General Questions
Which Greek Mythology is the play based on?
Pygmalion
What animal was Eliza Doolittle compared to and identify the stylistic device used?
A pigeon (simile)
Which language is Eliza Doolittle affiliated with?
The Cockney dialect
What other play apart from Pygmalion includes the theme of problematic parent-child relationships?
Misalliance
Identify the two themes in the play.
Social stratification and gender inequality
How did the author use allusion?
He referred to multiple poets to show the importance of upbringing and language use.
What prompted Professor Higgins to transform Eliza Doolittle?
Professor Higgins and Colonel Pickering placed a bet and he was, therefore, determined to transform Eliza Doolittle from an uneducated flower girl into a lady of poise
Why did George Bernard Shaw incorporate real-life issues into his plays?
To be able to raise awareness and propose his personal beliefs.
Why does Eliza Doolittle symbolize the 'new women'?
Eliza Doolittle symbolizes the 'new women' because of her contradicting traits such as being strong-willed and independent, which counteracts gender stereotypical beliefs.
There was a repetition of the words "no right", what is the author trying to achieve?
To satirize the status quo of gender roles by emphasizing that women had no right.
What does Eliza Doolittle symbolize?
The 'new woman'
Why can Eliza Doolittle be identified as a 'creation' of Professor Higgins?
Professor Higgins was responsible for transforming Eliza Doolittle from a lower class flower girl into a lady with proper etiquette.
How does the layout further emphasize the issues of gender inequality and power disparity?
Professor Higgins had longer lines and more complex sentence structures than Eliza Doolittle; Higgins constantly cutting off Doolittle’s sentences
In the passage, Eliza Doolittle was compared to “bilious pigeon”, which stylistic device was used and what's its purpose?
Simile, to downgrade/ dehumanize Eliza Doolittle and used to describe a gullible person.
What are the names of the note taker and the flower girl and what are their characteristics?
Professor Higgins: A well-educated linguist, disrespectful, ignorant, arrogant
Eliza Doolittle: Independent, feisty, quick-witted, uneducated
How is identity presented in the passage?
Identity is shown through dialect and accents (Cockney accent).
How did the author show that language is important?
The play displays the importance of language by showing its capability of affirming one's identity and through Eliza’s transformation, it showed that class barriers can be overcome by language training.
What is the parallelism between Pygmalion, the Greek Mythological story and the play?
The story and the play both symbolizes the creation of an ideal woman. It further suggests social issues such as the unworthiness of women.
What is the main difference between the diction of Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle?
Professor Higgins utilizes sophisticated words and a repetitive use of pronouns, whereas Eliza Doolittle speaks in a Cockney dialect and an evident restraint in speech.
Why was Professor Higgins surprised at the first meeting with Eliza Doolittle?
He was surprised by the contradicting traits Doolittle had compared to other women.