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The Plays the Thing: Pygmalionfrom aMetadramatic Perspective a

presentation at the Shaw in New Yorconference at !incoln "enter# $cto%er

&'()

%y *ean +eynolds

You can watch the presentation at this link:

https://youtu.be/UyZDI0ISpLs

The "inderella ,rchetype:

HIGGIS. I! youre "oo# an# #o whate$er youre tol#% you

shall sleep in a proper be#roo&% an# ha$e lots to eat% an#&oney to buy chocolates an# take ri#es in ta'is. I! youre

nau"hty an# i#le you will sleep in the back kitchen a&on"

the black beetles% an# be wallope# by (rs. )earce with a

broo&stick. *t the en# o! si' &onths you shall "o to

+uckin"ha& )alace in a carria"e% beauti!ully #resse#. I!

the ,in" -n#s out youre not a la#y% you will be taken by

the police to the ower o! Lon#on% where your hea# will

be cut o as a warnin" to other presu&ptuous ower

"irls. 1*ct I% Pygmalion2

Pygmalionand Hamlet-

3he &etatheatrical ele&ents% then% establish !or the

au#ience !ro& the outset that they are seein" a play

about theater% not in the literal sense o! a play like

)inero4s relawny o! the 5ells% but in the broa#er sense o!

a play like Ha&let. hat is% Shaw is #epictin" not so&e

particular theater% but a whole worl# that is theatricali6e#%

in which people play roles that ha$e o!ten beenarti-cially% an# cruelly% !orce# upon the&.7 18ichar#

Hornby% 3+eyon# the 9erbal in Pygmalion7

The Teacher ,rchetype:

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HIGGIS. 5hat hat thin" Sacre#% I assure you. ;8isin"

to e'plain< You see% she=ll be a pupil> an# teachin" woul#

be i&possible unless pupils were sacre#. I$e tau"ht

scores o! *&erican &illionairesses how to speak ?n"lish:

the best lookin" wo&en in the worl#. I=& seasone#. hey&i"ht as well be blocks o! woo#. I &i"ht as well be a

block o! woo#. 1*ct II% Pygmalion2

3I ha$e !oun# that &inisters ;an# teachers an# counselors

@A8< enter into ro&antic or se'ual relationships with

parishioners pri&arily because there is an i&balance o!

power between the& at the outset an# because they

nee# to rein!orce an# hei"hten the intensity o! that power

#yna&ic. his is nee# is #ri$en by internal !orces an# isrein!orce# by societally con#itione# e'pectations that

wo&en will !unction as a nurturin"% se'ual ser$ant class.7

1)a&ela BooperC5hite% 3Soul Stealin"72

The Phonetics Sideshow:

+YS*D?8. +ly &e% you know e$erythin"% you #o.

HIGGIS. *n# how are all your people #own at Selsey

+YS*D?8: 5ho tol# you &y people co&e !ro& SelseyHIGGIS. ;to ?li6a< How #o you co&e to be up so !ar east

You were born in Lisson Gro$e.

LIZ*. Eh% what har& is there in &y lea$in" Lisson Gro$e

It wasnt -t !or a pi" to li$e in> an# I ha# to pay !ourCan#C

si' a week. ;In tears< Eh% booChooCoo@

+YS*D?8. You take us !or #irt un#er your !eet% #on4t

you

LIZ*. *int no call to &e##le with &e% he aint.

+ystan#er: E! course he aint. Dont you stan# it !ro& hi&.

;o the note taker< See here: what call ha$e you to know

about people what ne$er oere# to &e##le with you

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+YS*D?8. You tell hi& ;)ickerin"< where he co&e !ro&

i! you want to "o !ortune tellin".

HIGGIS. Bheltenha&% Harrow% Ba&bri#"e% an# In#ia.

;Great lau"hter. 8eaction in the note taker4s !a$or.

?'cla&ations o! He knows all about it. ol# hi& proper.Hear hi& tell the to where he co&e !ro& etc.< 1*ct I%

Pygmalion2

Sha&&in" or 3(etaphysical Sel!C8eali6ation7

HIGGIS. *n# how are all your people #own at Selsey

HIGGIS. ;to ?li6a< How #o you co&e to be up so !ar east

You were born in Lisson Gro$e.

HIGGIS.;to (rs. ?yns!or#CHill< Di# I say that out lou# I#i#nt &ean to. I be" your par#on. Your &other=s ?pso&%

un&istakeably. 1*ct I% Pygmalion2

LIZ*. So "la# to see you a"ain% Bolonel )ickerin". Fuite

chilly this &ornin"% isnt it

HIGGIS. Dont you #are try this "a&e on &e. I tau"ht it

to you> an# it #oesnt take &e in. 1*ct 9% Pygmalion2

So.rces

Lawrence Danson% 3Ha&let7 in Tragic Alphabet1ew

Ha$en: Yale Uni$ersity )ress% J2% KKCJ.

8ichar# Hornby% 3+eyon# the 9erbal in )y"&alion%7

SHAW: The Annual of Shaw Studies% M.

)a&ela BooperC5hite% 3Soul Stealin": )ower an# 8elations

in Bler"y Se'ual *buse%7 Christian Century% K0Nebruary . *$ailable online at

http://www.snapnetwork.or"/psychOeects/soulOstealin

"O.ht&.

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+ernar# Shaw% 3*ctin"% +y Ene 5ho Does ot +elie$e in

It7 in Platform and Pulpit% e#. Dan H. Laurence 1ew

York: Hill an# 5an"% P2.

his presentation is a$ailable online at

https://youtu.be/UyZDI0ISpLs

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