Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw Essay -- Pygmalion Bernard Shaw Essays

"Pygmalion" by Bernard Shaw The word 'benefit' is defined as; 'a favourable or helpful factor or circumstance'. Many benefits are not immediately recognised, as they can be the result of something bad. In the play 'Pygmalion', by Bernard Shaw, Liza gains many benefits, but also disadvantages from her relationship with Higgins. Looking at benefits, she receives some beautiful clothes; 'I'm to have fashionable clothes' (p. 63), a good place to stay and financial ease. She meets other friends such as Freddy; 'I'll marry Freddy, I will' (p. 131), and she has permanent companions. However, though she has learned good speech with Higgins, she has not learnt manners, and is treated almost like an animal. She is unhappy for a while, and is used by Higgins greatly. But was it worth it for Eliza to have spent any time with Higgins? Do the benefits outweigh the disadvantages? Throughout her time with Higgins, Eliza immediately became financially viable. She has all the clothes she could ever need, and has her jewellery hired for her. She is always supplied with ten pounds; 'the Colonel thinks you should never go out without ten pounds' (p. 110). This enables her to get taxis when she likes, and to do things without worrying that she hasn't enough money. Her association with Higgins also provided Eliza with a place to stay. She could stay at Higgins home for however long she wanted; 'Eliza, you are to live here' (p. 45). She also, of course, receives lessons on how to speak like a lady, although she does pay for those; 'I won't give more than a shilling' (p. 39). She learns pronunciation, and grammar, and of course is being taught by one of the best English linguists around at that time. Thirdly, Eliza gains co... ...e case financially, but good friends and a better husband than Freddy may have been the result of staying on the streets 'soylin' voylets'. We can see that Higgins impression on Eliza has changed; in Act One being 'you squashed cabbage leaf' (p. 27) through to Act Five 'I can't turn off your soul' (p. 127). He considers her more of a human being by this time, and this may have proved to her benefit in later life. Eliza, however, realises the strange equality between herself and Higgins, beginning in Act One 'I've a right to be here, same as you' (p. 27) through Act Five 'I have been brought up like him using bad language' (p. 121). This may suggest that Eliza proved almost as much of a benefit to Higgins as he did to her. In my opinion, this relationship benefited both characters, and without this occurrence, their lives would not have been so fulfilled.