人教版高中英語選修8 Unit4 Pygmalion and George Bernard Shaw參考課件

1、Pygmalion and George Bernard ShawGEORGE BERNARD SHAWborn in Dublin, Ireland in 1856In 1876, Shaw, moved to London With his background in economics and politics, Shaws socialist viewpoint gave his writing a sense of hope for human improvement. GEORGE BERNARD SHAWAfter the turn of the century, Shaws p

2、lays gradually began to achieve production and, eventually, acceptance in England Shaw received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1925 In 1950, Shaw fell off a ladder while trimming a tree on his property outside of London, and died a few days later of complications from the injury, at age 94 SHAW I

3、NFLUENCESShaw first worked as an art critic, then music critic, and finally, from 1895 to 1898, as Theatre Critic for the Saturday Review.founded the Fabian Society, a socialist political organization dedicated to transforming Britain into a socialist state through education. The Fabian society woul

4、d later be instrumental in founding the London School of Economics and the Labor Party. SHAW INFLUENCESThe outbreak of war in 1914 changed Shaws life. For Shaw, the war represented the bankruptcy of the capitalist system and a tragic waste of young lives, all under the guise of patriotism. He expres

5、sed his opinions in a series of newspaper articles which proved to be a disaster for Shaws public stature: he was treated as an outcast, and there was even talk of his being tried for treason. PYGMALION THE MYTHPygmalion was a sculptor from Cyprus who had no interest in the local women. He found the

6、m immoral and frivolous. Instead, he concentrated on his art until one day he ran across a large, flawless piece of ivory and decided to carve a beautiful woman from it. When he had finished the statue, Pygmalion found it so lovely and the image of his ideal woman that he clothed the figure and ador

7、ned her in jewels. He gave the statue a name: Galatea, sleeping love. He found himself obsessed with his ideal woman so he went to the temple of Aphrodite to beg for a wife as perfect as his statue. PYGMALION THE MYTHAphrodite was curious so she visited the studio of the sculptor while he was away a

8、nd was charmed by his creation. Galatea was the image of herself.Flattered, Aphrodite brought the statue to life.When Pygmalion returned, he found Galatea alive, and humbled himself at her feet. Pygmalion and Galatea were wed. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PLAYWorld War I Queen Victoria characterized

9、 the times with a set of values called Victorianism which revolved around:l social high-mindedness, ldomesticity, and la confidence in the expansion of knowledge and the power of reasoned argument to change society. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PLAYDuring the 19th century, many more Englishmen could

10、 vote. This also brought the introduction of womens suffragette organizations. Increased political participation further prompted a shift in gender roles. The new woman - increasing numbers of women in the work force, as well as reforms to divorce laws and other impacts upon domestic life. PYGMALION

11、 THEMESLanguage Nature of it, connection to perception of the speaker, etc. Social Roles are they innate; can they be taught?Human Evolution Fixed or ever-changing? Manners Important or Ridiculous?PYGMALION THEMESRoles of the Sexes What does it mean to be a “l(fā)ady” of society? A “gentleman” of societ

12、y?Class Distinctions What purpose do they serve? How are they maintained?Personal Identity Is one what society perceives one to be or something controlled by the self?Idealism What drives human acts?PYGMALION BASIC PLOTPygmalion is a comedy about a phonetics expert (Henry Higgins) who, as a kind of

13、social experiment, attempts to make a lady out of an uneducated Cockney flower girl (Eliza Doolittle). Pygmalion probes important questions about social class, human behavior, and relations between the sexes. PYGMALION CHARACTERSHenry Higgins - a phonetics expert and a scientist who loves anything t

14、hat can be studied as a scientific subject. His enthusiasm for the study masks his human qualities. Eliza Doolittle - an uneducated, streetwise Cockney flower girl. Her intelligence allows her to recognize her self-worth and the worth of others. Alfred Doolittle - Elizas father, an elderly but vigor

15、ous dustman. who can borrow money from his most miserly friends. Doolittle describes himself as the undeserving poor. Mrs. Higgins - Henry Higginss mother, kind, sympathetic, understands those she encounters well. She is the gracious lady of the house. PYGMALION CHARACTERSFrederick Eynsford Hill - E

16、liza Doolittles young suitor from the upper class. Freddy shows complete devotion throughout the play.Miss Clara Eynsford Hill - sister of Freddy, very comfortable in society, though without the wealth to actually support the lifestyle. Mrs. Eynsford Hill - mother of Freddy and Clara, very socially

17、conscious and interested in those people her children associate with. PYGMALION CHARACTERS Nepommuck - Henry Higginss first language student, adept in several languages. Mrs. Pearce Henry Higgins housekeeper, a practical, proud woman. Mrs. Pearce is not afraid of Henry, but conscious of her middle class status. C