Pygmalion is in many ways a Cinderella story with its transformation of a poor but lovely young girl into a princess. But is Eliza the only character to undergo such a transformation? Consider her father, Alfred Doolittle, as well as Henry Higgins himself. Describe the other transformations. Whose transformation is the most significant? Why?
Cinderella is a fairytale in which a maid becomes a princess. Likewise, Shaw’s play has the same plot: Eliza, a common flower girl turns into a duchess through Henry Higgins. In addition, both stories have the same symbol. In Cinderella, her shoe was the determining factor for the prince to find his true love. In Pygmalion, Higgins’s slipper was the determining factor for Higgins to profess his love. Although both end in different ways, Cinderella living happily ever after with Prince Charming and Eliza marrying Freddy instead of Higgins, both characters have the same transformation.
Cinderella is a fairytale in which a maid becomes a princess. Likewise, Shaw’s play has the same plot: Eliza, a common flower girl turns into a duchess through Henry Higgins. In addition, both stories have the same symbol. In Cinderella, her shoe was the determining factor for the prince to find his true love. In Pygmalion, Higgins’s slipper was the determining factor for Higgins to profess his love. Although both end in different ways, Cinderella living happily ever after with Prince Charming and Eliza marrying Freddy instead of Higgins, both characters have the same transformation.
Aside from Eliza, more characters are dynamic in the story. These characters include Henry Higgins and Alfred Doolittle. Although these characters changed differently from Eliza, they all went through a transformation. Alfred Doolittle, Eliza’s father, was a dustman who wanted to stay in the lower class because he despised having to practice “middle class morality”. In his opinion, it is better to be poor and steal from people instead of being rich and having to give to the poor and family members who need help. In addition, he did not care about Eliza, but instead asked Higgins and Pickering for money in exchange for using his daughter so that he can get drunk. For this reason, Mr. Doolittle was selfish and careless in the beginning of the play. However, after Higgins’s trick in sending a letter to a millionaire about Mr. Doolittle’s morality, he gained a large inheritance from the deceased millionaire in exchange for his preaching. As a result of this, Mr. Doolittle was forced to follow middle class morality and become the person he never wanted to be.
In addition, not only did Eliza and Mr. Doolittle change but also Henry Higgins. Even though Higgins was arrogant throughout the entire play, he changed his views about the lower class. In Act I, Higgins looked down on Eliza for being poor and dirty. However, after giving her lessons and getting to know her better, he developed feelings that he otherwise would not have had if he never had the chance to change her. Thus, with his bet, he was able to fall in love with someone he never thought of being with. But, with his pride, he denied his emotions and continued his arrogance towards Eliza. This was evident during his argument with Eliza. After Eliza threw the slipper at him, he was trying to hold in his emotions through his speech. With every retort that he said to Eliza, he was putting his guard up every time so that he would not succumb to his feelings.
Overall, with all the changes in each character, the character that changed the most was Higgins. Even though it was internally, he was able to change his views about people in society. With Eliza, she only changed externally with her appearance, but her personality and the way she viewed people stayed the same. With Mr. Doolittle, he changed by fortune. Thus, Higgins was the only character that changed sentimentally and became the man that he never expected to be inside.
In addition, not only did Eliza and Mr. Doolittle change but also Henry Higgins. Even though Higgins was arrogant throughout the entire play, he changed his views about the lower class. In Act I, Higgins looked down on Eliza for being poor and dirty. However, after giving her lessons and getting to know her better, he developed feelings that he otherwise would not have had if he never had the chance to change her. Thus, with his bet, he was able to fall in love with someone he never thought of being with. But, with his pride, he denied his emotions and continued his arrogance towards Eliza. This was evident during his argument with Eliza. After Eliza threw the slipper at him, he was trying to hold in his emotions through his speech. With every retort that he said to Eliza, he was putting his guard up every time so that he would not succumb to his feelings.
Overall, with all the changes in each character, the character that changed the most was Higgins. Even though it was internally, he was able to change his views about people in society. With Eliza, she only changed externally with her appearance, but her personality and the way she viewed people stayed the same. With Mr. Doolittle, he changed by fortune. Thus, Higgins was the only character that changed sentimentally and became the man that he never expected to be inside.