“By the end of the play, Eliza has benefited from her relationship with Higgins. Discuss.”
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 companions, and friendships which she would not otherwise have made. Indeed, we are told, as shown above, that Eliza would not have found her husband-to-be if she had not had a relationship of sorts with Higgins. She later marries Freddy, as shown in the epilogue, although towards the end of the play she is openly declaring her love for Freddy; ‘You are the loveliest, dearest…’ (p. 106). Finally, Eliza also gains a benefit, which would not be immediately obvious, of learning about the upper class world. This is definitely a benefit, as it will be useful to her in the future for her translations of other people’s behaviour. She has learnt how upper class people treat their inferiors; ‘My betters that bully me and don’t want me’ (p. 129). This can often show the measure of people; depending on how they treat those less fortunate than themselves.
