Governor Phillip Essay

In this essay, I would like to examine the respective procreational theories of the two men prof Higgins Pygmalion and governor Phillip Our Countrys Good. Both men believe in the process of amelioration that is, both believe in the redeeming(a) strength of fine language if people speak fine language, they pass on determine themselves morally or socially improved. Both believe that people, who ar born(p) into the lower classes, argon not doomed to live their lives at a disadvantage. Moreover, if given the opportunity to use the divine gift of articulate dustup, then they mountain achieve a degree of upward mobility.I should like to look first at the relationship between prof Higgins and Eliza in Pygmalion, which is set in an era of social mobility and depends for its effect upon the slope class system. In particular, I would like to examine the idea that a persons position in society can be accurately measured by her quarrel-style. Henry Higgins, a professor of linguistics , believes that Eliza Doolittle (draggletailed guttersnipe) can be transformed into a duchess. Higgins is a scientist conducting an experiment. He wants Eliza to blab genteelly.His precise ambition is to moderate that madam friendfriend off as a duchess at an ambassadors garden party. Higgins is extremely egotistical (What does it matter what becomes of you) and professes not to be interested in Elizas in-person progress at all, in fact only teach her to deliver the skillfuls a bet between Pickering and himself THE NOTE-TAKER (HIGGINS) Well, sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassadors garden party. PICKERING Ill say youre the greatest teacher alive if you imbibe that good. Ill bet you all the expenses of the experiment you cant do it.As this rallying shows, Pickering has just given Professor Higgins the incentive to teach Eliza. Higgins is precise vain (I can place any man in London) and is educational activity Eliza to stop using c ockney dialect Lisson woodlet lingo such as Garn and you ought to be stuffed with nails, you ought She also uses double negatives in her speech I aint got no p arents where, grammatically, it should be I dont own any parents. In typify Two, Eliza goes one step boost by saying, I dont want never to see him again I dont which is in fact a triple negative.During his experiment in teaching, Higgins encounters the difficulty of getting Eliza to sing grammatically. Teaching her to pronounce the words right on is easy enough, but teaching her to understand English grammar is more complicated. When she comes to Higgins, her grammar is ineffable (I wint stay here if I dont like), for she is using adjectivals instead of adverbs. However, she is aware of her social standing. Although she k straight offs that she is not a lady (I couldnt sleep here, its too good for the likes of me), she also knows that she is not a keister and regularly states she is not a prostitute (Im a good girl I am).This chorus is her motto and shows that she has a sense of decorum. In Act Three, about three months into the experiment, Eliza undertakes what we make call a half-term test. She goes to Mrs Higgins at home day. There, she does well in her greetings of Mrs Eynsford Hill and her daughter, Clara her four syllables how do you do? are said with pedantic pronunciation and great sweetie of tone. Then, however, the topic of conversation pop outs to turn towards incongruous subjects My Aunt died of influenza, so they saidbut it is my flavor they done her in. Higgins explains away Elizas inappropriate remark by saying that it is the new small talk. Shortly afterwards, he gives the signal to Eliza that she should leave. When asked by Freddy if she is walking, she replies with the best remark in the adjoin Walk Not bloody likely. Im going in a taxi. She departs, much to the shock of the genteel folk. The conflict in this exchange is between Elizas perfectly elegant diction and the crude adjective that she uses.This example of Lisson Grove lingo or kerbstone English, when intercommunicate in an upper-class accent, sounds incongruous and creates uproarious laughter. When we next catch up with Eliza, she has do a victorious transformation from a boot girl as clean as she can afford to be to a princess in opera cloak, evening dress, diamonds, fan, flowers and all accessories. She is at her final test, an internationalistic party at an Embassy in London. Neppomuck, Higgins first student, attends, working as an representative I speak 32 languages You place a man anywhere in London,I place any man in atomic number 63. The hostess of the party instructs Neppomuck to use his skills on Eliza I suck in set in motion out all about her, she is a fraud. As Higgins thinks that he has failed and it is all over, Neppomuck reveals She is of Hungarian origin and of Royal blood. She is a Princess Higgins, as is shown, has succeeded in his mission to transform Elizas speech from that of a common flower girl to that of an aristocrat. Later, when Eliza asks Pickering if she had won his bet, he replies Won it my dear, you have won it 10 times over.This speech by Colonel Pickering makes Eliza feel successful and when, after the party, Higgins makes an entirely selfish analysis of the ordeal through which Eliza has been going, (No more artificial duchesses. The whole thing has been simple purgatory) she passes moral taste on him (you selfish brute). When we see Eliza at Mrs. Higgins house we are shown that neither Higgins nor Pickering has any concept of mental cruelty, for they think that the way they have inured Eliza (who is naturally rather affectionate) by ignoring her and saying how rapturous they are that it is all over, is perfectly acceptable.In Act Five, Eliza realises that her real education is not in phonetics but in ways. Eliza explains how she acquired self-respect and has risen in the world. Shaw then puts in her mouth a political speech critical of class-differences in England in 1916 The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves but how shes treated This declaration brings us on to discussing Our Countrys Good and Governor Phillip. At the heart of Governor Phillips educational theory is the belief that, if the convicts are treated as talented individuals, they testament acquire self-respect.Arthur Phillip has been made governor-in-chief of a penal colony in 18th century Australia. The criminals have been transported a form of punishment at that time on a convict ship to Australia, which was the most frequent destination. Excluding the convicts, there are several(prenominal) other men, of various ranks, with Phillip. Among these are Captain Watkin Tench and Judge David Collins, both of whom lack sensitivity. Phillip is a humanitarian and thinks it unnecessary to cross fifteen chiliad miles of ocean to erect another Tyburn? that is, to go to the other side of the man to hang peop le who could have been hanged in Britain. Tench, on the other hand, thinks that the convicts laugh at hangings and it is their favourite form of entertainment. Phillip wishes to be humane and considers lather as an alternative, but because the punishment is unobserved, Collins deems it useless for it will not serve as a sharp example that is, it will not deter the other convicts. Tench agrees with him by saying that justness and humaneness have never gone hand in hand.When the discussion turns to plays and preferred authors, Phillip has the idea of the convicts putting on a play for the good of the colony. This is our first notion of the differences between Governor Phillip and Professor Higgins Higgins is teaching Eliza for his own good, to improve his reputation, not for her benefit nor our countrys good. The only play they have is George Farquhars The Recruiting Officer (1706), which is a Restoration comedy.In Act One Scene Five, Phillip asks Second lieutenant Ralph Clark to organise the play. He doesnt really want to do it and to begin with is not very enthusiastic, but he is hopeful of promotion and so does it to please the Governor. He hears that a convict called Mary Brenham can point and write, so he roots her out. She is with her friend, Dabby Bryant, when he comes to talk to her. When he asks her questions to come to if she can read and write, Dabby interrupts and tells him She used to read to us on the ship. We love it. This disclosure reveals Marys human potential it reveals also that nigh convicts are sensitive to those who have been desensitised through brutal treatment. When Dabby says, Mary wants to be in your play, she is telling us that Mary wants something to look in front to, something to anticipate. When Ralph Clark starts reading some lines with her from the play, she reads the line Whilst there is life, there is hope This is a perfect example of a syntactically balanced conception. This proverbial saying comments exquisitely on their situation within the colony.In Act One Scene Six, The Authorities Discuss the Merits of the Theatre, Major Robbie Ross shows his scorn for the play (well all be struck with stricturing starvation and you you a play ) Ross is a reactionary figure he adopts a hostile manner towards the idea that the convicts may be capable of sentiment and rehabilitation. He believes that they are incorrigible, beyond redemption he has no confidence in the redemptive power of Farquhars language. Ross wastes no opportunity to vituperate against the convicts (vice ridden vermin), especially the women, whom he considers lower forms of life (Filthy, thieving, lying whores). He scoffs at the fact that they are allowed to perform a play of fine language, sentiment (Plays ). In the same scene as Ross accusations, we find that these are really civilised men The sky of this Southern Hemisphere is full of wonders. dedicate you looked at the constellations? Astronomy seems to be a reasonably intell igent pursuit. Phillip now shows his enlightened position We are indeed here to supervise the convicts who are already being punished by their long exile. Surely they can also be reformed?