This document analyzes the themes of social class and status in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion. It discusses how the characters' social classes are depicted through their speech, dress, occupations, and education backgrounds. It also examines how social status is determined by one's position in the social structure and class. The analysis concludes that the play illustrates how social class and status divide society and were important themes that Shaw wanted to address.

1. SOCIAL CLASS AND STATUS IN
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW’S
PYGMALION
BY BERLIANA AYU

2. ABSTRACT
In this paper, the writer wants to analyze Pygmalion by
George Bernard Shaw. The purpose of this paper is to
analyze the themes of the play which are Society class
and Status in Pygmalion. The method used for this
paper is close reading method. Society class and Status
theories are used in this paper to find out the relation
between the themes in this drama. To sum up, the two
themes take an important role that reflect the message
in the play that Shaw wants to tell.
Keywords: Society, class, Pygmalion, theme, intrinsic

3. 1. Introduction
The writer chooses to analyze Pygmalion because it is a unique play and in
the first act it uses uncommon way of showing characters since it doesn’t
use the real name of the characters. It shows the act of different social
classes and how their attitude towards life.
2. Theory and Methodology
A. Social Class
The class theory of Marx is based on the idea that all forms of society from
the past until now are disputes between classes.
The Meaning of Social Class According to Lennin is considered a social class in
a society order determined by a certain position in the production process
Max Weber Defines that social class makes distinctions between economic
and social foundations, but still uses social terms for all layers. The social
class of the economy is subdivided into subclasses divided according to
the economic proficiency.

4. B. Status
Social status consists of the social environment of
obligations and achievements. One can have
some social position in society because of
participating in various patterns of life at once.
Social status is a collection of rights and
obligations that a person has in his community
(according to Ralph Linton). People who have
high social status will be placed higher in the
structure of society compared with people with
low social status.

5. Biography and Synopsis
Biography of Author
George Bernard Shaw was born July 26, 1856, in Dublin, Ireland. In 1876
he moved to London, where he wrote regularly but struggled financially. In
1895, he became a theater critic for the Saturday Review and began
writing plays of his own. His play Pygmalion was later made into a film
twice, and the screenplay he wrote for the first version of it won an Oscar.
Shaw died in 1950 at age 94 while working on yet another play.
Synopsis of the Play
Pygmalion is a play about a language professor named Higgins who
bumped into a flower girl in a station who speaks weird accent of English.
The flower girl, Eliza scared of Higgins and accused him of being a
detective that makes a scene at the station, but there’s a gentleman
named Pickering who tries to calm down the two. Turns out that Higgins is
looking for Pickering and they become friends. The next morning, Eliza
comes to Higgins’ place and demands to be taught by him. Pickering
confronts Higgins and they ends up make a bet for Eliza as an experiment.

6. DISCUSSION
A. Social Class
Social Class in this play can be seen from the beginning of the play
or act 1. Every social class is put together in act 1. This act focuses
on how all these people dress and how they act also how they
speak that show their social class in society.
The Bystander: “He ain’t a tec. He’s a blooming busybody: that’s what
he is. I tell you, look at his boots.” Act 1
The Flower Girl: “ Ow, eez ye-ooa san, is e? Wal, fewd dan y’ dee-ooty
bawnz a mather should, eed now bettern to spawl a pore gel’s
flahrzn than ran awy athatht pyin. Will ye-oo py me f’them?” Act 1
As Weber said, that social class can be divided by the economic
situations, it is clear that in the play the characters’ appearances
and occupations also education backgrounds can be determine
their social class based on those things mentioned above.

7. B. Social Status
Pygmalion divides the social status of the characters.
Higgins as a high class person has a high status on
society because society believes he has bigger role in
the structure of social class. It can be seen when one of
the bystander in Act 1, after Higgins shows his ability as
language professor, says that he knows everything.
Means the bystander acknowledges his status in
society since he’s from high class society. “The sarcastic
one (amazed). “Well, who said I didn't? Blimey, you
know everything, you do.” (Act 1).

8. CONCLUSION
In the play, the relation between social class and social
status is clearly explained. It shows how divided the
society is since it is determined by how you look, how
your dress, and what your job. And the higher your
class is the higher status you’ll earn in society. Just like
Higgins who comes from High class family has a big
role and status in society while the flower girl Eliza is
the opposite. She doesn’t really have anything which
very contrast with Higgins’ condition. Social status and
class make human become divided and that’s the issue
Shaw wants to deliver.

9. REFERENCES
• Biography.com. George Bernard Shaw. Accessed on 29th
May, 2017, From Biography.com:
https://www.biography.com/people/george-bernard-shaw-
9480925
• Kompasiana.com. Pemikiran Karl Marx Tentang Teori Kelas.
Accessed on 29th May, 2017, From Kompasiana.com:
http://www.kompasiana.com/jaluradid.blogspot.com/pemi
kiran-karl-marx-tentang-teori-
kelas_552e1ab26ea83490398b4642
• Dosen Pendidikan.com. Pengertian Status Beserta Peran
Dan Kelas Sosial Menurut Para Ahli. Accessed on 29th May,
2017, From Dosen Pendidikan.com:
http://www.dosenpendidikan.com/pengertian-status-
beserta-peran-dan-kelas-sosial-menurut-para-ahli/