Pygmalion :: essays research papers

During the time of the play, Pygmalion, classes in England wereseemingly artificial. It is shown very well in Act III during one of Mrs.Higginss at-home days the differences between classes. Mrs. andMiss Eynsford pitchers mound claim to be of the upper class and they act as ifthey are in the upper class to try and impress Henry Higgins duringthis scene. Eliza Doolittle is being tutored by Henry Higgins, a professor ofphonetics, to speak clearly and correctly to change from her oldflower girl way to a lady of class. Having not been eduacated fairlywell and not having learned this new language quite well a remarkfrom Freddy Eynford Hill sends her back into her old ways. At the being of the conversation, in Act III, Eliza is speakingwith pedantic correctness of pronunciation and great beauty of tone. How do you do, Mrs. Higgins?she gasps slightly in making sure ofthe H in Higgins.... Eliza starts to go off and loses control of heremotions later on during the conversation when she mis construesthe remark of Freddy Eynsford Hill. She starts to get like her oldflower girl self and gets so comfortable t put on she doesnt even realizeit. Henry jumps into the conversation and stops her and she finallyrealizes what happens. The Eynsford Hills still seem a little bitpuzzled because they have never perceive a person of such high classspeak in such a manner.Henry goes on to explain that she is just talking the new smalltalk and that everybody who is anybody is doing it. The EynsfordHills being the rocket scientist that they are dont realize that Higginsis not telling them the truth about Eliza and who she really is. Theywant to be accepted so much by him and his upper class friends thatthey believe him and start talking in the same way. On the way outthe entre Clara imitates the silly nonsense and laughs as she saysgoodbye.Alfred Doolittle is another character in the play that doesntreally show a class distinction. When you first see Alfred in Act II heis a trash man. H e is an elderly but vigorous dustman , clad in thecostume of his profession, including a hat with a back brim coveringhis neck and shoulders, states Shaw (the author of Pygmalion).While his clothing and his appearance are disapproving, hislanguage of persuasion is very appealing. Higgins is surprised by theway that Doolittle speaks and becomes somewhat interesting.