A Depiction of Henry Higgins
English II
3 December 2013
Paper III Self-evaluation is critical to being your best self. In Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw depicts Eliza Doolittle as becoming highly motivated to address her issues in hopes of a better life through the help of phonetician Henry Higgins and his associate Colonel Pickering. While this is a quality Eliza holds, Higgins does not. Being born into the upper class and having become extremely skilled in his speech profession, his manners lack tenfold. This is not something Henry finds to be a problem as he treats everyone as coarsely, not giving any special treatment. Mrs. Pearce, Henry’s housekeeper, rejects his reducing of Eliza and asks him to consider what she will be when he is finished with her. He spends several months teaching Miss Doolittle how to speak and act like a duchess, but she struggles with his abrasiveness. Professor Higgins has always led a fixed lifestyle as a self-absorbed, ill-mannered bachelor with no plans to ever change. As the play unfolds, we quickly observe Eliza’s lower-class status while she attempts to sell to Colonel Pickering as Higgins witnesses and takes notes nearby. After their encounter, Eliza shows up at Henry’s home to request his teaching. He uses this time to make her feel less than she already is, as if he has not already done so upon their first confrontation: "A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to be anywhere — no right to live. Remember that you are a human being with a soul and the divine gift of articulate speech . . . don 't sit there crooning like a bilious pigeon" (20). His effortless ability to speak so eloquently shows us how privileged he has been to become part of England’s upper class society. His status is also defined by his talking down to Eliza, as if she is nothing but a worthless peasant. Somehow, he convinces her to stay for six months during which he will supply his home, new clothing and all of the chocolates or taxis she could
3 December 2013
Paper III Self-evaluation is critical to being your best self. In Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw depicts Eliza Doolittle as becoming highly motivated to address her issues in hopes of a better life through the help of phonetician Henry Higgins and his associate Colonel Pickering. While this is a quality Eliza holds, Higgins does not. Being born into the upper class and having become extremely skilled in his speech profession, his manners lack tenfold. This is not something Henry finds to be a problem as he treats everyone as coarsely, not giving any special treatment. Mrs. Pearce, Henry’s housekeeper, rejects his reducing of Eliza and asks him to consider what she will be when he is finished with her. He spends several months teaching Miss Doolittle how to speak and act like a duchess, but she struggles with his abrasiveness. Professor Higgins has always led a fixed lifestyle as a self-absorbed, ill-mannered bachelor with no plans to ever change. As the play unfolds, we quickly observe Eliza’s lower-class status while she attempts to sell to Colonel Pickering as Higgins witnesses and takes notes nearby. After their encounter, Eliza shows up at Henry’s home to request his teaching. He uses this time to make her feel less than she already is, as if he has not already done so upon their first confrontation: "A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to be anywhere — no right to live. Remember that you are a human being with a soul and the divine gift of articulate speech . . . don 't sit there crooning like a bilious pigeon" (20). His effortless ability to speak so eloquently shows us how privileged he has been to become part of England’s upper class society. His status is also defined by his talking down to Eliza, as if she is nothing but a worthless peasant. Somehow, he convinces her to stay for six months during which he will supply his home, new clothing and all of the chocolates or taxis she could
Cited: Shaw, Bernard. Pygmalion. New York: Brentano, 1916. Print. Busiel, Christopher. "An overview of Pygmalion." Drama for Students. Detroit: Gale. Literature Resource Center. Web. 14 Dec. 2013.