The Role of Education in Shaws Pygmalion and Russells Educating Rita :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

The Role of Education in Shaw's Pygmalion and Russell's Educating Rita    Both plays show that education can be used as a tool for emancipating working class individuals. Both Eliza and Rita get uprooted and have to give up personal features. Language is linked up with identity and both find a new identity through education. Rita is treated in the way according to her language. Yet pure language training doesn't transform her character and identity profoundly. Her change is simply external. Rita, on the other hand, keeps her way of speaking but develops her character and reaches personal independence. She has been internally changed because of literature. By comparing both plays, we see that education requires both language training and knowledge of literature.    Eliza's transformation demonstrates that social distinctions such as accents are artificial and suggest that class barriers can be overcome by language training. It becomes questionable however if language reveals or forms one's character. Eliza's outcry at the end of the play denies this idea. Yet she understands herself better. Education is connected with social progress. Eliza's problems show that language alone provides only a superficial transformation. She lacks education to become fully integrated. By this, Shaw illustrates the impossibility of moving classes in those days.    Eliza's never thought about becoming educated herself. Rita, on the contrary, wants to use education as a means of complete change, as the means by which people develop their potential. She succeeds in leaving her working class environment behind. Is education only liberating? As Rita adopts a new culture and becomes alienated, she might be regarded as limited, just like Frank, who has no understanding for people of a different class.