Cinema and musicality: A study of Pygmalion and it’s anthropological influence in different genres

An illustrious Irish dramatist and critic, George Bernard Shaw is also a well-known social and political activist, literary pioneer, and philosopher. G.B. Shaw, a significant writer of the 20th century, is well known for having unconventional ideas. Shaw is essentially a thinker with a message whose goal is to hold the mirror of truth to his generation, in contrast to Shakespeare, who is primarily an artist whose goal is to hold the mirror of nature. This research seeks to investigate the cinematic and musical adaptation of G.B. Shaw’s ‘Pygmalion’ and its anthropological influence in different eras it is adapted, with reference to the original play. Since anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species, the research attempts to explore the cinematic techniques and a comparison between theatre and cinema, then viewing the play through it. It also views anthropology in the light of society, i.e., social anthropology, and the linguistic part of the play in Eliza’s character. Finally, it aims to draw a conclusion based on the comparative study of the original play and the adapted versions in cinema/films and musical adaptations, focusing on the differences in both adaptations and how anthropology plays an important role in these adaptations and how Shaw’s work remains original.