Pygmalion is a play by George Bernard Shaw, named after a Greek mythological figure. It premiered at the Hofburg Theatre in Vienna on 16 October 1913 and was first presented in English on stage to the public in 1913.

What time period is Pygmalion set in?

Historical Context of Pygmalion

The play is set in the early 20th century, at the end of the Victorian period. During this time, London was the capital of the wide-reaching, powerful British Empire.

Why was Pygmalion written?

But Shaw didn't set out to write a frothy, romantic confection. He wanted to advocate for women's suffrage and the end of Britain's class system. In the play, stuffy professor Henry Higgins sets himself a challenge: to pass off Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower seller, as a duchess.