Pygmalion, Pretty Woman

When people say they are looking at something through a feminist criticism lens, it means they are looking at the movie or book to try and find parts that speak on women and their position in the world. Throughout Pygmalion, Pretty Woman, and My Fair Lady, there are multiple messages that can be understood about women and their role in society. Pygmalion, an old Greek myth, has the least to say about women, but there is still something to be learned. When the story says the women are prostitutes, it is showing women as scandalous and nasty. It is trying to say that women are not as worthy as men are for normal jobs, and that they have to go down to low standards just to make money on their own. Pretty Woman, though, has much to say about women and their roles in society. Again, women are portrayed as prostitutes; this shows how prostitution and other unskilled professions are the only way women can make their way. In a way, they are saying women are incapable of being skilled enough at any trade to make money. With Edward taking Vivian in and using money to take advantage of her, it shows the dominance of men over women in real life. Women are just the playthings of men. Eventually, she stands
up for herself and realizes that she is a human too and should not be treated unfairly. This shows just a glimmer of hope for women being independent and being on their own. My Fairy Lady, a long movie about a women learning the way of high society, has tons of instances that can be looked at with a feminist criticism lens.
Instead of a prostitute, she starts off in the movie as a poor woman who sells flowers. This, again, is showing women's inability to make it on their own in the world. Like in Pretty Women, she is taken in by men and taken advantage of with money and wealth. This is furthering the opinion that men dominate women and women should get used to being used basically. Once she has her new education, however, she realizes her own worth and value. This helps her to become independent and stick up for herself. Like Pretty Woman, this shows a small chance for the future of women being independent and
self-reliant. All of these works of literature have one message in common: women are inferior to men and they will never make it in the world as well as them. Through the end of the story, some of the women try to gain independence through wealth and knowledge, and sometimes they even gain small amounts. However, the feminist world has a long way to go until they have the appreciation and equality they really deserve.