Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Eliza Doolittle
Eliza Doolittle
1. Actions:
Eliza Doolittle is initially depicted as a poor flower girl selling violets on the streets of
Covent Garden, struggling to make a living.
She displays determination and courage by approaching Henry Higgins to ask for speech
lessons, showing her desire to improve her life and social status.
Eliza diligently undergoes Higgins' rigorous training, enduring the challenges of learning
proper speech, etiquette, and behavior.
As the story progresses, she showcases adaptability, successfully transitioning from a
Cockney accent to speaking eloquently in refined English.
Eliza's decision to confront Higgins about her treatment demonstrates her assertiveness
and newfound independence.
2. Appearance (Portrait):
Eliza is described as a young woman in her late teens or early twenties with a rough
appearance initially, wearing worn-out, shabby clothes.
Her physical appearance transforms over time, reflecting her change from a flower girl to
a refined lady, evident in her attire and grooming.
At the beginning of the play, Eliza speaks in a strong Cockney accent with poor grammar
and pronunciation.
Through Higgins' training, her speech gradually improves, and she learns to speak in
proper, refined English, although she occasionally reverts to her Cockney accent when
emotional or stressed.
4. Soliloquies/Dialogues:
Eliza's soliloquies and inner thoughts aren't explicitly portrayed in the play, but her
growth and feelings are revealed through her interactions and dialogues with other
characters.
Her conversations with Higgins, Pickering, and others reflect her determination,
frustration, and growing confidence.
The confrontation scene between Eliza and Higgins showcases her independence and her
realization of her own worth.
Henry Higgins initially sees Eliza as a project, treating her as an experiment to prove his
skills. His attitude is often dismissive, focusing more on her transformation than her
feelings.
Colonel Pickering, on the other hand, shows more respect and empathy towards Eliza,
treating her as a person rather than a mere subject of an experiment.
Eliza's father, Alfred Doolittle, sees her transformation as an opportunity to improve his
own life by seeking financial gain from her success.
Throughout the play, Eliza's relationships with various characters reflect her struggle for
recognition, respect, and independence.
Eliza Doolittle's character undergoes a significant transformation, evolving from a marginalized,
impoverished flower girl into a self-assured, assertive woman. Her journey highlights themes of
social class, identity, and the impact of language on perceptions and opportunities.