Question

Who wrote the 1871 play "Pygmalion and Galatea," mentioned as one of Shaw's influences?

• A. Henry Sweet
• B. W. S. Gilbert
• C. Herbert Beerbohm Tree
• D. Siegfried Trebitsch

Answer 1

Answer:

B. W. S. Gilbert

W. S. Gilbert and 'Pygmalion and Galatea'

• Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (1836–1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet, and illustrator, best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan.
• The play "Pygmalion and Galatea" was written by W. S. Gilbert in 1871. It is a blank verse comedy that draws upon the Greek myth of Pygmalion.
• In Gilbert's play, Pygmalion is a sculptor who falls in love with his statue of Galatea, which is then brought to life by the goddess Venus. The play explores themes of art, love, and the challenges of human relationships.
• This play premiered at the Haymarket Theatre in London and was a significant success, enjoying long runs and revivals.

Influence on George Bernard Shaw

• George Bernard Shaw's (1856–1950) renowned play "Pygmalion", published in 1912 and first performed in 1913, is famously influenced by the same classical myth as Gilbert's play.
• While both plays share the myth of Pygmalion, Shaw's version is a biting social satire focusing on phonetics, social class, and gender roles, rather than a romantic comedy.
• Shaw admired Gilbert's craftsmanship and wit, and the earlier play's success likely encouraged Shaw to tackle the same myth, albeit with his distinctive intellectual and social commentary.
• Shaw's "Pygmalion" later served as the basis for the highly successful Broadway musical "My Fair Lady" (1956) and the subsequent film adaptation (1964).

Key Facts for Competitive Exams

• W. S. Gilbert is half of the famous duo Gilbert and Sullivan, known for their comic operettas such as "The Pirates of Penzance", "H.M.S. Pinafore", and "The Mikado".
• George Bernard Shaw was a prominent Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political activist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925.
• Shaw was a co-founder of the London School of Economics and a leading figure in the Fabian Society, advocating for gradual socialist reform.
• Gilbert's "Pygmalion and Galatea" is a significant example of Victorian theatre, distinct from the more realistic and socially critical plays of the subsequent Edwardian era, like Shaw's.