worked on improving their situation. In the following essay, I will discuss whether George Bernard Shaw agreed with this distinction and division of society and how he exhibited his views through his renowned play "Pygmalion".Throughout the play, ladies and gentleman are continuously recognized for who they are through different factors such as how they are dressed, their manners, how they speak, morality or their money. It is however noticeable that a combination of all factors is rarely to be found. For instance Henry Higgins although well dressed, well spoken and with money, has manners which could not be characterized as genteel. Alfred Doolittle (after acquiring some money) is well dressed, has some form of manners and could be classified as rich, yet is not well spoken. Nevertheless, when the maid opens the door to him she instantly perceives that he is a gentleman. So what really does make a lady or a gentleman? Alfred Doolittle arrives at Wimpole St, in the second act, and doesn't even recognize his own daughter, Eliza, just because she has been washed and elegantly dressed. Alfred: Beg Pardon, miss. Eliza: Garn! Don't you know your own daughter? Alfred: Bly me! Its Eliza. This demonstrates that the working class was not used to washing and dressing up, which was customary for the upper class. The dissimilarity in the appearance of the upper class from the working class was so sensational that even someone who was your own flesh and blood could be naturally mistaken. This trend of depicting appearances goes right through to the end of the play, when on arrival at Mrs. Higgins' house, Doolittle is mistaken for a gentleman by the maid, merely because of the way he is dressed Higgins: Doolittle! Do you mean a dustman? Maid: Dustman! Oh no sir, a gentleman.The appearance of Doolittle is taken into main consideration when it comes to deciding what class he belongs to. The question is raised, what separates the classes really, if clot...
