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The Dehumanization Eliza

            Wisenthal states the following regarding George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion: "Shaw's Pygmalion regards other people not in human terms, but as so much stone to be used for his higher purposes." I agree with Wiesenthal that the view of the world through Shaw's characters is one of egotistical cares and disconcert for others. The character Higgins clearly shows this in the way he treats Eliza, a poor girl who he finds a project of fun in. Higgins and other characters show their true colors with no remorse or embarrassment. To Higgins this woman he finds is a toy and nothing more than a challenge he feels he must conquer. .
             Within the first three acts Higgins is asked to think beyond what dresses to buy and what methods to use to transform this innocent girl into his masterpiece. His maid Mrs. Pearce plainly states to him ".And what is to become of her when you have finished your teachings? You must look ahead a little." He is confronted of this problem again by his own mother and quickly lists of problems they could run into while changing this girl into what he wants her to be. Mrs. Higgins quickly retaliates and makes her point bluntly, "No you two infinitely stupid male creatures: the problem of what is to be done with her afterwards." Higgins gets himself out of this conversation time and time again by ignoring the pleas of reason, changing the subject to a more comfortable topic for himself and making excuses to justify his actions. .
             The way Shaw has Higgins refer to Eliza provides more proof to the impression of dehumanizing the characters. In act three when Pickering and Higgins are discussing their venture they refer to Eliza in such a way that she seems unreal and at times fake. The two of them show their true colors while they ramble to Mrs. Higgins in act three. .
             "Pickering: We're always talking Eliza. .
             Higgins: Teaching Eliza.
             Pickering: Dressing Eliza.
             Higgins: Inventing new Eliza's".


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  • Word Count: 2135
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: High School

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