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Research Paper On Pygmalion

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Based off Galatea from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion explores the belief that molding humans like clay improves them. Henry Higgins, a man so skilled in phonetics that he could “place [a man] within two miles in London” based off his accent, decides to elevate the poor but principled Elizabeth Doolittle to a gentlewoman and, as a bet, pass her off as a duchess. Higgins, in his characteristic unfeeling manner, pulls her from the gutter, educates her, and treats Elizabeth as a lady, ignoring the damage he may inflict on her future. Once someone rises out of poverty and ignorance, that person cannot return to their former status with the same mindset. Higgins believes, however, that Elizabeth would have enough skills to

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