What do Eliza and Higgins learn from each other? How does this “education” change them as people?

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"You can't take away the knowledge you gave me...

That's done you Enry Iggins, it az."

What do Eliza and Higgins learn from each other? How does this "education" change them as people?

"Pygmalion" explores Bernard Shaw's idea that people should not be limited by the social class into which they were born; that they should have a chance to improve themselves by gaining an education. This is called the "nature versus nurture" debate, which marked a major change in Victorian England. Should we remain in the position we were born into (nature), as was the basic Victorian belief, or can we change our status; establish equality between people regardless of age, gender and race (nurture)?

Education is the foundation of these aims and is presented in the play as a way of self-improvement through teaching and training, whether it is academically or socially based.

The characters around Eliza treat her with contempt. When Eliza convinces Mrs Eynsford Hill to buy flowers from her, her daughter, Clara says to her mother

"Make her give you the change. These things are only a penny a bunch...Sixpence thrown away! (She retreats in disgust)." This shows the upper classes view those beneath them as worthless-the money is not spent or given but is "thrown away" as if it has been put in the dustbin. Clara does not address Eliza, but talks as if she is not there, showing that Clara wants to distance herself from Eliza. This indicates that the majority of the upper classes believed in "nature"; everyone had a set place in society that could not be changed. It also shows that Clara is not as well educated as she would like to think; she does not believe in self-improvement, and so does not understand the concept of education.

Eliza however, believed in bettering her situation in life.

"I want to be a lady in a flower shop 'stead of sellin' at the corner", proving that she was an ambitious character, and believed in fulfilling her potential. This demonstrates that Eliza believes in the "nurture" side of the argument, and even though she has not received an outstanding amount of education, she is willing to be educated in order to change herself as a person.

She is also ashamed of her current status. When she takes a taxi to her home, she tells the taxi-driver to go to "Bucknam Pellis". When the driver questions her, she replies
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"Of course I havnt none (any business there). But I wasn't going to let him know that. You drive me home...Angel Court, Drury Lane, next Meiklejohn's oil shop." This reflects her proud personality-she doesn't want to look "lower class" in front of Freddie. It also highlights her situation in life as it contrasts her poverty to the richness of the royal family. It shows her lack of knowledge of social matters because she does not know anywhere else that is an affluent area, and so is unconvincing at being "upper class". However, by the end of the play, ...

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