Power_Struggle_in_Pygmalion

Throughout history, most significant societies have struggled for power over each other. In fact, one assisting factor in the decline of ancient Rome is that the monopoly had very few motivating challengers as they had taken over almost every surrounding civilization. In Pygmalion, by Bernard Shaw, a phonetician named Henry Higgins takes on the project of teaching a low class Cockney girl, Eliza Doolittle, how to pass herself off as a duchess. The two rarely get along; their interactions are marked by bitter quarrelling and drama. Eliza’s campaign to gain power for herself over her teachers and Higgins’ complementary struggle to assert his authority over Eliza helps to develop Shaw’s theme that people are essentially motivated by the chance to augment their own perceived command. Throughout the play, Liza Doolittle attempts to gain influence over her teachers, Higgins and Pickering. She quickly grasps the concepts of proper speech and manners and expects praise from her teachers. After a garden party that Eliza acts particularly well at, she overhears Higgins expressing longing for his tasks to come to an end. Upset, she confronts him and says “I’m only a common ignorant girl; and in my station I have to be careful. There cant be any feelings between the like of you and like of me” (784). These articulations show Eliza’s feelings of worthlessness; she feels that since she is not being praised for her progress, her teachers do not care about her efforts and thus regard her not as a person, but as a common savage to be tamed. What Liza is truly searching for is the recognition of her improvement, which would ultimately give her the respect and power she desires. Later, she tells Higgins that her education began with Pickering, the assistant, “calling me Miss Doolittle… that was the beginning of self-respect for me” (792). This statement shows that Liza began to feel worthy of respect once she was shown it from Pickering. In her view, the empowerment she seeks to gain for herself is only possible when she can derive it from the secession of another person’s authority. Dr. Pickering cedes power to Liza by referring to her with respect, and with this new influence, Liza begins to feel confidence and pride. In this fashion, it is Dr. Pickering, who gives his student more respect, who is seen as the teacher with less power. Eliza Doolittle’s struggle for power demonstrates the playwright’s central message of acquiring personal power as an incentive for great efforts and strife. As Liza consistently improves with Henry Higgins’ help, the renowned phonetician also struggles for power over his student. After his first fight with Liza, Higgins angrily exclaims “Damn my own folly in having lavished hard-earned knowledge and the treasure of my regard and intimacy on a heartless guttersnipe” (785). These harsh words demonstrate Higgins’ desire for appreciation from Eliza. He feels that since he has spent time, money, and great effort on teaching her, she should thank him for his services instead of pleading for praise. By thanking him, Henry Higgins feels that Eliza would be recognizing his authority and granting him yet more control. Later, while attempting to reconcile with Eliza, he tells her that “the great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners... but having the same manner for all human souls” (794). This statement reveals Higgins’ philosophy: he treats everyone with the same respect or lack thereof, allowing him to retain his influential status since he never undermines his own authority. Higgins’ struggle to remain in a position of power over Eliza and his general policy of conserving his own influence helps to demonstrate the play’s theme that obtaining and keeping power is one of the greatest human motivators. Bernard Shaw uses the power struggles between the characters of Pygmalion to reveal the play’s central message. Eliza and Higgins’ campaign for respect and recognition from each other shows the great efforts people expend to gain power over others. They struggle because as one gains influence without acknowledging the other, the other feels a loss of control and fights back. Though the phrase “power struggle” has a slightly negative connotation, this idea has enabled human progress throughout history. It seems that without the motivation to make themselves more respected and influential, people may become complacent and, like the once great society of ancient Rome, experience an eventual loss of power.