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PYGMALION G.B.SHAW
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Pygmalion The Original Myth
Pygmalion was a sculptor from Cyprus who had no interest in the local women. He found
them immoral and frivolous. Instead, he concentrated on his art until one day he ran across a
large, flawless piece of ivory and decided to carve a beautiful woman from it
Flawless: without any mistakes, marks or bad features
Themes
Roles of the Sexes: What does it mean to be a “lady” or “gentleman” of society?
Class Distinctions: What purpose do they serve? How are they maintained?
Manners: Important or ridiculous?
Personal Identity: Is one what society perceives one to be or something controlled by
the self?
Speech: What does it say about us?
Characters
Henry Higgins - a phonetics expert and a scientist who loves anything that can be
studied as a scientific subject. His enthusiasm for the study masks his human
qualities.
Eliza Doolittle - an uneducated, streetwise Cockney flower girl. Her intelligence
allows her to recognize her self-worth and the worth of others.
Alfred Doolittle - Eliza's father, "an elderly but vigorous dustman..." who can borrow
money from his most miserly friends. Doolittle describes himself as "the
undeserving poor".
Mrs. Higgins - Henry Higgins's mother, kind, sympathetic, understands those she
encounters well. She is the gracious lady of the house.
Frederick Eynsford Hill - Eliza Doolittle's young suitor from the upper class. Freddy
shows complete devotion throughout the play.
Miss Clara Eynsford Hill - sister of Freddy, very comfortable in society, though
without the wealth to actually support the lifestyle.
Mrs. Eynsford Hill - mother of Freddy and Clara, very socially conscious and
interested in those people her children associate with.
Nepommuck - Henry Higgins's first language student, adept in several languages.
Mrs. Pearce – Henry Higgins housekeeper, a practical, proud woman. Mrs. Pearce
is not afraid of Henry, but conscious of her middle class status.
Colonel Pickering - An acquaintance of Higgins who has lived in the British Colonies
in India and become very adept at the Indian dialects. Pickering becomes the caring,
kind voice in Higgins scientific experiment. He views Eliza Doolittle as a person
worthy of respect.
Streetwise:
able to deal successfully with dangerous or difficult situations in big towns or
cities where poor people live or where there is a lot of crime
Dustman :
éboueur
Undeserving poor : underclass = a group of people with a lower social and economic position
than any of the other classes of society
Sympathetic : understanding
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Suitor :
a man who wants to marry a particular woman
Influences on Shaw
The outbreak of war in 1914 changed Shaw's life. For Shaw, the war was a tragic
waste of young lives under the guise of patriotism.
He expressed his opinions in a series of newspaper articles but he was treated as an
outcast, and there was even talk of his being tried for treason.
Shaw’s Ideology
Shaw believed in socialist ideas. He thought capitalism wouldn’t last, and wanted to
help the working class achieve rights.
He went on to revolutionize the English theater by concentrating his writing on various
social issues at a time when most other playwrights were writing sentimental
romances.
ACT I
In Act 1 of Pygmalion, the main characters are introduced and we witness the
inciting incident, the event that introduces a conflict and sets the plot in motion.
A plot is a series of events related to a central conflict. Every plot has a conflict,
problem, or struggle at the heart of it. We keep reading to find out how the problem or
struggle will be resolved at the end. Discuss some typical plots you know. For
instance, can anyone tell the main plot events of Cinderella? What's the struggle?
How is it resolved?
The inciting incident of a plot is the event that introduces a conflict and sets the
story in motion. For instance, the inciting incident of Cinderella occurs when an
invitation arrives inviting all maidens in the kingdom to a palace ball. This introduces
a central conflict: will Cinderella somehow manage to attend the ball?
After reading Act 1, decide which is the inciting incident, and why. Compare your
answer with a partner. Do you both choose the same incident? Share your reasoning.
Discuss which event you identify as the inciting incident of the play and how this
incident sets the action of the play in motion. It is not necessary that everyone
choose the same event, but each student should back up his or her reasoning. What
conflict, or problem, is incited at this point in the play?
The protagonist is the main character of a play; the antagonist is a character that
works against the protagonist. At this point in the play, who do you think will emerge
as the protagonist? Who might be the antagonist?
Create a plot pyramid. At the base of the pyramid, write "Inciting Incident." Along the
first slope of the pyramid, write "Rising Action." At the top of the pyramid, write
"Climax." Along the second slope of the pyramid, write "Falling Action." At the base of
the pyramid on the right side, write "Resolution." As you read, you will write a brief
description of each plot element. Now, write a description of the inciting incident.
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Act 1: One of the themes Pygmalion examines is the problem of classism in society.
This lesson's objective is to examine class differences and class conflict both in
the play and in contemporary society.
1) determine how many social classes are presented. Which classes are
represented, and who is a member of each class?
2) Examine the exchanges between the characters of different classes. What do
these exchanges reveal about the relationships between the classes in early
twentieth century London? (e.g., What do the upper-class people think of the
lower class, and vice versa?)
3) What class distinctions are you aware of in Swiss society? What attitudes do
the different social classes have toward one another? Is it possible to move
from one class to another? How difficult is it to do so? How difficult might it be
for someone like Shaw's Flower Girl, living in London in the early 1900s, to
move from one class to another? What would she have to do in order to
become a duchess, as Higgins hints she could do?
Text Analysis Act 1 p.13-21
1. For what hidden reason does the Flower Girl make the comment 'lf it 's worse, it 's a
sign it 's nearly over .So cheer up, Captain. . . ' (p. 12)?
2. When the Gentleman asks the question 'For a sovereign?'(p. 12) what reaction is he
exhibiting? Why should he add the comment 'lve nothing less'?
3. What social attitude motivates the Bystander to warn the Flower Girl to give the
Gentleman a flower? Who does he imagine the Note Taker is? What is the Flower
Girl's reaction to the warning and what does it tell us about her social position?
4. What attitude does the Note Taker adopt towards the Flower Girl on the two
occasions he addresses her on p. 13 ? ( 'There there! there!there!' and 'Oh ,shut up,
shut up.') What does this tell us about his character ?
5. What is the Bystander trying to do when he tells the Flower Girl that the Note Taker is
a gentleman? Why should he refer to the Note Taker's boots (p. 13)?
6. When the Note Taker asks the Bystander what a 'copper's nark ' is (p.13) the latter
finds it difficult to give a definition . What comment is Shaw making on the relationship
between class and language?
7. What attitude does the Gentleman show towards the Flower Girl on the two occasions
he talks to her on p. 14 ('Charge… ! and 'Come,come! ' )? How does this contrast
with the way the Note Taker has just treated her?
8. What motivates the reaction of the Bystanders generally on p. 14? What view of the
police is implicit here?
9. The general protest against the Note Taker (because he is believed to be a
policeman) is followed by a series of acrimonious exchanges between him and
individual bystanders. Examine the scene from 'He aint a tec' (p. 14) to 'Quite right' (p.
15).
a. ldentify three acts of linguistic aggression from the bystanders. Quote their
words and explain why they are aggressive.
b. What aspects of his character and temperament emerge here? Choose from
the following list of features.
bullying confident humble ingratiating quick-witted tolerant
10. The Daughter's character emerges in the extract on pp. 16-17. Choose the adjectives
from the list below which best define the way she treats other people.
kind polite rude
haughty respectful aggressive
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abrupt indirect gentle
understanding submissive heroic
11. When the Note Taker points out that the rain has stopped (p. 16), how do the two
Bystanders react? What effect do they produce?
12. The Note Taker’s speech beginning 'Simply phonet ics. . . ' (pp. 17) claims that
phonetics is a science. Which of the features in the following list does he call on to
justify his contention?
a. objectivity
b. measurability
c. exactness
13. What social point is the Note Taker making with his speech beginning 'Oh, yes. Quite
a fat o n e ' ( p . 17 ) on the relationship between language and class?
14. Look at the excerpt from 'Let him mind his own business. . . ' (p. 17) to 'Garn!' (p. 18).
The Flower Girl is still perturbed and seeks attention. How does the NoteTaker deal
with the situation? Has his behaviour changed – or is it similat tot he way he dealt
with the Flower Girl during the 'copper's nark' episode? Comment on the language
used here by the two characters.
15. The Note Taker's speech beginning 'You see this creature . . . ' (p. 18) is important
when considering the construction of the play. How does it prove that the play is
didactic? What is the dramatic function of this speech? Which of these larger themes
does it evoke?
a. Love is the central element of life.
b. Language is seen by society as an important part of a person's worth.
c. Social advancement is an important goal for everyone society.
d. A person's real worth cannot be evaluated on the basis of his/her linguistic
behaviour.
16. How does the Flower Girl's comment ('What's that you say?' p.18) highlight the
introduction of the key constructive point identified in Question 15? What is
happening in her mind and how does this anticipate the
action in Act ll?
17. The stage directions on p.18 state that 'The church clock strikes the second quarter'
and then Higgins hears 'the voice of God, rebuking him for his Pharisaic want of
charity to the poor girl'. Which important book in our culture, and which crucial events
contained there, do these words refer to? What parallels can you see with Higgins's
behaviour?
18. Higgins first calls the Flower Girl a liar and refuses to give her any money. The church
clock then induces him to change his mind and give her a generous sum. How is this
turnabout reflected in her reactions in the two situations ('You ought to be stuffed . . . '
and 'Ah-ow-ooh! Aaaaaaaaaaah - ow- oo!!!)? What comment is Shaw making on the
connection between the Flower Girl’s personality and her intellectual/linguistic
abilities ?
19. In the scene where the Flower Girl takes the taxi Freddy has found,what indications
are there that she is a poor girl who has never been in a taxi before?
20. When the Taximan says 'That sounds more like it' (p. 20),Shaw is again providing
confirmation of the relationship between language and social identity. Explain the
connection.
21. Why should the Taximan tell the Flower Girl to keep the taxi fare and wish her good
luck on p. 20 ?
22. The picture of the Flower Girl's lodging emphasises two aspects of her existence: her
poverty and her desire for a better life. List the negative aspects of her room which
underline her poverty and those aspects which emphasise her desire to escape her
condition (p. 21)
Negative Aspects
Escapist Elements
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ACT II
Look at the list of features below. Which of them would you apply to each of the five
characters in Act II? (certain features may apply to more than one character)
audacious, frank, honest, morally upright, irritable, impetuous, aggressive, calm,
tolerant, intolerant, insulting, rude, tactless, courteous, bullying, selfish,
understanding, ingratiating, ingenuous, self-confident, weak, brutal, critical, proud,
hypocritical, discreet, capable of rhetoric, disrespectful of others, uncritical of oneself,
a malicious tempter, an exploiter
Feature
Page
Higgins
rude
26
Why, this is the girl I jotted down last night
insulting
29
She is so deliciously low – so horribly dirty
30
Married Indieed! Don’t you know that a
woman of that class looks a worn out drudge
of fifty a year after she’s married?
32
Oh no, I dont think so. Not any feelings that
we need bother about.
aggressive
31
Throw her out
39
Of course. I’m always particular about what I
say. Why do you say this to me ?
bullying
exploiter
41
Send the blackguard up
26
Be off with you : I dont want you.
29
We’ll start today : now !... in the kitchen?
26
She’s no use: … another cylinder on it
31
The girl doesnt belong to anybody – is no
use to anybody but me
malicious tempter
34
Eliza: you are to live here: … wicked girl
31
By Geoge, Eliza,… before Ive done with you
33
Have some chocolates, Eliza
… and in future… in a taxi every day
uncritical of oneself
39
I swear ! I never swear
39
I
cannot
charge
myself…
justifiable
excitement
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Feature
Page
frank and honest
tolerant
Pickering
all three of his speeches
30
Oh come, Higgins! Be reasonable
He may not be a blackguard, Higgins
understanding
courteous
discreet
Good. Splendid, Miss Doolitle.
51
Wont you sit down?
34
Miss Doolittle
39
Am I in the way?
morally upright (= honest 33
Excuse me, Higgins: ...what she’s doing
and responsible)
38
Come Higgins !... her position
Feature
Page
Eliza
aggressive
27
Oh, if youre going to make a compliment of it
32
Oh, youve no feeling… you ought
33
I wouldn’t have ate it, only I’m too ladylike to
take it out of my mouth
ingenuous (=
30
Liza, reassured, steals back her chair.
26
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-oo-oo! (in answer to
naive/innocent)
weak
Higgins)
27
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-oo-oo! (in answer to
Higgins and Mrs Pearce)
Feature
Page
Mrs Pearce
critical
30
You can’t walk over everybody like this
You swear a great deal too much
morally upright
32
I want to know… when youve finished your
teaching ?
33
Mr Higgins: youre tempting the girl. It’s not
right.
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self-confident
32
Will you please keep to the point, Mr Higgins
I want to know
32
That’s her own business, not yours, Mr
Higgins
Feature
Page
Doolittle
Hypocritical
42
Have I asked you for a brass farthing?
Exploiter
43
I ask you as a parent what was I to think ?
45
I’m not so set on having her back home
again but what I might be open to an
arrangement
Course they are, Governor. If I thought they
wasn’t, I’d ask fifty.
I’m willing to tell you. I’m wanting to tell you.
capable of rhetoric
43
I’m waiting to tell you
Audacious
45
Can’t afford them, Governor
46
Will you take advantage… interesting to you
two gentlemen?
Language and Class
Language reflects social distinctions. The language a person speaks generally tells
us about his/her social identity. Eliza wishes to change the language she speaks to
move out of the working class into the middle class. To become an accepted member
of that class (or any group), however, one must not only speak its language but also
think and behave appropriately. How do the following exchanges from Act II
demonstrate that both lower- and middle-class characters are aware of this fact ?
a) Higgins. To get her to talk grammar. The mere pronunciation is easy enough
b) Liza. I don’t want to talk grammar. I want to talk like a lady in a flower-shop.
c) Mrs Pearce. They wont like the smell of you… Well, don’t you want to be clean
and sweet and decent, like a lady ? You know you can’t be a nice girl inside if
youre a dirty slut outside.
Higgins is referring exclusively to dimensions of linguistic competence – phonology
and grammar.
Eliza is intelligent enough to realise that talking grammar is not enough to behave like
a lady in a flower shop. One must also acquire communicative competence in order
to be able to play a social role successfuly. A speaker must possess a knowledge of
the social rules governing language and behaviour in general
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Mrs Pearce makes it clear that behaving like a lady requires more than adhering to
exclusively linguistic norms : it involves the respect of all aspects of community life,
including cleanlinesss and morality as well as speaking the right language.
Class attitudes and beliefs
1. drink
Just one good spree for myself and the missus…. You
couldn’t spend it better.
He’ll make a bad use of it, I’m afraid.
eating habits vary with class membership
Doolitle :
Pickering:
2. food
3. dress
Feature
Page
Eliza
The stage instructions describing Eliza’s
bad taste
dress show that her taste is ridiculous
clothes are not changed to
Liza : Ive never took off all my clothes
suit the situation
before.
not
a
wide
range
clothing
of
Mrs Pearce : Do you mean that you sleep in
the underclothes you wear in the daytime ?
Liza : What else have I to sleep in ?... You
want to kill me, you do
undressing is immoral
Higgins : Take all her clothes off and burn
them…
Liza: Youre no gentleman, youre not, to talk
of such things. I’m a good girl, I am
Middle-class
each social situation requires suitable clothes.
Higgins is attacking Eliza’s prudery at not wishing to undress before others.
Eliza must conform to all the behavioural norms of a group to become
accepted
4. cleanliness (and orderliness)
Eliza knows that middle-class morality requires cleanliness. She wears a clean
apron and a coat that she has tidied a little. She has tried to adapt to the
situation.
She cannot afford to keep clean: hot water, soap and towels cost money.
5. physical appearance
The hardships of working class life cause early physical decline.
‘Married indeed! Don’t you know that a woman of that class looks a worn out
drudge of fifty a year after she’s married?’
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6. money
Money is a sign of social status. ‘Did you tell him I come in a taxi?’
Money enables people to satisfy needs and obtain services without their
having to demean themselves ‘Well, I ain’t come here to ask for any
compliment; and if money’s not good enough I can go elsewhere.’
It is morally correct to pay money in return for goods and services ‘Oh, I know
whats right. A lady friend of mine gets French lessons for eighteenpence an
hour.’
7. morality
The working class has its own clearly-defined moral system.
Moral Values (Eliza)
sexual purity
Page
she will not debase her
sexual
and
personal
identity for economic gain
Narcissistic selfindulgence is immoral.
She follows the work ethic
– one should do one’s job,
what one is trained for and
suited to
Moral Values (Doolittle)
Page
he affirms his good faith
and honesty
…
he
implies
that
overindulgence is immoral
Quotation
‘I’m a good girl, I am: and I know what the
like of you are, I do.’
‘… I don’t want no gold and no diamonds.
I’m a good girl, I am.’
‘It didn’t: not all of it;… didn’t know which
way to look. But I hung a towel over it, I
did…. I’m a good girl, I am. I won’t pick up
no free-and-easy ways.’
He’s a disgrace to me, he is, collecting dust,
instead working at his trade…. His proper
trade’s a navy…
Quotations
I take my Bible oath!...
‘Not now. Another time, Governor.’
8. the family
Lower-class
a) sentiment, emotional relationships and solidarity among members of the
same family are of little importance. Economic survival and self-interest
are the dominating features of family life.
b) The father confirms the daughter’s interpretation of family life. The
daughter brings him no financial gain, so he is more that willing to ‘sell’
her
c) Doolittle’s words underline the conflictual aspect of the father-child
relationship in a world of limited means where the self-realisation of
one’s children is not a goal. It is, instead, a battle to control children, to
make them do what you, the parent, want.
Middle-class
Although there are no open, direct statements regarding the family in
this act, Mrs Pearce’s words imply a traditional middle-class moral view
of the family: parents are morally and socially responsible for their
children. Mrs Pearce presumes Eliza is living with her parents (or her
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husband if she is married) and they will not necessarily be amenable to
such an ‘irregular’ situation as the one the men are suggesting.
9. language
Act 2 p.41-52
1. When Higgins tells Doolittle to ‘take (the girl) away at once’, does he mean this
literally or is it a tactic based on Doolittle’s objective ?
No, it is only a tactic - he says the opposite of what he wants. Higgins plays on
the fact that Doolittle wants to leave his daughter with him, and that telling
Doolittle to do the opposite will calm Doolittle down
2. When Doolittle first enters, Higgins calls him ‘Doolittle’. Shortly afterwards, he calls
him ‘Alfred’ (p. 42). Explain what these two different forms of addressing Doolittle are
intended to show.
While Doolittle addresses Higgins with the term of respect'professor', Higgins
only uses Doolittle's surname to underline his superior status. When he later
calls him ‘Alfred’, Higgins wants Doolittle to think that he has understood his
motives and sympathises with him. He might also be hoping to ‘disarm’
Doolittle by using an intimate tone, forcing Doolittle to admit he sent his
daughter to trap Higgins.
3. When Doolittle tells Higgins where he met the boy, Higgins states it was a public
house (p. 43) and asks Doolittle for confirmation of the fact. What is Higgins really
doing here ? How does Doolittle’s answer confirm Higgins’ s tactic ?
Higgins is attacking Doolitfle by making him admit he met the boy in a pub -a
low-class place. This underlines Doolittle's low status and is an implicit
reference to the difference in class attitudes to drinking. Doolittle's question
'why shouldnt l?' demonstrates he is on the defensive as he tries to justify his
action.
4. Doolittle’s comment ‘I ask you as a parent what was I to think ?’ (p. 43) and Higgins’s
comment ‘So you came to rescue her from worse than death, eh ?’ employ the same
rhetorical device in the continuation of their battle. What device do they both use ?
Irony.
5. What is Doolittle’s intention in saying ‘wheres the clothes she come in ? Did I burn
them or did your missus here ?’Why should Doolittle call Mrs Pearce ‘your missus’ ?
He is saying that since Eliza has no clothes (because Higgins has had them
burnt), Doolittle cannot take her home. Finding a woman in a house, the lower
class Doolittle immediately presumes Mrs Pearce is the lady of the house –
the ‘missus’ – and hence Higgins’s wife.
6. What does Higgins imply when he says that if he and Pickering took Doolittle in hand
for three months, he could choose between a seat in the Cabinet and a popular pulpit
in Wales ? (p. 46)
Higgins is saying that Doolittle has demonstrated such great rhetorical powers
that if he were to learn standard English, he could become a Cabinet Minister
or a preacher in an important church. Thus Doolitlle duplicates the thesis being
demonstrated through Eliza: that language is a vital indicator of class
membership,and consequently a help or hindrance to social advancement.
7. What kind of social message is being conveyed by the fact that Doolittle does not
recognise his daughter when she comes in clean and well-dressed ? (p.48)
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What a person is depends o n his/her social and economic conditions.The
same person undergoes a radical change when his/her conditions change.
8. What is the communicative function of Doolittle’s comment on p. 49, ‘and don’t let me
hear you giving this gentleman any of it neither, or youll hear from me about it.’ ?
What makes him say this to his daughter ?
Doolittle is threatening to punish her if she is disrespectful to Higgins. He does
so because he wants to defend his investment with Higgins. Now that Higgins
has given Doolittle money and has assured Doolittle he will look after Eliza,
Doolittle’s attitude to Higgins has undergone a total reversal – he is now proHiggins.
Essay Questions
Act 2: In this play, Shaw satirizes, or makes fun of, conflicts between men and
women. This lesson's objective is to examine stereotypes about men and women
and how they are communicated by different characters in the play.
1) Higgins describes his attitude toward women in Act 2. Act out the dialogue
between Pickering and Higgins in the scene just after Liza goes up to her bath. Begin
with the line, "Are you a man of good character where women are concerned?" and
end with "I may as well be a block of wood." Why do you think Higgins can't get along
with women? What makes his words humorous? Would you classify Higgins as a
misogynist? Why, or why not?
2) Compare and contrast Higgins and Pickering. Which man has a more respectful
attitude toward Liza, and toward women in general? You may record your ideas in a
Venn diagram.
3) Compare and contrast Higgins and his housekeeper, Mrs. Pearce, in their
attitudes toward Liza. Create a chart showing, on the one side, Higgins's attitudes,
and on the other side, Mrs. Pearce's counterarguments. What does Mrs. Pearce
scold Higgins about? Who is more sensible, Higgins or Pearce?
4) Reread Doolittle's comments about marriage. What stereotypes about men and
women does Doolittle convey? What is humorous about Doolittle's words?
5) Discuss the portrayal of women in the play thus far. Are women shown to be more
or less sensible, or more or less strong, than men? Which characters in the play
might be said to be sexist? Which are not?
ACT III
1. What kind of setting does the stage description of Mrs Higgins's drawing room create?
What political overtones emerge from the description?
Choose the appropriate adjectives from the following list and give reasons for your choice:
Socio-physical setting:
formal, refined, rich, orderly (in contrast to her son’s house)
Political setting:
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radical – her choice of artists is radical, politically and aesthetically, though she has now
lost her radical behavior, as shown by the way she dresses.
2. What features of Mrs Higgins’s character emerge when she is with other people who are
not friends or family? Is she like her son or not?
tactful, indirect, intelligent, polite.
3. Now look at the quotations in the table below and decide which feature of Mrs Higgins’s
character they illustrate. (Each quotation may exemplify more than one feature. Choose
the one you think is most relevant.)
Page
Quotation
Feature
55
‘I don’t remember asking her.’
indirect
57
‘Very good of you to come.’
Polite
58
'Or of manners Henry'
indirect
61
Not at all, Miss Doolittle
Tactful
63
Would you like to meet Miss Doolittle intelligent
again?
63
Well, you know my days.
indirect (it is an invitation to return)
63
I shall always be delighted to see him
polite, tactful
4. Mother-son Relationship
One important aspect is that Mrs Higgins dominates her son and treats him like a small
child.
Look at the features below and decide which quotation from the text they refer to:
ridiculing
imperious (x2)
scolding child (x2)
mother to baby (x3)
imperious = proud and confident , expect to be obeyed
Page
Quotation
Feature
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What are you doing here today? It’s scolding child
54
my at-home day you promised not to
come
54
Go home at once
imperious
54
Oh ! Don’t they? Small talk indeed!
ridiculing
55
Stop fidgeting and take your hands imperious, mother to baby
out of your pockets
That’s a good boy. Now tell me about mother to baby
55
the girl.
… but really youre rather trying on mother to baby, scolding child
58
more commonplace occasions.
Psychoanalytical aspect of the mother-son relationship (p 54-55)
Higgins is suffering from the classic Oedipus complex – his love for his mother stifles
(suppresses) any possibility of his establishing normal relationships with members of the
opposite sex.
5. Higgins: Many of the features of Higgins’s character emerge forcefully in the course of
Act III. Higgins manner is inelegant totally the opposite of the refined and relaxed
gracefulness of his mother. this is demonstrated by his physical actions described in the
stage instructions. Complete the table below by locating examples of such action,
revealing a lack of grace. What other feature do most of these actions demonstrate apart
from lack of grace?
Many of the actions also contain an element of violence, illustrating Higgins’s
unsociable, brusque, domineering nature.
Page
Lack of grace
54
opened violently
54
throws the hat down
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56
snatches his hat from the table
58
slings him on to the ottoman
59
stumbling into the fender
60
throwing himself so impatiently on the divan
6. Higgins’s lack of gracefullness is linked to his lack of tact and sociability, which
sometimes turns into openly insulting behavior, even with people he does not know
and who have done nothing to him. Identify the offensive comments he makes at the
following points in the text.
Page
Offensive Comments
56
(glumly) delighted (obvious contradiction)
57
we were interrupted: damn it!
Yes, by George! We want two or three people. Youll do as well as
anybody else.
57
God of Heaven! another of them.
It don’t matter, anyhow. Sit down.
58
What the devil are we going to talk about until Eliza comes?
7. Mrs Eynsford Hill
Which of the features listed below would you apply to what Mrs Eynsford Hill says?
CONFORMIST
INGENUOUS
OBSERVES HER TURN
SUPERFICIAL
TACTFUL
SAVES THE SITUATION
SUPPORTS HER DAUGHTER
SYMPATHIZES
TRADITIONAL
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Page
Quotation
Feature
57
Are we in the way?
Tactful
58
but why?
traditional,
conformist,
observes
her turn, supports her daughter
58
Oh! I’m sure you don’t mean that, Mr superficial
Higgins
60
clicks her tongue sympathetically
sympathises
8. Clara
In Act III the relationship between Clara and her mother turns out to be less conflictual than
in Act I. In fact, mother and daughter are revealed as having certain characteristics in
common. Complete the table below by linking the relevant features in the list to Clara’s
words. Then state which features Clara shares with her mother.
BRAVADO(= courage)
SYMPATHISING
INGENUOUS
SUPERFICIAL
CONFORMIST
TACTFUL
56
(gaily) I don’t
58
I haven’t any small talk. If people would ingenuous, superficial
bravado, superficial
only be frank and say what they really
think!
58
(gaily) Is it so very cynical?
bravado, superficial
The daughter shares several characteristics with her mother: conformity, ingenuousness,
superficiality.
Act III pages 63-72 Questions
1. What do Pickering and Higgins say makes Liza a "genius"?
She has a perfect ear and can imitate any sound she hears.
2. What new skill does Liza have?
She plays the piano beautifully.
3. What is Mrs. Higgins concerned about after meeting Liza at the social visit in Act
3?
What will happen to Liza when the experiment is over.
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4. In the last part of Act 3, Higgins and Pickering take Liza for her final test. Where
does this "test" take place?
At a party at the Embassy.
5. Who is Neppomuck?
A former student of Higgins.
6. What is striking about Neppomuck's appearance?
He has a very hairy face.
7. What skill does Neppomuck have?
He is an interpreter who knows 32 languages.
8. What does Higgins think of Neppomuck?
He is a fool.
9. What do Higgins and Pickering fear might happen at the end of Act 3 to spoil their
bet?
Neppomuck might figure out Liza's true background and create a scene.
10. What does the ambassador's wife think of Liza?
Liza is a sensation, and must have royal blood.
11. What does Neppomuck think must be Liza's true background?
She is a Hungarian princess.
12. What does Liza think about the party?
She thinks she can never fit in with all these people.
Gender
For centuries, Western society has tended to see men and women as inherently opposite.
Men have supposedly embodied logicality, thoughtfullness, consciousness and
aggressiveness, while women have epitomised the 'opposed' qualities of emotion,
impulsiveness, consciousness and passivity.
Different features fitted the sexes for different roles, and these differences inevitably involved
inequality. Several of the gender related comments in Act lll are based on this traditional
view of a clear-cut division.
1. Look at Higgins’s speech beginning ‘Oh, I can’t be bothered with young women’ (p.
55). Apart from being evidence of his Oedipus complex, what other ‘traditional
attitudes’ are implicitly or explicitly stated with regard to gender and marriage?
Marriage is implied as being a 'habit', in which the woman is the object, the
servant, - very much the way the relationship between Higgins and Eliza has
developed. Furthermore Higgins supports the traditional view that women are
mentally inferior to men by stating that women are 'idiots'.
2. Look at Eliza’s speech beginning ‘Not a bit’ (p. 60) Consider in particular ‘There’s lots
of women has to make their husbands drunk to make them fit to live with’ and ‘If a
man has a bit of a conscience, it always takes him when he’s sober’. What light does
this speech throw on male female relationships?
It illustrates that the wife is in an extreme subordinate position to the husband.
To make her husband (and the marriage) bearable, the wife must be persuasive
with her dominant husband, in this particular situation (mood and social class) by
making the husband drink. Note that this is taken as being the standard role
relationship, with standard reactions to standard thoughts and acts. Getting 'a bit
of a conscience' is a form of behavior for the male, and combating his
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unbearability in this situation is normal behavior for the female. lt should be noted
that Eliza's tone is not one of complaint - she accepts the situation as quite normal
and sees nothing too reprehensible in it.
3. When Mrs Eynsford Hill tells Clara, 'l have got accustomed to hear you talking about
men as rotters' (p. 62), what is she revealing about her daughter's attitude towards
the male sex?
A clear-cut division between the sexes, with the two groups having conflicting
interests
4. What attitude towards men emerges from Mrs Higgins's words 'No, you two infinitely
stupid male creatures: the problem of what is to be done with her afterwards'(p. 67)?
She too shares the stereotypical view of the stark division (= totale) between male
and female. She also adheres to the stereotype that males are selfish and
unfeeling- her son and Pickering have no understanding for Eliza's situation, nor
do they appear to care. They are insensitive and hence stupid.
5. Explain how this extract from Shaw's description of the Ambassador 's reception (p.
68) also underlines the male female division:'On the left are the arrangements for the
gentlemen's cloaks. The male guests are depositing their hats and wraps there. On
the right is a door leading to the ladies' cloakroom. Ladies are going in cloaked and
coming out in splendor.'
The cloakrooms are not simply separate, but physically separated by being on
different sides of the room. lf one compares the order in which the sexes are
mentioned in the stage directions to the stock introductory phrase' Ladies and
gentleman', there is a reversal. lt is the male sex that is named first, with the
ladies occupying second place- as they did in society in Shaw's time.
ACT IV
Section 1 (p. 73-75) Creating the conflict
1. Look at the first part of Act lV up to 'l'll take tea [He goes outl' (pp. 73-75). Which of the things listed
below happen in that scene? Write true (T) or false (F)
Change the false statements to reflect what really happens.
a. Higgins politely tells Pickering to lock up.
b. Higgins explicitly and politely asks Eliza to fetch his slippers.
c. Pickering says he feels tired.
d. Pickering declares Higgins has won his bet.
e. Pickering declares that while he was nervous at the party, Eliza wasn’t.
f. Higgins and Eliza both confirm she was not nervous.
g. Higgins says the bet was a boring strain on him.
h. Pickering defends the bet, saying it was exciting.
i. Eliza is asked for her feelings on the experiment.
j. Eliza says she was afraid at times.
k. Pickering addresses Eliza directly to compliment her on her excellent performance.
l. Higgins does the same.
m. Higgins declares he can go to bed without dreading the next day.
n. Pickering announces he is going to bed and wishes both people goodnight.
o. Higgins wishes Pickering goodnight.
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
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p. Higgins kindly requests Eliza to put out the lights and to inform Mrs Pearce
what he would like for breakfast.
__________
Examine how much speaking time each character has, who speaks to who and what the topic of
conversation is.
Eliza
Pickering
Higgins
never speaks because the two He talks only to Higgins. He He speaks more than the
male characters never speak to talks about his own feelings Colonel. He totally ignores
her. They neither attempt to (tiredness,
fear,
success, Eliza’s presence, failing to see
involve her in the conversation, enjoyment, rejuvenation).
that she has brought his
nor even acknowledge her He recognizes Eliza’s role in slippers. He fails to say
presence
their success, though only goodnight to her. He addresses
indirectly, since he doesn’t a few words to her giving her a
address her.
series of orders. He talks about
He worries about Mrs Pearce his own feelings (tiredness,
(clothes)
boredom, stain, stupidity of
others) He takes Eliza’s feelings
for granted. She did not exist
before and does not exist now.
She has been an object he
experimented on and with which
he won a bet – an object which
has no will and identity of its
own.
Section 2 (pages 75-80) The Conflict
In this section Higgins’s personality again emerges forcefully and is unchanged. Complete
the table below quoting the words that illustrate the features of his character referred to
Page
page 76
page 77
page 78
page 76
page 78
page 80
page 78
page 79
page 79
page 80
Quotation
what on earth… what’s the
matter?
Why? In heaven’s name
why? .. subjective
Oh, that’s what’s worrying
you, is it?
I hadn’t quite realized
presumptuous insect
you won’t feel so cheap
heartless guttersnipe
I shouldn’t bother about it if I
were you.
You might marry, you know,
youre not bad-looking
I must clear off to be; I’m
devilish sleepy
By the way I came down for
something: I forget what it
was.
I’d ram them down your
ungrateful throat.
He turns on her so
threateningly
that
she
Feature
uncomprehending(=
perplexe), unaware
insulting
insensitive, tactless
self-centred
exploitation
violence
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page 77
crouches over the piano…
May I ask whether you blamelessness
complain
about
your (irréprochable)
treatment here?
Gender conflict
One central point of conflict revolves around gender. Though Higgins mistreats everyone
who crosses his path, his attitudes also embody the traditional male-centred view of social
roles that was prevalent in that period.
Higgins doesn’t speak to Eliza, he doesn’t even note her presence: p. 74 : “Eliza flinches
violently, but they take not notice of her”
When he does speak to her it is in an indirect way, giving her orders. (p. 74) “I wonder where
the devil my slippers are” (p. 75) “Put out the light, Eliza.”. When he refers to her he uses the
third person, as if talking to someone else or to himself (p. 76) “The creature is nervous, after
all”. If he does speak to her it is only to give her order, using the imperative. She is his slave,
as were wives and servants at the time.
One of the major causes of a woman’s servitude was her economic dependence, first on her
father and later on her husband. Eliza is aware of a woman’s need for economic
independence. (p.78) “I sold flowers. I didn’t sell myself.” Women have traditionally been
viewed as mentally inferior because they are emotional, unreflective, illogical creatures in
contrast to men who are supposedly cold, rational and objective. Higgins holds this kind of
view: Page 77: “All this irritation is purely subjective” Given their superior status, men
disregard women’s needs and their mental and emotional states. They are not required to
understand women (and children). Eliza represents the feminist revolt against traditional
male-female relationships since it is only her strong resistence that forces Higgins to listen to
what she says. Higgins is finally paying attention to what she is saying.
Language, Class and conflict
Class, gender, behavior and language are all linked. Eliza’s words demonstrate that in
acquiring new language she has also acquired a new mental viewpoint which reflects the
social class whose language she now speaks. This new mentality debars (= exclure) her
from menial (= subalterne) or lower class work, both socially (no one would accept a flower
girl with a stylish accent) and psychologically (Eliza’s mentality has now changed and so she
too cannot accept menial labour)
Eliza says “I wish youd left me where you found me” This is not the only attack she makes
based on her social origins. She also says “I don’t understand, I’m too ignorant.” Ignorance is
a result of a lack of education and culture both of which are products of limited financial
means. Eliza is indirectly maintaining that if she had been brought up in a better family and
school environment she would not have been ignorant and consequently in Higgins’s power.
She is making a social and political point regarding equality of opportunity.
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Equality of opportunity is feasible because people can learn. Language, thought and
behavior are not inborn, they are learnt. So, if people are given the opportunity to learn and
are taught correctly, they will learn. In this way, class barriers are overcome. Higgins’s bet
with Pickering is precisely on this point, and the play in one sense revolves around a
demonstration of this thesis.
Eliza makes a distinction between two social classes “the like of you and the like of me” (p.
80). Ignorance establishes an emotional barrier. Lack of knowledge and culture are socially
determined.
Scene 3 (pp. 81-83) Resolution
Some of the major stereotypical words and actions signaling the classic romantic scene of
people deeply in love: lovelorn, gazing, darling, I spend most of my nights here, loveliest,
dearest, loses self-control, kisses,etc.
Eliza’s position is ambiguous: “hungry for comfort” – “to make a hole in it”
Eliza might simply be extremely angry with Higgins for having treated her badly (hence the use of
'comfort'), but 'hungry' is a very strong metaphor, generally collocated with 'love', and 'comfort' could
also be an equivalent for the term 'love'.
Eliza seems to want to commit suicide - perhaps because of depression since her (important) part in
the experiment has been disparaged, or perhaps desperation caused by her new state of economic
crisis. Scorned love might, however, be the cause of her wanting to kill herself.
She might be simply compensating for her unrequited love by pouring it onto Freddy.
ACT V
Manners
Manners is another of the central themes in Pygmalion. It is related to many of the other
themes of the play and highlights the fundamental political and social message Shaw is
trying to convey in this work.
1. Look at the extract and decide what Higgins means by the word ‘manners’ and what it
shows about his attitude to Eliza.
Higgins.”Oh, all right. Very well. Pick: you behave yourself. Let us put on our best Sunday
manners for this creature that we picked out of the mud.” (p. 92)
Higgins means POLITE SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR. He distinguishes degrees of politeness
(best Sunday manners) and lastly he indirectly expresses the idea that Eliza is inferior
and therefore does not deserve to be treated in a polite manner. (This creature we picked
out of the mud)
2. Look at the exchanges between Eliza and Pickering (pp. 94-95-96). How does Eliza's
attitude to Pickering differ from her attitude to Higgins and why? What important social
points is Shaw making through these exchanges with regard to language, behavior
respect and learnability?
Higgins taught her the purely linguistic aspects of behavior But this was a limited
achievement for two reasons: first, for Higgins it was simply a job, and secondly, being a
lady is much more than simply accurate linguistic form, it is a question of one's whole
mode of behavior which is what Pickering unconsciously taught Eliza. Eliza furnishes
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several examples of Pickering's g ood manners: he calls her 'Miss', he stands up, he
takes off his hat, he opens doors, he never takes off his boots in the dining room when
Eliza is present.
A second vital difference is that it is 'natural' for Pickering to treat everybody in this way.
He does not act in this way only because he is in Eliza's presence; he would act in this
way with everybody. ln other words,he is egalitarian- he treats everybody with respect,
the scullery-maid included.
A third crucial point Shaw is making is that 'the difference between a lady and a flower girl
is not how she behaves, but how she's treated. l shall always be a flower Girl to Professor
Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will; but l know l can be
a lady to you [Pickering] because you always treat me as a lady, and always will. 'What a
person is depends on how that person is treated.
Shaw also insists on learnability: quality and respect are possible because it is possible to
learn languages, manners and behavior in general. Eliza was 'brought up to be just like '
Higgins. Just as she learnt to be a guttersnipe, so she learns from Pickering 'really nice
manners', in other words, how to be a lady.
Circumstances make the Person
Circumstances (social, economic, historical) shape people – we are the result of our
experiences. This is connected to the social point that people act and react according to how
they are treated.
A parallel transformation takes place in Eliza and Doolittle in the course of the play. Eliza is
transformed from a guttersnipe and a slut into a duchess. Doolittle from a penniless dustman
into a man of wealth who no longer needs to work. Both characters are rejected when they
first have dealings with their middle-class counterparts. Both are accepted when they present
themselves to the same middle-class people once they have achieved their transformation.
This involves a change in appearance and behavior (better clothes, better language, etc.)
and in mentality, though the linguistic change is more radical in Eliza.
1. (p. 87) people judge by social standards and by appearances, just as Eliza was
judged on her appearance and behavior in Acts I and II.
2. (p. 90) Like Eliza, Doolittle cannot go back, he cannot return to his social origins.
Doolittle does not wish to risk finishing his days in the workhouse, while Eliza cannot
return to selling flowers on the street because her sensibility has become middleclass. Shaw wished to see a better life for all members of society.
3. (p. 92) Doolittle has acquired the mentality and values of his new social class. Just as
Eliza now acts and feels as a lady, so Doolittle now acts and feels like a wealthy
person.
4. (p. 92) Doolittle has acquired the economic weight and values of his new social class.
In contrast to Eliza, he can keep himself, but the demands now made on him mean
he cannot afford to feed extra mouths, despite the enormous sum he now possesses.
He was economically free as a dustman; now, ironically, he is economically tied as a
rich man. This situation is paralleled in Eliza’s transformation from Flower Girl to lady.
Lower- and Middle-class Values
Using what you know of English society of the period, look at the list of values below. Find
which values are opposite in nature, and decide which of the two opposites is a middle-class
value and which reflects lower-class attitudes.
abstinence
respectability
work
happiness
idleness
freedom from care
indulgence
thrift (= frugality) hedonism( pleasure-seeking)
puritanism (self-denial)
seriousness
licentiousness
liberality
responsibility
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Middle-Class Values
Work
Responsibility
Puritanism
Abstinence
Seriousness
Respectability
Thrift
Lower-Class Values
idleness (laziness)
freedom from care
Hedonism
indulgence (doing or having something that is
not good for you)
Happiness
licentiousness (interested in sex in a way that
is unpleasant or offensive)
liberality (giving things generously)
Transformations
In Act V Doolittle has undergone a transformation compared to his Act II persona. Look at the
list of behavior patterns which follows. Decide which forms of behavior characterized his
actions in Act II and which characterize his actions now. Complete the table and provide
examples to support your view.
a) conforming to middle-class morality
b) dependence
c) violating middle-class morality
d) indulging in pleasurable activities
e) irresponsibility
f) practicing denial
g) respecting middle-class morality
h) total independence
Act II
violating middle-class morality
ridiculing middle-class morality
indulging in pleasurable activities
irresponsibility
total independence
Act V
conforming to middle-class morality
respecting middle-class morality
practising denial
Responsibility
Dependence
In Act II, Doolittle dresses in a terrible fashion, lives with the woman he presumably loves,
gets drunk, borrows money from others, refuses to look after his daughter since she is of age
and seems to feel no affection for her, and is fanatically interested in being independent and
free from moral and social ties. Hedonism at all costs is his objective
In Act V he has now received the inheritance which puts him in a position of dependence but
he is afraid, and the possibility of escaping the workhouse in old age obliges him radically to
modify his behavior. Thus, besides exhibiting responsibility, he also conforms to middle-class
morality instead of scorning and ridiculing it. He dresses properly, marries the woman he was
living with, displays feelings typical of the middle-class person and is aware of his duties (the
fear that he will be called upon to look after Eliza). He has lost the independence he valued
so highly and has lost the pleasure he used to get out of life.
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Eliza is also transformed - from the 'squashed cabbage leaf' and 'guttersnipe' of the
beginning of the play, to a figure of elegant perfection and beauty: the Galatea that
Pygmalion has constructed.
Look at the following list of features and decide which characterized the old Eliza, which the
new, and which have remained unchanged.
Complete the table below. Then give examples from Act V of her change in personality.
aggression
unattractiveness
self-assurance
attractiveness
fear
ungainliness
independence control
calmness
irritability
poise
determination
lack of control
ungainliness: moving in an awkward way and without grace
poise = calm confidence in a person's way of behaving, or a quality of grace
Old
Fear
Irritability
lack of control
Submission
Unattractiveness
Ungainliness
New
self-assurance
Calm
Control
Independence
Attractiveness
Poise
She now openly contrasts with Higgins, maintaining a calm, controlled attitude, and forces
him to lose his temper (the opposite of what happened before).Her aggressiveness has lost
none of its force, but it is kept on a tight rein. She has lost all fear. She can defend herself
against Higgins without losing her calm and can make a cool assessment of a situation and
decide what is the best course of action open to her. Her behaviour and language are highly
polished and reflned, exhibiting great poise, and her cleanliness and good clothes reveal her
attractiveness in contrast to her ungainly, ugly appearance at the beginning of the play.
Higgins
Unlike Eliza Higgins’s personality undergoes no modification. However, here is one change: his ability
to impose his will on everyone. With Eliza he finally meets his match, ironically so, since she is his
creation – he has caused his own downfall. This ironic justice is reflected in his language and
behaviour, which parallel Eliza’s before her transformation into a lady.
Here are examples which illustrate Higgins’s inverse transformation from a self-assured, competent
speaker to an impotent, inarticulate user of the language:
Page
Quotation
Feature
94
Damnation
95
95
I’ll see you damned first!
Please don’t grind your
teeth, Henry
He lays hands on her/…
stamping with rage….
Freddy!!!! That young fool!
That poor devil who…
That impostor! That humbug!
That toadying ignoramus
You take one step in his
direction and I’ll wring your
neck!
Using expletives (= rude
words)
Using expletives
Animalistic behaviour
104
104
104
104
Animalistic behaviour
insulting
insulting
violence
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Ambiguity
One crucial dimension of romance that has already been mentioned is ambiguity.
Certain utterances and behaviour may be interpreted as being ‘romantic’ in the popular sense of the
term. Look at the following quotations :
1. ‘I haven’t said I wanted you back at all‘ (p. 98)
Higgins’s utterance could be interpreted as the wronged lover who refuses to admit his
feelings (he really does want Eliza back and is waiting for the other person to make the first
move). However, his words might simply be interpreted as Higgins being his usual superior
and conceited self, totally lacking in sentiment – he wants his slave back.
2. ‘But (standing up and facing him) I won’t be passed over.‘ (p. 99)
Eliza’s words could be those of the rejected lover. She has been wronged, her sentiments
have been ignored, and she is angry with her lover. The antiromantic interpretation is that she
is simply protesting at the fact that Higgins has never recognised her as a person and has
always treated her as his slave.
3. ‘I shall miss you, Eliza.‘ (p. 100)
This is a traditional stereotypical phrase used in lovers‘ goodbye scenes where ’I shall miss
you‘ is a euphemism for ’Please don’t leave me – I love you.‘. On the other hand, it is quite
natural for a person to miss another person who has been living under the same roof fort he
last six months, expecially as his/her slave.
4. ‘I can’t turn your soul on. Leave me those feelings ; and you can take
away the voice and the face. They are not you.’ (p. 100)
The words are extremely romantic. ‘soul’ ‘feelings’, the robbing or depriving another person of
sensations, memories, experiences are all classically associated with ‘romantic’ situations.
The opposite interpretation is, however, that Higgins is using his intelligence and language
ability in a twisted romantic fashion to trick Eliza into staying on… as his slave, as she always
has been, and not as his lover !
The Sequel
1. In the Sequel, Shaw justifies his interpretation oft he ending
of Pygmalion. What social factors and psychological motives
does he offer oft he future behavious he hypothesises for
Eliza and Higgins?
With regard to Eliza, the two social factors are age and income. Since Eliza is young and
beautiful she does not need to find a husband immediately who will keep her. She can
wait until she finds a suitable match. From a psychological standpoint, she has a strong
personality and does not want to be bullied by Higgins. She is also sexually normal
and so desires a full physical relationship, presumable with an attractive young male.
With regard to Higgins, the opposite reasons apply. His age and abnormal sexual drive
disqualify him from marriage. He sublimates his sexual drive in a love of beauty and
idealism, the cause of this being located in his Oedipus complex. The latter nurtures on
the presence of his cultivated mother, whom Eliza knows she cannot compete with.
Finally add Higgins’s domineering character and marriage is clearly impossible.
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2. In what ways is Eliza the portrait of a ´modern female´in her
relationship with Freddy?
Freddy has a weak character, little education, little inclination to work and is not endowed
with great intelligence. It is Eliza who dominates the marriage. She works, she takes the
initiative and the decisions, and she protects Freddy. The weight of the family is on her
shoulders.
3.
Doolittle’s progress is also mapped out. Those qualities of
his, as highlighted in the play, continue to be of great benefit
to him in the future. Name the three qualities Shaw identifies
and say why they help Doolittle be a success.
The three qualities are his wit, his dustmanship and his transcendence of good and evil.
His wit ensures people will be amused by him, as we are in the play. His dustmanship
refers to his strenuous declamation and defence of his morality, a quality people tend to
admire. His transcendence of good and evil is a sign of transgression, a value which
people hate to admit they admire
4. Clara – the target of heavy attack from Shaw – is also
redeemed (= her reputation is restored) , though her road to
salvation is longer than Eliza’s. What does it consist of ?
What causes her redemption and what social message does
this convey ?
She tries desperately to find a solution, but none works. All the social circles she moves
in reject her. The example of Eliza teaches her that improvement is possible and the
works of H.G. Wells make her realise what real human values are. She thus rejects her
snobbery and becomes an attractive human being. Again, Shaw wants to point out that
improvement is possible for everybody.
Short Answer Questions
1. According to Shaw, what type of play is Pygmalion typically considered to be?
A romance.
2. What do people often expect from the heroine of a play?
She will marry the hero.
3. How does a woman like Liza choose who she will marry?
She goes by instinct.
4. Why, according to Shaw, do many bachelors like Higgins resist marriage?
They idealize their mothers.
5. Which does Higgins ultimately value the most?
Philosophic interests.
6. Which quality makes Freddy a good husband for Liza?
He will never dominate her.
7. Which statement does Shaw agree with in the epilogue?
Strong people marry weak people.
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8. What is Freddy's profession?
Raised as a gentleman, he has no occupation.
9. What becomes of Liza's father, Doolittle?
He becomes a hit in high society and dines with duchesses.
10. What special job does Higgins suggest for Freddy?
He should have no job but entertaining Liza.
11. To what idea does Higgins express "violent opposition"?
Liza teaching phonetics.
12. What job does Liza settle on in the epilogue?
She opens a flower shop.
13. What is the name of the opulent place where Mrs. Eynsford Hill grew up?
Largelady Park.
14. What is Mrs. Eynsford Hill's economic situation?
She is struggling to maintain her upper-class lifestyle.
15. With which famous author's egalitarian ideas does Clara become obsessed,
causing her to lose her snobbery?
H. G. Wells.
16. What becomes of Clara?
She goes to work in a furniture shop.
17. Who gives Liza money as a wedding present?
Pickering.
18. How much money does Liza get as a wedding present?
500 pounds.
19. What new skill does Higgins teach Liza?
Calligraphy.
20. What is one of Freddy's skills?
He speaks Latin.
21. What does Pickering teach Freddy?
Accounting.
22. How does Liza treat Higgins after her marriage?
She nags him relentlessly.
23. What does Liza sometimes secretly wish?
That she could get Higgins alone.
24. What does Galatea think of Pygmalion?
She can't quite like him since he's too godlike.
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