Question

In George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, the transformation of Eliza Doolittle raises several themes and questions about social class and identity. Which of the following statements best captures the play's commentary on the nature of social mobility and identity?

• A. Social mobility is easily achievable through changes in outward appearance and behavior alone
• B. True identity is fixed and cannot be altered by changes in speech or manners
• C. The superficial aspects of social class, such as language and etiquette, are arbitrary and do not define one's true worth or identity
• D. The success of Eliza's transformation is solely due to Professor Higgins's expertise and guidance

Answer 1

Answer:

C. The superficial aspects of social class, such as language and etiquette, are arbitrary and do not define one's true worth or identity

• Pygmalion is a critique of the British class system, which, at the time, was rigidly stratified by external markers. The play's central experiment—transforming a working-class flower girl into a lady of high society—is designed to prove that class is not an inherent trait but a set of learned behaviors.