Essay on Higgins Eliza

Submitted By Zahra198
Words: 811
Pages: 4
Open Document
The Relation between Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins
"Oh, Lord knows! I suppose the woman wants to live her own life; and the man wants to live his; and each tries to drag the other on to the wrong track. One wants to go north and the other south; and the result is that both have to go east, though they both hate the east wind. So here I am, a confirmed old bachelor, and likely to remain so." (Henry Higgins)

At the beginning the relationship between Higgins and Eliza is based on two different objectives: Eliza wants to be taught to speak proper English in order to get a job in flower shop and Higgins wants to meet the challenge to convert Eliza from a working class girl to a lady. If he won the bet, and transformed Eliza into a sophisticated lady, he would have yet another proof that he is excellent in his profession. For Higgins Eliza is just a subject for an experiment at the beginning, nothing more. He treats her badly and hurts her feelings almost all the time. But Eliza is not always the victim of Higgins's verbal attacks. She protects herself ("I am a good girl!") and because she is angry with him, she even protests unreasonable against his words: "You see the difficulty?" […] "To get her to talk grammar. The mere pronunciation is easy enough.", says Higgins and Eliza answers: "I don't want to talk grammar. I want to talk like a lady." Only the perspective of achieving their goals makes it bearable for them to live together.

As time goes by, Higgins and Eliza get used to each other, although they don't admit that to anyone, not even to themselves. Higgins might be a friend, a father, or even a lover to her, and in the course of the play they begin to show feelings for each other and their relationship develops beyond their professional interests.

In Act 4 the conflicts between the two begin to prevail and both, especially Eliza, show their anger! Her pride is wounded, because Higgins never thanks her for anything and Higgins is offended by Eliza, because she throws his slippers into his face and says that in Higgins eyes she would be just one of the girls he and Pickering pick up to experiment on. When she gives Higgins back the ring, which he has bought her as a present, he looses his temper, which has never happened to him before, and he says: "You have wounded me to the heart."

This is the turning point in their relationship, because for the first time Higgins has to defend himself and Eliza seems to be in control of the situation, she is happy but also confused with her own triumph. When Eliza leaves Higgins he is furious and tells his mother, that he needs her, because he can't find anything and wouldn't even know his dates without Eliza's help. Henry Higgins is not worried about her, or disappointed that she left him and that she can live without him, he just
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on Higgins Eliza

Mighty Aphrodite Archetypes

the first time she crosses the threshold into the unfamiliar world is when she goes on the date with Kevin. Pygmalion transforms this archetype when Eliza goes to Higgins’ house unexpectedly. Although, the first time Eliza is tested in this new, unfamiliar world is when Higgins invites her to his mother’s “at-home” (Shaw 55). In both works, Eliza and Linda begin to enter their unfamiliar worlds the day they meet their mentor. Also, in both situations, the first time they are tested in their new…

Words 1050 - Pages 5

Pygmalion: Social Class and Higgins Essay

Pygmalion Professor Henry Higgins :Professor of phonetics, goes into the opposite direction from the rest of the society. The world hasn’t turned against him is because he is a kind man. He can be a bully. Eliza Doolittle -Her character becomes much more instrumental to fundamental after the ambassador’s party. When she decides to make a statement of her own dignity to Higgins, she becomes not a duchess but an independent girl. It makes Higgins sees Eliza differently as a creature worthy of his…

Words 405 - Pages 2

Theatrical Music Essay

linguists, Professor Henry Higgins and Colonel Hugh Pickering, which leads into a wager that will test Higgins skill. When they hear a dirty Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, Higgins proposes to transform the girl into a lady, and fool everyone into thinking she really is one as well. Professor Higgins accomplishes the task and young aristocrat Freddy Eynsford-Hill falls madly in love with her. But when Higgins takes all the credit and forgets to acknowledge her efforts, Eliza walks out on him leaving…

Words 942 - Pages 4

Lise Pedersen Review of a Review Essay

allow Shaw to provide contrasting reactions, against Shakespeare’s structure of transforming a female character, in a male dominant way. However, the reviewer contradicts herself when arguing Higgins’ unbiased derogatory manner. As well as incorrectly comparing the similar, but not identical characters of Eliza and Katharine, of the two plays. Furthermore, the critique seems somewhat uninformed as the author has failed to consider Kate’s position in society, which is different to Eliza’s. This has…

Words 769 - Pages 4

Pygmalion Analysis

characterisation of Higgins. Instead of portraying him in a desirable powerful man, Shaw captured him as a negative controlling man who has little respect over women. Satire is also used when Higgins refers Eliza as a Squashed cabbage leaf’, which is humorous initially but the audience soon realises the brutality of the comment. Furthermore, the diction used such as ‘created’, ‘baggage’ and ‘sell’ and the metaphor of ‘this creature’ to refer to Eliza objectifies her. As Higgins says to Eliza that she doesn’t…

Words 737 - Pages 3

Essay on Pygmalion: My Fair Lady

woman. Although, in both works, the two lead characters fall in love, "Pygmalion" demonstrates love's inadequacy and impermanence by concluding with the lovers' parting and showing that they are ultimately incompatible. In "My Fair Lady," Henry Higgins takes on the role of romantic lead and lover. In "Pygmalion," he is portrayed as a narcissist who cannot truly love and respect others. Additionally, the musical overlooks the complexity of Eliza’s character and of her relationship to Henry. In their…

Words 539 - Pages 3

English Practice Essay

English Practice Essay The limitations of women in society are frequently discussed in literature. George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl in Victorian times who is transformed into a duchess by a bullying, phonetics professor. Through his characters, Shaw explores the limitations of being a woman in the Victorian times which are; limited career choice and dependency on men, constantly being objectified, and Shaw proves to his audience in Pygmalion…

Words 678 - Pages 3

Research Paper On Pygmalion

and Golem effect. The Pygmalion is effect is demonstrated in the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. Within the play, Henry Higgins undertakes the task of teaching Eliza Doolittle proper speech in an unconventional way. He makes a bet that he can convince high London society that a poor cockney speaking flower girl is a duchess. While discussing Eliza’s future, Higgins states “ […] Well, sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassadors garden party.…

Words 489 - Pages 2

Essay about Pain: Child Abuse and Shaw Act

The play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw takes place during the Industrial Revolution around 1916, and was about a poor girl Eliza, who had to sell flowers on the street corner just to live. She later transforms herself into a duchess, with phonetic and etiquette training from a phonetics professor Dr. Henry Higgins. Throughout Eliza’s life her parents were not there for her, and her father was an alcoholic who worked as a local dustman. Shaw’s Pygmalion is an early depiction of what today’s society…

Words 3732 - Pages 15

Pygmalion Paragraph Essay

great beauty of tone and Eliza’s first opportunity to introduce her new guise in front of higher class personnel, proves that as long as you can articulate yourself appropriately, you will be accepted into the environment. Shaw’s new presentation of Eliza positions the readers to consider if her new ‘personality’ is truly capable of holding her self up in front of contrasting people, Shaw offers multiple and descriptive character directions as an effective technique to add depth and allows people to…

Words 551 - Pages 3