Drama

Topic: Pygmalion by Bernard ShawTarget Grade: 8-10Planning Framework: MythicUnit Length: 4-6 WeeksAuthor: Karen Faryna

Unit Outline

The drama Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw is about an upstart phonetician, Henry Higgins, who makes a bet that he can turn a lowly flower girl into a duchess in six months time. The play is loosely based on the Greek myth, “Pygmalion”, where a man creates a sculpture depicting the ideal woman, and then falls in love with the piece of art.

1. Locating Meaning:

Although the play, Pygmalion, mainly deals with issues of social class during the Victorian era in Britain, I believe what would grab the average teenager’s attention are the ideas of human perfection and idealism. Most present-day teenagers do not know life without the internet and are bombarded by images from the media that suggest what is ideal. Many young girls dream of having the fame and beauty of Brittany Spears and many young boys admire such rappers as 50-Cent and can be led to believe that muscles, tattoos, money and women are ingredients of perfection. Perfection and idealism would be emotionally engaging to teenagers because they are at a time in their lives when they are developing physically and emotionally. Some would say this is an awkward stage where some young people begin to lose confidence. It is also an impressionable time when students are susceptible to societal beliefs because they are still in the process of developing their own ideas about life. This idea of perfection and idealism that run through the drama, as Eliza Doolittle strives to transform from a guttersnipe into a duchess, can parallel emotionally engaging ideas such as the media, body image, self-worth, personal pride and achievement.

2. Thinking about the content in story form

2.1 Binary Opposites

Main opposition: perfection/ flawed

Possible alternatives: idealism/ reality

2.2 Images and Drama

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The image that I believe to embody the binary concepts would be a painting based on the Pygmalion myth depicting a man embracing a statue of a woman. The statue symbolizes perfection and idealism and the man’s adoration and love for the piece of marble reveals the flaw of the man in his inability to grasp reality.

The other image that captures the binary oppositions could be a picture showing an example of botched cosmetic surgery. The woman has an ideal in mind and strives to get closer to perfection through surgery only to end up permanently flawed and scarred.

Finally, the content that reflects the binary opposites would be the Greek myth of “Pygmalion.”

Overall story structure of the lesson:

I would begin by putting up an overhead of a painting based on the Pygmalion myth. I would then ask the students what they saw and what they thought about the picture. Next, I would ask what the meaning could be behind the picture of a man embracing a statue of a woman. My intention is to introduce the concept of idealism and perfection. This would segue into the Greek myth of “Pygmalion.”

Pygmalion was a gifted sculptor from Cyprus who had no interest in the local women as he found them immoral and frivolous. Instead Pygmalion 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 adorned 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 ask forgiveness for all the years he had shunned her and beg for a wife who would be as perfect as his statue.

Aphrodite was curious so she visited the studio of the sculptor while he was away and was charmed by his creation. Galatea was the image of herself. Being flattered, Aphrodite brought the statue to life. When returned Pygmalion to his home, he found Galatea alive, and humbled himself at her feet. Pygmalion and Galatea were wed, and Pygmalion never forgot to thank Aphrodite for the gift she had given him. He and Galatea brought gifts to her temple throughout their life and Aphrodite blessed them with happiness and love in return.

Next, I would have students write a journal entry on the following: Describe in detail what it means to be perfect. Do you know anyone who fits that description? Where does your idea of perfection come from?

After students have written their journal entries, we would enter into a discussion about what they believe to be perfect in modern society and why they believe this to be true. I would ask if the students believe there is a correlation between human perfection or ideals and success in society. This would lead into the reading of the play where students become familiar with Eliza Doolittle and her situation as a lowly flower girl. We will make connections with her desire to better herself so she can get a better job, our discussion about societal norms and how they connect with perfection and success. After reading Acts I and II aloud together, I would present the second image to the class. On the overhead I would present the image of a woman whose cosmetic surgery was botched up. We would then begin a debate about whether or not plastic surgery is good or bad. The main idea is to get students thinking about the pressures society puts on people to be perfect when humans are made to be flawed. We would discuss how famous people uphold this ideal at the detriment of their own lives (eg. Brittany Spears) as well as how subjective and illusory the concept of perfection tends to be.

As a class, we would finish reading the play to the end. At which point, I would have students write an essay on the topic: Eliza overcomes many flaws throughout the story. How has her drive toward perfection helped or hindered her life in the end? Evaluation of the student’s understanding would be revealed through the ideas and connections made between the story and the binary opposites: perfection and being flawed.

3. Conclusion

To conclude this unit and to resolve the conflict inherent in the opposites is to become aware of the subjective nature of society and to learn to see through the veil. This could involve an art activity where students research another culture’s societal ideal of perfection and then juxtapose the image beside the Western ideal of perfection. Another idea would be a dislocation where something beautiful from one era is placed into another era. For example, a woman dressed in Victorian clothing could be set in a present day image of a high school dance. The student would then write about his or her artwork, explaining how the piece shows the subjective nature of perfection, revealing their understanding that the resolution between the opposites of perfection and flaws is acceptance and awareness.

4. Evaluation

1. A journal entry on the topic: Describe in detail what it means to be perfect. Do you know anyone who fits that description? Where does your idea of perfection come from?

2. Class discussion on the above topic.

3. Debate: Is cosmetic surgery good or bad?

4. Essay on the topic: Eliza overcomes many flaws throughout the story. How has her drive toward perfection helped or hindered her life in the end?

5. Art project: A juxtaposition between cultural ideals of human perfection or a dislocation of an image of perfection being placed in a modern social venue.