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Difficulty: HardCharacter Relationships and Conflict

Read the following passage from George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play *Pygmalion* carefully before choosing the best answer.

HIGGINS. [yawning] Oh, Lord! What an evening! What a triumph! Oh, it was a success. Eliza, you were magnificent.
ELIZA. [with a sudden transition to intense fury, flinging the slippers at him with all her force] There are your slippers. And there. Take your slippers; and may you never have a day's luck again!
HIGGINS. [astounded] What the devil! What's the matter? Is anything the matter?
ELIZA. [breathless] Nothing the matter. Nothing the matter. I'm glad you've got your slippers. I'm glad you've got your slippers. [She clutches her hair, wild with rage].
HIGGINS. [coming to her, really alarmed] What's the matter? Are you ill?
ELIZA. Cold. Cold inside. Cold all over. [She shivers].
HIGGINS. Why, you've won! You've made a duchess of yourself. The bet is won. The money is mine. What is there to cry about?
ELIZA. Oh, it was all for you, was it? Your bet, your money, your triumph. I don't matter, I suppose. I'm only the gutter-girl you picked up and dressed up to win your bet. And now that you've won it, you can throw me back into the gutter. That's what you want, isn't it?
HIGGINS. You're a foolish girl. You've got no gratitude. You've got everything you want. You're a lady now. What more do you want?
ELIZA. I want to be a person. I want to be a human being, not a doll to be dressed up and shown off, and then thrown away when the show is over.

Based on the passage, the conflict between Eliza and Higgins is best understood as a clash between which of the following?

  1. A
    Eliza's literal physical illness and Higgins's failure to interpret her symptoms correctly due to his academic distraction.
  2. B
    Eliza's financial demand for a portion of the bet money and Higgins's possessiveness over his capital.
  3. C
    Eliza's regret over leaving her past life and Higgins's conviction that he has elevated her moral character.
  4. Eliza's desire for existential autonomy and Higgins's view of her as an instrument of his success.Answer
  5. E
    Eliza's resentment of Higgins's fatigue and Higgins's frustration with Eliza's lack of theatrical training.

Answer

Eliza's desire for existential autonomy and Higgins's view of her as an instrument of his success.
The correct answer identifies that the conflict centers on Eliza's struggle to secure her own humanity and agency (her desire for existential autonomy) in the face of Higgins's refusal to see her as anything more than a vehicle for his project (his view of her as an instrument of his success).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Eliza's dialogue and actions, specifically her throwing the slippers and her statements about being a 'gutter-girl' and wanting to be a 'person.'
Identify that Eliza feels used, objectified, and discarded after the bet is won, indicating a search for self-worth and autonomy.
To determine Eliza's core motivation and the source of her distress.
2
Analyze Higgins's responses and attitude toward Eliza's anger, focusing on his comments about his bet, money, and her status as a 'lady.'
Identify that Higgins views Eliza as a project or instrument that has successfully served its purpose, showing a complete lack of empathy for her post-experiment situation.
To determine Higgins's perspective on Eliza and the experiment.
3
Synthesize the two opposing viewpoints to identify the fundamental nature of the conflict.
Recognize that the clash is between Eliza's desire to be recognized as an autonomous human being and Higgins's view of her as a mere tool for his personal triumph.
To select the option that best encapsulates this interpersonal dynamic.

Key Concept

Character Relationships and Conflict
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Character Relationships and Conflict

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