Character Essay On Eliza, Pygmalion

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A Character Essay on Eliza: Pygmalion The story of Pygmalion is based on a classical myth, and Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion plays on the complicated relationships in a social setting. Professor Henry Higgins takes Eliza Doolittle to teach her the art of phonetics and to refine her manners. Eliza was, at first a poor flower girl, but by the end of the play, is transformed so much, she is even mistaken for a duchess. It is obvious throughout the play that Eliza is changing in many aspects; the most obvious being her diction, for this is what the play is based on.

In Act 1, Eliza is simply a poor flower girl who just happens to meet the phonetics professors, who decide to take her under their wings, to transform her as part of a bet between friends. Eliza is a very poorly spoken girl in Act 1, and Shaw uses the method of her pronunciation to spell the words she speaks.

She also appeared very rude in front of the public. She said to The Mother "˜Ow, eez ya san, is e? Wal, fewd dan y'dooty"¦' It was not right for a young girl to question a mother's ability to look after her children. She said to Higgins "˜You ought to be stuffed with nails' this was a particularly rude thing to say to a stranger. She also interrupted people-particularly Higgins "˜Let him mind his own business and leave a poor girl-' Females were still seen as the lesser sex, and a poor girl should not have interrupted a well-respected man. Eliza was far inferior to Higgins, in almost every way possible, this means Eliza should show respect for Higgins, and certainly not be rude to him.

Eliza clearly had no money, and used any method possible to earn some...