A Study Of Eliza's Ethical Identity In Pygmalion

George Bernard Shaw(1856-1950)is recognized as the greatest playwright after Shakespeare in Britain.As a realistic writer,Shaw emphasizes the moral function of literature,and his plays usually convey insightful ethical significance.Pygmalion(1913)is a good case in point.The previous studies of this play mostly concentrates on feminism,existentialism,prototype criticism,and so on.But the heroine Eliza's confusion and dilemma after the “transformation” haven't been directed much attention to,and even fewer critics have explored the root cause of all these.According to ethical literary criticism,ethical identity is the key to all in an individual's life.Thus this thesis attempts to study Eliza's ethical identity in Pygmalion with the application of ethical literary criticism and other theories about “identity”,to explore the ethical significance Shaw intends to reveal in this play.Besides the introduction and the conclusion,this thesis consists of five chapters.The first chapter is the literature review on related studies of George Bernard Shaw and Pygmalion both abroad and at home.The second chapter is the theoretical basis of this thesis,which includes the theory of ethical literary criticism and other theories about “identity”,and the applicability of this perspective to approach the play is illustrated as well.The third chapter analyzes the “transformation” of Eliza's ethical identity.As appearance,speech and deportment are important social-cultural factors that are closely related with one's ethical identity,Eliza goes to receive the language training with the hope of moving upward socially.After six months' training,she has been greatly “transformed” in these three aspects.The fourth chapter discusses Eliza's confusion over her ethical identity.A person's ethical identity includes the orientation of self and the approval from others.After the “transformation”,Eliza thinks her ethical identity has accordingly been improved,but that is only her self-awareness.From Higgins and Pickering's attitudes to Eliza,especially after the garden party,we can see that she fails to get the social approval.The fifth chapter meticulously analyzes Eliza's difficulty in reconstructing her ethical identity after the “transformation”.The ethical context of the Victorian Age Eliza is in----the existence of social hierarchy and class distinction,the importance of economic foundation,and the disadvantaged position for females----is the ultimate cause.Hence Eliza is trapped in ethical dilemma.She seems like a lady,yet she lacks the corresponding economic foundation.That means she can neither go back to work nor live the lifestyle of those true ladies.As there is no other better choice for Eliza at that time,she makes the compromise and resorts to marriage to reconstruct her ethical identity in the end.Set in the Victorian Age,Pygmalion concerns the ethical issue by depicting the ethical identity of Eliza who undergoes “transformation”,confusion and dilemma in the process of class mobility.By combining Pygmalion with its ethical context,this thesis presents a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of Shaw's play and its ethical significance.Shaw intends to reveal that in the Victorian Age,it is quite difficult for lower class members,especially females without economic foundation to surge up to higher social class.But Shaw the Fabianist simultaneously confirms personal efforts as well as social progress.Through the story of Eliza,Shaw shows his confidence in individual's ability in changing and improving their lot.The sequal Shaw adds to the play manifests his idea of progressive transformation.And here lies the ethical significance as well as the social significance of Pygmalion.