The most stubborn people in life are still susceptible to change. This
becomes true for Henry Higgins in Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. He
undergoes an emotional and psychological transformation due to his different
experiences. In Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw, Henry Higgins’
transformation is demonstrated through his change in language, his change in
his view of gender roles, and his behavior towards social class.
Henry is transformed in his language and more specifically in his language
of class, his judgment, and his relationships
Throughout the play Henry interacts with people of different classes and
the way he speaks to them changes. First of all, in the opening scene Henry is …show more content…
In the opening
scene a man observes, "That 's not a sport whistle" (Shaw 3). A person standing
near Henry mistakes him for a cop, but instead he is a gentleman. Rodelle
Weintraub says, "Higgins creates an initial images of a good guy in order to
attract students in for his own selfish desires" (Weintraub 3). He sticks up for
Eliza and reassures her that everything is okay. Then, towards the end of the
play he speaks very rudely to Eliza. Henry says to Eliza, "You damned impudent
slut, you!" (Shaw 143). This is important because he insults her simply because
she shifts from being a common flower girl to a lady. Ashley comments, "She
learns to speak properly, but she voices her own opinions, defends her own
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interests, and rebels against Higgins" (Ashley 2). He changes the way he talks to
her when she becomes intelligent.
Henry judges others in the beginning of the play but by the end his views
change. He realizes that the lower-class girl he took in as a student is
transformed into a lady. Henry remarks, "The difference between a lady and a
flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she is treated" (Shaw 78). …show more content…
He supports Eliza for taking a
stand and he agrees that men have too much authority over women.
Henry 's identity is transformed in Pygmalion. He appears to be a
gentleman in the first scene. A man standing near him notes, "e 's a gentleman:
look at his boots" (Shaw 4). Ashley comments, "Judgments are passed, and
people of all walks of life are categorized based on their presumed social
standing" (Ashley 1). Since most everyone judges each other by their
appearance, Henry wants to be seen as an upper class, educated man. That is
why he dresses the way he does. Furthermore, in the last scenes of the play,
Henry concludes that identity is unimportant because everyone is equal. He
states, "We 're all savages, more or less" (Shaw 124). Higgins uses the word
“we’re” which implies that he includes himself in the same category as people
from the lower class and that they are all equal. Ashley agrees, "Ultimately, over-
emphasizing class divisions leads to prejudice and inequality and prevents
people from fulfilling their potential as individuals" (Ashley 2). Higgins believes
that everyone is judgmental and the class divisions aren 't valid.
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