AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Elisabeth Ria Handayani
Student Number: 054214077ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
i
THE IDEAS OF LIBERAL FEMINISM AS REFLECTED
THROUGH THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ELIZA IN
BERNARD SHAW’S
PYGMALION
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
Elisabeth Ria Handayani
Student Number: 054214077ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
BERNARD SHAW’S
PYGMALION
By
ELISABETH RIA HANDAYANI
Student Number: 054214077
iii
A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
THE IDEAS OF LIBERAL FEMINISM AS REFLECTED
THROUGH THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ELIZA IN
BERNARD SHAW’S
PYGMALION
By
ELISABETH RIA HANDAYANI
Student Number: 054214077
Defended before the Board of Examiners On October 30, 2009
and Declared Acceptable
iv
DO THE BEST AND GOD
v
Dedicated for:
My Lord, Jesus Christ
and
vi
JURUSAN SASTRA INGGRIS—PROGRAM STUDI SASTRA INGGRIS
PERNYATAAN KEASLIAN KARYA TULIS
Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya menyatakan bahwa skripsi saya
dengan judul: The Ideas of Liberal Feminism as Reflected through the
Characterization of Eliza in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion yang dimajukan untuk
diuji pada tanggal 30 Oktober 2009 adalah hasil karya saya.
Dengan ini saya menyatakan dengan sesungguhnya bahwa dalam skripsi ini
tidak terdapat keseluruhan atau sebagian tulisan orang lain yang saya ambil dengan
cara menyalin, atau meniru dalam bentuk rangkaian kalimat atau simbol yang
menunjukkan gagasan atau keseluruhan tulisan yang saya salin, tiru atau yang saya
ambil dari tulisan orang lain tanpa memberikan pengakuan pada penulis aslinya.
Apabila saya melakukan hal tersebut di atas, baik sengaja maupun tidak, dengan ini
saya menyatakan menarik skripsi yang saya ajukan sebagai hasil tulisan saya sendiri.
Bila kemudian tebukti bahwa saya ternyata melakukan tindakan menyalin atau
meniru tulisan orang lain seolah-olah hasil pemikiran saya sendiri, berarti gelar dan
ijasah yang telah diberikan kepada universitas batal saya terima.
vii
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN KAMPUS
Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Elisabeth Ria Handayani
Nomor Mahasiswa : 054214077
Demi kepentingan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul The Ideas of Liberal
Feminism as Reflected through the Characterization of Eliza in Bernard Shaw’s
Pygmalion beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya
memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data,
mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain
untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan
royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta.
viii
Jesus Christ for His blessing and guidance. I realize that He is always on my side and I would not have been able to finish this thesis without Him.
I would like to thank my parents, Lorentius Parkiyat and Maria Florentina Budiyati, for their prayers and struggles to finance my study. You have been my motivation in finishing this thesis writing. I am also grateful to my beloved sister, Theresia Vita Kusumaningrum. I love you all.
I would like to give my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S.S, M. Hum., for her precious time and guidance in this thesis writing. I would like also to give my gratitude to my co-advisor Harris Hermansyah Setiajid S.S., M. Hum. I thank all the lecturers and all staff in the secretariat of English Letters Department too.
Furthermore, I thank my closest friends in campus: Fransiska Chandra Leonita, Cindy Abram, Galih Asri Nindhita, Norie Paramita. Thank you for the happiness, sadness, smile, and tear. I really thank you for having the best time with you, my best friends,
I thank all 2005 English Letters Department’s students and all family of Wine in the Wilderness: Dela, Nana, Efra, Aye, Dian, Greg, Adit. Thank you for the wonderful moment we have shared together.
ix
Last but not least, I thank everyone whose name I cannot mention one by one for helping and supporting me during the completion of my thesis. May God bless you all. Thank you so much.
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS... viii
ABSTRACT... x
CHAPTER II : THEORETICAL REVIEW... 6
A. Review of Related Studies ... 6
B. Review of Related Theories... 9
1. Theory of Character ... 9
2. Theory of Characterization ... 10
3. Theory of Patriarchy ... 12
4. The Condition of Women in the Nineteenth Century .. 15
5. Theory of Liberal Feminism ... 16
C. Theoretical Framework ... 21
CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY... 23
A. Object of the Study ... 23
B. Approach of the Study ... 24
C. Method of the Study... 24
CHAPTER IV : ANALYSIS... 26
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a. Ambitious... 34
b. Rude ... 35
c. Impatient ... 37
3. Alfred Doolittle ... 38
a. Irresponsible... 38
b. Superior... 39
B. Men’s Domination Depicted through Higgins and Alfred 41 C. Liberal Feminism Presented by Eliza ... 49
1. Personal Independence... 49
2. Eliza Demands for Education ... 52
3. Gaining Equality ... 54
4. Personhood... 56
CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION... 60
xii
Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2009.
Feminism is one of the issues in literary work which always becomes an interesting topic to be discussed. Feminism concerns the inequality between men and women. Feminism shows how women struggle to be independent and to have the same right as men. Among the theories of feminism, however, this thesis focuses on liberal feminism. This thesis is aimed to reveal the ideas of liberal feminism as reflected through the characterization of Eliza. Eliza is a woman who is dominated by Higgins and his father, Alfred. Eliza is described as an independent woman who dares to release herself from men’s domination.
There are three problems formulated in this thesis. The first is how Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins and Alfred Doolittle are characterized in the play. The second is how men’s domination are depicted through Higgins and Alfred. The third is how the ideas of liberal feminism are presented through the characterization of Eliza.
This thesis is a library research. The writer tries to find all the data and other supported references from some books and the internet. In this thesis, the feminist approach is used because it talks about how the characterization of Eliza represents the ideas of liberal feminism.
xiii ABSTRAK
ELISABETH RIA HANDAYANI. The Ideas of Liberal Feminism as Reflected through the Characterization of Eliza in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.
Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2009.
Feminisme adalah salah satu permasalahan dalam karya sastra yang selalu menjadi topik yang menarik untuk didiskusikan. Feminisme menyangkut ketidaksetaraan antara laki-laki dan perempuan. Feminisme menunjukkan bagaimana perempuan berjuang untuk mandiri dan mempunyai hak yang sama seperti laki-laki. Diantara teori-teori feminisme, skripsi ini fokus pada liberal feminisme. Skripsi ini bertujuan untuk mengungkapkan ide-ide tentang liberal feminisme yang tercermin melalui penokohan Eliza. Eliza adalah seorang perempuan yang dikuasai oleh Higgins dan ayahnya, Alfred. Eliza digambarkan sebagai perempuan mandiri yang berani untuk melepaskan diri dari kekuasaan laki-laki.
Terdapat tiga rumusan masalah dalam skripsi ini. Pertama adalah pertanyaan tentang penokohan Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins dan Alfred Doolittle di dalam drama. Kedua adalah pertanyaan tentang dominasi laki-laki yang tercermin melalui Higgins dan Alfred. Ketiga adalah pertanyaan tentang ide-ide liberal feminisme yang tercermin melalui penokohan Eliza.
Skripsi ini menggunakan metode penelitian pustaka. Penulis memperoleh semua data dan sumber-sumber pendukung dari beberapa buku dan internet. Pendekatan feminis digunakan dalam analisis karena pendekatan ini mencakup pembahasan tentang bagaimana penokohan Eliza mencerminkan ide-ide liberal feminisme.
1 A. Background of the Study
There are several genres of literature such as short story, novel, poetry and play. Among the genres of literature, the writer is most interested in choosing play to study. The play is fundamentally different from other literary forms. Most plays are designed to be performed in public. The play is more spectacular than the works of fiction. The director pays a great attention to costuming, set design, lighting, and stage movement so that the readers imagine the action by reading the conversation in the play.
Women have certain positions in literature. Women can be writers, readers and characters in the work of literature. In this thesis, the writer discusses a woman as the character in the play. Feminism is one of the topics related to women’s existence. It means the condition of women’s lives in society. Women are treated unfairly because of sex. It is one of the issues in literary work which always becomes an interesting topic to be discussed. Feminism concerns the inequality between men and women. Therefore feminism shows how women struggle to be independent and to have the same right as men.
Jo Freeman in her book, Women, A Feminist Perspective states;
The traditionalist notes that historically women have always had less power, less influence, and fewer resources than men, and assumes this must accord with some natural order (1984; xiii).
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They live under men’s authorities. It is clear that historically men are superior to women.
In society, there is a conventional perception that women have been subordinate to men in certain key of status and mobility. Men are superior while women are inferior. Ashley Montagu in his book, The Natural Superiority of Women states that women had smaller brains, less intelligence, more emotional and unstable (1953: 21). Women have been conditioned to believe that they are inferior to men. They have assumed that what everyone believes is a fact of nature. Those perceptions of women inferiority has been extended not only to the mental functions but also to the physical characteristics and functions of the women. Men occupy the superior positions in almost all societies. Women’s places are in the home while men’s places are outside. Women stay at home to nurse and care for their children, to prepare food while men work outside to get money.
The perception of women inferiority is so old. The world does move. Women work outside and participate in organization. Some women have become president and have attained cabinet rank such as the former president Megawati Soekarno Putri, and Hillary Clinton who has attained cabinet rank of United State.
There are many kinds of feminisms such as liberal feminism, radical feminism, Marxist feminism, socialist feminism, lesbian feminism, black feminism etc. For analyzing the play, the writer uses liberal feminism. Every human being is created with the same right. Men and women have the same opportunity in developing their future. There are no differences between them. Maggie Humm in Feminism: A Reader states that liberal feminism demands that women should be seen as an individual therefore they have the same right as men in the relation to the states (1992:11). Therefore liberal feminism proposeswomen and men to decide their own future equally, independently and freely.
In this thesis, the writer chooses Bernard Shaw’s play entitled Pygmalion because Pygmalion is considered as one of his famous plays which has a topic of feminism. It is related with woman’s struggleto get equality and freedom. To be more specific, the writer is interested in the main character of the play, Eliza Doolittle, who struggles to release herself from men’s domination.
Pygmalion was written in the early 20th Century in Britain. The setting of this play is Britain in the 19th Century. The play reveals men’s domination towards a woman. It reflects a woman who tries to get her freedom. Since the topic is a woman’s struggle, the writer finds the importance of Eliza as the main focus of the analysis.
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The work of literature, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, is suitable to study the topic. This play reveals the ideas of liberal feminism that are reflected through the characterization of Eliza. Therefore, Eliza experiences as the victim of men’s domination and her struggle to release herself from men’s domination will be the focus on this thesis.
B. Problem Formulation
The problems that will be analyzed in this thesis are:
1. How are Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins and Alfred Doolittle characterized? 2. How are men’s domination depicted through Higgins and Alfred?
3. How are the ideas of liberal feminism presented through the characterization of Eliza?
C. Objectives of the Study
The aim of doing this analysis is to answer the problem formulations about the characterization of Eliza, Higgins and Alfred, to show men’s domination depicted in the play and how the ideas of liberal feminism appears through the characterization of Eliza.
D. Definition of Terms
In order to avoid misunderstanding about the meaning of certain terms, there are some terms defined below.
1. Feminism
According to International Encyclopedia of Ethics, feminism is the view that inequality between women and men exists, is unjust, and must be corrected (1995: 312).
2. Liberal Feminism
According to Josephine Donovan in her book, Feminist Theory: The intellectual traditions of American Feminism, liberal Feminism is an idea that based on natural rights extended to women, faith in rationality, belief in faculty equality, belief in education as entrée into previously masculine reserve, individual as a rational and independent agent (1985: 65).
3. Patriarchy
According to The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, patriarchy is a hypothetical social system based on the absolute authority of the father or an elderly male over the family group (1983: 800).
4. Pygmalion
6 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review on Related Studies
Pygmalion has been one of Bernard Shaw’s most popular plays. In 1938, a film version was made. It was the first film of a Shaw’s play. Besides, the successful musical comedy adaptation of My Fair Lady gives evidence of its great vitality. More people are probably familiar with Pygmalion in some form than with any other play by Shaw. Most critics agree that Pygmalion is a delightfully amusing comedy. After Pygmalion published, there are many comments to the play. Some experts give their comments on it.
According to Schwartz in his book entitled George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, Shaw wants to criticize that English people have no respect for English language and do not speak it properly (1965: 19). Shaw criticizes the lower class people in England in the nineteenth century who does not have respect for English language. As it is seen in the main character, Eliza who does not speak English properly.
According to John Ervine as quoted by Schwartz in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, Pygmalion is about the improvement of speech (1965: 80). For Ervine, the topic of Pygmalion focuses on the improvement of speech of English language. The story tells about Eliza who learns seriously how to improve her speech, so she can speak English properly.
human being (1965: 80). The story tells how Higgins makes a duchess of Eliza and finally Eliza moves to be independent, makes a free woman of herself.
According to Martin Meisel as quoted by Schwartz in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, the story of Pygmalion is about a radical attack on class distinction and class prejudice (1965: 80-81). He points out Eliza’s understanding that a flower girl and a duchess are distinguished by the way they are treated.
Beginning immediately with the first English production of Pygmalion, a popular debate developed as to whether there should have been a romantic ending between Higgins and Liza. Shaw insisted that such an ending would have been misery for his characters but producers and audiences nevertheless tended to prefer a romantic ending. MacCarthy expressed the sentiments of many when he wrote about the original production “when the curtain fell on the mutual explanations of this pair [Higgins and Liza] I was in a fever to see it rise on Acts VI and VII; I wanted to see those two living together” (http://www.answers.com/topic/pygmalion-play-7).
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great play, Saint Joan, was written when he was sixty seven (Schwartz, 1965:8). He continues to be creative even when he is a very old man. In his eighties and nineties he was still producing interesting plays.
Shaw always has a deep interest in questions concerning the meaning and purpose of human life.He tries to focus on the survival and liberation of a woman through the characterization of Eliza. How Eliza in Pygmalion struggles in fighting men’s domination. Eliza begins to rebel because she has been treated as the object of Higgins’ experiment. Besides, she has been sold by her father for money.
There is an opinion about Bernard Shaw. Edward Wagenknecht demonstrated the delicate balance many critical interpretations of Shaw in that era tried to maintain, explaining how Shaw had succeeded despite breaking many established conventions of dramatic art. Shaw againsts the idea that literature is writing which supersedes a specific purpose other than to communicate life experience, and is not didactic. “It is amazing,” Wagenknecht wrote, “that a man whose theory of art is so patently wrong should have achieved such a place as Shaw has won”
(http://www.answers.com/topic/pygmalion-play-7).
Pygmalion, in their thesis but they have different topic on it. The writer chooses Pygmalion as the object of the thesis, however, the topic is different from those studies. The writer decides liberal feminism as the topic in her undergraduate thesis.
B. Review on Related Theories
1. Theory of Character
A character is one of the important elements in a work of literature. Since the analysis will deal with the characters to reveal the idea of liberal feminism, the writer put the theory about character and characterization. According to Gill on his book, Mastering English Literature Second Edition, a character is someone in literary work who has some sort of identity, an identity which is made up by appearance, conversation, action, name and thoughts going on in the head (1995: 127). According to Abram on his book, A Glossary of Literature Terms, he defines character as the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and what they do-the action (1981:20).
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There are two kinds of characters. They are major character and secondary character. A major character is the most important and complex in the literary work. Therefore, in order to understand the play, the readers usually give the fullest attention to the major character. Secondary characters are characters who have limited functions in the play. The function of the secondary characters is to inhabit the world in the play, which resembles real life condition (Henkle, 1977:88-97)
Based on those theories, the writer can define the type of Eliza’s, Alfred Doolittle’s and Higgins’ character in order to reveal the ideas of liberal feminism in the play.
2. Theory of Characterization
The process of creating the characters is called characterization. In his book, Gill stated that characterization is the way in which character is created (1995: 127). The way of the author creates the character can be seen through the dialogues and actions of the character.
The second way is character as seen by another. The author describes the character through the eyes and opinions of another. The author represents the character’s performance and personality by letting other characters in the story convey their readers what they are like based on the character that they encounter.
The third way is speech. The author describes the character through what the character says. Whenever the character speaks and states an opinion, the author is giving some clues to the character.
The fourth way is past life. The author can give the past life of one character in order to understand the character. It can be a direct comment from the author, through the person’s thoughts, through the conversation or the medium of another person. By learning something from someone’s past life in the story, the author gives some events which help to shape a person’s character.
The fifth way is conversation of others. The character is described through the conversation of other people and the things they say about the character. Through conversation with other characters, the author may give clues to the readers in order to show the person’s character
The sixth way is reactions. The author describes the person’s character through the person’s reaction to various situations and events. Using this kind of characterization, the author presents a clue to the readers who might expect to find the person’s character in dealing with various situations
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The eight way is thought. The author gives direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about.
The last way is mannerism. The author describes a person’s mannerism and habits which tell something about his character. The author reveals the habits of the character both the positive and negative ones.
Those are some of the ways in which an author makes the reader aware of the characteristic of the people that he writes about in his stories. The author uses those ways skillfully so that the reader will tend to think of the author’s creations as real people.
3. Theory of Patriarchy
Patriarchy has been a fundamentally important concept in feminist analyses, leading to the development of a number of theories that aim to identify the bases of women’s subordination to men. According to Madsen, in patriarchal theory, women’s position is inferior in family (2000: 47). It means that husbands have complete power over their wives, as do a father has complete power over his children. This system is the main idea of men’s domination that make women’s position is lower than men in the family and society. Feminism struggles to reconstruct this system by making women realize that they have the same proportion with men because they get the same right as human being.
family or tribe. Men have power to oppress and exploit women. Women are considered as weak creatures who have to be obedient to men.
Patriarchy as a political structure seeks to control and subjugate women so that their possibilities for making choices about their sexuality, childrearing, mothering, loving and laboring are curtailed (Eisenstein, 1981: 14).
Based on the theory above, patriarchy is the system to control women’s role in society. Women have participation in public life but their activities are still controlled by men. They live under men’s roles. Women have little possibilities to make choices in their own life.
Patriarchy is the system which destroys women’s potential power. Women cannot develop their abilities and skills. They have limited roles to make decision for their own life.
Patriarchy, as a system of oppression, recognizes the potential power of women and the actual power of men. It’s purpose is to destroy woman’s consciousness about her potential power, which derives from the necessity of society to produce itself. By trying to affect woman’s consciousness and her life options, patriarchy protects the appropriation of women’s sexuality, their reproductive capacities, and their labor by individual men and society as a whole (Eisenstein, 1981: 14-15).
Women have their own potential power which should be developed. Patriarchy breaks women’s potential power, therefore women are always controlled by men’s power. Women cannot express themselves because everything is based on men’s decisions.
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Criticism, patriarchy is a fundamental part of all representations because these are permeated by male power (1994: 44). In patriarchal system, men are the leaders who have authorities to make decisions. Men have absolute power over women. They always control women’s lives in both family and society.
According to Millet as quoted by Rosemarie Tong in Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction, patriarchal ideology exaggerates biological differences between men and women, making certain that men always have the dominant, or masculine, roles and women always have the subordinate, or feminine, ones (1998: 49). Women have less power than men. Women do not have chances to develop themselves. They live under men’s power. Men have social power to control women’s lives. Patriarchal society uses gender roles to keep women passive (affectionate, obedient, responsive, kind) and men active (aggressive, curious, ambitious, and responsible) (Tong, 1998: 49).
In fact, women and men are different physically. They are distinguished by sex but it cannot be the reason to dominate women. Women and men have the same right as human being. Women can develop their own ability. They have rights to make a choice for their lives without men’s involvements.
4. The Condition of Women in England in the Nineteenth Century
There are several evidences that can describe the condition of women of in the nineteenth century:
a. Many Women Turning towards Prostitution in that Time
lack of education were also causes of women turning towards prostitution. Some women had either been expelled from their homes or deserted by their parents and found prostitution the only way to support themselves. Other girls were forced into prostitution in order for their families to survive. Similarly, women who had worked in domestics or servants were forced into prostitution because they had been seduced by their master and then abandoned. Many women are expected to remain prostitutes only until something better became available. These sorts of condition caused many women and teenagers to turn towards prostitution.
b. Women’s Sexuality
In the nineteenth century, women were not allowed to enjoy sexual satisfaction. They were not allowed to engage themselves freely in sexual acts unless it was with the specific purpose of procreation. Any sexual desires experienced by women were considered to be in contradiction with the proper definition of virtue. Furthermore, religion made this case worse that women who sought sexual satisfaction were thought to be not leading God life. there were also more challenges to the belief that women had no need for sexual gratification. They did not get such a sex education. Therefore they believe that sexual feeling was ‘indecent and immoral’.
c. Women’s education
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gained the right and privilege of higher education, they were believed to be lower-class citizens, not worthy of voting or owning property, or any number of other inalienable rights. The lack of education could not empower them to take any chances in entering the field of politic, social, and even to make decision about their own property. The conservative thought that education for women would disrupt the social balance of that time. This condition hampered women’s steps to be equal to men (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/femhist/education.shtml).
5. Theory of Liberal Feminism
Most people believe that women are weak creatures. Therefore, women are treated unfairly. Ashley Montagu states that in society there is a belief that men are superior and women are inferior, women also think that the belief is right, because it is believed as what really happens (1953: 23). Women face the discrimination in society. They lack of opportunities to develop themselves. Women are not confident to do the work better than man because they are always conditioned as inferior.
aiming to create a world for women beyond simple social equality (1990: 74). It means that there is a social transformation to gain social equality for women. The goal of feminism theory is not only to understand men’s domination to women, but also to get the solution how to change it.
There are some kinds of feminisms which have their own characteristics. Humm proposes four kinds of feminisms. They are Marxist feminism, socialist feminism, lesbian feminism and liberal feminism (1992:87-181).
In this thesis, the writer focuses on liberal feminism. Liberal feminism has a long history at least from Mary Wollstonecraft’s feminist text A Vindication of the Rights of Women. According to Wollstonecraft as quoted by Humm in Feminism: A Reader/ed, women should have the same civil liberties as, and educational parity with, men (1992: 181). It proves that previously, women do not have freedom and equality in education. Men have more chance to get higher education. Mary Wollstonecraft is sure that if men and women are educated equally, then it follows that they will get equal access to society.
Liberal feminists support the Equal Rights Amendment and other legislative acts to abolish sexual discrimination and to erode oppressive gender roles. Three prominent liberal feminist thinkers are Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Betty Friedan. In what follows the writer look more closely at their works.
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subordinate sexual class. Women are always inferior in all aspect of life. Stanton struggles for the rights of individual and women’s independence from men.
The rights of the individual are natural rights which the individual brings into the world at birth; these rights cannot be taken away because they are constitutive of the individual (Madsen, 2000: 39).
The basic liberal principles of individual freedom and social equality are denied by the denial of citizenship to women and slaves. Stanton’s political struggle is the reform of laws that deny women’s rights. Men and women have the same right because they are created equally.
Stanton and her collaborators open the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions with a deliberate echo of the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal (Schneir, 1972: 77)
In the 1960s and early 1970s, liberal feminism shaped many political programs. A contemporary model of liberal feminism was created when Betty Friedan founded the National Organization of Women (NOW) in 1966. NOW is women’s organization which reflects the idea of liberal feminism. NOW campaigned for equal civil rights, equal access to education, to health and welfare and equal pay for women (Humm, 1992: 181). It shows that the single most important goal of women’s liberation is equality of opportunity. Women should have the same opportunity with men to get equal rights in all aspects of life.
According to Betty Friedan, a liberal feminist thinker, as quoted by Humm in Feminism: A Reader/ed, women can enter the profession through higher education (1992: 181). Women have the same educational opportunities with men. Education is the basic way to develop women’s skills. Women can work outside in order to improve their skill.
There are some theories about liberal feminism. Maggie Humm in Feminism: A Reader/ed states liberal feminism aims to achieve equal legal, political, social rights for women. It wishes to bring women equally into all public institutions and to extend the creation of knowledge so that women’s issues can no longer be ignored (1992:181). Liberal feminism is centrally concerned with equal rights and holds a view of women as human being. In this case, women have to be treated fairly.
Madsen in Feminist Theory and Literary Practice states;
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Liberal feminism emphasizes on the concepts of individual human rights. It demands for a woman as personal independence in all aspects of life. Women should be independent, not depend on men. Liberal feminism challenges woman’s oppression by affecting woman’s consciousness of herself as a person with the same right as a man.
According to Zillah Eisenstein as quoted by Humm in Feminism: A Reader/ed, states;
The liberal demands for individual self-determination, freedom of choice, idividual autonomy, and equality before the law to indict capitalist patriarchal society. This use of liberal ideology by feminists will permit us to direct the public’s conciousness to a critique of capitalist patriarchy, not merely of the welfare state (1992: 191).
The effort of liberal feminism is directed towards the reform of patriarchy. Liberal feminism has a purpose to abolish men’s domination in the society. Women should get their individual freedoms and equalities. The aim is to prevent men’s domination. Therefore women can develop their abilities to maintain their lives. According to Wollstonecraft as quoted by Rosemarie Tong in Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction, woman is personhood who is not the toy of man which must jingle in his ears (1998: 15). It means that a woman is not an object to someone else’s happiness. Different from radical feminism, liberal feminism believes that men should not be challenged (Humm, 1992:181). Men can be partners in life. It means that a woman who holds the idea of liberal feminism accepts the existence of men in her life.
characterization of Eliza who wants to release herself from her father’s and Higgins’ domination and later she proves that she can live independently.
C. Theoretical Framework
The topic that the writer would like to expose in the thesis is the ideas of liberal feminism as reflected through the characterization of Eliza in Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. The theories that refer to this thesis are theory of character and characterization, theory of liberal feminism, theory of patriarchy, and the condition of women in the nineteenth century. Each theory will be applied in the analysis.
Theory of character and characterization give a good contribution to reveal the characteristics of the major characters, Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins, and the minor character, Alfred Doolittle. The writer analyzes the characters through the dialogue spoken and the action of the characters.
The writer analyzes the ideas of liberal feminism as reflected through the characterization of Eliza. When we analyze feminism, it relates to the system of patriarchy. Theory of patriarchy gives contribution to reveal the idea of men’s domination represented by Higgins and her father, Alfred. It is used in order to understand how Higgins and Alfred control a woman’s character represented by Eliza. Since the analysis deals with a woman’s life, the writer uses the theory about the condition of women in the nineteenth century to describe the condition of women at that time.
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23 A. Object of the Study
In this analysis, the writer chooses one of Bernard Shaw’s works Pygmalion as the object matter. Shaw takes the title of his play from a well-known Greek myth. Pygmalion is a king who falls in love with a beautiful statue.
The type of the work is a play. This play was written in 1912 and first published in 1916. It consists of 156 pages and it is divided into five acts. There are six characters, they are: Professor Henry Higgins, Eliza Doolittle, Colonel Pickering, Alfred Doolittle, Mrs. Higgins, and Freddy Eynsford Hill. Of all Shaw’s plays, Pygmalion is the most beloved and popularly received by public. Several film versions have been made of the play, and it has been adopted into a musical. The version of a play used in this study is published by Penguin Classical Books Ltd in Harmondsworth, Middlesex.
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B. Approach
In analyzing the problem formulations, the writer uses the feminist approach because the topic of the thesis includes the term of feminism. The feminist approach helps the writer in studying the woman character’s action towards men’s domination. Besides, the writer uses the feminist approach to see in what kind of feminism that the woman character belongs.
According to Wilfred L. Guerin in A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature, feminist approach is an approach that is concerned with the marginalization of all women: that is in relation with their being relegated to a secondary position (1999: 196). The feminist claims that the society has been dominated by men. Women’s thoughts as the inferior have made them brave to against men’s domination. The feminist approach is the most appropriate approach. In other words, under the approach, the writer might relate the ideas of liberal feminism and the characterization of Eliza.
C. Method of the Study
This thesis is a library research. The writer read lots of books which dealt with the topic. The writer also used some related sources from the internet. Of course some theories related to the topic were also applied.
making the topic based on the play that is liberal feminism as seen in the characterization of Eliza. The third step, the writer formulated some problems that will lead me to limit my scope of study.
After formulating the problems and determining the approach, the fourth step the writer began to collect some bibliographies and information that were related with this analysis. From bibliographies and information the writer have been collected, it gave the writer a wider knowledge about the ideas of liberal feminism. The fifth step was analysis part. The writer tried to answer problem formulation. Firstly, the writer gave the description about the characterization of Eliza, Alfred and Higgins. Then, the writer showed the evidence of men’s domination.
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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This section is to analyze and answer the problem formulation in chapter one. The analysis will be divided into three parts. The first part will discuss about the characterization of Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins and Alfred Doolittle. This part will show the characters of Eliza, Higgins and Alfred from the beginning until the end of the play. The second part will discuss about men’s domination toward Eliza in the play. The third part is the analysis of the liberal feminism that appears through the characterization of Eliza in Pygmalion. Therefore, the analysis is focused on the major characters, Eliza and Higgins and the minor character, Alfred.
The character has an important role in a play. The reader knows the story completely through the character. Since the analysis deals with the character to convey the liberal feminism in the story, the writer puts the theory about character from Gill. From this theory, it is clear that a character is a person in literary work. A character has an identity which is formed by appearance, conversation, action, and name in the story.
A. The Characterization of Eliza Doolittle, Henry Higgins and Alfred
Doolittle
works hard to sell flowers on the streets. She wants to change her life in order to get a better life. She wants to work in a flower shop. It is not easy for her to work there because she cannot speak English properly. Therefore, she decides to take English lesson from Higgins.
Higgins is a professor of phonetician. He is willing to give English lesson to Eliza. Since Higgins’ motivation is to make an experiment that in six months he can change Eliza into a girl who can speak English properly, he treats her merely as an object.
Eliza’s father, Alfred Doolittle cares nothing for Eliza’s life. He turns her out from his house because Eliza is only considered as a burden. Therefore, Eliza is forced to make her own living. When he knows that his daughter becomes an object of Higgins’ experiment, he tries to take an advantage of it by asking money from Higgins.
The writer uses Murphy’s theory of characterization to understand the characters in detail. The writer tries to make comprehensive descriptions of Eliza Higgins and Alfred to see the ideas of liberal feminism that later arise in Eliza’s characterization.
1. Eliza Doolittle
a. Poor
Eliza’s condition can be identified through the description of her appearance and clothes. Eliza is described as a dirty girl who sells flowers on the street.
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hair needs washing rather badly: its mousy color can hardly be natural. She wears a shoddy black coat that reaches nearly to her knees. Her boots are much the worse for wear. She is no doubt as clean as she can afford to be; and she needs the service of a dentist] (Shaw, 1958: 15).
When compared to the ladies, she is very dirty. It can be seen through her hair, hat, and boots. Her clothes are old and shabby. Eliza wears a dirty little straw hat, an old black coat, and worn shoes. Besides, she lives alone in her lodging. It is a miserable room with its empty birdcage and newspaper pictures on the wall.
LIZA. [humiliated]
She picks up the basket and trudges up the alley with it to her lodging: a small room with very old wall paper hanging loose in the damp place. A broken pane in the window is mended with paper (Shaw, 1958: 15).
The poverty leads her to think about gaining money to improve her life. She decides to focus on earning money by selling flowers. She has to work hard to finance her life. This condition leads her to seek the better life. She believes that her life will be better if she can work in a florist shop. Therefore, she really wants to get a job in a florist shop.
b. Uneducated
Eliza is an uneducated girl. It is indicated by her inability to speak English well.
THE FLOWER GIRL. Ow, eez ye-ooa san, is e? Wal, fewd dan y’ da-ooty bawmz a mather should, eed now bettern to spawl a pore gel’s flahrzn than ran awy athaht pyin. Will ye-oo py me f’them? (Shaw, 1958: 16).
allowed to stay at home to do the household (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/ feminist/sex work.shtml). It happens to Eliza as well. She does not have a chance to get education. Therefore, she cannot speak English properly. It can be seen through the fact that she has bad English pronunciation.
Eliza is an ignorant girl who is not familiar with luxurious things. She has never seen a bathtub. When she does, she refuses to use it because she feels it is both dangerous and indecent to take off all one’s clothes and get wet. She knows of someone who did it every Saturday night and died from it. She has no idea of a bathtub and does not know how to use it. Her ignorance indicates her being uneducated.
LIZA. You expect me to get into that and wet myself all over! Not me. I should catch my death. I knew a woman did it ever Saturday night; and she died of it (Shaw, 1958: 47).
The lack of education cannot empower her to get a job. She cannot work in a florist shop unless she can speak English well. This condition leads her to meet Higgins to have lesson. She wants Higgins to educate herself in order to achieve her dream.
c. Confident
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THE FLOWER GIRL [protesting] who is trying to deceive you? I called him Freddy or Charlie same as you might yourself if you was talking to a stranger and wished to be pleasant (Shaw, 1958: 17).
She says what she thinks is right even though other people insult her. Another example is when Eliza comes to Higgins’ house, she meets Mrs. Pearce, Higgins’ maid. Eliza does not care of Mrs. Pearce who insults her when she comes to have the lesson. The quotation below shows that Eliza is very confident to speak up because she thinks everyone has a right to take lesson.
MRS. PEARCE. Nonsense, girl! What do you think a gentleman like Mr Higgins cares what you come in?
THE FLOWER GIRL. Oh we are proud! He aint above giving lessons, not him: I heard him say so. Well, I aint come here to ask for any compliment; and if my money’s not good enough I can go elsewhere (Shaw, 1958: 37).
Eliza does not want to be insulted although she is uneducated. She thinks that all people have the same chance to get a better life. She wants to improve her life by getting a job in a florist shop. She is confident that she can achieve her will if she learns how to speak English properly. Her confidence can be seen through her effort in getting lesson.
THE FLOWER GIRL. I want to be a lady in a flower shop stead of sellin at the corner of Tottenham Court Road. But they wont take me unless I can talk more genteel. He said he could teach me. Well, here I am ready to pay him-not asking any favor-and he treats me zif I was dirt (Shaw, 1958: 37-38).
d. Keen
Eliza really wants to get a job in a flower shop, however, it is impossible for her because of the way she speaks. Therefore, she comes to Higgins to get lesson. She is keen for her will. It can be identified through her reaction towards people who underestimate her. She does not change her will when people underestimate her because of her poverty. She offers the payment for the lesson although she is poor.
MRS PEARCE. How can you be such a foolish ignorant girl as to think you could afford to pay Mr Higgins?
THE FLOWER GIRL. Why shoudnt I? I know what lessons cost as well as you do; and I’m ready to pay (Shaw, 1958: 38). Mrs. Pearce, Higgins’ maid, does not believe that Eliza affords to have lesson from Higgins. Eliza is not worried when Mrs. Pearce underestimates her as a poor girl. She promises to pay the lesson. She calculates the proper price of the lesson, then she decides to offer a shilling for the lesson. The quotation below shows how Eliza tries to force Higgins to accept her idea.
LIZA. Oh, I know whats right. A lady friend of mine gets French lessons for eighteenpence an hour from a real French gentlement. Well, you wouldnt have the face to ask me the same for teaching me my own language as you would for French; so I wont give more then a shilling. Take it or leave it (Shaw, 1958: 39).
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e. Independent
Eliza is an independent girl who lives alone without her parents. Her independence can be identified through her thought. She knows that her father does not want her because she is just a burden for him. In fact, her father cares nothing for his family while her sixth stepmother turns her out.
LIZA. I aint got no parents. They told me I was big enough to earn my own living and turned me out.
MRS. PEARCE. Wheres your mother?
LIZA. I aint got no mother. Her that turned me out was my sixth stepmother. But I done without them. And I’m a good girl, I’m (Shaw, 1958: 43).
Generally, the unmarried women usually depend on the father. Eliza does not like being considered as a burden to her father. Therefore, she decides to be independent. She tries to make her own living by working as a flower girl. Later, she proves that she can earn money and live without her father’s help.
Eliza’s independence is also seen through her decision to leave Higgins. She is brave to make a decision to leave Higgins although he has filled her needs. She does not want to live with Higgins who always controls her life. Higgins treats her rudely because she is only the object of the experiment. Her statement below shows that she refuses to live under Higgins’ authority.
LIZA. Yes: you turn round and make up to me now that I’m not afraid of you, and can do without you (Shaw, 1958: 138).
f. Tough
Eliza is a tough woman who works hard in any kind of condition. It can be seen in the first act that shows Eliza who still works hard to sell flowers on the street although the weather turns bitterly cold. The heavy rain does not dampen her enthusiasm to sell her flowers.
London at 11.15 p.m. Torrents of heavy summer rain. Cab whistles blowing frantically in all directions. Pedestrians running for shelter into the portico of St Paul’s church. All are peering out gloomily at the rain (Shaw, 1958: 13).
Due to the bad weather, it is not easy for her to work on the street. People do not care for her. They refuse to buy flowers, however it does not stop her to offers her flowers. She is lively and cheerful as she works hard to sell flowers. She realizes that money is very important for her life. Therefore, she is quite persistent in persuading people to buy her flowers. As an example, she tries hard to put her action in persuading a man to buy a flower. Her action in persuading a man, can be seen in the following quotation
THE FLOWER GIRL. If it’s worse, it’s a sign it’s nearly over. So cheer up, Captain; and buy a flower off a poor girl THE GENTLEMAN. I’m sorry. I havnt any change.
THE FLOWER GIRL. I can give you change, Captain. THE GENTLEMAN. For a sovereign? Ive nothing less.
THE FLOWER GIRL. Oh do buy a flower off me, Captain. I can change half-a-crown. Take this for tuppence (Shaw, 1958: 18-19).
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THE FLOWER GIRL. I aint done nothing wrong by speaking to the gentleman. Ive a right to sell flowers if I keep off the kerb. I’m a respectable girl: so help me, I never spoke to him except to ask him to buy a flower off me (Shaw, 1958: 19).
Despite the bad weather and refusal of people, Eliza keeps struggling to sell flowers. Just because she is a lower class woman, it does not mean people can forbid her to offer her flowers. She thinks that she can sell flowers to anyone without seeing their social class. The most important thing for her is earning money for her own life.
2. Henry Higgins
a. Ambitious
As a professor of phonetician, Higgins is completely devoted to his work. His work is very significant in his life. Other things are so trivial compared to it. Higgins takes attention on the way Eliza speaks because she has bad English pronunciation. He is ambitious to change the poor flower girl into a lady who can speak English properly. His ambition can be seen through his statement that in three months, he can change Eliza.
THE NOTE TAKER. You see this creature with her kerbstone English: the English that will keep her in the gutter to the end of her days. Well, sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassador’s gardenparty. I could even get her a place as lady’s maid or shop assistant, which requires better English.
THE FLOWER GIRL. What’s that you say?
Higgins’ friend, Pickering, bets Higgins that he cannot change the poor flower girl into a lady like what he wants. It does not change his plan because he believes that he can change Eliza more mannerly. Later, he accepts Eliza as his students to learn English pronunciation. He is sure that Eliza can be a girl who can speak English properly in three months. The quotation above shows that he is very ambitious to do his work.
b. Rude
Higgins is characterized as a man who has little understanding of human feelings. Higgins is rude, thoughtless and bullying. It can be identified through his mannerism. Eliza is expelled from his house when she comes to meet Higgins. He underestimates Eliza as if she is no use for him.
HIGGINS. Why, this is the girl I jotted down last night. She’s no use:I’ve got all the records I want of the Lisson Grove lingo; and I’m not going to waste another cylinder on it. [to the girl] Be off with you: I don’t want you (Shaw, 1958: 37).
Higgins bewilders Eliza with his violent behavior. Eliza comes to Higgins’ house as a guest but he treats her badly. He does not have respect for her. He considers Eliza as an inanimate thing which can be treated as he likes.
HIGGINS. Pickering: shall we ask this baggage to sit down, or shall we throw her out of the window? (Shaw, 1958: 37).
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HIGGINS. [peremptorily] sit down
THE FLOWER GIRL. Oh, if youre going to make a compliment of it- HIGGINS. [thundering at her] Sit down (Shaw, 1958: 38).
Higgins does not give a chance for Eliza to speak. When Eliza tries to speak up after Higgins offers high payment for the lesson, he roars her to stop talking. He does not want to hear any complaints from Eliza. This condition shows how Higgins controls Eliza’s behavior. Eliza is under Higgins’ authority.
LIZA. [rising, terrified] sixty pounds!what are you talking about? I never offered you sixty pounds. Where would I get-
HIGGINS. Hold your tongue (Shaw, 1958: 39).
Eliza asks for lessons, but she is shocked by Higgins’ dreadful manners. He is lack of concern for her as a person. She almost changes her mind and runs away. He has shown a ruthless disregard for basic human rights.
HIGGINS. We want none of your Lisson Grove prudery here young woman. Youve got to learn to behave like a duchess. Take her away, Mrs Pearce. If she gives you any trouble, wallop her (Shaw, 1958: 41).
The quotation above shows that Higgins is very rude to Eliza. He asks his maid to wallop Eliza if she makes any trouble. His rudeness proves that he does not have any respect to Eliza. He does not consider Eliza as a human being who has to be treated well.
c. Impatient
This quality can be identified through his mannerism. Higgins treats her impatiently when he teaches Eliza. Eliza is frightened by this kind of treatment, but she refuses to be bullied.
LIZA. I know my alphabet. Do you think I know nothing? I don’t need to be taught like a child.
HIGGINS. [thundering] Say your alphabet (Shaw, 1958: 65).
Eliza is an uneducated girl who always says what she wants to say without thinking of her manner. She has difficulty to adapt in new situation while Higgins does not understand her.
Higgins cannot tolerate Eliza’s weakness that cannot speak English properly. He always insults her by ignoring her efforts. He keeps mocking her although Eliza always does what he says. As a consequence, Eliza is offended by such treatments.
LIZA. Oh well, if you put it like that-Ahyee, beyee, ceyee, deyee-
HIGGINS. [with the roar of a wounded lion] Stop. Listen to this, Pickering.This is what we pay for as elementary education. This unfortunate animal has been locked up for nine years in school at our expense to teach her to speak and read the language of shakespeare and Milton. And the result is Ahyee, Be-yee, Ce-yee, De-yee (Shaw, 1958: 66).
As an educated man, Higgins has power to control Eliza during the process of teaching. He is not a good teacher since he does not teach Eliza patiently. He is very angry when Eliza makes a mistake. He gives the threat for Eliza by saying words rudely.
HIGGINS. By Jupiter, she’s done it at the first shot. Pickering: we shall make a duchess of her. [to Eliza] Now do you think you could possibly say tea? Not te-yee, mind:if you ever say be-yee ce-yee de-ce-yee again you shall be dragged round the room three times by the hair of your head (Shaw, 1958: 66).
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3. Alfred Doolittle
a. Irresponsible
Alfred Doolittle is Eliza’s father who cares nothing for Eliza’s life. He does not live with Eliza. He does not know where Eliza lives because he never meets her. His irresponsibility can be identified through his statement that he never sees Eliza for two months
DOOLITTLE. So help me, Governor, I never did. I take my bible oath I aint seen the girl these two months past (Shaw, 1958: 56). His statement proves that he does not care for his daughter. He never tries to see Eliza for two months without any reason. He just thinks about his pleasure without considering his responsibility as Eliza’s father. He chooses to live with another woman rather than his daughter. He lets Eliza to earn her own living while he lives with Eliza’s stepmother. He is addicted to drink and women. The woman who stays at his home is Eliza’s sixth stepmother.
LIZA. I aint got no mother. Her that turned me out was my sixth stepmother (Shaw, 1958: 43).
Eliza’s father is a dustman that also works as a laborer occasionally. He is a rascal and likes the drink far too much. He looks on the situation only as an opportunity to make money to get drunk. Women and money are two important thing in his life because they give pleasure for him.
As a father, he does not have responsibility to take care of Eliza. He just considers Eliza as a burden in his life. He throws her away from his house because she is not worthy. Therefore, Eliza is forced to get money for her own life.
b. Superior
Eliza lives in patriarchal system which is well-known as the rule of father. As Eliza’s father, he has an authority over Eliza’s life. He feels that Eliza belongs to him because she is his daughter. Therefore, he can take an advantage from her. For an example, when he knows that his daughter has entered Higgins’ house, immediately he pursues Higgins to give him some money.
DOOLITTLE. I might be open to an arrangement. As daughter she’s not worth her keep; and so I tell you straight. All I ask is my rights as a father; and you are the last man alive to expect me to let her go for nothing (Shaw, 1958: 58).
Alfred tells Higgins that he has come to save his daughter from Higgins’ clutches. He accuses Higgins of getting an advantage from Eliza. He does not allow Higgins to take Eliza because she only belongs to him. What actually he wants is a payment of five pounds for his daughter. He takes this chance to get money by making an arrangement with Higgins. He shows his authority as Eliza’s father. He will let Eliza to stay at Higgins’ house if Higgins gives him money. It can be seen from Higgins statement that Alfred has sold his daughter.
HIGGINS. Do you mean to say that you would sell your daughter for £50? (Shaw, 1958: 59)
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take an advantage from her. His superiority can be identified through his statement.
DOOLITTLE. Listen here, Governor. You and me is a men of the world, aint we? (Shaw, 1958: 58)
Alfred has sold his daughter for money. He considers Eliza as a weak woman who cannot live alone. Therefore, he suggests Higgins to marry his daughter. He thinks that Eliza cannot live without a man.
DOOLITTLE. Take my advice, Governor: marry Eliza while she’s young and don’t know no better. Because youre a man, and she is only a woman and dont know how to be happy anyhow (Shaw, 1958: 61)
His suggestion shows his authority as a father who can determine Eliza’ life. He feels that Eliza is his property that can be sold to anyone for his own delight. Therefore, he can control Eliza’s life.
B. Men’s Domination Depicted through Higgins and Alfred
Shaw clearly shows how women were treated in the nineteenth century. The society at that time held the patriarchal system. According to Walby as quoted by Jane Pilcher and Imelda Whelehan in 50 Key Concepts in Gender Studies, patriarchy is a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women (2004: 95). This system is the main idea of men’s domination that makes women’s position is lower than man.
be the second sex because women are inferior to men. Therefore, women live under men’s domination. Men have authorities to control women’s lives. Women usually have to be dependent on men who earn the money. They are not allowed to work outside. Besides, women do not have chance to make decisions in their own life.
According to Rosemarie Tong, patriarchal system uses gender roles to keep women passive and men active (1998: 49). It can be seen through Eliza’s experiences in men’s domination. She has to be obedient to Higgins who feels superior. Shaw’s Pygmalion tells about men’s domination named Henry Higgins and Alfred Doolittle to a woman named Eliza Doolittle. In this analysis, the writer focuses on Eliza’s life which is controlled by Higgins and Alfred.
In patriarchal system, a father has complete power over his daughter (Madsen, 2000: 47). Eliza’s father has a powerful holdover Eliza’s life. He has an authority over his daughter’s life. He thinks that Eliza belongs to him because she is his daughter. He has a right for Eliza’s life. Therefore, he can take an advantage from her. When he knows that his daughter has entered Higgins’ house, immediately he makes an arrangement with Higgins to get money. He shows his authority as Eliza’s father. He will let Eliza to stay at Higgins’ house if Higgins gives him money. His action in considering Eliza as his property can be seen through his plan to make an arrangement with Higgins.
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Alfred takes an advantage of Eliza to get money from Higgins by accusing Higgins who has taken Eliza for immoral purposes. Therefore, he asks five pounds as the reward. On the other hand, Higgins realizes that Eliza is useful for him to continue his experiment. Later, he gives Doolittle the five pounds in order to let Eliza stays at his house. It can be analyzed that Higgins has bought Eliza. Eliza has been sold by her father to Higgins. The following quotation shows how Higgins buys Eliza for the interest of his experiment.
HIGGINS. Pickering:if we listen to this man another minute, we shall have no convictions left. [to Doolittle] five pounds I think you said.
DOOLITTLE. Thank you kindly, Governor. HIGGINS. youre sure you wont take ten?
DOOLITTLE. Not now. Another time, Governor.
HIGGINS. [handing him a five-pound note] Here you are (Shaw, 1958: 61).
Alfred has sold his daughter to Higgins for money, and consequently, she lives under Higgins’ domination. Higgins has a powerful hold over Eliza’s life because he has bought her from her father. He thinks that Eliza belongs to him. Therefore, he can do anything towards her.
Eliza’s inability in speaking English properly to achieve his ambition. Eliza is merely a tool used to enhance Higgins reputation in society. Higgins can maintain his good reputation as a man who can change a woman’s life.
According to Higgins, young women are idiot. Therefore, he underestimates Eliza as an uneducated woman. He does not have any respect for her.
HIGGINS. Oh, I cant be bothered with young women. I shall never get into the way of seriously liking young women: some habits lie too deep to be changed. Besides, theyre all idiots (Shaw, 1958: 70).
Eliza comes to Higgins’ house as a respectable woman who wants to hire Higgins as a teacher. She does not ask any favor. She can afford to hire Higgins although she is poor but Higgins treats Eliza rudely as if she is an inanimate thing. His action that shows he does not respect her as a woman can be seen in the following quotation.
HIGGINS. Pickering: shall we ask this baggage to sit down, or shall we throw her out of the window?
THE FLOWER GIRL. ah-ah-oh-ow-ow-ow-oo! [wounded and whimpering] I wont be called a baggage when ive offered to pay like any lady (shaw, 1958:37).
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bullied. It is obvious that Higgins completely dominates Eliza. It can be seen through his dreadful manner when she comes to his house.
HIGGINS. [peremptorily] sit down
THE FLOWER GIRL. Oh, if youre going to make a compliment of it- HIGGINS. [thundering at her] Sit down (Shaw, 1958: 38).
Higgins is very angry when Eliza againsts him. He does not give a chance for Eliza to speak up because he wants her to be obedient by doing what he wants.
Higgins wants to make an experiment by taking Eliza as the object. He determines to make Eliza as an upper class woman at an ambassador’s garden party. He can change her English completely so that in six months she can speak English properly. Actually, Eliza is not interested in becoming an upper class woman, she would like to be a saleslady in a florist shop.
Higgins is very enthusiastic to his experiment. He is like a small child with a new toy. For an example, he orders Eliza to be scrubbed and then wrapped in brown paper until her new clothes come, as though she is a doll or some other inanimate object. His plan in transforming Eliza can be seen through the conversation between Higgins and his maid, Mrs. Pearce.
HIGGINS. [carried away] Yes: in six months-in three if she has a good ear and a quick tongue-I’ll take her anywhere and pass her off as anything. We’ll start today: now!this moment!take her away and clean her, Mrs. Pearce
MRS. PEARCE. [protesting] Yes, but-
HIGGINS. [storming on] Take all her clothes off and burn them. Wrap her up in brown paper til they come (Shaw, 1958:41).
PICKERING. Does it occur to you, Higgins, that the girl has some feelings?
HIGGINS. Oh no, I don’t think so. Not any feelings that we need bother about. [cheerily] Have you, Eliza? (Shaw, 1958: 43).
Higgins does not respect Eliza as a woman who asks lesson from him because he considers her as the object of his experiment. Since Eliza lives in Higgins’ house for six months to learn how to speak English properly, she lives under Higgins’ domination that always controls her life. For an example, Higgins orders her to be obedient as if she is in the military. She will get a reward for all the hard work she did. Higgins is promised to give luxurious things such as a proper bedroom, money, chocolates, and many foods. Actually, Eliza is not interested with those luxurious things. She just wants to get a job in a florist shop. On the other hand, Eliza will be punished if she does not obey his order. She will sleep in the back of the kitchen and be walloped with a broom stick. He says that Eliza will be taken by the police if she cannot speak English well. Higgins forces Eliza to accept his offer by making her afraid. Eliza really wants to be a sales lady in a florist shop, so she stays in spite of everything. The quotation below shows how Higgins frightens Eliza in order to be obedient.
HIGGINS. There! Thats all youll get out of Eliza. Ah-ah-ow-oo!No use explaining. As a military man you ought to know that. Give her her orders: thats enough for her. Eliza: you are to live here for the next six months, learning how to speak beautifully, like a lady in a florist’s shop. If youre good and do whatever youre told, you shall sleep in a proper bedroom, and have lots to eat, and money to buy chocolates and take rides in taxis. If youre naughty and idle you will sleep in the back kitchen among the black beetles, and be walloped by Mrs Pearce with a broom-stick. (Shaw, 1958: 45-46).
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ambition. Eliza is no more than five pounds.By giving five pounds to Doolittle, Eliza belongs to him so that he can treat her as he likes.
In the process of teaching, Eliza is under Higgins’ domination. He knows her weakness as an uneducated woman. Therefore, he teaches her impatiently as the object of his experiment. He does not give a chance for Eliza to say her opinion. He does not understand what Eliza really wants. Eliza wants to be treated well. Eliza has to do what Higgins wants while he always roars at her when she makes a mistake. He never gives her a chance to say what is going on in her mind because he just wants to finish his experiment immediately.
HIGGINS. Say your alphabet
LIZA. I know my alphabet. Do you think I know nothing? I don’t need to be taught like a child.
HIGGINS. [thundering] Say your alphabet (Shaw, 1958: 65).
After Higgins works on the experiment for six months, they attend the ambassador’s reception. In the reception, Eliza wears a splendid evening cloth that makes her looks very beautiful. Besides, Eliza can speak English fluently with a good pronunciation. Many guests believe that Eliza is a Hungarian princess. Those facts prove that Higgins is successful on his experiment. Higgins is delighted that the experiment is over. He says that he has been bored for the past months. He is satisfied and happy that the whole experiment is over. It is a terrible mistake to get involved in such a tiresome project. He will never do such a thing. His statement below shows his boredom of doing the experiment.
