Sarcasm - The act of outwardly saying one thing but implying or intending another.
Example - "Pickering: shall we ask this baggage to sit down or shall we throw her out of the window?" (2.30) Higgins obviously realizes Eliza is a human being; he is simply being offensive just because that's who he is.
Satire - An attack by the author at standards of society they personally view as impractical or unacceptable. This is usually portrayed through humorous dialogues or character monologues. Satire is meant to show the audience how absurd society is on certain topics in the hopes of correcting behavior.
Example - Alfred Doolittle shows a good example of satire in Shaw's Pygmalion, as he has several insightful lines when he first appears at Higgins' house. He calls himself one of the undeserving poor, yet he uses that very line to extort money from Higgins on the premise that it is for exchange of Eliza.
Setting - The 'where and when' of the literary work. The setting is the general description of the location and time period, and is often one of the greatest contributors to the mood or atmosphere of the work, which by extension often plays into the theme.
Example - Pygmalion is set in London during the late nineteenth century. It takes place in various streets, homes, and parties.
Simile - A comparison made using the words 'like' or 'as'. The analogy is usually made to compare a person, place, or event to something of symbolic value, and gives greater meaning to the things being used in the comparison.
Example - "... I felt like a bear in a cage..." (4.22) Here Higgins is referring to his experience at the dinner party, resentful at the poor experience.
Stereotype - A character who fits all the common criteria of their specific race, class, or occupation, which is shown in contrast to real life where people are so complicated that nobody could possibly fit a stereotype so perfectly. This is meant to 'flatten' or simplify the character and whatever they may be representing.
Example - Many of the minor characters in Pygmalion depict flat, stereotypical roles, such as Freddy, who is shown as a typically flat gentleman, who is also a fool for love.
Symbols - The use of characters, objects, animals, or places to project a meaning above their literal sense. One of the most simple means of portraying symbols is through similes and metaphors, and often the symbol's meaning can be ambiguous. An allegory is often the result of an author's giving several characters many symbolic meanings.
Example - Clothing in Shaw's Pygmalion is depicted as something that almost literally defines social status. Eliza goes through clothing changes as she ascends the social ladder, and even her father gets a change of clothes when he comes into some money. The clothing is meant to be a symbol of their face towards society--how society sees them.
Theme - The central idea or "moral" to the literary work. It is often what the work revolves around, and is portrayed as the author's underlying message, conveyed through the characters' interactions with each other, their environment, and the situations they are placed in. It can also be expressed through final 'words of wisdom' at the end of the work, but isn't necessarily directly addressed in the work.
Example - There are several themes in Pygmalion, including some examples of his opinions towards transformation, identity, and social class. These themes are meant to influence the audience's own beliefs towards these issues, such as Shaw's belief on social status that one simply cannot define people's characters by their social class.
Tone - The way an author presents the mood and atmosphere. The tone can is created through careful use of literary devices such as syntax and diction. The atmosphere made through the tone often portrays a certain character for the narrator, giving them a voice that can be portrayed as formal or informal, optimistic or pessimistic, ironic, etc.
Example - Pygmalion's tone is one of an intellectual superiority. Shaw expects his audience to follow up on the arguments he presents, along with make their own educated opinions for or against them.
Example - Many of the minor characters in Pygmalion depict flat, stereotypical roles, such as Freddy, who is shown as a typically flat gentleman, who is also a fool for love.
Symbols - The use of characters, objects, animals, or places to project a meaning above their literal sense. One of the most simple means of portraying symbols is through similes and metaphors, and often the symbol's meaning can be ambiguous. An allegory is often the result of an author's giving several characters many symbolic meanings.
Example - Clothing in Shaw's Pygmalion is depicted as something that almost literally defines social status. Eliza goes through clothing changes as she ascends the social ladder, and even her father gets a change of clothes when he comes into some money. The clothing is meant to be a symbol of their face towards society--how society sees them.
Theme - The central idea or "moral" to the literary work. It is often what the work revolves around, and is portrayed as the author's underlying message, conveyed through the characters' interactions with each other, their environment, and the situations they are placed in. It can also be expressed through final 'words of wisdom' at the end of the work, but isn't necessarily directly addressed in the work.
Example - There are several themes in Pygmalion, including some examples of his opinions towards transformation, identity, and social class. These themes are meant to influence the audience's own beliefs towards these issues, such as Shaw's belief on social status that one simply cannot define people's characters by their social class.
Tone - The way an author presents the mood and atmosphere. The tone can is created through careful use of literary devices such as syntax and diction. The atmosphere made through the tone often portrays a certain character for the narrator, giving them a voice that can be portrayed as formal or informal, optimistic or pessimistic, ironic, etc.
Example - Pygmalion's tone is one of an intellectual superiority. Shaw expects his audience to follow up on the arguments he presents, along with make their own educated opinions for or against them.