12 Questions
What is the common theme in both Shaw's Pygmalion and Ibsen's A Doll's House?
The transformation of individuals
What is the target of the transformation of Nora and Eliza?
To gain self-respect and self-esteem
What is the theme of Pygmalion?
The reformation of the English speech
What is the commonality between Nora and Eliza?
They live under the power of patriarchy or social divisions
What is the outcome of the transformation of Nora and Eliza?
They become more independent
What is the significant difference between Nora and Eliza's transformation?
The ways these women are transformed are different
What is the primary role that Nora's husband, Torvald, expects her to fulfill in their marriage?
Being a devoted wife and mother
What is the significance of Eliza's remark in the final act of Pygmalion?
It emphasizes the difference between a lady and a flower girl is how they are treated
What motivates Nora to take out a secret loan in the play?
She wants to preserve her husband's health
What is the main difference between Nora and Eliza's treatment by their respective male counterparts?
Nora is treated as a doll, while Eliza is treated as a student
What is the outcome of Eliza's transformation in Pygmalion?
She becomes a confident and well-concerned grown-up woman
What is the underlying theme common to both A Doll's House and Pygmalion?
The struggle for women's rights and self-realization
Study Notes
Common Themes in Shaw's Pygmalion and Ibsen's A Doll's House
- Both plays deal with the theme of transformation of individuals, focusing on the two female protagonists, Nora and Eliza.
- Both women undergo a transformation from an "inanimate existence" to a life of self-respect and self-esteem.
Nora in A Doll's House
- Nora is treated like a doll by her husband Torvald, who lures her with flatters and sees her as a precious thing in his life.
- Nora is a devoted wife, mother, and household, but feels unfulfilled and seeks self-realization beyond her domestic duties.
- She discovers she has capacities, intelligence, ambition, and courage to go beyond her wifehood bonds.
Eliza in Pygmalion
- Eliza is a lower-class flower girl who is trained by Professor Henry Higgins to become a duchess and speak pure English.
- Eliza stays with Higgins for 6 months to learn good manners and speech, influenced by Pickering's unintentional boost to her self-respect and dignity.
- As Eliza is shown to others, her speech and manners become those of a real duchess, but Higgins comes to understand that it's not just about pronunciation, but what she pronounces.
Transformation of the Female Characters
- Both Nora and Eliza undergo a transformation from their initial states, with a focus on their self-respect and self-esteem.
- Nora's courage is seen in her secret loan to preserve her husband's health, while Eliza's transformation leads her to aspire to new ambitions in her life.
- The plays illustrate that the transformation of the individual is a key theme, with the female characters seeking to break free from patriarchal and societal constraints.
This quiz explores the themes of transformation and social issues in Shaw's Pygmalion and Ibsen's A Doll's House. It analyzes the protagonists, Eliza and Nora, and their journey from oppression to self-discovery.
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