How What Higgins Says Alters Relationships And Personalities Essay, Research Paper
Simply phonetics. The science of speech. That?s my profession: also myhobby. Happy is the man who can make a living out of his hobby. You can spotan Irishman or a Yorkshireman by his brogue. I can place any man within sixmiles. I can place within two miles in London. Sometimes within two streets.(p26)When Higgins says this he is in Covent Garden taking down the flower girlsphonetics, he is talking to a gentleman. He sounds very proud and you could even go as far as saying a touchpompous. He is gradually building on his already to big ego.The relationship between the gentlemen he is talking to is not yet verywell established so it is not clear exactly what the relationship is like.I walk over everybody??I never had the slightest intention of walking overanyone. All I propose is that we should be kind to this poor girl. We musthelp her to prepare and fit herself for her new station in life If I did notexpress myself clearly it was because I did not wish to hurt her delicacy oryours. (p42)When Higgins says this Eliza has only arrived a few of minutes ago and hasjust been insulted countless times by Higgins himself. Higgins says this toall he is accompanied by, Mrs Pearce, Pickering, and Eliza. In this phrase he makes himself out to be the most thoughtful and caringperson alive, which, from the first part of the scene we have already foundout that this is not true.The relationship between the colonel Mrs Pearce and Higgins is one whereall three of them are fairly central and strong Higgins is polite towardsthese two but the way he treats Eliza is a different mater, it seems thatthis is because of her background when he says this phrase he is beingunusually nice.Well, when I?ve done with her, we can throw her back into the gutter; andthen it will be her own business again; so that?s all right. (p44)Though this is only a short caption it is a very strong one to be used inthe circumstances, as Eliza is nearby.Higgins doesn?t seem to realise that if Eliza goes back to the gutter thepeople there will not accept her and she will not be-able to go back to apoor quality of life after having such luxury, this shows that Higgins issomewhat self-centred.Higgins doesn?t understand why Mrs Pearce is so bothered what will happen toEliza if she is put back in the gutter.Higgins’s treats Eliza like an object, as though she is not capable ofhearing what he says. You know, Pickering, that woman has the most extraordinary ideas about me.Here I am, a shy diffident sort of man. I?ve never been able to feel reallygrown up and tremendous, like other chaps. And yet she?s firmly persuadedthat I?m an arbitrary, overbearing bossing kind of person. I can?t accountfor it. (p52)When Higgins says this he is accompanied solely by Pickering, -Eliza hasfinally been persuaded to get in the bath and Mrs Pearce has just left tosee to Eliza. This is another example of Higgins denying doing anythingwrong; he?s making himself sound innocent, bashful and perhaps a littletender he continues to make it sound like she doesn?t know what she?stalking about.This is an occasion we see several times during the play, when Higgins istalking to Pickering about someone who is not present.Although Higgins sometimes gets agitated with Mrs Pearce he would not beable to do without her.Stop. Listen to this, Pickering. This is what we pay for as elementaryeducation. This unfortunate animal has been locked up in school for nineyears at our expense to teach her to speak and read the language ofShakespeare and Milton. And the result is ?Ahyee, Beeyee, Ceeyee, Deeyee.?(p64)Only Pickering Higgins and Eliza are in the room at the moment, starting thefirst lessons of Eliza?s training.Higgins is clearly not impressed with elementary education and he states itmaking Eliza feeling worse than she all ready did insulting her languagefrom Lisson Grove.Yet again, Higgins is talking to Pickering as though Eliza is completelynon-existent.Oh she wasn?t nervous I knew she?d be all right. No; it?s the strain ofputting the job through all these months that told me. It was interestingenough at first, while we were at the phonetics; but after that I got deadlysick of it. If I hadn?t backed myself to do it, I should have chucked thewhole thing up two months ago. It was a silly notion: the whole thing hasbeen a bore. (p98)Pickering and Higgins have just returned home together with Eliza who hasjust, successfully, been passed off as a duchess, they are all now sattogether Eliza is sat brooding in the corner, silently.When Higgins says this he seems to forget Eliza is in the same place as him,He talks as though it was just for his satisfaction that he did this notbecause of her at all, then he was rude enough to say that he would havegiven it up months ago if he hadn?t made a bet on it.Higgins is speaking only to Pickering despite the fact that Eliza isalso present I think Higgins and Pickering enjoy each other?s companybecause they have no partner of their own and are in similar situations. Therelationship between Higgins and Eliza has changed substantially since thestart of the play, Eliza has become a little more independent but Higginsattitude has not changed towards her much.You let her alone, mother. Let her speak for herself. You will jolly soonsee whether she has an idea that I haven?t put into her head or a word thatI havnt put into her mouth. I tell you I have created this thing out of thesquashed cabbage leaves of Covent Garden; and now she pretends to play thefine lady with me. (p120-121)Pickering, Higgins, and Eliza are all together at Mrs Higgins house Higginsdirects this to his Mother.Higgins is feeling slightly envious of Eliza as he taught her everythingand she now speaks so marvellously, and it?s all down to him but he is notthe one being praised.Higgins bond with his mother is certain but his mother is the strongercharacter of their relationship.The relationship between Higgins and Eliza at the moment is very negativeand will be hard to regain the encouraging bond.A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to beanywhere ? no right to live.Higgins is becoming more open with Pickering, than he was at the beginningof the play; he has turned snobbish and treats classes very differently .Hisrelationship with Eliza is becoming evermore disastrous.If you come back I shall treat you the same as I always have treated you. Ican?t change my nature and I don?t intend to change my manners. My mannersare exactly the same as Colonel Pickering?s.andThe question is not whether I treat you rudely, but whether you have everheard me treat anyone else better.Both (p126)When Higgins says both of these phrases he is on his own with Eliza.Higgins is trying to ?wiggle? his way out of Eliza?s previous insult, heinsults people in almost every sentence he utters yet to be insulted he justcan not accept.I can do without any body. I have my own soul; my own spark of divine firebut I shall miss you, Eliza. I have learnt something from your idioticnotions: I confess that humbly and gratefully. And I have grown accustomedto your voice and appearance. I like them rather. (P127)Eliza and Higgins are alone here, Higgins is being very arrogant where asEliza is being very serious and dignified. Higgins is trying to get his ownway but Eliza is not putting up with it. she knows his ways now and can seethrough him. Higgins has to say something bad about Eliza to do the oppositeand say something good about her a complement from Higgins is not an everyday occurrence.You dammed impudent slut, you. But it?s better than snivelling; better thanfetching slippers and finding spectacles, isn?t it? By George, Eliza, I saidid make a woman of you; and I have. (132)Eliza and Higgins are again alone when this remark is voiced; Eliza hasjust turned into a tower of might. Higgins is saying how that this is whathe wanted Eliza to be and that he has succeeded swell.The relationship between Higgins and Eliza has changed quite dramatically,no longer does Eliza cower in the corners, but she rises above Higgins sheis now the dominant character.