5th+Period+Pygmalion+Themes

Higgins is speaking to his mother about why he refuses to find a young woman who would be suitable****
 * //**Love and Marriage**// **(Brooking, Matthew, Reid)
 * Higgins: “Oh, I can’t be bothered with young women. My idea of a loveable woman is somebody as like you as possible. I shall never get into the way of seriously liking young women: some habits lie too deep to be changed. Besides they’re all idiots.” p. 69****
 * Higgins: “Oh, I can’t be bothered with young women. My idea of a loveable woman is somebody as like you as possible. I shall never get into the way of seriously liking young women: some habits lie too deep to be changed. Besides they’re all idiots.” p. 69****

Doolittle: “Can’t afford them [morals], Governor. Neither could you if you was as poor as me. Not that I mean any harm, you know. But if Liza is going to have a bit out of this, why not me too?” p.56** ** Doolittle is speaking to Pickering after Pickering questions Doolittle’s love for his own child

Doolittle: “Take my advice, Governor: marry Eliza while she is young and don’t know any better.” p.59 Doolittle shares his advice on when to marry a woman with Pickering

Freddy: “Oh no, no darling how can you imagine such a thing? You are the loveliest, dearest..” P. 103 Freddy is persuading Eliza with the love that she is desperate for

Freddy: “Sorry, constable. We’ve only just become engaged.”p.104 Freddy uses the excuse of being a newlywed for why they are displaying public affection

Mrs. Higgins: “May I come Mr. Doolittle? I should be very sorry to miss your wedding.” p. 122 Mrs. Higgins asks Doolittle if she is invited to his wedding that is to occur towards the end of the play

Liza: “Oh you are a devil. You can twist the heart in a girl as easy as some could twist her arms to hurt her.” p. 126 Liza is speaking to Higgins about his manipulation regarding love and persuading people to be attracted to him

Two characters that represent love and marriage as a theme: Eliza represents the theme of love and marriage because she feels a real need to be loved and respected after Higgins hurts her. This is why she is eager to marry Freddy at the end of the play. Higgins represents the theme of love and marriage because he struggles with relationships. This is exemplified in the way he treats Eliza after the bet is over. He is almost too self-centered to get married, and he claims that he wants to remain a bachelor.

Three Scenarios that represent love and marriage: 1. By the end of the play, Eliza has fallen for the attention from Freddy and she is anxious to marry him. 2. Mr. Doolittle’s relationship with Eliza is an interesting one. Although it appears at the beginning of the play that he does not love his daughter, he actually is going through with Higgins’s plan because he wants something better for her. 3. Higgins’s void in his life for love and marriage is apparent when he is so shocked that Eliza has thrown the ring from him in the fireplace.



__Quotes:__ __Characters:__ __Eliza__ represents this theme because the entire play is based on her transformation from flower girl to respectable, higher class woman. At first her appearance suggests that she lacks proper morals, cleanliness, and a sufficient job. This appearance plants the idea that her heart and personality reflect such things as well. It is, however, later shown that she in fact possesses a deep rooted emotional attachment toward her teachers. She exemplifies the perfect character for this theme. __Mr. Dolittle__ on the other hand contradicts the comparison of these two factors. Upon arriving at Mr. Higgins laboratory, his first impression was that of filthy beggar, looking only to find money for booze and gambling. After a brief conversation over his claim of Eliza he confesses, nonchalantly to their correct assumptions. Where most would deny that idea he didn’t, making him the perfect example of the opposite point of view to this theme. __Scenarios:__
 * //Appearance vs. Reality//** (Frannie C., Camille C., Joanna S.)
 * 1) Mrs. Pearce (to Eliza): “I want to change you from a frowzy slut to a clean respectable girl fit to sit with the gentleman in the study.” (p. 46)
 * 2) Henry Higgins (to Eliza): “Yes, you squashed cabbage leaf, you disgrace to the noble architecture of these columns, you incarnate insult to the English language.” (p. 23)
 * 3) Mrs. Higgins (to Mr. Higgins): “Well, you never fall in love with anyone under 45. When will you discover that there are some rather nice looking young women about?” (p. 69)
 * 4) Mrs. Higgins: “Henry, you are the life and soul of the Royal Society’s soirees; but really you’re rather trying on more common place occasions.” (p. 73)
 * 5) Mr. Dolittle (to Pickering and Higgins): “…I have to dye my hair already to keep my job as a dustman…”(p. 113; complaining of how they ‘did him in’)
 * 6) Liza: “I sold flowers. I didn’t sell myself…I wish you’d left me where you found me.” (p. 100; arguing with Higgins)
 * 7) Higgins: “Rubbish! You shall marry an ambassador. You shall marry the Governor General of India of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, or somebody who wants a deputy queen. I’m not going to have my masterpiece thrown away on Freddy.” (p 457; Higgins disapproving of Liza’s wishes)
 * 1) Eliza’s father doesn’t recognize her as she enters the front door to Higgins’ place, cleaned up and dressed in fine oriental clothes. This just goes to show how one can be quite the pleasant person to be around when one’s appearance is well kempt. (p. 60)
 * 2) Pickering elaborates on how not everyone is born with a natural style, or fashion in life. He is surprised when Eliza comes out to be a fast learner with a remarkable outcome. Later stated on the same page the idea that Eliza’s beauty had become murderous displays the false pretenses which had been corrected. (p.96)
 * 3) Higgins continues to demean Eliza by rhetorically asking Pickering if he could see that “The creature is nervous after all.” Despite her change from beggar to beauty, Higgins doesn’t let appearance affect his opinion of Eliza. To him she is still the same old childish flower girl off the street. In reality he didn’t realize that the beautiful young lady he had pruned was hurt by this. (.p97)

//** The Pygmalion Myth and Creation Story**// (Casey, Ashley, Brooke)

In this quote Higgins is talking to his mother…. “You let her alone, mother. Let her speak for herself. You will jolly soon see whether she has an idea that I haven’t put into her mouth. I tell you I have created this thing out of the squashed cabbage leaves of Covent Garden; and now she pretends to play the fine lady with me.” Page 118

In this quote Higgins is talking to Pickering about the bet he is about to make concerning Liza…. “Yes: in six months – in three is she has a good ear and a quick tongue – I’ll take her anywhere and pass her off as anything. We’ll start today: now! This moment! Take her away and clean her, Mrs. Pearce. Monkey Brand, if it won’t come off any other way. Is there a good fire in the kitchen? Page 37

In this quote Higgins is talking to Liza, Mrs. Pearce, and Pickering…. [suddenly resorting to the most thrilling beautiful low tones in his best elocutionary style] By George, Eliza, the streets will be strewn with the bodies of men shooting themselves for your sake before Ive done with you.” Page 39

In this quote Higgins is talking to Liza…. [thunderstruck] Freddy!!! That young fool! That poor devil who couldn’t get a job as an errand boy even if he had the guts to try for it! Woman: do you not understand that I have made you a consort for a king?” Page 130

In this quote Liza is speaking to Higgins…. [defiantly non-resistant] Wring away. What do I care? I knew youd strike me some day. [He lets her go, stamping with rage at having forgotten himself, and recoils so hastily that he stumbles back into his seat on the ottoman}. Aha! Now I know how to deal with you. What a fool I was not to think of it before! You cant take away the knowledge you gave me. You said I had a finer ear than you. And I can be civil and kind to people, which is more than you can. Aha! That’s done you Enry Iggins, it az Now I don’t care that for your bullying and your big talk. I’ll advertise it in the papers that your duchess is only a flower girl that you taught, and that she’ll teach anybody to be a duchess just the same in six months for a thousand guineas. Oh, when I think of myself crawling under your feet and being tampled on and called names, when all the time I had only to lift up my finger to be as good as you, I could just kick myself.

This quote is the introduction to the book. It explains the myth of Pygmalion… “ The original story of Pygmalion is drawn from Greek mythology. A sculptor who mistrusted the virtue of women, Pygmalion kept to himself, devoting himself to his art. One day he created a statue of a woman. She was so beautiful, and the sculptor so lonely, that he fell in love with his creation and prayed to the goddess Aphrodite to give him a wife who resembled the statue. Instead, the goddess brought the statue itself to life. The ancient write Apollodorus, telling his earlier version of the myth, called this statue-turned-woman Galatea.

2 Characters that represent the theme - Higgins represents Pygmalion because he is creating or sculpting Eliza just like Pygmalion does to Galatea in the myth - Eliza represents Galatea because Higgins is creating her, like Pygmalion did to Galatea in the myth.

Scenario One- Pickering bets Higgins that he can’t make Eliza a lady by the night of the ambassadors party. Pickering offers to pay for the lessons and Higgins can’t refuse the offer. He just wants to prove himself, he does not care about what will happen to Eliza when he is finished.

Scenario Two- Eliza realizes what she wants to be. She realizes that she does not want to be what Higgins has created her to be. She tells him that she will teach anyone to be a duchess and will tell people how awful he is. She realizes that Higgins can not manage with out her and takes advantage of it.

Quotes 1. “Say I won’t be called a baggage when I’ve offered to pay like any lady.”-Eliza: Eliza is asking Higgins for lessons and is willing to pay. 2. “What’s a five pound note to you? And what’s Eliza to me?”- Doolittle: Doolittle is naming the price of his daughter. 3. “I really haven’t any change-stop: here’s three hapence, if that’s any use to you.”-Pickering: Pickering giving Eliza some money. 4. “Don’t look at me like that, Eliza. It aint my fault. I’ve some into some money.”-Doolittle: Doolittle explaining to Eliza that he had come into some money. 5. “Pickering could set you up in one: he has lots of money.”- Higgins: Higgins suggesting to Eliza about what she should do after she leaves him. 6. “ A clerkship at 30 shillings a week was beneath Freddy’s dignity.”- Narrator: Sequel 7. “I touched pretty high everybody for money when I wanted it, same as I touched you Henry Higgins. Now I am worrited; tied neck and heels; and everybody touches me for money.”- Doolittle: Doolittle explaining how he dislikes his wealth to Higgins.
 * //Money//** (Ryan, Becky, Stuart)

Characters

Doolittle represents the theme of money in two ways. First of all, he comes into the play almost begging for money by offering to “sell” Eliza. He accepts his lowly position as a dustman, and he uses the money for alcohol. When he comes into money, he becomes miserable. Doolittle is actually respected and looked up to because he has money although his morals have stayed the same.

Eliza also represents this theme because she goes from selling flowers, talking improperly, and having poor hygiene to proper dress, speech, and composure at the ball. However, she still cannot excel because she does not have the money. Higgins still does not treat her well even though she has become a lady.

Scenarios

When Eliza comes to Higgins asking for voice lessons, he does not want to accept her because of her class. However, once she offers to pay for the lessons for two-fifths of her income, Higgins jumps to the challenge. Moreover, he wants to win his bet with Pickering. He never even thinks about the trouble he will put Eliza through.

Doolittle comes into Higgins home asking for his daughter. However, the only thing he really seeks is money. He offers Eliza to Higgins for five pounds so that he can get drunk. Eliza is so low that she is worth only a small amount of money. It shows that money to get drunk is more important than Eliza.

Another scenario that Doolittle is in is when his girlfriend decides to marry him just because of his new riches. Doolittle hates his new wealth because he knows that people will be asking him for money. He despises the middle class although he is in it because he has the same morals as before. He knows money will not get him anything that he hasn’t already had.

//**Social Class**// (Will, DJ, Spencer)

1. Mr. Doolittle talking to Mr. Higgins, “I’m one of the undeserving poor: that’s what I am. Think of what that means to a man. It means that he’s up against middle class morality all the time.” Pg. 57 2. Mrs. Higgins talking to her son Mr. Higgins, “I don’t think you realize what anything in the nature of brain work means to a girl of her class.” Pg. 115 3. Liza talking to Mr. Higgins, “Why didn’t you leave me where you picked me out of – in the gutter? You thank god it’s all over, and that now you can throw me back again there, do you?” Pg. 47 4. Higgins talking to Nepommuck at the ball, “I say an ordinary London girl out of the gutter and taught to speak by an expert. I place her in Drury Lane. Pg. 91 5. Higgins talking to Pickering, “Shall we ask this baggage to sit down, or shall we throw her out the window? Pg. 33 6. Mrs. Pearce asking Liza something, “How can you be such a foolish ignorant girls as to think you could afford to pay Mr. Higgins? Pg. 33 7. Higgins talking to Liza, “You’re an untactful wicked girl. This is my return for offering to take you out of the gutter and dress you beautifully and make a lady of you.” Pg. 39 8. Character 1. Liza- she represents the lower class which is uneducated and poor 9. Character 2. Higgins- he represents the upper class that looks down on the lower class because he is educated and rich. 10. Scenario 1. Higgins and Mr. Doolittle are talking and Doolittle is trying to sell his daughter for five pounds. He explains to Higgins the status of his social class and how poor he is. Pg. 58 11. Scenario 2. Liza asks Higgins and Pickering if they will teach her. She explains she can only pay so much because she is poor. Higgins points out that she is really paying around 25% of her real salary so it would be fair. Pg. 32 12. Scenario 3. Higgins finally accepts the bet. He sends Liza off to have her bath and talks to Pickering about how deliciously low Liza is and how fun this bet he just took would be. Pg. 37


 * //Religion Vs. Morals//** (William, Merritt, Ryan)

"I sold flowers. I didn't sell myself. Now you've made a lady of me I'm not fit to sell anything else." This is right after Eliza has won the bet and she is arguing with Higgins.

"The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another." This is Higgins talking to Eliza. Its right after Eliza ran to Mrs. Higgins house and Higgins finds her there.

"I have to live for others and not for myself: that's middle class morality." This is Doolittle talking to Eliza right before he goes to get married.

Eliza says: “I take my Bible oath I never said a word.” This is when Eliza first meets Higgins and Pickering and she thinks they are cops.

Doolittles says: “See you in St. Georges Eliza.” He says this after Eliza won the bet and she is talking to Higgens who thinks he won the bet.

"Remember that you are a human being with a soul and the divine gift of articulate speech: that your native language is the language of Shakespeare and Milton and The Bible; and don't sit there crooning like a bilious pigeon." This is Higgins talking to Eliza one day when he is teaching her to speak.

" . . . the difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she's treated." This Eliza complaining about Higgins doesn’t treat her right and its at Higgins moms house.

Pickering because he has high morals. He treats Eliza like a lady the very first time he meets her. He is a gentleman throughout the play.

Mrs. Higgins also represents morals and religion because she is always acting like a lady should and treats everyone the same.

When Mr. Doolittle gets married reflects religion because it is in a church.

Taking in Eliza is a huge moral question. Should they take her in a teach her to be a lady.

Going to the horse race is a moral question should betting be okay.

//**Education**// (Allen, Hunter, Chris) Quotes: 1. Higgins: “If I decide to teach you, I’ll be worse than two fathers.” (35-36) Telling Eliza he will be strict if he gives her lessons. 2. Nepommuck: “She pretends not to know the difference between Hungarian and French.” (91) He thought Eliza was educated enough to know the difference between Hungarian and French. 3. Higgins: “He can learn a language in a fortnight-knows dozens of them. A cure mark of a fool. As a phonetician, no good whatever.” (89) Higgins saying Nepommuck can learn fast, but he cannot learn phonetics. 4. Higgins: “You see, she’ll be a pupil; and teaching would be impossible unless pupils were scared.” (48) Higgins is explaining how he views Eliza as a student and has a strict student to teacher relationship with her. 5. Liza: “Oh, if only I’d known what a dreadful thing it is to be clean I’d never have come.” (46) Eliza has more to learn than just speech and manners; she has to learn how to be clean. 6.Pickering: “Come, Higgins you must learn to know yourself. I haven’t heard such language as yours since we used to review the volunteers in Hyde Park 20 years ago.” (81) Pickering is hinting to Higgins that he needs to learn a few of the things that he (Higgins) is teaching to Eliza. 7. Higgins: “This unfortunate animal has been locked up for nine years in school at our expense to teach her to speak and read the language of Shakespeare and Milton.” (64) Higgins is saying that Liza’s public education is worth nothing because the teaching is not good. Characters: Liza: She is being taught to be a proper woman. However, she also learns to understand the power that respecting other individuals has on them because she herself is so disrespected. Liza also learns about companionship and love when she meets Freddy. Higgins: He is very well educated, but learns lesson about his flaws in relationships. He is a pupil to Liza at the same time that he is her teacher because he shows her that people really do have feelings and people really do long for respect. Scenarios: 1. Liza learns about love. She realizes what it is like to have sincere feelings for another person when Freddy comes into her life. 2. Higgins: He learns in the end that he can’t take everyone he runs into in his life for granted because he feels they are inferior to him. He begins to understand that his nature isn’t exactly as flawless as he had once thought when Liza stands up to him in the end. 3. Liza also learns the importance, although quite superficial, of having good manners and being lady-like. Before working with Higgins, she was nothing. However by the end of the play she is treated like, and even mistaken, for royalty. She went from rags to riches with a bath and a new vocabulary.