Compare And Contrast The Way Writers Explore The Injustice Of The Social Classes In British Society In ‘the Picture Of Dorian Gray’ And ’pygmalion’.

In both Oscar Wilde s Gothic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and G. Bernard Shaw s comedy drama Pygmalion , harsh criticisms of upper class society shape the narrative. Attempts to highlight the exploitation of lower class citizens by those in socio-economic positions of power is commonly seen in literature, and is central to both texts. However, whilst Wilde presents a society wherein the indulgent, hedonistic and inherently selfish attitude of the upper class leads to fatality and tragedy for all involved, Shaw s feminist views inform a conclusion that depicts an apparent emancipation of a member of the oppressed lower class.

Both texts present perceptions of female characters in disadvantaged social situations through the privileged gaze of upper class males. Dorian Gray s love for Sybil Vane portrays a conventionally upper class scenario loving her for what she pretends to be. Dorian falls in love with purely on Sybil s beautiful looks and performance. The affair also provides the two older gentlemen in the novel Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton an opportunity to express their views on women. The sexism of Henry s claim that women are a decorative sex , whilst shocking to a modern reader, would ve been fairly conventional for a Victorian male perspective. He further believes that women worship men. This statement is ironic, considering the evident, explicit idolisation Henry and Basil exhibit towards Dorian. However, Wilde s own homosexuality and need to conceal this may explain why both hold such condemnatory views over women, jealous of their freedom to have sexual desires towards men. Wilde s implies that the men live in an oppressive society, where their own desires are forcibly repressed, so the belief that women are vile creatures comes as a result of mere scapegoating. Henry and Basil reveal clear homosexual desires towards Dorian, yet only Sybil who is no more than some little actress is able to appeal to his soul and win his affection. Despite this, the lower class Sybil still suffers a tragic fate, suggesting that whilst there is a glimmer of hope for the disadvantaged, in reality the upper class would never allow true happiness to be reached by such a person, indicative of their own jealousy and indulgent attitudes.

In Pygmalion, Shaw uses crude, brutish language in Professor Henry Higgins perceptive comments over Eliza Doolittle. Higgins a respected and successful professor of phonetics is representative of the typical Edwardian man, holding sexist views, dominated by his belief in his own morals and intellect. He often refers to Eliza as an experiment , implying his objectification of her, and the selfish capacity of their relationship. The objectification and disregard for her humanity is elsewhere explored in Higgins cruel slurs thrown at Eliza. She is described by him as a presumptuous insect , an impudent slut , and a creature . Despite this, Eliza is still classified by her outward appearance she is initially tagged as The Flower Girl , before becoming Liza and, at one point The Japanese Lady as a result of her clothing. Higgins derogatory view of women is therefore a shared one, as her title comes from a shallow identifier, her appearance or accent. Similarly, Colonel Pickering appears to Eliza to be gentlemanly, yet is the instigator of the central bet . He is the first character to refer to Eliza as a good girl , reducing her to a child in this address that follows Eliza for the duration of the play. Freddy, too, finds amusement in Eliza, and despite his apparent love for her by the play s conclusion, his supressed laughter when first meeting Eliza is suggestive of his conventional disregard for the humanity within the lower class thus appearing as a younger version of Higgins, who sees no feelings that we need bother about . Yet Eliza does not let this deter her from her final goal the lack of humanity in the upper class does not change her route to social and economic emancipation.

Since Shavian literature is known for its feminist nuance, it is therefore interesting that Eliza s portrayal is immediately established as not at all romantic . However, the satirical nature of the play lends itself to this hyperbolic representation of lower class characters, emphasised by the inclusion of dialect through the Shavian alphabet, exploring the social divisions evident in British society. The a-a-a-ah-ooh wailing noise that Eliza frequently makes towards the start of the play is an example of Shaw using phonetic spelling to create sound. This wailing becomes a symbolic of Eliza s common upbringing, slowly becoming absent in the play. However, upon reun ion with her father, Eliza reverts to this wail, suggesting that the change of dialect, and subsequent change of class, were only external, and the true mark of class is not how [someone] behaves, but how [someone] is treated . Further, Shaw s use of dialect argues the point that class is your understanding of the world and where you fit in ,¹ as exemplified by Eliza and, equally, Higgins. The use of dialect also lends itself to the melodramatic tendencies shared by playwrights, leading to Eliza s stated pathos and tragic expression after the transformation is complete. The melodrama comes from the conventional tropes of comedy, exploited through Shaw s invented patterns of speech, seen in Act Three, where Eliza only outwardly appears as a Duchess, and her almost numb appearance after she has won Higgins bet for him . Here, the play pivots from comedic, satirical commentary on society to didactic drama, condemning societal division. Allegorical imagery is also employed through the birdcage, hanging in the window but its tenant died long ago , showing an implicit link between caged animals and members of lower class Britain in the early Twentieth Century, similar to that of the glass ceiling concept in much feminist literature. Any hopeful [ness] dies as these people feel stuck in their societal position leading to their misery as a result of the ignorance of upperclassmen. The apparent emancipation at the end of the play is therefore plagued with an informed audience s knowledge that this too is superficial despite all the work Eliza has done, she will remain oppressed and caged in her rigid place in society.

The clarity of separation in socio-economic groups is also explored through melodrama in Dorian Gray. Sybil s occupation as an actress is apparent both on and off stage, with her actions and words being incredibly hyperbolic and romanticised. Dorian originally recites how she flung herself on her knees and kissed [his] hands , before she repeats this action upon his breaking up with her. This theatrical gesture seems to be one usually reserved for performance, perhaps insinuating Sybil is never her real self. This is traditional of lower class characters in Victorian literature, as they often dream of breaking out of the constraints of lower class society and moving up the social hierarchy. Wilde s decision to write Sybil as such a character may be due to his tendency to write plays, however it also allows for the exploration of the Gothic, as Wilde is able to extend slightly beyond the realms of reality and write often in long, descri ptive passages. The idea of revenge one that is common in Gothic literature also appears in the novel, through the character of James Vane. Vane is seen pressed against the window of the conservatory, like a white handkerchief . The juxtaposition of the serene, hedonistic meal taking place with James almost begging to be let in, suggests the way upper class society shuts out the lower class shown here to be pure and innocent against the indulgent blue drawing room which Dorian is taken to. The way in which Wilde presents Vane allows for melodrama to aid the reader s understanding of the societal divisions, as when James states he [doesn t] want to hear anything of [society] , Wilde explores Vane s unresolved anger towards the upper classes. He gets the opportunity to exact revenge when one member of this group destroys the life of his sister. James claiming he will murder whoever hurts his sister initially seemed like mad melodramatic words to the reader. Yet the fact that James fails to follow through with the act suggests this melodrama fuels the lower classes and gives them back some control in society. However, when words become actions, the power is never fully achieved due to them remaining stuck in their cage of social deprivation.

Whilst the lower class appear to be stuck in the gutter in Dorian Gray, social mobility through the influence of inter-class relationships seems to be possible in Shaw s London. The initial occupational tags (such as Flower Girl ) are suggestive of the Shavian idea that class is an entirely external and superficial notion, determined by no more than the title assigned to you at conception. Likewise, the fact Eliza is met with mostly sympathetic responses to her assumed arrest is implicit of society s response to the lower classes. Whilst some believe the lower classes have no right to live based purely on the sounds they make, most can recognise the humanity in all people. The upper class women in the play present Eliza with more compassion than the men, who, as aforementioned, treat Eliza and her father with disregard and contempt. However, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Pearce and Mrs Eynsford-Hill who Eliza immediately recognises as a kind lady all treat Eliza with the decency Higgins so lacks, with Henry s mother offering her refuge when the men turn her in to the police like a thief, or a lost umbrella . This objectification supports the feminist narrative Shaw presents elsewhere in the play, with women disregarding class and unifying as oppressed members of society empathetically. Eliza struggles to understand why won t [Higgins] speak sensible to her, refusing to treat him with respect unless he reciprocates such. Whilst in the last moments of the play Eliza turns down a shopping trip and awakens from her Cinderella story, Higgins despite his advantages of education and wealth is still clinging to his illusions ² moreover, despite not being able to afford morals, Eliza refuses to lose her self-worth, which allows her to emerge from the play as a tragic heroine, in contrast to Henry Higgins oppressive antihero who leaves the play relatively unscathed.

Dorian, however, is not so lucky. He too is objectified, yet this is likely due to his attractive appearance. He feels he is no more than a green bronze figure , and finds disdain in this, yet is happy to be known as Prince Charming by Sybil. This fleeting change of heart seems to be characteristic of members of the upper class. Dorian finds the objectification from members of his own class degrading, yet when idolised by a member of someone beneath him, he is overjoyed. He even goes on to claim he wants to place her on a pedestal of gold , despite his fears of this happening to himself. Whilst showing clear hypocrisy here, this also offers a direct link with Pygmalion, which is based on the mythological Greek story from Ovid s Metamorphoses, wherein the titular character falls in love with a statue he has created himself. In this, Wilde may be suggesting how members of the upper class thrive off idolatry. Yet, whilst in Pygmalion any reservations about the inter-class relationship stem from concerns over what will become of disadvantaged members of society, the main concern of the men in upper classes in Dorian Gray is over how absurd [it would be] for him to marry so much beneath him . The older members of the upper class in Dorian Gray seem to hold much stronger disapproval of inter-class relationships. Henry believes that crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders , and further compares crime to art, as if the indulgence of the upper classes in art can only be paralleled by lower class criminal behaviour. The irony of this statement being delivered to Dorian himself, who is a murderer and drug user, shows the ignorance of the upper class in their perception of lower class society. This influence is seen to spread unto Dorian, as towards the end of the novel, he felt that his could not be the hand to uncover James dead face, and thus he calls for a farm-servant to do the task for him. This, along with James placement on a heap of sacking , shows Wilde s message of how members of the elite disregard the humanity of the lower classes leaving their bodies dumped in almost animalistic neglect and ensuring any task which may be incriminating is done by the hands of the lower class. This provides insight into Lord Henry s previous comments about the nature of crime whilst it is not reserved for the lower class, it is manipulated into their hands, breaking apart working class solidarity and creating a larger divide through selfishness and fa ade.

The fa ade Dorian builds for himself throughout the novel is built on his social privilege. The preface of Dorian Gray claims that all art is quite useless , yet the basis of Dorian s downfall relies on his obsession with the portrait introduced in the opening chapter. It is this portrait that Dorian trades the superficiality of youth with he retains his youthful beauty whilst the portrait grows foolish or gross with age. In fact, Dorian s painting can be said to be a fantasy in which moral decline [marks] a safe distance between the subject who might fall and the one who already has ³. It is through this, he is able to retain the image suggesting his social superiority, which rests above the hidden truth of a Victorian era gentleman, who frequents opium dens and commits heinous crimes under the concealed image the portrait allows him to hide. It is this brainless persona that leads to such unfortunate mistreatment of the lower class, and perhaps what draws Dorian s sexual desires towards Sybil. She is an actress reliant on pretence and Dorian falls in love with the artificial manner of which she portrays on stage. However, once this falsehood is disappeared, Dorian loses all interest in her, exiting the theatre in a few moments . The haste in which he leaves exemplifies how easily the upper class can abandon the lower classes. It suggests though acting is so much more real than life to these civilised men, they lose touch with reality, and subsequently become satirical portrayals of gentlemen. This is further exemplified with Lord Henry, dipping his white fingers into a red copper bowl filled with rose-water , an unnecessarily indulgent act, yet conventional of upper class snobbery. Additionally, the imagery could suggest the tarnishing nature of upper class Britain dipping their fingers into the blood-connoted red bowl of lower class life, exploiting the foundation laid by the working class for their own rose tinted benefit. Alongside this, the only defining feature of Dorian on his deathbed was his rings , potentially arguing that it is not merely the ignorance and egotism that upper class Victorian gentlemen seem to possess, but rather the superficial aestheticism they indulge in and the subsequent disregard for the humanity in those of a separate social world from them, that leads to fatalities.

Pickering and Higgins are also ignorant over the impact their selfishness may have on Eliza once they are done with her. Despite Mrs Pearce s pleas for Higgins to look ahead , he does not do so, suggesting a lack of care over her fate. Higgins similar to Dorian views only his own selfish needs for the employment of Eliza. He uses her to prove his point over his own greatness to bolster his own ego and once he has achieved this, throws her back into the gutter . However, whilst Wilde allows for this indulgence in hedonism to take over with little moral consequence until death, Shaw asserts Eliza as a powerful character, who refuses to allow the impact of neglect to be irreversible. She asserts she [has her] feelings as the same as anyone else , and concludes that her independence was taken from her self worth was reliant and measured. Shaw also explores the idea of social injustice in Act Four, with the repeated symbol of the slippers. The stage direction claim the men assume the slippers had appeared there of their own accord , before they resume their conversation insulting Eliza as they take no notice of her . These stage directions suggest one of Shaw s key message in the play that the upper class rely so heavily on the lower class to hold them up, yet fail to recognise their influence and necessity in the social hierarchy to ensure they can retain their positions of social affluence. It seems that Alfred Doolittle is Shaw s method of highlighting the negative impact of societal divisions and the attempts of social mobility. Eliza ends the play and, indeed the prequel , as a Duchess of sorts, with her dream of owning a flower shop fulfilled. Her access to simple luxuries such as a bath has allowed for her supposed freedom from social constraint. However, Doolittle who is not gifted these luxuries falls victim to middle class morality , as he feels the huge loss of freedom that comes with the social constraints as you progress up the social hierarchy, before you reach the peak, wherein the men in Dorian Gray reside, and are subsequently dealt a life of immoral acts and gross moral depravity.

Whilst initially it appears that the influence of the upper class unto the lower class is presented independently and uniquely across these two texts, upon further inspection it becomes evident that the fate awaiting the Doolittle s lies in the hands of the upper class society, with the exterior transformation not removing any internal reliance on the rules and rigidity of the social hierarchy. Wilde s depiction of the Vane s fly-infested home, before moving swiftly away from their home and any mention of them for the majority of the novel, exemplifies Wilde s understanding of the upper class pretence of ignorance that whilst they re aware of the existence of people in less privileged situations, they refuse to accept this due to their more fortunate position in Victorian era society. Whilst both Shaw and Wilde present different, indulgent societies, the agreed paradigm of upper class ignorance seems to transcend temporal or social boundaries, leading to a lack of humanity in presentations of the higher classes, and an abundance of misery from characters of the lower.

Footnotes:

Richardson, G.S. and Lawrence-Brown, D and Paige, S.M. 2004: Race, Gender Class, Vol. 11, No. 3, Race, Gender, and Class in Education [Part III], Jean Ait Belkhir, pp. 36-53 Reyolds, J. 2016: Shaw , Vol. 36, No. 2 (2016), Penn State University Press, pp. 238-255 Jaffe, A. 2000: Scenes of Sympathy: Identity and Representation in Victorian Fiction, Cornell University Press, pp. 158-179

Other Significant Sources:

Pygmalion: Greek Mythology, Encyclopaedia Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pygmalion) Ovid and (ed.) Kenney, E.J. and (trans.) Melville, A.D. 2008: Metamorphoses (Oxford World`s Classics), OUP Oxford