Pygmalion: The Effects of Class

The play, Pygmalion, written by Bernard Shaw, depicts a young woman who is able to traverse- or move- to an upper class. Mr Higgins, a wealthy expert on speech and phoenics, takes interest in her and eventually changes her enough to be considered a member from the upper class. Despite his generosity, Mr. Higgins treats Eliza, the young woman, rudely and disrespectful. In contrast, Colonel Pickering, Mr. Higgins' collaborator, treats Eliza with manners and respect. Thus, Shaw argues that class is constructed by how others respond to a person. Eliza experiences treated both as a commoner and as a princess. Although factors such as appearances and speech contribute to the manner she was treated, it was mainly the way others responded to her.

In the beginning of the novel, a mother and a daughter were anxiously waiting for a cab while it rained. Eliza, then a poor girl who sold flowers, appears and begs them to buy her a flower. The mother does so, but the daughter replies, "sixpence thrown away! Really mama, you might have spared Freddy [the brother] that!" The daughter is capable of insulting someone else merely because of her social status. Because she is able to do so, the way she treated Eliza is almost "acceptable" and "justified" in society. By treating Eliza as an "undeserving poor"- that is, someone who is not worth helping- the daughter makes Eliza an "undeserving poor".

Throughout Eliza's transformation, she is aware that Mr. Higgins treats her not like a princess, as many strangers think she is, but as the flower girl she once was. She knows she's a fraud and acknowledges him for that. The night after the anticipated ball, they return home and Eliza states, "...I've won your bet for you, haven't I? That enough for you. I don't matter, I suppose" . Since she was "created" by Mr.Higgins, she identifies herself as a tool to win his bet, not as a person. She feels "classless" very much like an object. Because just as an object, she can simple be used and thrown away when not needed. Mr. Higgins' behavior towards her has made her identify as a classless object.

Thus, the dispute among Mr. Higgins and Eliza makes her leave the house. Both Mr. Higgins and Colonel Pickering frantically try to find her. Once they find her, she explains that she would not tolerate Mr. Higgins' behavior towards her. She explains, "I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will. But I know I can be a lady to you [Colonel Pickering] because you always treat me as a lady". She understands the concept of treating others the way one would like to be treated. But most importantly, she knows that how she is seen is the way she will become.

Eliza has been treated in about every form- both insulted and respected. Towards the end of the novel, she understands that the manner she is treated is the manner she will be stratified- or divided among the social classes. That is why in the end, she decides to leave Mr. Higgins' project and commence her own life.