1

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_Shaw’s

“Pygmalion”

und

Russels

“Educating Rita”

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Preface

Theme:

The

dramatic

function

of

Mrs.

Pearce

in

“Pygmalion“.

Invent

an

analogous

figure

in

Act

2,

Scene

5

of

“Educating Rita“.

1. Pygmalion

1.1 The author - about G.B. Shaw*

George

Bernard

Shaw

was

born

in

Dublin

on

26

th

of

July 1856 and died in November, 11

th

, 1950 in Ayot

St.

Lawrence,

Hertfordshire.

As

a

son

of

a

successless,

drinking

grain

merchant

he

grew

up

near

the

state

of

neglect

in

a

protestant

house.

Through

his

mother

he

discovered

his

interests

in

music

and

literature.

After

educating

himself

he

began

to

work

as

a

music

critic.

At

the

age

of

twenty

he

decided

to

become

a

novelist.

His

critical

view

onto

the

Victorian

England

and

his

intention to draw attention to the evils caused by

poverty made him a famous critic. He gained his

success

as

a

novelist

by

provocating

the

audience

and

through

his

wit

and

brilliant

dialogs

concerning

the

human

intellect.

Further

important

pieces and essays of Shaw for instance are:

2

Androcoles and the lion; Arms and the Man; Man and

Superman; Saint Joan; Mrs. Warren’s Profession; The

quintessence of Ibsenism.

1.2 The play - about Pygmalion*

The

theatreplay

Pygmalion,

written

in

1912

by

George B. Shaw is based on a Greek legend about a

kypric king called Pygmalion, who fell in love with

a

female

statue

he

had

created.

This

statue,

Galatea by name, was revived to life by the goddess

Aphrodite.

Shaw’s Pygmalion takes shape in Professor Higgins,

a

genius

of

phonetics

and

dialects.

His

only

passion

is

the

English

speech.

He

is

convinced

of

the

nobility

of

the

English

language

and

in

his

opinion

the

social

standard

of

a

human

being

depends

on

his

or

her

accent.

Higgins`

Galatea

is

the

flowergirl

Eliza

Doolittle,

who

attracted

Higgins` attention because of her gutter-jargon. He

met

her

at

a

bus-station

where

he

becomes

acquainted

with

Colonel

Pickering,

who

is

interested in phonetics too. In his whole behavior

Pickering

is

a

perfect

gentleman

and

treats

Eliza

like

a

lady

all

the

time.

According

to

his

own

interests in phonetics he makes a bet with Higgins.

Higgins

opinion

is,

that

he

can

make

Eliza

speak

and

behave

like

a

lady

out

of

the

higher

society

within

6

month.

The

illusion

of

the

comftable

environment

of

Higgins’

bachelor-household

brakes

down

as

Eliza

recognizes,

that

she

is

only

a

“guinea

pig”

for

Higgins.

After

some

difficulties

rising

out

of

Elizas’

and

Higgins’

conflict,

they

have success, but this success is not the merit of

the

drill

the

Professor

practiced

to

make

a

lady

out

of

the

flowergirl;

the

good

manners

of

3

Pickering

and

the

fair

but

down-to-earth-bringing

treatment

of

Mrs.

Pearce

are

the

reasons,

that

Eliza kept her self-respect in her way of becoming

a well-educated woman.

*

:based on -Bertelsmann Universallexikon 1989

-Kindlers Literaturlexikon; Hrsg. Walter Jens 1990

-Lektürehilfen Pygmalion/Educating Rita; Detlef

and Margret Ziegesar

-Pygmalion; G.B. Shaw

2.Analysis – Mrs. Pearce

2.1 Characterization

Mrs. Pearce is Professor Higgins’ housekeeper. She

seems

to

be

an

ordinary

woman

out

of

the

middle-

class. Her standard is not as high as Higgins’ is,

but

even

higher

than

the

Elizas’.

She

is

rather

educated

and

believes

in

good

manners;

she

always

attaches

importance

to

a

good

behavior.

(“You

mustn’t speak to the gentleman like that”; see Pyg.

P.24)

The

striking

charactertrades

of

Mrs.

Pearce

are

resoluteness,

rationality,

calmness

and

practicality,

but

she

is

respectable

and

sensible

too.

The

fact

of

being

the

only

woman

in

this

“bachelor-household” can’t harm her.

It

is

her

profession

is

to

arrange;

not

only

the

household. She has to arrange the life of employer

in case of his livelihood with other people and she

supports

and

influences

his

decisions

with

her

common sense, but not succeeding all the time. “She

treats

her

employer

like

a

small

boy

who

needs

looking after.” (Lektürehilfen; p.51)

Although she is an employee, she knows how to

defend

against

Higgins’

snide

remarks:

she

never

4

deigns to a discussion; she is trying to keep her

head

all

the

time.

In

the

situation

for

instance,

in

which

Higgins

tells,

after

Mrs.

Pearce

has

quoted,

that

there

is

no

room

for

Eliza,

that

he

will put Eliza into the dustbin. Even it is meant

ironical

and

sarcastic,

Mrs.

Pearce

answers,

that

Higgins must reasonable and that he can’t walk over

everybody.

Then,

as

he

refuses

against

being

reproached

with

indiscretion

and

tactlessness,

she

and

Pickering

are

laughing

about

his

exaggerated

reaction

and

are

exposing

his

own

contradictions.

(comp. Pygmalion; p. 27)

A

hint

to

her

common

sense

is

her

appealing

to

Higgins’

objectiv view on the situation, that he can’t pick

Eliza up like a pebble on the beach for using her

for his goals. (see Pyg.; p.27f.) Mrs. Pearce wants

to

make

him

recognize

his

own

selfishness.

She

tries

to

prevent

Higgins’

idea,

but

it

fails,

because Higgins neglects her arguments.

Mrs.

Pearce

has

also

an

influence

on

Eliza.

From

the

beginning

“she

shows

sympathy

for

Liza,

although

she

calls

her

a

foolish

ignorant

girl,

a

silly girl and a child” (Lektürenhilfe; p.51); she

tries

to

spear

her

from

what

will

happen.

But

without success: her influence has borders, because

she is only an employee.

As

she

recognizes,

that

she

can’t

prevent

the

following, she decides to support Eliza by keeping

her

down

to

earth.

Later

Higgins

says:

“You

can

adopt

her,

Mrs.

Pearce[...]”

.

She

doesn’t

refuse

and

begins

to

sorrow

about

Eliza’s

future.

(see

Pyg.; p.29)

And,

because

Eliza

is

not

able

to

defend

against

Higgins, so Mrs. Pearce protects her. For instance

5

on page 28: “Nonsense Sir. You mustn’t talk to her

like that.”

2.2 Dramatic function of Mrs. Pearce

The

person

of

Mrs.

Pearce

does

not

exist

for

the

sake

of

herself.

Through

the

character

of

the

housekeeper

Shaw

invents

a

elemental

figure,

who

presents

a

look

under

the

surface

of

the

other

characters,

specially

Higgins.

She

points

out

the

mistakes

and

the

contradictions

in

Higgins’

behavior. On page 36 for example, she asks him not

to

swear

before

the

girl.

He

refuses

against

this

reproach, but in the same breath he asks: “What the

devil

do

you

mean?”.

It

is

not

only

one

of

many

examples according his bad manners.

By recognizing

this paradox and complacent reaction, the audience

gets

an

examination

of

the

obscuring

self-

confidence and arrogance of Professor Higgins, who

makes himself very ridiculous.

Through

Mrs.

Pearce

Shaw

gives

a

voice

to

the

audience

on

stage.

That,

what

the

spectators

may

think about Higgins is expressed by her behavior.

But

her

function

is

not

only

a

connection

between

Mr. Higgins and the audience.

Mrs. Pearce mediates between Higgins and Eliza, she

intervenes

in

the

conflict

and

arranges

the

“living-together”. Later in the play Eliza is able

to

defend

herself

against

Higgins

sarcasm.

From

this

point

there

is

no

need

for

Mrs.

Pearce

any

longer.

3. Educating Rita

6

3.1 The author – about W. Russell

*

William

Martin

Russell

was

born

as

a

son

of

a

worker,

who

later

buyed

a

fish-and-ship

shop,

in

1947

near

Liverpool.

He

had

an

antipathy

towards

education and left school at the age of 15 with the

idea of becoming a writer. First he began to work

at

a

hairdressers.

Then,

after

he

discovered

his

faibl

for

bourgeosis

theatre,

he

started

learning

how to become a teacher with the aim to write for

the working class. After have worked some years as

a

teacher

at

St.

Katharine’s

College

of

Education

he decided to become a full-time writer.

3.2 The play – about Educating Rita

*

Rita, a hairdresser out of the middle-class goes to

the

Open

University

to

become

a

better-educated

woman.

Frank,

her

teacher,

is

an

alcoholic,

who

tries to escape from the reality he won’t or can’t

accept, by drowning his sorrows in alcohol. Rita is

enthusiastic

from

the

beginning;

she

wants

to

everything. Out of this commercial and superficial

relationship

grows

a

kind

of

friedship,

because

Rita

begings

to

tell

him

everything

about

her

privat life. After having visited the summerschool,

Rita comes back as a totally changed person. Slowly

rises

a

conflict

between

Frank

and

Rita.

The

main

reason

for

this

conflict

is

the

self-confidence

Rita

reached;

she

wears

a

mask,

which

behind

her

orginality has lost, further she tries to influence

him. They begin to depart from each other, because

there

is

no

longer

dependence.

In

the

end

Frank

takes

a

two-year

taking

sabbatical

in

Australia.

7

Rita

realizes,

that

she

has

gone

wrong

and

thanks

him for what he has teached her.

She lies down her mask and with a view on reality

she has many choices in this open-end.

*

:based on

-Kindlers Literaturlexikon; Hrsg. Walter Jens 1990

-Lektürehilfen Pygmalion/Educating Rita; Detlef

and Margret Ziegesar

-Educating Rita; W. Russell

4. Creative Works

4.1 Mr. Wright – invention of a new character

Introduction:

The plot of Educating Rita depends on two

acting persons. Other characters, Denny and Trish

for example, are involved only in an indirect way

into the action; they only have a passive influence

on the main-characters. None intervenes in the

later rising conflict, like Mrs. Pearce in the

parallel play Pygmalion does. Her function as a

“buffer” between the main-character and her way of

keeping them down to earth in a neutral and

reasonable way by pointing out their mistakes are

reflecting in the new-invented character of Mr.

Wright, the caretaker of the University.

Mr. Wright

Mr. Wright is the old caretaker of the University.

The most people say ironically, that he is one of

the fixtures. He has seen many teacher and

countless students coming and going.

8

His education is not very high, but on a solid

standard; in his long career he learnt very much,

because he does not the world pass by. He has ever

an open ear for everyone and watches his

environment with open eyes. Even if he is out of

the working class he enjoys a reputation as a

rational, sensible and respected man.

He knows about Franks problems and tries to

confront him with it.

4.2 Mr. Wright in Educating Rita; Act 2/Scene 5

The

light

come

up

on

Frank

sitting

in

a

chair

by

the

window

desk

with

a

mug

in

his

hand

and

a

bottle

of

whiskey

on

the

desk

in

front

of

him

listening

to

the

radio.

There

is

a

knock

at

the

door

Frank: Come in.

Mr. Wright enters the room with a toolbox in his

hand

Frank: What the hell (turning around) – oh, it’s

you Mr.Wright. (turning off the radio)

What’s

the matter?

Mr. Wright (placing the toolbox besides the

Door)

Good

morning

Sir,

I

came

for

repairing

the

door.

It’s

squeaking

and

jamming,

isn’t

it? -Hey, is anything wrong with you, Frank?

Frank: (flaring up, hammering his mug onto the

table) What shall be wrong with me?

Perhaps there is something wrong with you.

(whispering) ... sorry.

Mr. Wright (beginning with repairing the door)

Alright Mr. Byrant, calm down. Be assured,

your problems I’ll keep under my hat. You

9

have to cope with that, and nobody else.

If you want to talk about ...

Frank:

(talking

to

himself

standing

in

front

of

the window ) I don’t have any problems ...

After a little while Rita enters the room, greeting

Mr. Wright with a smile

Mr. Wright: Hello Rita.

Frank: (dazed; to Mr. Wright) Rita? (turning

around; to Rita) What the hell are you doing

here? I’m seeing you till next week.

Rita: Are you sober? Are you?

Frank: If you mean am I still this side of

reasonable comprehension, then yes.

Mr. Wright: If I may interrupt. Rita – if you ask

me,

come

back

later

again,

this

would

be

better for you both.

Frank: Damn it. Come on, tell me. What is it

about?

Rita: Frank , I ... I’ve read your poems, these

(She produces his poems) are brilliant, witty

and

full of style.

Frank: Ah ... tell me again, and again ... It’s

a bright spot, but you are wrong ...

Rita: They are, Frank. It isn’t only me who

thinks so. Me ‘an Trish sat up last and read

them.

Frank: I give a damn on Trishs opinion and ya’ ...

Mr. Wright: (resolutely) You have to hear her out.

Rita: Thank you, Mr. Wright. (looking for the

thread) Ah ... yes!

Why did you stop writing? Why did you stop

when you can produce work like this. We

10

stayed up most of the night, just talking

about it. At first we just saw it as

contemporary poetry in it’s own right, you

you know, as somethin’ particular to this

century but look, Frank it more-more ...

resonant, you can see in it a direct line

through to nineteenth-century traditions

of-of like wit an’ classical allusion.

Frank: (sits down on the edge of the desk)

Er – that’s marvellous, Rita. How fortunate I

didn’t

let

you

see

it

earlier.

Just

think

if

I’d let you see it when you first came here.

Rita: I know ... I wouldn’t have understood it,

Frank.

Frank: (jumping up; eccentric) You would have

thrown it across the room and dismissed it

as a heap of shit.

Rita: (defending) Perhaps, but I couldn’t have

understood it, the allusions and ...

Frank: And that’s the point. You lost your

spontaneity ...

Rita: Stop Frank, you’ ve done a fine job.

Frank: You know, Rita, I think that like you

I shall change my name;

Rita: (searching for help she looks to Mr. Wright,

who follows the conflict all the time) ...

Frank, what ... ?

Frank: Now it my turn to be heard out.

I should insist upon being known as Mary,

Mary Shelly-do you understand that allusion?

Rita: What? (Mr. Wright walks over to them)

Frank: She wrote a little gothic number called

“Frankenstein”, you know. And do you know

11

what he did? No?

This man, Frankenstein,

created an later out of control-coming

creature.

Mr. Wright: (serious) Frank, that’s no fair

way to talk. You mustn’t talk to her like

that.

Rita: But Frank, what do you mean by that?

Frank: I mean, that you rely now on borrowed

opinions instead of your honest thought

you had in the beginning.

This Rita, (tears his poems out of her

hands and rips them up) nothing more than

worthless, talentless shit. It’s pretentious,

characterless and without style.

Rita: It’s not.

Frank: Oh, I don’t expect you to believe me.

You recognise the hallmark of literature

now, don’t you? (he throws away the pieces in

a final gesture)

Why don’t you just go away? I don’t think I

can bear that any longer.

Rita: I tell you what you can’t bear, Mr. Self-

Pitying Piss Artist ...

Mr. Wright: Rita, you should be reasonable.

Rita: (to Mr. Wright) Can’t you see, that he can’t

bear, that I’m educated now.

(to Frank) What’s up, Frank, don’t y’ like

me now that the little girl is grown up, now

that y’ can no longer bounce me on daddy’s

knee and watch me stare back in wide-eyed

wonder at everything he has to say.

Mr. Wright: Rita, come down to earth. If you are

so educated, as you say, you should know,

12

that this isn’t the way to discuss with

common sense.

Frank: (starting to pack his bag) I haven’t to

bear this any longer.

Rita: (begging for been understood) Frank, I ... I

have got a room full of books. I know what

clothes to wear, what wine to buy ... I can

do without you.

Frank: (looking up) Is that all you wanted. Have

you come all this way for so very, very

little?

Rita: Oh it’s little to you, isn’t it?

It’s little to you who squanders every

opportunity and mocks and takes it for

granted.

Frank: Found a culture, Rita? Found a better song

to sing? No-you’ve found a different song,

that’s all-and on your lips it’s shrill and

hollow and tuneless.

Mr. Wright: (urgent) Frank, please ...

Frank: (hesitating) Oh ... Rita, Rita ...

Rita: (laughing) Rita? Nobody calls

me Rita but

you. I dropped that pretentious crap as soon

as I saw it for what it was ... nobody calls

me Rita.

Frank: What is it now then? Virginia? Or Jane?

Rita: I haven’t to bear this! I haven’t to talk to

you like this!(turns around and exits)

Mr. Wright: Frank, look what you’ve done.

Now you can see what happens.

Frank: (takes the whiskeybottle and smashes it

on the floor) God, what have I done?

13

Yes,

I

...

I

see.

I’m

a

self-pitying

piss-

artist

and

what

has

become

out

of

Rita

...

what the hell I’ve done?!

Black-out

14