Introduction

This story is attributed to the Roman author, Ovid.

Story

Please read the story. Remember that it has been translated.

Pygmalion Abhorr'd all womankind, but most a wife: the Statue

So single chose to live, and shunn'd to wed,

Well pleas'd to want a consort of his bed.

Yet fearing idleness, the nurse of ill,

In sculpture exercis'd his happy skill;

And carv'd in iv'ry such a maid, so fair,

As Nature could not with his art compare,

Were she to work; but in her own defence

Must take her pattern here, and copy hence.

Pleas'd with his idol, he commends, admires,

Adores; and last, the thing ador'd, desires.

A very virgin in her face was seen,

And had she mov'd, a living maid had been:

One wou'd have thought she cou'd have stirr'd, but strove

With modesty, and was asham'd to move.

Art hid with art, so well perform'd the cheat,

It caught the carver with his own deceit:

He knows 'tis madness, yet he must adore,

And still the more he knows it, loves the more:

The flesh, or what so seems, he touches oft,

Which feels so smooth, that he believes it soft.

Fir'd with this thought, at once he strain'd the breast, A

nd on the lips a burning kiss impress'd.

'Tis true, the harden'd breast resists the gripe,

And the cold lips return a kiss unripe:

But when, retiring back, he look'd again,

To think it iv'ry, was a thought too mean:

So wou'd believe she kiss'd, and courting more,

Again embrac'd her naked body o'er;

And straining hard the statue, was afraid

His hands had made a dint, and hurt his maid:

Explor'd her limb by limb, and fear'd to find

So rude a gripe had left a livid mark behind:

With flatt'ry now he seeks her mind to move,

And now with gifts (the pow'rful bribes of love),

He furnishes her closet first; and fills

The crowded shelves with rarities of shells;

Adds orient pearls, which from the conchs he drew,

And all the sparkling stones of various hue:

And parrots, imitating human tongue,

And singing-birds in silver cages hung:

And ev'ry fragrant flow'r, and od'rous green,

Were sorted well, with lumps of amber laid between:

Rich fashionable robes her person deck,

Pendants her ears, and pearls adorn her neck:

Her taper'd fingers too with rings are grac'd,

And an embroider'd zone surrounds her slender waste.

Thus like a queen array'd, so richly dress'd,

Beauteous she shew'd, but naked shew'd the best.

Then, from the floor, he rais'd a royal bed,

With cov'rings of Sydonian purple spread:

The solemn rites perform'd, he calls her bride,

With blandishments invites her to his side;

And as she were with vital sense possess'd,

Her head did on a plumy pillow rest.

The feast of Venus came, a solemn day,

To which the Cypriots due devotion pay;

With gilded horns the milk-white heifers led,

Slaughter'd before the sacred altars, bled.

Pygmalion off'ring, first approach'd the shrine,

And then with pray'rs implor'd the Pow'rs divine:

Almighty Gods, if all we mortals want,

If all we can require, be yours to grant;

Make this fair statue mine, he wou'd have said,

But chang'd his words for shame; and only pray'd,

Give me the likeness of my iv'ry maid.

The golden Goddess, present at the pray'r,

Well knew he meant th' inanimated fair,

And gave the sign of granting his desire;

For thrice in chearful flames ascends the fire.

The youth, returning to his mistress, hies,

And impudent in hope, with ardent eyes,

And beating breast, by the dear statue liesHe kisses her white lips, renews the bliss,

And looks, and thinks they redden at the kiss;

He thought them warm before: nor longer stays,

But next his hand on her hard bosom lays:

Hard as it was, beginning to relent,

It seem'd, the breast beneath his fingers bent;

He felt again, his fingers made a print;

'Twas flesh, but flesh so firm, it rose against the dint:

The pleasing task he fails not to renew;

Soft, and more soft at ev'ry touch it grew;

Like pliant wax, when chasing hands reduce

The former mass to form, and frame for use.

He would believe, but yet is still in pain,

And tries his argument of sense again,

Presses the pulse, and feels the leaping vein.

Convinc'd, o'erjoy'd, his studied thanks, and praise,

To her, who made the miracle, he pays:

Then lips to lips he join'd; now freed from fear,

He found the savour of the kiss sincere:

At this the waken'd image op'd her eyes,

And view'd at once the light, and lover with surprize.

The Goddess, present at the match she made,

So bless'd the bed, such fruitfulness convey'd,

That ere ten months had sharpen'd either horn,

To crown their bliss, a lovely boy was born;

Paphos his name, who grown to manhood, wall'd

The city Paphos, from the founder call'd.

Introduction

Like Orpheus, this story is another one about an artist almost getting what he wants.

Pygmalion and Galatea, p. 108

Does he get it?

Writing

Why might poets like this particular story?

Introduction

This play begins in a lovely and nasty manner.

Questions

Answer the following questions.

Introduction

Liza makes it into the house.

Questions

Please answer the following questions completely.

Introduction

The training begins in earnest.

Introduction

You would think everyone would be happy, after the bet is won and all.

Questions

Answer the following questions thoroughly.

1. Who doesn't Higgins notice in the room? Why doesn't he?

2. Why does she throw his slippers at him?

3. Did she ever love him? How do you know?

4. What does she say that angers him?

5. How does he answer her?

6. Why does she leave him?

Introduction

But they are, after all, made for each other.

Questions

1. Who is Henry calling? Where is Eliza?

2. Why do the two of them have no sense (as Mrs. Higgins puts it)

3. What has happened to Doolittle? Why is that a curse?

4. Why doesn't he give back the money?

5. What is the "brutal way" she has been treated?

6. What does Eliza do to infuriate Higgins?

7. According to Liza, what’s the difference between a flower girl and a lady?

8. Who did she really learn her lessons from?

9. Why can't she swear at him anymore?

10. What is funny about Doolittle's re-appearance?

11. Why did Doolittle's mistress agree to marry him?

12. According to Doolittle, How were Pickering and Higgins "cunning"

13. If she goes back, how will Higgins treat her?

14. What is the great secret?

15. What has Higgins fallen for?

16. Why did he like her better when she threw the slippers than when she fetched them?

17. Why does Freddy get him mad?

18. How does Higgins betray his affection?

19. Why can't she go back to the gutter?

20. What is she going to teach? How is that Higgins comeuppance?

21. Why does he lover more now?

22. Why isn't Higgins coming to church?

23. Why does he give her a purchase list?

24. Why is Higgins laughing at the end of the play?

Suppose, as Shaw intended, the play ended here. Is this an ending? Does she return or doesn't she?

If she returns, how will she have to act for it to be a happy house?

If she marries Freddy, will it be a happy marriage?

Is that a good ending to the play?

If she returns to Wimpole street, what does that say about Higgins teaching?

Introduction

Shaw couldn’t leave well enough alone, so he wrote an epilogue.

Questions

Answer the following questions thoughtfully.

1. When the average reader approaches this epilogue, what does he expect to happen?

2. According to Shaw, why wouldn't Higgins marry?

3. Why didn't Eliza truly want Higgins?

4. What is Shaw's attitude towards marriage?

5. Why does she marry Freddy?

6. Are they happy?

7. What are the complications that ensued?

8. How does Freddy;s family deal witht he match? What occupation do they later take up?

9. Does everyone live happily ever after?

10. According to the last sentence, why doesn't Galatea like Pygmalion?