2023学年完整公开课版BOOK8-Unit4Pygmalion（市一等奖）

ActII

Summary

Thenextday,HigginsandPickeringarejustrestingfromafullmorningofdiscussionwhenElizaDoolittleshowsupatthedoor,tothetremendousdoubtofthediscerninghousekeeperMrs.Pearce,andthesurpriseofthetwogentlemen.Promptedbyhiscarelessbragaboutmakingherintoaduchessthenightbefore,shehascometotakelessonsfromHiggins,sothatshemaysoundgenteelenoughtoworkinaflowershopratherthansellatthecornerofTottenhamCourtRoad.Astheconversationprogresses,Higginsalternatesbetweenmakingfunofthepoorgirlandthreateningherwithabroomstickbeating,whichonlycauseshertohowlandholler,upsettingHiggins'civilizedcompanytoaconsiderabledegree.Pickeringismuchkinderandconsiderateofherfeelings,evengoingsofarastocallher"MissDoolittle"andtoofferheraseat.PickeringispiquedbytheprospectofhelpingEliza,andbetsHigginsthatifHigginsisabletopassElizaoffasaduchessattheAmbassador'sgardenparty,thenhe,Pickering,willcovertheexpensesoftheexperiment.

Thisactismadeupmostlyofalongandanimatedthree-(sometimesfour-)wayargumentoverthecharacterandthepotentialoftheindignantEliza.Atonepoint,incensedbyHiggins'heartlessinsults,shethreatenstoleave,butthecleverprofessorluresherbackbystuffinghermouthwithachocolate,halfofwhichheeatstootoprovetoherthatitisnotpoisoned.ItisagreeduponthatElizawilllivewithHigginsforsixmonths,andbeschooledinthespeechandmannersofaladyofhighclass.ThingsgetstartedwhenMrs.Pearcetakesherupstairsforabath.

WhileMrs.PearceandElizaareaway,PickeringwantstobesurethatHiggins'intentionstowardsthegirlarehonorable,towhichHigginsrepliesthat,tohim,women"mightaswellbeblocksofwood."Mrs.PearceenterstowarnHigginsthatheshouldbemorecarefulwithhisswearingandhisforgetfultablemannersnowthattheyhaveanimpressionableyoungladywiththem,revealingthatHiggins'sowngentlemanlywaysaresomewhatprecarious.Atthispoint,AlfredDoolittle,whohaslearnedfromaneighborofEliza'sthatshehascometotheprofessor'splace,comesa-knockingunderthepretenceofsavinghisdaughter'shonor.WhenHigginsreadilyagreesthatheshouldtakehisdaughterawaywithhim,Doolittlerevealsthatheisreallytheretoaskforfivepounds,proudlyclaimingthathewillspendthatmoneyonimmediategratificationandputnoneofittouselesssavings.Amusedbyhisblusteringrhetoric,Higginsgiveshimthemoney.

Elizaenters,cleanandprettyinabluekimono,andeveryoneisamazedbythedifference.Evenherfatherhasfailedtorecognizeher.Elizaistakenwithhertransformationandwantstogobacktoheroldneighborhoodandshowoff,butsheiswarnedagainstsnobberybyHiggins.Theactendswiththetwoofthemagreeingthattheyhavetakenonadifficulttask.

Commentary

EventhoughHigginsisimmediatelyobviousasthePygmalionfigureinthisplay,whatthisactrevealsisthatthereisnowayhisphoneticmagiccoulddoacompletejobofchangingElizaonitsown.WhatweseehereisthatMrs.PearceandColonelPickeringarealsoinformalPygmalions,andwithmuchlessbraggadocio(thealliterationofPygmalion,Pearce,andPickeringwouldsupportthisnotion).OnlywithMrs.Pearceworkingonthegirl'sappearanceandmanners,andwithPickeringworking,albeitunknowingly,onherself-respectanddignity,willElizaDoolittlebecomeawholeduchesspackage,ratherthanjustarough-manneredcommonflowergirlwhocanparrotthespeechofaduchess.Welearninthisscene,quitesignificantly,thatwhileHigginsmaybeabrilliantphonetician,Mrs.Pearcefindsfaultwithhisconstantswearing,forgetfulmanners,quarrelsomenature,andotherunpleasanthabits.Hisownholdonpoliterespectabilityistenuousatbest,anditisonlyhisreputation,andhisfundamentallackofmalicethatkeepshimfrombeingdislikedbyothers.IfHigginscannotbeaPygmaliononhisown,andissuchanuntidy,mannerlessPygmalionatthat,thentheobviousquestionposedtousisifPygmalion,thetransformerofothers,canhimselfbetransformed.Implicitinthisquestionisanother:whetheritcouldbeimperviousnesstochange,ratherthansuperiorknowledge,whichdifferentiatesPygmalionfromGalatea.

ThisactshowsHigginsasanincorrigiblescientist.Heisnotonly"violentlyinterestedineverythingthatcanbestudiedasascientificsubject,"butinterestedinthemonlyassubjectsofscientificstudy.Forthatreason,when"quiteacommongirl"issaidtoathisdoor,HigginsthinksitisaluckyhappenstancethatwillallowhimtoshowPickeringthewayheworks.WhenheseesitisEliza,hechasesheraway,for,havinglearnedallhecanabouttheLissonGroveaccent,hecannotseehowshecanbeofanymoreusetohim.Later,hismindseizesuponherasbeing"nousetoanybodybutme."AndwhenAlfredDoolittleisannounced,Higginsisnotworriedaboutthetrouble,butlooksforwardinsteadtolisteningtothisnewaccent.HedisplayssuchadoggeddeterminationandexaggeratedfocusonhisworkthatitishardtotellifShawwantstomakefunofthischaracterorputitonapedestal.Ineithercase,thereisnodenyingthatHigginsmakesanabsolutelyineptromantichero.Forhim,ifwomendonotinformhisscienceinanyway,"theymightaswellbeblocksofwood."Eliza'scriticismcomeswell-deserved--"Oh,you'venofeelingheartinyou:youdon'tcarefornothingbutyourself."EvenMrs.Pearcechideshimfortreatingpeoplelikeobjects--"Well,thematteris,sir,thatyoucan'ttakeagirluplikethatasifyouwerepickingupapebbleonthebeach."

AlfredDoolittleisoneofthosedelightful,quintessentialcharactersthatpopulateallofShaw'splays.Hemakesthemosticonoclastic,scandalousstatements,butallwithsuchwitandhumorthatwecannothelpbutfindhisideasattractive.Inthisact,DoolittleperformstheextraroleofinspiringHiggi