George Bernard Shaw's play, Pygmalion, challenges traditional notions of class and gender roles and explores the effects of language and education on individual identity. Pygmalion remains relevant because the issues it reveals transcend its original Edwardian era, connecting to today's evolving social norms.
How is language used to reproduce stereotypes in the media, television, and films? Think about how certain accents and dialects contribute to stereotypes and caricatures. In what ways do you think your language is connected to your identity? Where are the parallels with Pygmalion?
What characteristics or qualities define social class? What factors have the most impact on a person's ability to move up the social ladder? Where in the play do questions of social mobility come up?
In your opinion, do some people have to be poor for others to be rich? Is extreme wealth in and of itself a social problem? What scenes from Pygmalion support your ideas?
What’s the difference between being smart and being intelligent? How do you recognize these characteristics in others? What kinds of intelligence or smarts do you have? In Pygmalion, who is smarter--Higgins or Eliza? Why? Does your opinion of who is smarter change as the play progresses?
Can people change? Have you experienced/initiated a change in your life that has made you feel like a “new person”? Has Eliza changed in the play? Who is responsible for her transformation? Where does Higgins’s talent and creativity end and Eliza’s independence begin? As Eliza’s creator, does Higgins deserve a certain amount of control over her?
Full text of Pygmalion