4. The original Pygmalion is a sculptor who creates a beautiful woman out of clay and is rewarded when she turns human. How does Henry Higgins mold Eliza’s character in much the same way? As Eliza’s creator, does Higgins deserve a certain amount of control over her? Where does his creation end and Eliza’s independence begin? What is the nature of the relationship between artists and their art? Discuss.
It is often said that the artist deserves a certain level of control over his creation. Once he is finished creating it, he is still responsible to it as if it were their child, or a part of them. The nature of the relationship between an artist and their art is one of intimidation and respect. Examples of this relationship can be seen in literature anywhere from Frankenstein to Pygmalion…
In George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, an arrogant phonetics teacher named Higgins and a flower girl named Eliza to whom he teaches proper speech are paralleled to the Greek myth Pygmalion where an artist falls in love with his sculpture. Higgins, as the artist, molds Eliza’s character to that of sophistication and grace. This qualifies Eliza to be considered as the ‘art’ of Higgins; he is her creator per say. This relationship leads to Higgins’s controlling actions and Eliza’s very passive nature. Due to the fact that Higgins’s changed Eliza in such a monumental way, he ‘owes’ her better opportunities. However, Higgins’s selfish and unaware mind does not realize this, “HIGGINS: [impatiently] Well, don’t you thank God it’s all over? Now you are free and can do what you like. LIZA: [pulling herself together in desperation] What am I fit for? What have you left me fit for? Where am I to go? What’s to become of me(Shaw102)?” Higgins cannot simply let her be free to go back to the streets where she would not survive with the advantages he left her with. He is controlling of Eliza without regarding the fact that he is now responsible for her future and what happens to her.
Higgins owes Eliza the protection and guidance that the artist owes their creation even after it is completed. He simply cannot transform Eliza so completely from how she originally was, and then cast her back off into the world as if nothing happened. Higgins’s responsibility to oversee Eliza’s future wellbeing is greatly paralleled to many pieces of literature, and proves the theme of an artist having control of their creation.
It is often said that the artist deserves a certain level of control over his creation. Once he is finished creating it, he is still responsible to it as if it were their child, or a part of them. The nature of the relationship between an artist and their art is one of intimidation and respect. Examples of this relationship can be seen in literature anywhere from Frankenstein to Pygmalion…
In George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, an arrogant phonetics teacher named Higgins and a flower girl named Eliza to whom he teaches proper speech are paralleled to the Greek myth Pygmalion where an artist falls in love with his sculpture. Higgins, as the artist, molds Eliza’s character to that of sophistication and grace. This qualifies Eliza to be considered as the ‘art’ of Higgins; he is her creator per say. This relationship leads to Higgins’s controlling actions and Eliza’s very passive nature. Due to the fact that Higgins’s changed Eliza in such a monumental way, he ‘owes’ her better opportunities. However, Higgins’s selfish and unaware mind does not realize this, “HIGGINS: [impatiently] Well, don’t you thank God it’s all over? Now you are free and can do what you like. LIZA: [pulling herself together in desperation] What am I fit for? What have you left me fit for? Where am I to go? What’s to become of me(Shaw102)?” Higgins cannot simply let her be free to go back to the streets where she would not survive with the advantages he left her with. He is controlling of Eliza without regarding the fact that he is now responsible for her future and what happens to her.
Higgins owes Eliza the protection and guidance that the artist owes their creation even after it is completed. He simply cannot transform Eliza so completely from how she originally was, and then cast her back off into the world as if nothing happened. Higgins’s responsibility to oversee Eliza’s future wellbeing is greatly paralleled to many pieces of literature, and proves the theme of an artist having control of their creation.