Pygmalion

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George Bernard Shaw’s classic play and satire of the British class system, first performed in 1913.

Born in Dublin in 1856, George Bernard Shaw was a prolific Irish playwright, literary critic and proud socialist, who wrote over 60 plays during his lifetime. He was the first person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize and an Academy Award, winning the latter for the screenplay of his most famous work, Pygmalion.

George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion premiered to audiences in 1913 and was an instant sensation. It introduced Eliza Doolittle as the common flower girl plucked from obscurity by phonetics teacher Henry Higgins, who attempts to elevate her into high society. What follows is a sharp critique on poverty, inequality and the rigid British class system of the Edwardian age, as Eliza gains her independence despite Higgins' indifference and disregard. This text includes Shaw's original ending: while many have sought to rewrite Pygmalion with a more satisfying conclusion, Shaw rebuffed any rewrites to give a 'happier ending' as 'damnable.' It remains Shaw's most popular play and has produced countless adaptations for stage and screen.

HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. George Bernard Shaw's classic play and satire of the British class system, first performed in 1913.

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