henry Higgins, a linguistic expert, wagers he can turn Eliza, a cockney flower seller, into a refined lady by altering her speech and manners. As Eliza blossoms, society is fooled, but Higgins finds himself entangled in his own creation. Will the transformation reveal more than just a change in class? Shaw's 'Pygmalion' humorously critiques social hierarchies and explores the unexpected consequences of transformation.

From the publisher

When George Bernard Shaw wrote “Pygmalion” more than a half century ago, it seemed unlikely that his little play would eventually be converted into one of the great musicals of our time, “My Fair Lady,” and a motion picture that captured numerous Academy Awards. Yet such popularity should not have been surprising since succeeding generations of readers and playgoers find continual relevance in the story of a speech therapist who successfully converts an untutored flower girl into a darling of high society. The extraordinary wit of the master dramatist of the twentieth century has not lost its sharp edge as it cuts away at the artificially of class distinctions and the callousness of indifference to human worth.

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