pygmalion summary

Short Summary of „Pygmalion“, written by Bernard Shaw


After a downpour of summer rain two gentlemen meet while seeking shelter under a portico; Professor Higgins is a scientist for phonetics, Colonel Pickering reveals himself to be a specialist for Indian dialects. Higgins soon takes notice of an ordinary flower girl with a strongly developed Cockney accent and takes notes as she is speaking. When Higgins is accused of being a police informant he proves his abilities in guessing correctly the bithplace of several people by identifying their dialects. This leads to a bet between Colonel Pickering and Higgins, who announces that he will transform an ordinary girl (who has not received any education whatsoever) into a graceful, poised lady whom the high society will think of as a duchess.
As the flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, arrives at Higgins’ residence the next day, Pick...