George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)

Maravillosa historia, escrita divinamente, resulta en algo no solo fácil y digerible de leer si no también en una manera muy peculiar de ahondar en la naturaleza humana, en el hecho, si, de poder educar a una persona poco privilegiada, resulta en que efectivamente se puede modificar a una persona hasta el punto de hacerla pasar por alguien de un buen nivel social, pero, ¿su naturaleza cambia? ¿es posible que con conocimientos de buena fonética y buenos modales pueda sobrevivir en la vida?

Por otro lado Shaw nos muestra que a pesar de la superficie no hay mucha diferencia en Higgins y Elisa.

Al final, a alguien como yo, que solo conocía esta historia por su adaptación cinematográfica y la infinidad de adaptaciones que se han hecho de ella, me sorprendió el final y su epílogo

Absolutamente recomendable… (more)

Shaw is one of those playwrights that one feels one should have read because of his stature as a wit and critic of English culture, class and prejudices. Everyone is at least familiar with his play "Pygmalion" if only through the Hollywood re-imagining of it in "My Fair Lady". Alas, not all of his plays stand the test of time. This collection is mostly forgettable, except for maybe "Caesar and Cleopatra". The issues and historical dilemmas presented in the plays are just not so pressing or interesting. At least Caesar and Cleopatra has some humor in it.
Collection contains: Candida, The Devil's Disciple, Caesar and Cleopatra, and Captain Brassbound's Conversion.… (more)

I haven't seen 'My Fair Lady', so I came into this without any preconceptions.

As a play, it seems like a fun thing to see, although it was unfortunate we never saw Eliza in the middle of her transformation, or how she behaved in the events she was supposed to blend in.

However, I was delighted by the author's note on the characters' endings and how Eliza was never intended to end up with Higgins in the endgame. I found Bernard Shaw's explanation beautiful, and it resonated with me. I loved that Eliza gave Higgins a piece of her mind about how the way he treats everyone badly isn't an excuse to treat her the same way if he claims to care about her. It's refreshingly modern? Color me impressed.

"the difference between a duchess and a flower girl is not their mannerisms or the way they feel about themselves (and other learnable things), but the way others treat them."
Paraphrased; I don't have the quote on me.

But that very much stuck with me.

And it's quite a good gem when in the post-play blurb, Bernard Shaw offers how people need to find partners that balance them; strong-willed people must find those more complacent to suit them, yet to their own degree. I loved how Bernard Shaw looked at the modern conception of love and put the journey and compatibility into something understandable. How amazing is it that a 1910's author emphasized how women are not really the gluttons for punishment we're made out to be? Brilliant.


That's the most refreshing thing I've heard about love in a while. No filler included.… (more)