When Liza enters the ‘laboratory’ Higgins, recognising her, is immediately dismissive, and tells her to leave as she is no use to his work:
‘I’ve got all the records I want of the Lisson Grove lingo.’
However, as her proposal unfolds, he realises an incredible challenge is being made available to him but, not deliberately, makes it clear he could not care less about Liza’s feelings or well-being unless it affects his experiment. Higgins moves from complete disinterest towards Liza to absolute fascination and excitement within a few minutes. From then on he regards her simply as an experiment, and the fact that she has feelings only annoys him, as it gets in the way of progress.
Higgins’s bullying brings out the worst in Liza, but thanks to Colonel Pickering and Mrs Pearce we discover another side to her personality. In the morning it appears she has set her mind on becoming a ‘lady in a flower shop’, and not only is she gutsy enough to visit Higgins, she also proves that she is determined;
‘If my money’s not good enough I can go elsewhere’
She is resolute that even if Higgins will not teach her she will still learn. Liza is not asking a favour of Higgins and her idea is not just a silly fantasy; she genuinely wants to have a decent occupation. She tries to talk sensibly about arrangements, but Higgins acts immaturely and cannot talk seriously to her; instead, he continually winds her up by confusing her and threatening her. These threats are obviously hollow and often ridiculous (once he suggests to Colonel Pickering that they should defenestrate her), but Liza does not realise this, and Higgins does not even bother to explain to her when she gets upset that he was not serious. Colonel Pickering becomes a father figure to Liza, reassuring her when Higgins upsets her, and although Mrs Pearce is reasonable and fair, Colonel Pickering is the only person who offers her respect (before her “transformation”), and she always gratefully accepts it.
Higgins is unashamedly tactless and dismissive, if unaware of it. Without coming across as egotistical or conceited, he takes no time to think about the effect on other people (very often Liza) that his words may have. His only excuse is his work, as he always seems preoccupied unless he is working or talking about work, which is also the only time he speaks with any real enthusiasm. Despite all this, somehow we can always forgive him, perhaps because of his lively fascination in his work and his humour, however it is taken. Liza is a likeable character because she is prepared at least to attempt to haul herself from the gutter (ironically, her father is likeable for being honest about his happiness in staying there). She is innocent and determined that people should know it, and not judge her on her perhaps less innocent peers; ‘I’m a good girl, I am,’ is nearly always her first line of defence. There is evidence she deserves more than she has at the start of the play, as she is brave and talented; later in the play even Higgins compliments Liza on her ‘quickness of ear’. This is of course an observation of his experiment and not intended as a compliment to Liza, but his work is his strength, not his social skills.
