Pygmalian and My Fair Lady Comparative Analysis Anonymous College

My Fair Lady, the 1964 musical film written by Alan Jay Lerner and directed by George Cukor, is a somewhat effective adaptation of the 1913 play Pygmalion written by George Bernard Shaw. Although slight changes in the characterization of central characters in the film undermine Shaw’s intended message regarding women in the 20th century, the film expands upon and strengthens the principal components of the written work by utilizing color to enhance the setting as well as taking advantage of specific film elements to encompass the social class rigidity of Victorian era London.

The film adaptation brought with it an array of differences in the characterization of the character’s of Eliza Doolittle and Professor Higgins. In turn, these characterization shifts altered Shaw’s original message promoting women’s independence. In Act I of Pygmalion, when we are first introduced to the characters of Eliza and Professor Higgins, Higgins refers to Eliza as “a woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds” and as a result, “has no right to be anywhere - no right to live”. (Shaw 16). Here, Shaw characterizes Higgins as one who looks down on others. Higgins, as a character, has no shame and openly treats those around him like dirt....