Question 1

In Act 2 of 'Pygmalion', Higgins describes Eliza's entrance into his laboratory as 'the most absorbing experiment I have ever tackled'. What does this reveal about Higgins's attitude towards Eliza?

Accepted Answer

He views her primarily as a scientific specimen rather than a human being with feelings.

Answer

He sees her as a potential romantic interest and equal.

Answer

He is worried about the financial cost of her lessons.

Answer

He is genuinely sympathetic toward her plight as a flower girl.

Question 2

When Alfred Doolittle visits Higgins in Act 2, he asks for five pounds in exchange for his daughter. What is his primary justification for refusing a larger sum like fifty pounds?

Accepted Answer

He claims that fifty pounds would bring too much responsibility and 'prudence', whereas five pounds is just enough for a 'spree'.

Answer

He intends to use the money to start a small business and only needs a small loan.

Answer

He believes Eliza is not worth more than five pounds in the current market.

Answer

He is afraid that Higgins will call the police if he asks for a higher amount.

Question 3

During the negotiation in Act 2, Mrs. Pearce warns Higgins about the 'difficulty of the problem' he is undertaking. What is her specific concern regarding Eliza's future?

Accepted Answer

She is concerned about what is to become of Eliza once the experiment is over and she has been 'made a lady'.

Answer

She fears that Eliza is too unintelligent to ever learn proper phonetics.

Answer

She is concerned that Colonel Pickering will not be able to afford the costs of the wager.

Answer

She is worried that Eliza will steal the household's silver and valuables.

Question 4

In Act 2, when Eliza arrives at Wimpole Street, Higgins assumes she is there for a nefarious purpose until she offers to pay for lessons. What does this offer reveal about Eliza's character, and how does it challenge the social hierarchies of the time?

Accepted Answer

It demonstrates her personal integrity and desire for self-improvement, proving she values her dignity more than her meager savings.

Answer

It reveals that she is being manipulated by Alfred Doolittle to infiltrate the upper class.

Answer

It proves that she has no understanding of the actual cost of education in London.

Answer

It shows she is arrogant and thinks she is wealthier than she actually is.

Question 5

What does the 'mirror' scene in Act 2, where Eliza sees her reflection after being cleaned and dressed, signify about her transformation?

Accepted Answer

It signifies the beginning of her identity crisis and the awakening of a self-consciousness she did not have as a 'flower girl'.

Answer

It proves that she is still the same person inside and that the bath had no psychological effect on her.

Answer

It represents her literal transition into the middle class through the acquisition of expensive jewelry.

Answer

It shows her vanity and reveals that her primary motivation is to become physically beautiful.

Question 6

In Act 2, when Eliza refuses to have a bath, Higgins tells Mrs. Pearce to 'take her clothes and burn them' and to wrap her in brown paper. What does this specific command reflect about Higgins's character in the context of the play's themes?

Accepted Answer

It reflects his complete disregard for Eliza's autonomy and his tendency to treat people as physical objects to be manipulated.

Answer

It proves that he is joking and trying to make Eliza feel more comfortable through humor.

Answer

It shows his obsession with hygiene and his fear of contracting a disease from the lower classes.

Answer

It demonstrates his generosity, as he intends to buy her an entirely new wardrobe immediately.

Question 7

In Act 2, Colonel Pickering asks Higgins: 'Does it occur to you, Higgins, that the girl has some feelings?' What is the significance of Higgins's response that she doesn't have any feelings 'that we need bother about'?

Accepted Answer

It highlights Higgins's class-based elitism and his intellectual arrogance, suggesting he believes the poor lack the complex emotions of the upper class.

Answer

It suggests that Higgins is actually shy and uses rudeness as a defense mechanism to hide his concern.

Answer

It proves that Higgins is trying to protect Pickering from becoming emotionally attached to Eliza.

Answer

It shows that Higgins has already studied her psychology and knows she is emotionally resilient.

Question 8

In Act 2, Alfred Doolittle describes himself as one of the 'undeserving poor.' What is the primary satirical point George Bernard Shaw is making through this character's dialogue with Higgins and Pickering?

Accepted Answer

He is satirizing the hypocrisy of Victorian middle-class morality which only provides charity to those who act 'respectably'.

Answer

He is suggesting that all poor people are inherently lazy and do not want to work.

Answer

He is proving that Higgins is the most moral character in the play because he gives Doolittle money.

Answer

He is arguing that it is impossible for someone from the lower class to ever speak correct English.

Question 9

In Act 2, when Mrs. Pearce asks Higgins to be careful about his language and conduct in front of Eliza, Higgins characterizes himself as 'a shy, diffident sort of man'. Why is this statement considered ironic in the context of the scene?

Accepted Answer

It contradicts his actual behavior, which is consistently domineering, loud, and socially abrasive toward everyone around him.

Answer

It is ironic because Higgins is actually a member of the clergy and should be humble.

Answer

It shows he is genuinely intimidated by Eliza's presence and her potential to learn.

Answer

It suggests that Higgins is planning to trick Mrs. Pearce into leaving his employment.

Question 10

In Act 2, Colonel Pickering makes a specific offer to Higgins regarding the 'experiment'. What is the condition of their wager?

Accepted Answer

Pickering will pay all the expenses of the experiment if Higgins can pass Eliza off as a Duchess at an Ambassador's garden party.

Answer

Pickering will marry Eliza if Higgins can teach her to sing properly in three months.

Answer

Pickering will buy Higgins a new phonetics laboratory if Eliza can secure a job in a flower shop.

Answer

Pickering will pay Higgins a massive salary if Eliza learns to speak with an American accent.

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