Eliza Doolittle is the main character in the
story. She is introduced as an unpolished,
cockney flower girl transformed into a
beautiful woman.
Professor Henry Higgins is a linguist who
believes he can transform Eliza Doolittle
into a duchess. He is an intelligent man
but is also disrespectful to others despite
their social class and extremely arrogant.
Colonel Pickering is a linguist who challenges
Professor Higgins to transform Eliza Doolittle into
a duchess. He is considerate and kind to Eliza.
Alfred Doolittle is Eliza's materialistic father who
tries to obtain money when he learns Professor
Higgins is working with Eliza.
Mrs. Higgins is Professor Higgins's mother, who
disagrees with Higgins' and Pickering's plan to try
to change Eliza into a duchess.
Freddy Eynsford Hill - Freddy first meets Eliza
during a meeting with his mother and sister at
Mrs. Higgins' house. He falls in love with Eliza and
writes letters to get her.
Nepommuck is a former student of Higgins and
also a linguist.
Two old gentlemen meet in the rain one night at Covent
Garden. Professor Higgins is a scientist of phonetics, and
Colonel Pickering is a linguist of Indian dialects. The first bets
the other that he can, with his knowledge of phonetics,
convince high London society that, in a matter of months, he
will be able to transform the cockney speaking flower girl, Eliza
Doolittle, into a woman as poised and well-spoken as a
duchess. Higgins makes merciless fun of her, but is seduced by
the idea of working his magic on her.
Pickering goads him on by agreeing to cover the costs of the
experiment if Higgins can pass Eliza off as a duchess at an
ambassador's garden party. The challenge is taken, and
Higgins starts by having his housekeeper bathe Eliza and give
her new clothes. Then Eliza's father Alfred Doolittle comes to
demand the return of his daughter, though his real intention is
to hit Higgins up for some money. On his way out, the dustman
fails to recognize the now clean, pretty flower girl as his
daughter.
For a number of months, Higgins trains Eliza to speak
properly. Two trials for Eliza follow. The first occurs at
Higgins' mother's home, where Eliza is introduced to the
Eynsford Hills, a trio of mother, daughter, and son. The son
Freddy is very attracted to her, and further taken with what
he thinks is her affected "small talk" when she slips into
cockney. Mrs. Higgins worries that the experiment will lead
to problems once it is ended, but Higgins and Pickering are
too absorbed in their game to take heed.
A second trial, which takes place some months later at an
ambassador's party,which is a resounding success. The
wager is definitely won, but Higgins and Pickering are now
bored with the project, which causes Eliza to be hurt. She
throws Higgins' slippers at him in a rage because she does
not know what is to become of her, thereby bewildering
him. He suggests she marry somebody. She returns him the
hired jewelry, and he accuses her of ingratitude.
The following morning, Higgins rushes to his
mother, in a panic because Eliza has run
away. On his tail is Eliza's father, now rich .
Mrs. Higgins, who has been hiding Eliza
upstairs all along, chides the two of them for
playing with the girl's affections. Eliza thanks
Pickering for always treating her like a lady,
but threatens Higgins that she will go work
with his rival phonetician, Nepommuck.
The outraged Higgins cannot help but start
to admire her. Feeling disappointed and
humiliated, Eliza leaves, no longer willing to
be treated with disrespect. In the end, Eliza
still came back to Higgins.
George Bernard Shaw
- Was born in July 26,1856 in Dublin,
Ireland.
- In 1925, he won the Noble Prize for
Literature for his body works.
Allusion – it is used as a reference to
another object outside the literary work.
Foreshadowing – these are hints about
events that will happen later in a
narrative.
Idiom – a phrase or expressions that has
acquired a figurative meaning different
from its literal meaning.
Irony – this emphasizes the difference
between the way things are expected to
be and the way they actually are.
Theme – the central topic or idea
explored in a literary work.
Tone – the attitude or approach of the
author or characters that gives the
general atmosphere created in a story.
Mood – is the emotions provoked in the
reader.
Heed- pay attention carefully
Cockney- dialect/ accent spoken by
londoners
Chides- scold
Goads- provoke/ annoy
Lovelorn- unhappy be of not returned
love
Covent Garden- district in London for
Royal Shopping
