Henry Higgins Bullies Eliza Doolittle

Pygmalion is a well-known play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1912. In mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with one of his statues. In the play, prof Henry Higgins represents the sculptor who falls in love with Eliza Doolittle, his creation. He makes a bet with another linguistic scientist that he can pass her off as a proper lady and begins to teach her how to spill the beans proper English. Due to Higgins impersonal nature, he treats Eliza badly causing her to leave once she wins his bet.After finding her at his mothers house, he learns that she intends to work for herself and possibly marry an upper class twit she met there previously. He leaves upset, and she comes defend to him because she realizes that even though he doesnt show his emotions, he does look at for her. Firstly, some of Higgins behaviours prove that he does intimidate Eliza. This can be shown by Higgins treating her same dirt and expressing her what to do all the time, like he has cont rol over her.For example, when Eliza is convinced that Higgins is a policeman (when in fact he isnt) in performance 1, she believes that he will charge her for prostitution after she calls a stranger Captain. She panics with much distress and struggles with her emotion. Irritated by her whines and wails, Higgins loses his temper and says Woman cease this detestable boohooing instantly. The use of the word woman suggests that Higgins is impersonal and doesnt even bother to ask what her name is.Also, by saying cease we can fall upon that he is using imperative lyric poem and this emphasises the fact that he tries to control her. In addition, we know that Higgins is rattling angry because of the stage direction, explosively. Eliza reacts with feeble defiance especially as nobody has spoken to her like that before. Furthermore, Higgins says Dont sit there crooning like a bilious pigeon. Again, Higgins uses imperative language in his attempts to control Eliza. He besides uses nat ural imagery to portray Eliza as an unclean, sick puppet you can find on any of the streets of London.Although in the play, Higgins character is portrayed to be mean and unfriendly as we can see when he says to his mother I know I have no small talk just now people dont mind. This quotation is evidence that he is instead impersonal, not just to Eliza, but to everyone. For example, when he meets Mrs Eynsford Hill, he says that hes delighted, sarcastically and bluntly and is uncomfortable, also shown by the stage direction, glumly and backs away. However, Shaw also shows some of Higgins softer sides. For instance, in Act 4 Eliza is baseless withHiggins because she feels like shes just been treated as an experiment and not like a person. hither she provokes Higgins by shouting and throwing insults at him so he finally tells her It is you who have hit me. You have maimed me to the heart. This suggests that Higgins never realised he hurt Eliza or treated her wrongly. However it a lso shows that hes upset with Eliza for failing to realise that deep down he really does care about her feelings. However, in a sense Higgins is irresponsible for deciding to allow a young vulnerable woman cling in his house without knowing anything about her.The main reason he takes her in is for the money that he can win in his bet with Pickering. Mrs Pearce has to frequently warn Higgins that if he takes Eliza in as a pupil, she will be his responsibility and also that he must look ahead a little. This is because Mrs Pearce is implicated that once Eliza has learnt to speak properly, she will be used to the luxuries of Higgins house and wont have any money, apparel or a suitable home to live in once its time to run away out. Higgins however takes no visor of Mrs Pearce and says When Ive done with her, we can throw her back into the gutter. From this we can tell that he is impersonal and doesnt call Eliza by her own name, it also implies that he doesnt care about her at first and just thinks of her as an experiment. Towards the end of the play after the garden party, Higgins says fervidly Thank God its over Eliza reacts by flinching violently but they take no notice of her. From the stage direction fervently we can tell that Higgins is speaking with spirit and confidence which emphasises how little he cares about Elizas journey to become a lady in a flower patronize which hurts her deeply as we can tell from the stage directions.Another way in which we can prove Higgins doesnt bully Eliza is through the fact that hes very generous and liberal with her. An example of this is when Eliza meets him in his house, the day after their first encounter. Higgins offers Eliza life changing lessons, new clothes and shelter but at first she ungratefully refuses them. Also, Higgins is undoubtedly busy man with not much time to spare because of his phonetics experiments and studies. Nevertheless, he decides to take Eliza into his own home and sacrifices months and months of his time to assist Eliza in her lady-in-a-flower-shop dream.In conclusion, Higgins character is impersonal, unsociable and he in spades has the tendency to cause an argument at times. Higgins calls Eliza some nasty names in Pygmalion such as baggage and even squashed cabbage leaf however it isnt meant in a vindictive way. This is because Higgins doesnt really know how to act normally around other people and has a wishing of social skills and he even admits it himself. Higgins never physically bullied Eliza, hes big hearted, used to banter, but finds it difficult to express his emotions and occasionally forgets to think before he speaks.