George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright, philosopher and prose writer, and the most famous - after Shakespeare - playwright who wrote in English.

Bernard Shaw had a great sense of humor. About himself, the writer said: My way of joking is to tell the truth. Nothing in the world is funnier«.

The show was quite consciously guided by the creative experience of Ibsen. He highly appreciated his dramaturgy and at the beginning of his creative career largely followed his example. Like Ibsen, Shaw used the stage to promote his social and moral views, filling his plays with sharp, tense discussions. However, he not only, like Ibsen, raised questions, but also tried to answer them, and to answer them like a writer full of historical optimism. According to B. Brecht, in Shaw's plays "faith in the infinite possibilities of mankind on the path to perfection plays a decisive role."

Shaw's career as a playwright began in the 1890s. Shaw's first drama, The Widower's House (1892), was also staged at the Independent Theatre, which marked the beginning of the "new drama" in England. It was followed by Red tape (1893) and Mrs. Warren's Profession (1893-1894), which, together with Widower's Houses, made up the cycle of Unpleasant Plays. The plays of the next cycle, “Pleasant Plays”: “Arms and a Man” (1894), “Candida” (1894), “The Chosen One of Fate” (1895), “Wait and see” (1895-1896) were just as sharply satirical.

In 1901, Shaw published a new cycle of plays, Plays for the Puritans, which included The Devil's Disciple (1896-1897), Caesar and Cleopatra (1898), and The Address of Captain Brassbound (1899). Whatever topics Shaw raises in them, whether, as in Caesar and Cleopatra, the distant past of mankind or, as in Captain Brassbound's Address, the colonial policy of England, his attention is always riveted to the most burning problems of our time.

Ibsen portrayed life mainly in gloomy, tragic colors. The show is mocking even where it is about quite serious. He has a negative attitude towards tragedy and opposes the doctrine of catharsis. According to Shaw, a person should not put up with suffering, depriving him of "the ability to discover the essence of life, to awaken thoughts, to educate feelings." The show holds comedy in high regard, calling it "the most refined form of art". In Ibsen's work, according to Shaw, it is transformed into tragicomedy, "into a genre even higher than comedy." Comedy, according to Shaw, denying suffering, educates the viewer in a reasonable and sober attitude towards the world around him.

However, preferring comedy to tragedy, Shaw in his artistic practice rarely stays within the boundaries of one comedy genre. The comic in his plays easily coexists with the tragic, the funny with serious reflections on life.

"A realist is one who lives by himself, in accordance with his ideas about the past."

For Shaw, the struggle for a new society was inextricably linked with the struggle for a new drama that could confront readers with the pressing issues of our time, could rip off all the masks and veils of society. When B. Shaw, first as a critic, and then as a playwright, introduced a systematic siege of the drama of the 19th century, he had to fight against the worst of the current conventions of theater criticism of that time, convinced that there was no place for intellectual seriousness on the stage, that the theater is a kind of superficial entertainment, and a playwright is a person whose task is to make harmful sweets out of cheap emotions.

In the end, the siege succeeded, intellectual seriousness prevailed over the confectionary view of the theatre, and even its supporters were forced to assume the attitude of intellectuals, and in 1918 Shaw wrote: “why did it take a colossal war to win people over to my works? »

The show intended to create a good character - a realist. He sees one of the tasks of his dramaturgy in creating images of "realists", practical, restrained and cold-blooded. The show always and everywhere tried to irritate, anger, the audience, using its chauvian method.

He was never an idealist - his proposals were not of a romantic-pacifist, but of a purely practical nature and, according to contemporaries, were very sensible.

In The Profession of Mrs. Warren, Shaw outlined his understanding of the real position of women in society, saying that society should be arranged so that every man and every woman can support themselves by their labor, without trading in their attachments and beliefs. In "Caesar and Cleopatra" Shaw offered his own view of history - calm, sensible, ironic, not chained to death to the cracks at the doors of the royal bedchambers.

The artistic method of Bernard Shaw is based on paradox as a means of overthrowing dogmatism and prejudice (“Androcles and the Lion”, 1913, “Pygmalion”, 1913), traditional representations (historical plays “Caesar and Cleopatra”, 1901, pentalogy “Back to Methuselah” , 1918-20, Saint Joan, 1923).

Irish by birth, Shaw repeatedly addressed in his work the acute problems associated with the relationship between England and "the other island of John Bull", as his play (1904) is titled. However, he left his native place forever at the age of twenty. In London, Shaw became close to the members of the Fabian Society, sharing their program of reforms with the goal of a gradual transition to socialism.

Modern dramaturgy was supposed to evoke a direct response from the audience, recognizing situations in it from their own life experience, and provoke a discussion that would go far beyond the private case shown from the stage. The collisions of this drama, in contrast to Shakespeare's, which Bernard Shaw considered obsolete, should be of an intellectual or socially accusatory nature, distinguished by emphasized topicality, and the characters are important not so much for their psychological complexity as for their type traits, manifested fully and clearly.

The main problem, which Shaw skillfully solves in Pygmalion, was the question of "is a person a changeable being." This position in the play is concretized by the fact that a girl from the East End of London, with all the character traits of a street child, turns into a woman with the character traits of a lady of high society. To show how radically a person can be changed, Shaw chose to go from one extreme to another. If such a radical change in a person is possible in a relatively short time, then the viewer must tell himself that then any other change in a human being is also possible.

The second important question of the play is how speech affects human life. What gives a person the correct pronunciation? Is it enough to learn how to speak correctly to change social position? Here is what Professor Higgins thinks about this: “But if you only knew how interesting it is to take a person and, having taught him to speak differently than he has spoken so far, to make him a completely different, new creature. After all, this means destroying the abyss that separates class from class and soul from soul.

Shaw, perhaps, was the first to realize the omnipotence of language in society, its exclusive social role, which psychoanalysis indirectly spoke about in the same years.

Undoubtedly, Pygmalion is the most popular play by B. Shaw. In it, the author showed us the tragedy of a poor girl who knows poverty, who suddenly finds herself among high society, becomes a true lady, falls in love with a man who helped her get on her feet, and who is forced to give up all this, because pride awakens in her, and she realizes that the person she loves is rejecting her.

The play "Pygmalion" made a huge impression on me, especially the fate main character. The skill of B. Shaw, with which he shows us the psychology of people, as well as everything vital important issues the society in which he lived will not leave anyone indifferent.

All Shaw's plays meet the most important requirement that Brecht presented to modern theater, namely: the theater should strive to "depict the nature of man as amenable to change and dependent on class. How Shaw was interested in the relationship of character and social position is especially proved by the fact that he even made a radical restructuring of character the main theme of the play Pygmalion.

After the exceptional success of the play and the musical My Fair Lady, based on it, the story of Eliza, who turned from a street girl into a society lady thanks to the professor of phonetics Higgins, is perhaps more known today than the Greek myth.

Man is created by man - such is the lesson of this, by Shaw's own admission, "intensely and deliberately didactic" play. This is the very lesson that Brecht called for when he demanded that "the construction of one figure should be carried out depending on the construction of another figure, for in life we ​​mutually shape each other."

There is an opinion among literary critics that Shaw's plays, more than the plays of other playwrights, promote certain political ideas. The doctrine of the variability of human nature and dependence on class is nothing but the doctrine of the social determinism of the individual. The play "Pygmalion" is a good guide that deals with the problem of determinism (Determinism is the doctrine of the initial determinability of all processes occurring in the world, including all processes of human life). Even the author himself considered it "an outstanding didactic play."

The main problem, which Shaw skillfully solves in Pygmalion, was the question of "is a person a changeable being." This position in the play is concretized by the fact that a girl from the East End of London, with all the character traits of a street child, turns into a woman with the character traits of a lady of high society. To show how radically a person can be changed, Shaw chose the transition from one extreme to another. If such a radical change in a person is possible in a relatively short time, then the viewer must tell himself that then any other change in a human being is also possible. The second important question of the play is how speech affects human life. What gives a person the correct pronunciation? Is it enough to learn how to speak correctly to change social position? Here is what Professor Higgins thinks about this: But if you only knew how interesting it is to take a person and, having taught him to speak differently from what he has spoken so far, to make him a completely different, new being. After all, this means destroying the abyss that separates class from class and soul from soul.«.

As the play shows and constantly emphasizes, the dialect of East London is incompatible with the being of a lady, just as the language of a lady cannot be with the being of a simple East London flower girl. When Eliza forgot the language of her old world, Return trip. Thus, the break with the past was final. Eliza herself, in the course of the play, is clearly aware of this. Here is what she tells Pickering: Last night, as I was wandering the streets, a girl spoke to me; I wanted to answer her in the old way, but nothing came of it«.

Bernard Shaw paid much attention to the problems of language. The play had a serious task: Shaw wanted to draw the attention of the English public to the issues of phonetics. He advocated the creation of a new alphabet, which would be more consistent with the sounds of the English language than the current one, and which would make it easier for children and foreigners to learn this language. Shaw returned to this problem repeatedly throughout his life, and according to his will, a large sum was left by him for research aimed at creating a new English alphabet. These studies are still ongoing, and just a few years ago the play "Androcles and the Lion" was published, printed in the characters of a new alphabet, which was selected by a special committee from all the options proposed for the prize. Shaw, perhaps, was the first to realize the omnipotence of language in society, its exclusive social role, which psychoanalysis indirectly spoke about in the same years. It was Shaw who said this in the poster-edifying, but no less ironic and fascinating Pygmalion. Professor Higgins, albeit in his narrow specialized field, nevertheless outstripped structuralism and post-structuralism, which in the second half of the century would make the ideas of "discourse" and "totalitarian language practices" their central theme.

In Pygmalion, Shaw connected two topics that were equally exciting for him: the problem of social inequality and the problem of classical English. He believed that the social essence of a person is expressed in various parts of the language: in phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary. As long as Eliza emits vowel sounds like "ah - ay-ah - oh - oh", she has, as Higgins correctly notes, no chance of getting out of the street situation. Therefore, all his efforts are concentrated on changing the sounds of her speech. That the grammar and vocabulary of human language are no less important in this respect is shown by the first major failure of both phoneticians in their efforts at reformation. Although Eliza's vowels and consonants are excellent, the attempt to introduce her into society as a lady fails. Eliza's words: But where is her straw hat, the new one that I was supposed to get? Stolen! So I say, whoever stole the hat, he also killed the aunt» - even with excellent pronunciation and intonation are not English language for ladies and gentlemen.

Higgins acknowledges that along with the new phonetics, Eliza must also learn new grammar and new vocabulary. And with them a new culture. But language is not the only expression of a human being. Going out for an appointment with Mrs. Higgins has the only mistake - Eliza does not know what they are talking about in society in this language. “Pickering also acknowledged that it was not enough for Eliza to have ladylike pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. She must still develop in herself the characteristic interests of a lady. As long as her heart and mind are filled with the problems of her old world - the straw hat murders and the favorable effect of gin on her father's mood - she cannot become a lady, even if her language is indistinguishable from the language of a lady. One of the theses of the play says that the human character is determined by the totality of personality relations, language relations are only a part of it. In the play, this thesis is concretized by the fact that Eliza, along with language lessons, also learns the rules of behavior. Consequently, Higgins explains to her not only how to speak the language of a lady, but also, for example, how to use a handkerchief.

If Eliza does not know how to use a handkerchief, and if she is reluctant to take a bath, then it should be clear to any spectator that a change in her being also requires a change in her daily behavior. The extralinguistic relations of people of different classes, so the thesis says, are no less different than their speech in form and content.

The totality of behavior, that is, the form and content of speech, the way of judgment and thoughts, habitual actions and typical reactions of people are adapted to the conditions of their environment. The subjective being and the objective world correspond to each other and mutually permeate each other. The author required a large expenditure of dramatic means to convince every viewer of this. The show has found this remedy in the systematic application of a kind of alienation effect, forcing its characters from time to time to act in an alien environment, then to return them step by step to their own environment, skillfully creating at first a false representation of their true nature. Then this impression gradually and methodically changes. The "exposition" of Eliza's character in a foreign environment has the effect that she seems incomprehensible, repulsive, ambiguous and strange to the ladies and gentlemen in the auditorium. This impression is reinforced by the reactions of the ladies and gentlemen on stage.

Thus, Shaw makes Mrs. Eynsford Hill visibly worried when she watches how a flower girl she does not know, when they meet on the street by chance, calls her son Freddie "dear friend." “The ending of the first act is the beginning of the “re-education process” of the prejudiced viewer. It seems to indicate only mitigating circumstances that must be taken into account when condemning the accused Eliza. The proof of Eliza's innocence is only given in the next act through her transformation into a lady. Those who really believed that Eliza was obsessive because of her innate baseness or venality, and who could not correctly interpret the description of the environment at the end of the first act, will be opened by the self-confident and proud performance of the transformed Eliza. The extent to which Shaw takes into account prejudice in re-educating its readers and viewers can be proven by numerous examples.

The widely held opinion of many wealthy gentlemen, as you know, is that the inhabitants of the East End are to blame for their poverty, because they do not know how to "save". Although they, like Eliza in Covent Garden, are very greedy for money, but only in order to spend it again wastefully on absolutely unnecessary things at the first opportunity. They have no idea at all to use the money prudently, for example, for vocational education. The show seeks to reinforce this prejudice, as well as others, first. Eliza, having barely got any money, already allows herself to go home by taxi. But immediately begins an explanation of Eliza's real attitude to money. The next day, she hurries to spend them on her own education. “If a human being is conditioned by the environment, and if the objective being and the objective conditions mutually correspond to each other, then the transformation of the being is possible only when the environment is changed or changed. This thesis in the play "Pygmalion" is concretized by the fact that in order to create the possibility of Eliza's transformation, she is completely isolated from the old world and transferred to the new one. As the first step in his re-education plan, Higgins orders a bath in which Eliza is freed from her legacy.
East End.

The old dress, the closest part of the old environment to the body, is not even set aside, but burned. Not the slightest particle of the old world should connect Eliza with him, if you seriously think about her transformation. To show this, Shaw set in motion another particularly instructive incident.

At the end of the play, when Eliza, in all likelihood, has finally turned into a lady, her father suddenly appears. Unexpectedly, a check takes place that gives an answer to the question of whether Higgins is right, considering it possible for Eliza to return to her former life: (Doolittle appears in the middle window. Casting a reproachful and dignified look at Higgins, he silently approaches his daughter, who sits with her back to the windows and therefore does not see him.) Pickering. He's incorrigible, Eliza. But you don't roll, do you? Eliza. No. Not anymore. I learned my lesson well. Now I can no longer make the same sounds as before, even if I wanted to. (Dolittle puts his hand on her shoulder from behind. She drops her embroidery, looks around, and at the sight of her father's splendor, all her restraint immediately evaporates.) Woo-aaaaaaa! Higgins (triumphantly). Aha! Exactly! U-u-aaaa-u! U-u-aaaa-u! Victory! Victory!".

The slightest contact with just a part of her old world turns the reserved and seemingly ready for sophisticated behavior of the lady for a moment back into a street child who not only reacts as before, but, to her own surprise, can again say, the sounds of the street seemed already forgotten. In view of the careful emphasis on environmental influences, the viewer could easily get the false impression that the characters in the world of Shaw's characters are entirely amenable to environmental constraint.

To prevent this undesirable misconception, Shaw, with equal care and thoroughness, introduced into his play the counterthesis of the existence of natural abilities and their significance for the character of this or that individual. This position is concretized at once in all four main characters of the play: Eliza, Higgins, Doolittle and Pickering. "Pygmalion" this is a mockery of the fans of the "blue blood" ... each of my plays was a stone that I threw into the windows of Victorian prosperity,- this is how the author himself spoke about his play.

It was important to Shaw to show that all the qualities of Eliza that she reveals as a lady can already be found in the flower girl as natural abilities, or that the qualities of the flower girl can then be rediscovered in the lady. The concept of Shaw was already contained in the description of Eliza's appearance. At the end of a detailed description of her appearance, it is said: “Without a doubt, she is clean in her own way, but next to the ladies she definitely seems to be a mess. Her features are not bad, but the condition of her skin leaves much to be desired; in addition, it is noticeable that she needs the services of a dentist.

The transformation of Dolittle into a gentleman, just as his daughter into a lady, must seem to be a relatively external process. Here, as it were, only his natural abilities are modified due to his new social position.

As a shareholder in the Friend of the Stomach Cheese Trust and a prominent spokesman for Wannafeller's World Moral Reform League, he actually remained in his real profession, which, according to Eliza, even before his social transformation was to extort money from other people. using his eloquence. But the most convincing thesis about the presence of natural abilities and their importance for the creation of characters is demonstrated by the example of the Higgins-Pickering couple. They are both socially gentlemen, but with the difference that Pickering is also a gentleman by temperament, while Higgins is predisposed to rudeness. The difference and commonality of both characters is systematically demonstrated in their behavior towards Eliza.

Higgins treats her rudely, impolitely, unceremoniously from the very beginning. In her presence, he refers to her as "stupid girl", "stuffed animal", "so irresistibly vulgar, so blatantly dirty", "nasty, spoiled girl" and the like. He asks his housekeeper to wrap Eliza in newspaper and throw it in the dustbin. The only norm of conversation with her is an imperative form, and the preferred way to influence Eliza is a threat. Pickering, a born gentleman, on the contrary, in his treatment of Eliza from the very beginning shows tact and exceptional courtesy. He does not allow himself to be provoked into an unpleasant or rude statement either by the obsessive behavior of the flower girl or by Higgins' bad example. Since no circumstances explain these differences in behavior, the viewer must assume that perhaps there is still something like an innate tendency to rude or delicate behavior.

To prevent the false conclusion that Higgins' rude behavior towards Eliza is due solely to social differences between him and her, Shaw makes Higgins behave noticeably harsh and impolite among his peers as well. Higgins makes little effort to hide from Mrs., Miss, and Freddie Hill how little he considers them and how little they mean to him. Of course, the show allows Higgins' rudeness to manifest itself in society in a significantly modified form. For all his innate propensity for cavalier truth-telling, Higgins does not allow such rudeness there as we see in his treatment of Eliza. When his interlocutor Mrs. Einsford Hill, in her narrow-mindedness, believes that it would be better "if people could be frank and say what they think," Higgins protests with the exclamation "God forbid!" and the objection that "it would be indecent". The character of a person is determined not directly by the environment, but through interpersonal, emotionally colored relationships and connections through which he passes in the conditions of his environment. Man is a sensitive, receptive being, and not a passive object that can be molded into any shape, like a piece of wax. The importance that Shaw attaches to this very issue is confirmed by its placement at the center of the dramatic action.

In the beginning, Eliza is for Higgins a piece of dirt that can be wrapped in newspaper and thrown into the dustbin, in any case, "a grimy, filthy slobber" who is forced to wash like a dirty animal, despite her protests. Washed and dressed, Eliza becomes not a person, but an interesting experimental object on which a scientific experiment can be performed. In three months Higgins made a countess of Eliza, he won his bet, as Pickering puts it, it cost him a lot of effort. That Eliza herself was participating in this experiment and, as a person, was highly bound by obligation, does not reach his consciousness - as, indeed, also Pickering's consciousness - until the onset of open conflict, which forms the dramatic climax of the play. To his great surprise, Higgins must conclude that between him and Pickering, on the one hand, and Eliza, on the other, a human relationship has arisen that has nothing more to do with the relationship of scientists to their objects and which can no longer be ignored, but can only be resolved with pain in the soul. “Leaving aside linguistics, it should first of all be noted that Pygmalion was a cheerful, brilliant comedy, the last act of which contained an element of true drama: the little flower girl did a good job of her role as a noble lady and is no longer needed - she just needs to return to the street or go out marry one of the three heroes."

The viewer understands that Eliza became a lady not because she was taught to dress and talk like a lady, but because she entered into human relations with the ladies and gentlemen in their midst.

While the whole play suggests in countless details that the difference between a lady and a flower girl lies in their behavior, the text states something quite the opposite: “A lady differs from a flower girl not in how she carries herself, but in how she is treated.” .

These words belong to Eliza. In her opinion, the credit for turning her into a lady belongs to Pickering, not Higgins. Higgins only trained her, taught her correct speech, and so on. These are abilities that can be easily acquired without outside help. Pickering's courteous address brought about that inner change which distinguishes a flower girl from a lady. Obviously, Eliza's assertion that only the manner in which a person is treated determines his essence is not the basis of the play's problematic. If the treatment of a person were the decisive factor, then Higgins would have to make all the ladies he meets flower girls, and Pickering all the flower girls he meets.

The fact that both of them are not endowed with such magical powers is quite obvious. Higgins does not show Pickering's sense of tact, either towards his mother or towards Mrs. and Miss Eynsford Hill, without thereby causing a slight change in their characters. Pickering, in Acts I and II, treats the flower girl Eliza with a not-too-refined courtesy. On the other hand, the play clearly shows that behavior alone does not determine the essence either. If only conduct were the deciding factor, then Higgins would have ceased to be a gentleman long ago. But no one seriously disputes his honorary title of gentleman. Higgins doesn't stop being a gentleman just because he treats Eliza tactlessly, just as Eliza can't turn into a lady just because she behaves like a lady. Eliza's thesis that only the treatment of a person is the decisive factor, and the antithesis that a person's behavior is decisive for the essence of the person, are clearly refuted by the play.

The instructiveness of the play lies in the synthesis - the determining factor for the essence of a person is his social attitude towards other people. But the social relation is something more than one-sided behavior of man and one-sided treatment of him. Public attitude includes two sides: behavior and appeal. Eliza from a flower girl becomes a lady due to the fact that, at the same time as her behavior, the treatment she felt in the world around her also changed. What is meant by social relation is clearly revealed only at the end of the play and at its climax. Eliza realizes to herself that in spite of the successful completion of her studies in the language, in spite of the radical change of environment, in spite of the constant and exclusive presence among the recognized gentlemen and ladies, in spite of the exemplary treatment of her by a gentleman and in spite of her mastery of all forms of behavior herself , she has not yet turned into a real lady, but has become only a maid, a secretary or an interlocutor of two gentlemen. She makes an attempt to escape this fate by running away.

When Higgins asks her to come back, a discussion ensues that reveals the meaning of social relations in principle. Eliza believes that she is faced with a choice between returning to the street or submitting to Higgins. This is symbolic for her: then she will have to give him shoes all her life. Just what Mrs. Higgins warned against happened, drawing the attention of her son and Pickering to the fact that a girl who speaks the language and manners of a lady is not yet truly a lady if she does not have the appropriate income. Mrs. Higgins saw from the very beginning that the main problem of turning a flower girl into a society lady could be solved only after her "re-education" was completed.

The essential property of a "noble lady" is her independence, which can only be guaranteed by an income independent of any personal labor. The interpretation of the Pygmalion ending is obvious. It is not of an anthropological nature, like the previous theses, but of an ethical and aesthetic order: what is desirable is not the transformation of the slum-dwellers into ladies and gentlemen, like the transformation of Dolittle, but their transformation into a new type of ladies and gentlemen, whose self-esteem is based on their own labor. Eliza, in the pursuit of work and independence, is the embodiment of the new ideal of a lady, which, in essence, has nothing to do with the old ideal of a lady of aristocratic society. She did not become a countess, as Higgins had repeatedly said, but she became a woman whose strength and energy are admired.

It is significant that even Higgins cannot deny her attractiveness - disappointment and hostility soon turn into the opposite. He even seems to have forgotten about the original desire for a different result and the desire to make a countess out of Eliza. “I want to boast that the play Pygmalion enjoyed the greatest success in Europe, North America and here. Its instructiveness is so strong and deliberate that I enthusiastically throw it in the face of those self-satisfied sages who, like parrots, say that art should not be didactic. This confirms my opinion that art cannot be anything else,” Shaw wrote. The author had to fight for the correct interpretation of all his plays, especially comedies, and to oppose deliberately misinterpreting them. In the case of Pygmalion, the fight revolved around the question of whether Eliza would marry Higgins or Freddie. If Eliza is given in marriage to Higgins, then a conditional comedic conclusion and an acceptable end are created: Eliza's re-education ends in this case with her "bourgeoisification".

Anyone who passes off Eliza as a poor Freddie must at the same time recognize Shaw's ethical and aesthetic theses. Of course, critics and the theater world were unanimous in favor of a "bourgeois solution." So the ending of the play remains open. It seems that the playwright himself did not know what to expect from the transformed Eliza ...

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Bernard Show
Pygmalion
A novel in five acts

Characters

Clara Einsford Hill, daughter.

Mrs Einsford Hill, her mother.

Passerby.

Eliza Doolittle, flower girl.

Alfred Doolittle, Eliza's father.

Freddie, son of Mrs Eynsford Hill.

Gentleman.

Man with notebook.

Sarcastic passer-by.

Henry Higgins, professor of phonetics.

Pickering, colonel.

Mrs Higgins, Professor Higgins' mother.

Mrs Pierce, Higgins' housekeeper.

Several people in the crowd.

Housemaid.

Act one

Covent Garden. Summer evening. Rain like a bucket. From all sides, the desperate roar of car sirens. Passers-by run to the market and to the church of St. Paul, under the portico of which several people had already taken refuge, including old lady with daughter Both are in evening wear. Everyone peers with annoyance into the streams of rain, and only one human, standing with his back to the others, apparently completely absorbed in some notes that he makes in a notebook. The clock strikes a quarter past eleven.

Daughter (stands between the two middle columns of the portico, closer to the left). I can't take it anymore, I'm all cold. Where did Freddy go? Half an hour has passed and he's still gone.

Mother (to the right of the daughter). Well, not half an hour. But still it would be time for him to fetch a taxi.

passerby (to the right of the elderly lady). Don't expect it, lady: now, after all, everyone from the theaters is coming; he couldn't get a taxi before half past eleven.

Mother. But we need a taxi. We can't stand here until half past eleven. It's just outrageous.

Passerby. Yes, what am I doing here?

Daughter. If Freddie had even a shred of intelligence, he would have taken a taxi from the theater.

Mother. What is his fault, poor boy?

Daughter. Others do get it. Why can't he?

Flying in from Southampton Street Freddie and stands between them, closing the umbrella, from which water flows. This is a young man of about twenty; he is in a tailcoat, his trousers are completely wet at the bottom.

Daughter. So you didn't get a taxi?

Freddie. Nowhere, even die.

Mother. Oh, Freddy, really, really not at all? You must have searched badly.

Daughter. Ugliness. Will you order us to go get a taxi ourselves?

Freddie. I'm telling you, there isn't one anywhere. The rain came so unexpectedly, everyone was taken by surprise, and everyone rushed to the taxi. I walked all the way to Charing Cross, and then the other way, almost to Ledgate Circus, and saw no one.

Mother. Have you been to Trafalgar Square?

Freddie. There are none in Trafalgar Square either.

Daughter. Have you been there?

Freddie. I was at Charing Cross Station. Why would you want me to march in the rain to Hammersmith?

Daughter. You haven't been anywhere!

Mother. True, Freddie, you are somehow very helpless. Go again and don't come back without a taxi.

Freddie. I'll just get soaked to the skin in vain.

Daughter. But what are we to do? Do you think we should stand here all night in the wind, almost naked? It's disgusting, it's selfish, it's...

Freddie. Okay, okay, I'm going. (He opens his umbrella and rushes towards the Strand, but on the way he runs into a street flower girl, in a hurry to take shelter from the rain, and knocks a basket of flowers out of her hands.)

At the same moment, lightning flashes, and a deafening peal of thunder seems to accompany this incident.

Flower girl. Where are you going, Freddy! Take your eyes in hand!

Freddie. Sorry. (Runs away.)

flower girl (picks up flowers and puts them in a basket). And also educated! He trampled all the violets into the mud. (He sits on the plinth of the column to the right of the elderly lady and begins to shake and straighten the flowers.)

She is by no means attractive. She is eighteen or twenty years old, no more. She is wearing a black straw hat, badly damaged in its lifetime by London dust and soot, and hardly familiar with a brush. Her hair is of some mouse color, not found in nature: water and soap are clearly needed here. A reddish black coat, narrow at the waist, barely reaching the knees; underneath, a brown skirt and a canvas apron are visible. Shoes, apparently, also knew better days. Without a doubt, she is clean in her own way, but next to the ladies she definitely looks like a mess. Her features are not bad, but the condition of her skin leaves much to be desired; in addition, it is noticeable that she needs the services of a dentist.

Mother. Excuse me, how do you know my son's name is Freddie?

Flower girl. Oh, so this is your son? There is nothing to say, you raised him well ... Is this really the case? He scattered all the flowers around the poor girl and ran away, like a nice little one! Now pay up, mother!

Daughter. Mom, I hope you don't do something like that. Still missing!

Mother. Wait, Clara, don't interfere. Do you have change?

Daughter. No. I only have a sixpence.

flower girl (with hope). Don't worry, I'll have change.

Mother (daughter). Give it to me.

The daughter is reluctant to part with the coin.

So. (To the girl.) Here's some flowers for you, my dear.

Flower girl. God bless you, lady.

Daughter. Take change from her. These bunches cost no more than a penny.

Mother. Clara, they don't ask you. (To the girl.) Keep the change.

Flower girl. God bless you.

Mother. Now tell me how do you know the name of this young man?

Flower girl. And I don't know.

Mother. I heard you call him by his first name. Don't try to fool me.

Flower girl. I really need to deceive you. I just said so. Well, Freddie, Charlie - you have to call a person something if you want to be polite. (Sits down beside his basket.)

Daughter. Wasted sixpence! Really, mother, you could save Freddie from this. (Squeamishly retreats behind the column.)

Elderly gentleman - a pleasant type of old army man - runs up the steps and closes the umbrella, from which water flows. He, like Freddie, has completely wet trousers at the bottom. He is in a tailcoat and a light summer coat. She takes a free place at the left column, from which her daughter has just moved away.

Gentleman. Uff!

Mother (to the gentleman). Please tell me, sir, is there still no light in sight?

Gentleman. Unfortunately no. The rain just poured down even harder. (Goes to the place where the flower girl is sitting, puts his foot on the plinth and, bending down, tucks up the wet trouser leg.)

Mother. Oh my god! (He sighs piteously and goes to his daughter.)

flower girl (hurries to take advantage of the elderly gentleman's neighborhood to establish friendly relations with him). Once watered more strongly, then it will pass soon. Don't be upset, captain, buy a better flower from a poor girl.

Gentleman. I'm sorry, but I don't have change.

Flower girl. And I'll exchange for you, captain.

Gentleman. Sovereign? I don't have others.

Flower girl. Wow! Buy a flower, captain, buy. I can exchange half a crown. Here, take this two pence.

Gentleman. Well, girl, just don't pester, I don't like it. (He rummages in his pockets.) Really, no change... Wait, here's a halfpence, if that suits you... (Moves to another column.)

flower girl (she is disappointed, but nevertheless decides that a halfpence is better than nothing). Thank you sir.

passerby (flower girl). Look, you took the money, so give him a flower, otherwise that guy over there stands and writes down your every word.

Everyone turns to the man with the notebook.

flower girl (jumps up in fear). And what did I do if I talked to a gentleman? Selling flowers is not allowed. (Tearfully.) I am an honest girl! You all saw, I just asked him to buy a flower.

General noise; most of the public is sympathetic to the flower girl, but do not approve of her excessive impressionability. Elderly and respectable pat her soothingly on the shoulder, encouraging her with remarks like: - Well, well, don’t roar! - Who needs you, no one will touch you. There is nothing to raise a scandal. Take it easy. Will be, will be! - etc. Less patient poked at her and angrily asked what exactly she was yelling at? Those who were standing at a distance and do not know what the matter is, squeeze closer and further increase the noise with questions and explanations: - What happened? – What did she do? – Where is he? - Yes, I fell asleep. How is that one over there? - Yes, yes, standing at the column. She swindled him out of his money, etc. The flower girl, stunned and bewildered, makes her way through the crowd to an elderly gentleman and cries plaintively.

Flower girl. Sir, sir, tell him not to report me. You don't know what it smells like. For molesting gentlemen, my certificate will be taken away from me, I will be thrown out into the street. I…

The man with the notebook walks up to her right, and everyone else follows him.

Man with a notebook. But but but! Who touched you, you stupid girl? Who do you take me for?

Passerby. Everything is fine. This is a gentleman - pay attention to his shoes. (To the man with the notebook, explanatory.) She thought, sir, that you were a spy.

Man with a notebook (with interest). And what is this - bacon?

passerby (getting lost in the definitions). A bacon is ... well, a bacon, and that's it. How else to say? Well, detective, or something.

flower girl (still whining). At least swear on the Bible, she didn’t tell him anything! ..

Man with a notebook (imperatively, but without malice). Yes, shut up, you finally! Do I look like a cop?

flower girl (far from relieved). Why did you record everything? How do I know if you wrote down the truth or not? Show me what you have written about me there.

He opens his notebook and holds it in front of the girl's nose for a few seconds; at the same time, the crowd, trying to look over his shoulder, pushes so that a weaker person would not be able to stay on his feet.

What is this? It is not written in our way. I won't understand anything here.

Man with a notebook. And I'll figure it out. (Reads, exactly imitating her accent.) Don't get upset, captain; buy a Lucci flower from the poor girl.

flower girl (in fright). Is that what I called him "captain"? So I didn't think anything was wrong. (To a gentleman.) Oh sir, tell him not to report me. Tell…

Gentleman. How did you say? You don't have to say anything. Indeed, sir, if you are a detective and you wanted to protect me from street harassment, then notice that I did not ask you to do this. The girl had nothing wrong in her mind, it's clear to everyone.

Voices in the crowd (expressing a general protest against the system of police investigation). And very simple! - What do you care about that? You know your business. It's true, he wanted to curry favor. Where it has been seen, write down every word for a person! The girl didn't speak to him. And at least she spoke! – It’s a good thing, it’s no longer possible for a girl to hide from the rain, so as not to run into an insult ... (Etc.)

The more sympathetic ones lead the flower girl back to the column, and she sits down on the plinth again, trying to overcome her excitement.

Passerby. Yes, he is not a spy. Just some kind of corrosive type, that's all. I'm telling you, pay attention to the boots.

Man with a notebook (turning to him, cheerfully). By the way, how are your relatives in Selsey?

passerby (suspicious). How do you know my relatives live in Selsey?

Man with a notebook. It doesn't matter where. But is it so? (Flower girl.) How did you get here, to the east? You were born in Lissongrove.

flower girl (with fear). What's the harm in that, if I left Lissongres? I lived there in such a kennel, worse than a dog's, and the pay was four shillings sixpence a week ... (Crying.) Oh-oh-oh-oh...

Man with a notebook. Yes, you live where you want, just stop whining.

Gentleman (girl). Well, full, full! He will not touch you; you have the right to live wherever you please.

Sarcastic passerby (squeezing between the man with the notebook and the gentleman). Take Park Lane, for example. Listen, I would like to talk to you about the housing question.

flower girl (grunting over his basket, muttering offendedly under his breath). I'm not just anyone, I'm an honest girl.

Sarcastic passerby (ignoring her). Maybe you know where I come from?

Man with a notebook (without hesitation). From Hoxton.

Laughter in the crowd. The general interest in the tricks of a man with a notebook is clearly increasing.

Sarcastic passerby (surprised). Hell! And there is. Look, you really are a know-it-all.

flower girl (still remorseful). And he has no right to climb! Yes, no rights...

passerby (flower girl). Fact, none. And don't let him down like that. (To the man with the notebook.) Listen, by what right do you know everything about people who do not want to do business with you? Do you have written permission?

A few people from the crowd (apparently encouraged by this legal formulation of the question). Yes, yes, do you have permission?

Flower girl. And let him say what he wants. I won't contact him.

Passerby. All because we are for you - pah! Empty place. With a gentleman, you would not allow yourself such things.

Sarcastic passer-by. Yes Yes! If you really want to bewitch, tell me - where did he come from?

Man with a notebook. Cheltenham, Harrow, Cambridge, and later India.

Gentleman. Quite right.

General laughter. Now sympathy is clearly on the side of the man with the notebook. Exclamations like: - He knows everything! - So straight and cut off. Did you hear how he painted this long one, where is he from? - etc.

Excuse me sir, are you probably performing this number in the music hall?

Man with a notebook. Not yet. But I already thought about it.

Rain stopped; The crowd is slowly starting to disperse.

flower girl (dissatisfied with the change in the general mood in favor of the offender). Gentlemen don't do that, yes, they don't offend the poor girl!

Daughter (losing patience, he pushes unceremoniously forward, pushing aside an elderly gentleman who politely steps back behind a column). But where, finally, is Freddie? I run the risk of catching pneumonia if I stand still in this draft.

Man with a notebook (to himself, hastily making a note in his book). Earlscourt.

Daughter (angrily). Please keep your cheeky remarks to yourself.

Man with a notebook. Did I say something out loud? Please excuse me. It came out involuntarily. But your mother is undoubtedly from Epsom.

Mother (gets between her daughter and the man with the notebook). Tell me how interesting! I really grew up in Fat Lady Park near Epsom.

Man with a notebook (laughs noisily). Ha ha ha! Well, the name, damn it! Sorry. (Daughter.) Do you think you need a taxi?

Daughter. Don't you dare contact me!

Mother. Please, Clara!

The daughter, instead of answering, angrily shrugs her shoulders and steps aside with a haughty expression.

We would be so grateful to you, sir, if you could find a taxi for us.

A man with a notebook takes out a whistle.

Oh thank you. (Walks after her daughter.)

The man with the notebook lets out a high-pitched whistle.

Sarcastic passer-by. Well, here you are. I told you it was a spy in disguise.

Passerby. This is not a police whistle; it's a sports whistle.

flower girl (still suffering from the insult inflicted on her feelings). He does not dare to take away my certificate! I need a witness just as much as any lady.

Man with a notebook. You may not have noticed - the rain has stopped for about two minutes.

Passerby. But it's true. What didn't you say before? We wouldn't waste time here listening to your nonsense! (Exit towards the Strand.)

Sarcastic passer-by. I'll tell you where you're from. From Bidlam. That's where they would sit.

Man with a notebook (helpfully). Bedlam.

Sarcastic passerby (trying to pronounce the words very elegantly). Thank you mister teacher. Haha! Be healthy. (He touches his hat with mocking reverence and leaves.)

Flower girl. It just scares people. You should scare him the right way!

Mother. Clara, it's clear now. We can walk to the bus. Let's go. (Picks up her skirt and hurries off towards the Strand.)

Daughter. But the taxi...

Mother no longer hears her.

Oh, how boring it all is! (Angrily follows her mother.)

Everyone had already left, and only a man with a notebook, an elderly gentleman and a florist, who was busy with her basket and still muttering something to herself in comfort, remained under the portico.

Flower girl. You poor girl! And so life is not easy, and then everyone is washed out.

Gentleman (returning to its original place - to the left of the man with a notebook). May I ask how you do it?

Man with a notebook. Phonetics - and only. The science of pronunciation. This is my profession and at the same time my forte. Happy is he to whom his horse can deliver the means of life! It is not difficult to immediately distinguish by the pronunciation of an Irishman or a Yorkshireman. But I can determine the birthplace of any Englishman to within six miles. If it's in London, then even within two miles. Sometimes you can even specify the street.

Flower girl. I would be ashamed, shameless!

Gentleman. But how can this provide a means of life?

Man with a notebook. Oh yeah. And a lot. Our age is the age of upstarts. People start in Kentishtown on eighty pounds a year and end up in Park Lane with a hundred thousand a year. They would like to forget Kentishtown, but it reminds them of itself whenever they open their mouths. And so I teach them.

Flower girl. I would mind my own business, instead of offending the poor girl ...

Man with a notebook (furious). Woman! Stop this disgusting whining immediately or seek shelter at the door of another temple.

flower girl (uncertainly defiantly). I have as much right to sit here as you do.

Man with a notebook. A woman who makes such ugly and pitiful sounds has no right to sit anywhere... no right to live at all! Remember that you are a human being endowed with a soul and the divine gift of articulate speech, that your native language is the language of Shakespeare, Milton and the Bible! And stop clucking like a hoarse chicken.

flower girl (completely stunned, not daring to raise her head, looks at him frowningly, with a mixed expression of amazement and fright). U-u-aaaa-u!

Man with a notebook (grabbing a pencil). Good God! What sounds! (He writes hastily; then he throws his head back and reads, repeating exactly the same combination of vowels.) U-u-aaaa-u!

flower girl (she liked the performance and giggles against her will). Wow!

Man with a notebook. Have you heard the terrible pronunciation of this street girl? Because of this pronunciation, she is doomed to remain at the bottom of society until the end of her days. Now, sir, give me three months' time, and I'll make sure that this girl successfully passes for a duchess at any embassy reception. Moreover, she will be able to do anywhere as a maid or saleswoman, and this, as you know, requires even greater perfection of speech. This is the kind of service I provide to our new-found millionaires. And with the money I earn, I do scientific work in the field of phonetics and a little poetry in the Miltonian style.

Gentleman. I myself study Indian dialects and...

Man with a notebook (hurriedly). Yes you? Do you know Colonel Pickering, the author of Colloquial Sanskrit?

Gentleman. Colonel Pickering is me. But who are you?

Man with a notebook. Henry Higgins, creator of the "Higgins Universal Alphabet".

Pickering (enthusiastically). I came from India to meet you!

Higgins. And I was going to India to meet you.

Pickering. Where do you live?

Higgins. Wimpole Street, twenty-seven-A. Come see me tomorrow.

Pickering. I'm staying at the Carlton Hotel. Come with me now, we'll have time to talk over dinner.

Higgins. Fabulous.

flower girl (To Pickering as he passes by.) Buy a flower, good gentleman. There is nothing to pay for an apartment.

Pickering. Really, I don't have change. I'm really sorry.

Higgins (outraged by her begging). Liar! You said you could change half a crown.

flower girl (jumping up in despair). You have a bag of nails instead of a heart! (Throws the basket at his feet.) Nate, to hell with you, take the whole basket for sixpence!

The clock in the bell tower strikes half past eleven.

Higgins (hearing in their battle the voice of God, reproaching him for the pharisaic cruelty to the poor girl). Instruction from above! (He solemnly raises his hat, then throws a handful of coins into the basket and leaves after Pickering.)

flower girl (bends down and pulls out half a crown). Woo! (Pulls out two florins.) Uu-aaa-u! (Pulls out more coins.) Woo-aaaaa! (Pulls out half a sovereign.) Oooooooooooooooo!!

Freddie (jumps out of a taxi that has stopped in front of the church). Still got it! Hey! (Flower girl.) There were two ladies here, do you know where they are?

Flower girl. And they went to the bus when the rain stopped.

Freddie. That's cute! What should I do with the taxi now?

flower girl (majestically). Don't worry young man. I'll go home in your taxi. (Walks past Freddy to the car.)

The driver sticks out his hand and hastily slams the door shut.

(Realizing his distrust, she shows him a handful of coins.) Look, Charlie. Eight pence is nothing to us!

He grins and opens the door for her.

Angel Court, Drury Lane, opposite the kerosene shop. And drive what is in the spirit. (He gets into the car and slams the door shut.)

The taxi is moving.

Freddie. Blimey!

Poem in five acts

Act one

London. Covent Garden. Summer evening. Rain like a bucket. From all sides you can hear the car sirens blaring. Passers-by run to the market and St. Paul's church to get shelter from the rain. Several people are already standing under the portico of the church, in particular, an elderly lady with her daughter. Everyone is waiting for the rain to stop. Only one gentleman does not pay any attention to the weather, but tirelessly writes it down in his notebook.

A conversation is heard between an elderly lady and her daughter. The daughter is indignant at how long her brother, Freddie, has not returned, having gone in search of a taxi. The mother tries to calm her down and protect her son. A passer-by intervenes in this conversation, I am sure that now it is impossible to find a single free car - the performance in the theater has just ended. The lady says indignantly that they cannot stand here until night. The passer-by rightly remarks: he is not to blame for this. Wet Freddy runs onto the portico, he didn't get the car. The sister caustically asks where he was and where he was looking for a taxi. He is again driven out in search: his sister annoyingly accuses him of selfishness, and Freddie must again run into the rain. He opens his umbrella and rushes out into the street, not noticing on his way the poor flower girl, who is also in a hurry to take cover from the rain. A basket of flowers falls from her hands, and at that moment lightning and thunder seem to accompany this incident. The flower girl yells, “Where are you going, Freddy! He, on the move, throwing "sorry", disappears. An elderly lady carefully examines the flower girl and asks in surprise: does the girl know her son. The flower girl, obviously, is one of those who will not miss her own and knows how to stand up for herself according to all the rules of the poor quarters where she grew up. Therefore, he does not answer the question, but reproaches the elderly lady bad upbringing son: scattered flowers to the poor girl and disappeared, let the mother pay for it. An elderly lady asks her daughter for money, and, indignant, does not even want to listen to the flower girl's chatter. The mother insists, and the girl gets the money. The elderly lady is again interested: how does the flower girl know Freddie. And she replies in surprise that she doesn’t know him at all and randomly called him that, because “you need to name a person if you want to be polite.” The daughter gloatingly tells her mother that the money was thrown away in vain, and moves away from the flower girl in disgust. At present, an elderly gentleman appears in the portico, "a pleasant type of old army man." The old lady asks him: it doesn't look like the rain will stop. The summer gentleman replies: on the contrary, the rain started even harder. The flower girl also keeps up this conversation in order to establish friendly relations with that gentleman and offer him to buy flowers. Summer gentleman says no crumbs. The girl swears that she can exchange, but the one to be left behind; finds in his pocket and gives kvitkartsi what a trifle. A passer-by, who intervened in the conversation of an elderly lady with her daughter, warns the girl, pointing to a man with a notebook: he writes down everything that is said, "apparently he is a spy." Everyone turns to her husband with a notebook. The flower girl gets frightened, starts whining that she is “an honest girl, she only asked to buy a flower, she didn’t pester anyone.” Everyone who has gathered in the portico reassures her, those who stood further ask: what is the matter there; there is a noise and uproar, as if something really happened. A flower girl seeks protection from an elderly gentleman who has thrown money at her. The man with the notebook tries to calm the flower girl, assuring that he had no bad intentions. Then the same passerby, reassuring the "public", says that this is not a "spy" at all, and points to the gentleman's shoes. However, the crowd is worried: why did he write down everything that the poor girl said. The gentleman shows his notes to the ticketcart, but he can't make out anything in them either. The passer-by enters into conversation again, and the gentleman with the notebook interrupts him and surprises everyone by pointing out exactly the place where this talker comes from. Several people suggest to the gentleman that they ascertain their place of birth; it does so without a single error. Perhaps with such a number it is worth performing on the stage, the elderly gentleman asks. The gentleman with the notebook replies that he thought about it. The daughter of an elderly lady is not patient and, pushing everyone aside, she comes to the edge of the portico and annoyingly notices that Freddie is not there. The gentleman with the notebook can't help but make remarks about his place of birth. The girl is indignant and arrogantly stops the conversation. The mother asks that gentleman to find a taxi. He takes a whistle from his pocket. The flower girl is again frightened, thinking that the whistle is a police whistle, but a passer-by, who probably knows everything about spies and the police, reassures her - it's a sports whistle. The gentleman with the notebook remarks that, by the way, the rain has stopped. The passer-by is indignant: why did he keep silent and fill their heads with his “tricks” earlier. Everyone disperses. An elderly lady with her daughter go to the bus. Only the flower girl, the summer gentleman, and the gentleman with the notebook remain on the portico. The summer gentleman shows interest in the abilities of the man with the notebook. He explains that he can pinpoint exactly where a person grew up thanks to her pronunciation. He is an expert in this field. Phonetics is his profession and hobby, which also gives him the opportunity to earn money: many rich people would like to hide their origin and their pronunciation betrays them. He teaches them to speak like they speak in prestigious areas. For example, from this girl in a few months he could make "a real duchess, she could even get hired as a maid or saleswoman, and for this, as you know, a more perfect language is needed." The summer gentleman says that he himself is studying Indian dialects. The gentleman with the notebook interrupts him and asks excitedly if he knows Colonel Pickering. The summer gentleman replies that this is what he is: he came to London to meet an outstanding scientist, the author of the Higgins Universal Dictionary, Professor Higgins. Which he sees in front of him - picks up a gentleman with a notebook. Higgins and Pickering are very pleased with the meeting, they agree to go to dinner together and discuss future plans. joint work. The flower girl reminds her of her existence, asks to buy a flower, complains that he has nothing to pay for the apartment. Higgins indignantly hints that she was going to change a lot of money. The clock strikes the floor to the north. Higgins calls this bell "God's direction" and drops a handful of coins into the basket. Higgins and Pickering are coming. The flower girl is not her own with joy. Freddie comes running: he finally found a taxi. Confused, he asks who will go - after all, neither mother nor sister is already here. The flower girl assures that she will gladly use the car. The taxi driver wanted to close the door in front of the girl, but also showed him a handful of money and ordered him to carry what he had "to the house" next to the kerosene shop ", got into the car. Freddy looks after her in surprise.

Action two

The action takes place in the apartment of Professor Higgins, which looks more like a science laboratory than housing. Here are file cabinets, a headform showing the vocal organs, a phonograph, other devices and tools necessary for the professor to work. Colonel Pickering is sitting at the table, sorting through the cards. Higgins is standing by the filing cabinet. You can see it in daylight fat man forty years, good health. “He belongs to that type of scientists, passionately and passionately about everything that can be the subject of their scientific interest, but completely indifferent to himself and others, in particular, to their feelings. Despite his age and physique, he is very similar to a curious child, reacts noisily and swiftly to everything that attracts her attention, and, like a child, requires constant attention and supervision so that trouble does not happen. Professor Higgins demonstrates to the shocked Colonel Pickering his equipment, with which he recorded one hundred and thirty vowel sounds. The professor's housekeeper, Mrs. Pierce, announces the arrival of a "young person" who claims that Higgins will be glad to see her. Mrs. Pierce is a little surprised by this visit, but perhaps the professor wanted to record the pronunciation of the girl on his equipment. Higgins and Pickering rejoice at the opportunity to work together on "phonetic material". A flower girl enters the room. It can be seen that she tried to dress up, her hat flaunts bright feathers, and her coat is almost clean. Higgins immediately recognizes the girl and says that he has enough examples of the dialect in which she speaks, so let him get out of here. The flower girl advises "not to give up", because he still does not know what business she came for, and, turning to the housekeeper, asks, said that she "came in a taxi." The housekeeper wonders why "such a gentleman" should know how this girl got to them. The flower girl dismissively says that she can go elsewhere if this "teacher is so arrogant": she came to take lessons from him. Higgins could only exclaim something in surprise and turned to stone. The girl notices that he could invite her to sit down, if such a gentleman, for she has business with him. Higgins, recovering from his surprise, asks Pickering what they "do with this effigy, invite them to sit down or take them down the stairs." Pickering, very politely and gently, asks why a girl needs to learn pronunciation. And she explains that she wants to go to work in a flower shop, but with her pronunciation they don’t take it there. Then he recalls: Higgins himself boasted yesterday that he could allegedly “make a lady out of her, and they will accept her as a saleswoman.” Mrs. Pierce is surprised: apparently, the girl is so stupid that she thinks she can pay for Professor Higgins's lessons. From these words, the professor has finally come to his senses, he invites the girl to sit down and asks her name. The flower girl says her name is Eliza Doolittle. Higgins asks how much she is going to pay him. Eliza replies that she knows well how much the lessons cost, so she teaches one of her friends French real french. She also wants to learn to speak her native language, so, of course, pay less. And he names his price - a shilling an hour. Higgins gets up and, as if thinking, walks around the room. Then, turning to Pickering, he says that no one has ever offered him such big money. He explains: if you look at this shilling as a percentage of the girl’s income, that shilling weighs as much as sixty pounds of a millionaire, Eliza gets scared and cries: she didn’t talk about sixty pounds, she doesn’t have that much money. Mrs. Pierce reassures her, says that no one will take that kind of money from her. But Higgins threatens to take a broom and thrash her hard if she doesn't stop crying. Pickering offers a bet: if after a few months of classes with Professor Eliza at the embassy reception, no one will distinguish from the lady, then he, Pickering, will consider Higgins an outstanding teacher and will reimburse "the entire cost of the experiment", and also pay for the lessons. Higgins looks at Eliza and is ready to succumb to the temptation to arrange such an experiment: the girl, in his opinion, is so vulgar. After this remark, Professor Pickering says that at least he is sure that Higgins will not turn the girl's head with compliments. Mrs. Pierce does not agree with him: she knows that a girl's head can be twisted not only with compliments. Increasingly fascinated by Pickering's idea, Higgins instructs the housekeeper to wash Eliza well ("if it doesn't go away, try sanding her"), burn all the girl's clothes and order these new outfits ("for now, you can wrap her in newsprint"). Eliza is indignant at such an attitude towards herself, for she “is an honest girl and knows your brother”, threatens to call the police, asks Pickering to intercede for her. Mrs. Pierce and Pickering urge Higgins not to lose his common sense, because the girl is already pretty scared: you can’t treat people like that. Higgins immediately, with amazing professionalism, changes his tone, becomes ingratiating and sweet. On Mrs. Pierce, his tone does not make any impression, she is sure: "you can not pick up a living girl like a pebble on the seashore." Asks Eliza about her parents. She replies that her father lives with the sixth stepmother in her memory, he gladly put his daughter out as soon as she grew up. Even when no one cares about Eliza, Mrs. Pierce wants to know: under what conditions will the girl stay in the house, will she be paid money, what will happen to her after the experiment is completed. Higgins does not consider it necessary to think about it and convinces that this is nonsense - maybe. The main thing for him now is the experiment, and then it will be Eliza's business. The girl wants to leave this house, because Higgins thinks "only about himself" and he "has no heart." Then the professor, with the art of the devil, seduces Eliza, promising her new dresses, and sweets, and a taxi, which she can drive as much as she wants. Pickering takes the side of Mrs. Pierce and says: Eliza must be aware of what she is doing when she agrees to the experiment. Higgins is sure that this is impossible: she is not able to understand anything. Then Pickering turns to Eliza: "Miss Doolittle ...". Eliza exclaims in surprise some strange sounds that convey her hoarseness: no one has ever addressed her like that in her life. Hearing Eliza's screams, Higgins says that all conversations with her are useless, because she understands only clear and simple commands, so she orders to quickly go to the bathroom. Mrs Pierce asks permission to speak to the girl alone. Already on the threshold, Eliza makes a whole speech: she is an honest girl, and he, Higgins, is a rude person, she will not stay in the house if she does not want to - it was he who stuck to her, she does not owe him anything; she has a feeling, let him notice it to himself, and those feelings are the same as those of other people. Mrs Pierce closes the door and Eliza's voice is no longer heard.

Pickering, left alone with Higgins, asks, apologizing for his frankness: or a decent professor in regard to women? Higgins wonders if there are such men? He compares the relationship of a man and a woman to a journey, when one pulls south, the second north, and with the rest both turn east, although neither he nor. she "cannot bear the east wind". Pickering does not let himself speak: he feels responsible for the girl and wants to make sure that Higgins does not take advantage of her position in his house. Higgins argues that teaching can only be done when "the personality of the student is sacred"; he taught many American millionaires to speak English, and among them were very beautiful, and he treated them as if he were only a piece of wood in front of him, or he himself was such a piece. This speech is interrupted by Mrs. Pierce, who has come to talk to the professor. She asks Higgins to choose words in the presence of Eliza, for he has a habit of swearing. Higgins is indignant: he hates this way of talking, "damn it." That is what Mrs. Pierce meant, there are too many such words, and even worse ones, in the professor's vocabulary. In addition, the girl should get used to neatness, so the professor should not scatter his things, go out to breakfast in a dressing gown, use a tablecloth instead of a napkin, etc. To avoid this conversation, Higgins notices that his dressing gown, by the way, smells very much of gasoline. Mrs. Pierce is difficult to confuse, she remarks: if the professor does not wipe his hands with his dressing gown ... Higgins does not let her finish and promises to dry his hands with his hair. Mrs. Pierce asks permission to take one of the professor's Japanese robes for Eliza. Higgins seems to agree to everything, only the housekeeper gave him peace of mind. Mrs. Pierce exits the room with a sense of accomplishment, but returns to report that Mr. Doolittle, Eliza's father, has arrived.

Alfred Doolittle is an elderly but still strong man in a working suit of a scavenger, the features of his face indicate that "fear and conscience are still unknown to him." Higgins is sure that Doolittle is a blackmailer, deliberately sent Elise. Therefore, as soon as Dolittle says with the importance of an "official person" that he needs his daughter, Higgins immediately agrees to give her away. Doolittle is amazed: he does not need a daughter at all, he only wanted to get a little money, some five pounds. Pickering notes that Higgins has no ill intentions towards Eliza. Doolittle assures: he would ask fifty pounds if he assumed that Higgins had stupid intentions, Higgins likes the eloquence of this "philosopher", devoid of any moral obligations, the originality of his interpretation of "bourgeois morality": "I need no less than a worthy poor man, for he eats and I him, he does not drink, but I drink, and I need to have fun, because I am a person who thinks. Higgins claims that after working with Doolittle for a few months, one could offer him "either the ministerial chair or the pulpit." Higgies decides to give Dolittle money, even offers more than he asks. But Alfred Doolittle is a man of common sense, he knows how much to ask in order to spend this money with pleasure. If he takes more, then there will be a temptation to put them aside, "then a person begins to live, looking back." Dolittle has received the money and is about to leave when Eliza enters the room in a colorful Japanese robe. Her father does not even recognize her right away, she is so pure and beautiful. Eliza delightedly tells her father that “it is easy to walk clean here”, “so many hot water and soap." Higgins expresses satisfaction that Elise liked the bathroom. And she objects: she did not like everything; for example, she should hang a mirror with a towel, because it was embarrassing to look at. Higgins remarks to Dolittle that he raised his daughter very strictly. He denies: he never brought her up, so, only sometimes he hit with a belt and that's it. She assures that her daughter will get used to it, will behave “more freely”, “the way you are supposed to”. Eliza is outraged: she will never lead more freely because she is an honest girl. Higgins threatens to give her to her father if he even says one more time that she is an honest girl. And Eliza is not afraid of this, because she knows her father well: he came for money, not for her. Dolittle is in a hurry to part: last words He doesn't like Higgins. In parting, the professor invites the father to visit his daughter, adding that he has a priest brother who could instruct their conversations. Doolittle was blown away by the wind. Eliza assures that now the father will never come, because it is easier for him "when you set the dogs on him than the priest." Higgins remarks that this does not upset him very much. Eliza too: she cannot forgive her father for rummaging through the trash when he has a "real business." "What's the matter, Eliza?" Pickering asks. And she explains that her father is a digger, he owes good money, even now he sometimes gets down to business, "to stretch the bones." Then she asks: won't Pickering tell her more Miss Dolittle? He asks to be excused for the impoliteness. Eliza replies that she was not offended, but it worked out well - Miss Doolittle. Mrs Pierce reports that new dresses have arrived from the shop. Eliza runs out of the room. Higgins and Pickering agree that they have taken on a difficult task. The first notices this cheerfully, the second - firmly and seriously.

Act Three

Several months have passed since the events mentioned. On one of Mrs. Higgins' visiting days, even before the arrival of the guests, Professor Higgins visited her mother. Seeing him, Mrs. Higgins is frightened. She reminds her son that he promised not to come on visiting days, because all her acquaintances are alarmed, they stop visiting her. Higgins claims that he has come to a "phonetic matter": he needs his mother's help. She replies that she cannot help him here either, because even loving her son very much, she is not able to overcome those of his vowels. Higgins impatiently says that he will not study phonetics with her. The thing is, Higgins continues, he picked up "a girl" off the street. The mother notices that a girl must have picked it up. Higgins is indignant: he is not talking about love. The mother is sorry, because he does not notice that among the young girls there are many pretty ones. "Fool," adds the professor. Mrs. Higgins very seriously asks him to do one thing, if, of course, he really loves his mother. Higgins cries out: apparently, his mother wants him to marry. No, he replies, and firmly, as long as it's enough if he takes his hands out of his pockets and stops running around the room. Higgins sits down and finally announces the purpose of his arrival: he invited the girl he picked up to visit his mother so that she would pass the first test. The mother is horrified, because this is even worse than her son. What is the girl talking about? Higgins assures that Eliza has received appropriate instructions, therefore she has only two topics for conversation - weather and health. He has already corrected her pronunciation, because Eliza has a good ear, but now she has to think not only about how to speak, but also what. The professor did not have time to finish, so they announced the arrival of guests - Mrs. and Miss Eynsford Hill. It turns out that these are the same mother and daughter who stood in the portico of the church during the rain. “Mother is a tactful, well-mannered woman, but one feels the tension in relations with people, which is inherent in people with limited means. The daughter has adopted the laid-back tone of a girl accustomed to secular society: the audacity of adorned poverty.” Mrs. Higgins recommends her son. The guests are delighted: they have heard so much about the glorious professor and are glad to meet him. Higgins is sure that he saw somewhere, and most importantly heard these women, and so far cannot remember exactly where. Miss Clara Einsford Hill, who approaches Higgins for a small talk, he advises not to hang around, but to sit down somewhere. Mrs. Higgins is forced to apologize for her son and admit that he does not know how to behave in society. Higgins asks if he offended anyone, apologizes, turns his back on the guests and "watches the river and the flower garden outside the window with such a view as if eternal ice is in front of him." Announce the arrival of Colonel Pickering. His demeanor is in stark contrast to Higgins' mannerisms. Pickering asks the hostess, and knows on what business they came. Higgins doesn't let his mother answer. “A trait of a bald man: these people came and interfered,” he says. Mrs. Einsford, without expressing her offense, says that, probably, their visit is untimely. Mrs. Higgins blocked her, which, on the contrary, is very appropriate, because she is just waiting for one young man with whom she would like to introduce her guests. Freddy arrives. Higgins still can't remember where he saw these people. He doesn't know what to talk about while Eliza is away, and doesn't hide with it. Mrs Einsford doesn't like small talk either, she's sure it would be much better if people said what they think. Higgins claims that hardly anyone was pleased if he said what he thinks. At last the arrival of Miss Dolittle is reported." Everyone present is amazed by her beauty, her elegant outfit. Eliza greets everyone with strict etiquette, speaking in a pleasant voice, but pronouncing her words very carefully. Higgins finally remembers where he saw all this society, converged so unexpectedly in his mother's living room. Meanwhile, Eliza starts talking about the weather, hoping "that there will be no significant change in the state of the atmosphere." Freddie then screams. Eliza, with the confidence of a good student, asks the young one: what's the matter, did she say something wrong. Freddie is delighted. To continue the conversation, Freddie's mother says that every spring one of them has "influenza". Hearing this word, Eliza gloomily recalls: her aunt died, everyone said "influenza", but she is sure that the old one was "sewn". Further, Eliza, with her phonetically impeccable pronunciation, says such words and expressions, Higgins is forced to pass it off as a new Fashionable style communication. Eliza thinks aloud: her aunt had various illnesses, but gin always helped her, and here she died from such a trifle. And where is her hat, which was supposed to be inherited by Eliza, rhetorically asks Miss Doolittle "And he himself answers:" Whoever stole the hat, he sewed on the aunt. Further more. Eliza talks about her father, who helped her aunt to be treated with gin, assures that "under the fly he is much better than sober, because then his conscience does not torment him." Clara and Freddie are delighted with the "new style", their mother is frankly shocked. Higgins clearly looks at his watch and Eliza knows it's time to say goodbye. She comes out. The guests discuss for a few minutes new style". As the guests leave, Higgins asks his mother if Eliza can be "showed in society". And assures that as long as the girl is under the influence of her son, about any good manners do not have to speak. She asks to tell her in detail who this girl is and what she is doing in Professor Higgins' house. Pickering and Higgins race to talk about Eliza. Mrs. Higgins understands that they have got themselves a living doll and are having fun. She warns them that along with Eliza, a problem has come to their house: what will the girl do next. She will probably have the same fate as the lady who just left the living room: the manners and habits of a secular lady, but there are not enough funds to be her in reality, but there is a complete inability to earn her own bread. But men don't do it. Eliza has something to do, the waters assure. Higgins and Pickering say goodbye and leave. They are heard on the stairs discussing the possibility of Eliza visiting a fashion exhibition and rejoicing like children in anticipation of this "fun performance". Mrs. Higgins indignantly repeats one word several times: “Men!

act four

Professor Higgins' laboratory. North. There is nobody in the room. The clock strikes twelve. The voices of Higgins and Pickering are heard on the stairs, talking about how tired they were from the day and now they just want to have a good rest. Eliza enters the room. She is in a luxurious dress with diamonds, in her hands are flowers and a fan. The girl goes to the fireplace, lights the lamp. Now it is clear that she is very tired, her expression is almost tragic. Eliza puts flowers and a fan on the piano, sits down beside her and is sadly silent. Higgins enters in a tailcoat and top hat, but carries a home jacket under his arm. He unceremoniously takes off his tailcoat, throws it on the coffee table, begins to change into home clothes, without noticing Eliza. Wearily collapses in a chair. Enter Pickering. He is also in full dress. He takes off his coat and top hat and wants to put it next to Higgins' clothes, but, noticing Eliza, he does not allow himself to do this. Turning to Higgins, he says that tomorrow they will get from Mrs. Pierce if they scatter things here. Higgins doesn't care. Pickering takes his things and goes downstairs. Higgins hums an aria, suddenly interrupts the singing and rhetorically asks: where did his house slippers go. Eliza looks at him darkly, then gets up and leaves. Pickering returns with letters. Both of them are watching. Eliza enters with slippers, silently places them in front of Higgins. He, yawning, begins to collect shoes and notices slippers. He looks at them as if they were there themselves. Higgins and Pickering complain to each other about being tired, discussing the day that has already passed. They went to a picnic, then to a dinner party, and then to the opera. And all in order to show Eliza to secular society. Now they are happy that they won the bet. They discuss among themselves several "acute moments" when they feared that Eliza would not cope with the role of the duchess, but everything worked out. “We got a real victory,” they say, greeting each other. Eliza sits silently, but her beauty becomes what an evil. Men wish each other Good night , come out. Higgins lingers at the door to give Eliza instructions: turn off the lights, tell Mrs. Pierce that he will have tea in the morning, not coffee. Eliza tries to restrain herself and pretend to be calm, but when Higgins comes out, she gives vent to her feelings and, sobbing, falls to the floor. Higgins' voice is heard again: he is still looking for his slippers. As soon as he appears on the threshold, Eliza, grabbing slippers, throws them one at a time in Higgins' face. He is surprised and asks what happened. Eliza says that nothing happened: she won a bet for him, and he does not care about her. Higgins is already gone: she won the bet! He won it! Why is she dropping her slippers! Eliza replies that she would like to crush his head or strangle him - a disgusting selfish animal. Why did he pull her out of that swamp, what will she do next! Higgins looks at Eliza with the cold curiosity of a scientist and remarks with surprise: this creature, it turns out, was also worried. But what does he care what happens to her next! Eliza was in despair. Even Higgins begins to get a little worried, but he still speaks to the girl arrogantly: was she treated badly here, did anyone offend her? Eliza answers all questions with a short “no”. Higgins condescendingly says that she is a little tired, but everything has already passed, and now she just needs to rest. Eliza replies that she has already heard the prayer: "Thank God it's over!" Where will she go now? Finally realizing what worries the girl, Higgins advises not to do it. He didn't think about what would happen next. He got used to her, thought that she would not go anywhere from his apartment. Then he takes a large apple from the vase, takes a tasty bite, says: maybe Eliza will get married because she is beautiful, not now, of course, now her face is swollen from tears and has become "terrible, like a mortal sin." The girl raises her eyes to him and stares intently, but the look is wasted - Higgins eats an apple with appetite. Suddenly, a “happy thought” comes to his mind: he should ask Mrs. Higgins to find a candidate for husbands for Eliza. The girl replies with contempt that she used to sell flowers, and now he invites her to sell herself. Higgins calls it hypocrisy, however, she can not get married if she does not like it. Pickering can buy a flower shop for her - he has a lot of money! All this is empty, says Higgins, he is so tired that it is better to go to bed now, just to remember what he came here for! Higgins looks at the slippers and remembers, bending down to pick them up. Eliza delays him by addressing him with all the rules of etiquette. He dropped his slippers in surprise. Eliza asks if the dresses she wears are hers or the colonel's? Higgins wonders why the Colonel women's dresses!? Eliza calmly says that the dresses Might be useful for another girl they will experiment with. This remark offends Higgins, but he restrains himself. Eliza wants to know what exactly of her personal belongings she is actually supposed to, so that later she will not be called a thief. Why find this out at one in the morning, Higgins wonders: he expected her to have more feelings. Let him take everything to hell, only leave the diamonds, because they were borrowed! Higgins yells angrily. Eliza asks him to pick up all the diamonds now, then furiously grabs the jewelry, puts it in her pockets. Eliza removes the ring she was bought from her finger, also gives it to Higgins, saying that now he does not need it. Higgins throws the ring into the fireplace, returns to her with such an expression that Eliza screams, "Don't hit me!" Higgins, too, goes on a cry: it was she who hit him in the heart. Eliza does not hide her satisfaction, she rejoices at the opportunity, at least in this way, to settle accounts with him. Sending everything and everyone to hell, Higgins proudly exits. Eliza smiles for the first time all evening, then kneels in front of the fireplace and looks for the ring.

ACT FIVE

Mrs. Higgins' living room. The hostess is standing at the table, the maid comes in and announces that Mr. Higgins and Colonel Pickering are downstairs talking on the phone with the police. The maid adds: the professor is in a bad mood. Mrs. Higgins says she would be surprised if he was in good shape; convey an invitation to the men to come to her "when they are done with the police," and tell Miss Dolittle not to leave her room until she is summoned. Higgins bursts into the room, it's not enough to say that he is in a bad mood! He does not even greet his mother, but immediately informs: “Eliza has run away!” Perhaps she was frightened, Mrs. Higgins asks. Higgins is sure that nothing terrible happened to Eliza yesterday: she, “as always, remained to put out the lamps, etc.,” but then did not go to bed. Early in the morning she came by cab for her things, and "that old fool Mrs. Pierce" gave her everything and, without even saying anything to Higgins, let her go. What to do now, asks the professor. The mother replies that, apparently, we will have to do without Eliza. Professor Higgins wanders around and admits that he does not even know where his things are, does not know who he is meeting today, because Eliza kept all this in her memory. Pickering enters, politely greets the hostess. Higgins lashes out at him with the question, "What did that donkey inspector say?" Mrs. Higgins indignantly asks: are they really going to look for Eliza with the help of the police? Pickering agrees: perhaps this should not have been done, because the inspector even had some suspicions about their intentions. This is not surprising, says Mrs. Higgins, and who gave them the right to alert the police about Eliza as a thief or an umbrella that was lost. Pickering's excuse is that they really want Eliza back - they can't live without her!

The maid comes in and announces that a gentleman came before Mr. Higgins on some urgent business, he was sent here when he did not find the professor at home. Higgins does not want to hear about other matters, but, having learned that Mr. Doolittle has come, he asks to bring the visitor immediately. Doolittle enters. He is wearing new fashionable clothes, patent leather boots and a shiny top hat complete the picture. He is so fascinated by the purpose of his visit that he does not even notice the hostess. Doolittle immediately rushes to Higgins and, pointing to his suit, says: “You did it all! Higgins wonders what exactly is "it"? In turn, he asks: did Eliza remove her father like that? Mrs. Higgins interrupts the conversation and greets Dolittle. He is embarrassed, politely responds to the greeting, explains that he is now not himself, because unfortunate changes have occurred in his life. Higgins asks only if he found Dolittle Eliza, he is not interested in anything else. Dolittle wonders: did the professor manage to lose her? That's lucky! He reassures that Eliza will not go anywhere, she will now find her father, "after what you did to me." Mrs. Higgins, probably expecting the worst, asks what her son did to Doolittle. He tragically replies: "He lost me, threw me into the jaws of bourgeois morality." Higgins is outraged. Doolittle recalls how, in a letter to a friend of an American millionaire who dreamed of creating a worldwide Moral Reform Society and gave a lot of money for this, Higgins wrote that the original moralist in modern England is Alfred Doolittle, a simple scavenger. Higgins agrees that he once joked like that. Dolittle is indignant: good jokes! That millionaire is dead. And in his will he indicated that he would leave his share in the Comrade Stomach Cheese Trust Dolittle if he lectured at the World Moral Reform League six times a year. Higgins liked this coincidence of events. Pickering notes that Dolittle will not be invited to lecture more than once, so there is no need to worry so much. It turns out that Dolittle is not afraid of lectures at all, he is sure to cope with this. He doesn't like being made into a gentleman. He lived quietly and calmly, did not depend on anyone, knew how to get money out if necessary, Higgins knows. And now Doolittle has no rest, for he turned out to have so many relatives! Previously, doctors and lawyers tried to push him out the door as quickly as possible, but now they are only doing what they care about him. Everyone is taking money from him. Probably, Higgins will make money on it, because he can no longer speak the way he used to say, he must learn the “bourgeois language”. Mrs. Higgins asks why he hasn't renounced the inheritance when he has nothing but trouble to do so. Doolittle is forced to admit that he "didn't have the guts" for this, he is afraid of old age in the orphanage. “I was bought. I gave up. Other chosen ones of fate will now take out my garbage and get paid for it, and I will watch and envy. Mrs. Higgins is glad that now there is no need to worry about the fate of Eliza: her father will take care of her. Doolittle melancholy agrees, because now he has to take care of everyone. Higgips yells that Doolittle cannot deal with Eliza because the girl is not his: he received money for his daughter. Mrs. Higgins indignantly orders her son to stop talking nonsense: Eliza is upstairs and can hear everything. She wandered all night through the streets of the city, even wanted to throw herself into the river and did not dare. Early in the morning she came to Mrs. Higgins and told how Professor Higgins and Colonel Pickering had treated her cruelly. Both named husbands are already jumping: they didn’t do anything to Eliza, they didn’t talk to her at all. That's the thing, says Mrs. Higgins: Eliza did her job so well, worked so hard for them, and they didn't even thank her, didn't say a kind word, sat down and started complaining how tired they were of it all. Mrs. Higgins assures that if she were Elisa, she would be thrown not with slippers, but with a poker. Pickering has to admit they were a little vague about Eliza last night. Mrs. Higgins says that Eliza has agreed to put aside her grudges and meet Higgins and Pickering as if they were old acquaintances. Of course, if the professor gives his word to behave politely. Higgins can barely contain himself. Mrs. Higgins asks Dolittle to go out on the balcony so that Eliza will not know about the changes in her father's life until she makes a decision about Higgins and Pickering. While they wait for Eliza, Higgins sits in a chair with his legs outstretched and whistling. The mother says that this position does not suit him. The professor replies that he doesn't care, but picks up his legs. Then Mrs. Higgins says that she doesn’t care either, she just wanted her son to speak, then he wouldn’t be able to whistle. Higgins groans, then breaks down and cries out: where did "that girl" go.

Eliza enters, calm, at ease. She behaves confidently, holding a basket of work in her hands. Pickering is amazed, he even forgets to get up to meet her. Eliza is greeted with Professor Higgins, asking politely about his health. He even got stubborn. Then the girl turns to Pickering, welcomed. He jumps to his feet. Eliza starts small talk about the weather. Higgins, coming to his senses, tells her to stop "breaking the comedy", because it does not impress him: he himself taught her this. He assures that Eliza has no thought of her own, not a single word that he would not have taught her to pronounce. “I created this creature from a bunch of rotten carrots… and now she dares to pose as a noble lady! Eliza does not seem to hear what Higgins is saying so passionately, but turns exclusively to Pickering. She thanks him for everything: after all, it was he who helped her change so much, because before she led exactly like the professor. Eliza says that his upbringing began when she had just crossed the threshold of Higgins' apartment: it was then that Pickering addressed her as "Miss Doolittle" for the first time in her life, awakening his dignity and self-respect. There were many other things, little things that the colonel did not pay attention to, because he was used to treating everyone like that: he never went through the door first, did not take off his shoes in it, but always took off his hat when he talked to her. Then she realized that what distinguishes a lady from a flower girl is not only how she carries herself, but also how others treat her. Pickering, trying to protect his friend, says that Higgins behaves the same way with everyone: with the flower girl and with the duchess. But it was he who taught Eliza to speak. Eliza objects: teaching to speak is Higgins' profession, and we are talking about personality traits. She asks that Pickering now call HER Eliza, but the professor only calls Doolittle. Higgins screams that she will die, and not wait. Pickering laughs and invites Elise to answer Higgins in the same tone. The girl says that now she can no longer, because she has forgotten “her own language”, “like a child who finds herself in a foreign country”, there is no return to the old. Higgins claims that without him, "Miss Doolittle" would be "in a ditch in three weeks". Mr. Doolittle comes out of the balcony and walks up so Eliza can't see him. She says she can't talk the way she used to, even if she wanted to. Her father puts a hand on her shoulder, and Eliza looks back at him. Suddenly recognizing her father in this posh gentleman, she screams just like when she was first called "Miss Doolittle". The professor rejoices like a child - here it is a victory, nothing in Eliza has essentially changed! Dolittle explains the reason that made him dress up especially chic: "Your stepmother is marrying me." Eliza angrily asks if her father can marry such a "vulgar woman." Pickering sees her father's moral duty in this marriage, and Doolittle agrees: "bourgeois morality requires sacrifice." He asks Eliza to go to church with him and assures her that her stepmother has become meek, does not offend anyone, does not quarrel with anyone. Eliza leaves the room to get dressed. Doolittle invites Colonel Pickering to come with him to church "for encouragement". Mrs. Higgins also expresses a desire to see this wedding. She invites Elise, who is already dressed, to wait for her: they will go in the same carriage, and let Colonel Pikernig accompany the "young one". Leaving the room, Pickering asks Eliza to forgive Higgins and return to them. The girl replies that, probably, her father will not allow her. But Doolittle shows no desire to "poke his nose into this matter", he is even pleased that these two people have tamed Eliza in this way. He is sure: if there was one person there, he would not be able to resist Eliza, but two survived. Eliza, in order not to be alone with Higgins, goes to the balcony, the professor follows the girl. Then Eliza returns to the room. Having cut off the girl's retreat, Higgins forces her to listen to him. He is sure that Eliza has already punished him enough and now it is better to return to their apartment. He does not promise that he will change his attitude towards her, because he is sure that it is important to behave with everyone as if “in heaven, where there are no third-class passengers and all immortal souls are equal before themselves.” Eliza said, “Amen. You are a natural preacher.” Higgins asks, irritatingly, if she has ever seen him do better with anyone than her. Eliza says that you won't surprise her with a bad attitude, but she's no one. he will not allow himself to be crushed, because he, "like a bus, goes his own way and does not look at who meets on his way." Higgins is forced to admit that he has had enough of Eliza, because she, too, has taught him something. Eliza is sure that he is not interested at all. Higgins does not agree with this: he is interested in life, people, and she is a particle of this life that happened on his way, and he gave her a piece of his soul. But for him feeling will never become a commodity. “You call me heartless because by giving me slippers, looking for my glasses, you thought to buy the right to me with this, and you were mistaken ... When you threw those slippers, you won much more in my eyes.” Higgins invites Eliza to return for the sake of good friendship. Eliza regrets that she cannot take up her flower basket again - then she would be independent, but now she is a slave. "Not at all. Do you want me for your father, or will I put the money in your name? Or perhaps you want to marry Pickering? ' asks Higgins. He thinks for a moment, then adds that the Colonel will probably not agree, because he is also an avid bachelor. Eliza loses her temper and in desperation assures that she can get married if she wants to: Freddie writes her three letters every day. Higgins, unpleasantly shocked by this revelation, calls Freddie a fool and an impudent man and warns Eliza that he himself cannot and will not melt from feelings for her. Let her marry whomever she wants, if she does not know how to appreciate what she has, let her have what she appreciates. Eliza is sure that she will be able to prove her right to independence: she herself will give phonetics lessons or will become an assistant to Professor Nepin. Higgins is in despair: is she really capable of such a thing - to give out all his secrets to a fool and sycophants. He grabs Eliza by the shoulders and promises her to turn her head. Eliza is not afraid and defiantly does not resist, she only says that she always felt that sooner or later he would beat her. But now she knows what he is afraid of: after all, the knowledge that he gave her cannot be taken back. Higgins looks at Eliza almost in delight: he likes her that way. Joyfully says that he kept his word - he still made of her real woman, not a "burden on the neck", but a "fortress". "Now we will not just be two men and one stupid girl, but three friendly old bachelors." It turns out Mrs. Higgins, Eliza asks if Professor Higgins will not go to church. Mrs. Higgins replies that her son does not know how to behave in church: he will correct the pronunciation of the priest. Higgins says goodbye, but as if remembering something, he orders Eliza to stop by the store and buy something, in particular, gloves and a tie for his new suit. Eliza replies that he can buy all this himself, and leaves the room. Mrs. Higgins promises to help her son pick out a tie, but the professor, smiling, says that Eliza will do his job. Eliza is going to her father's wedding. Higgins paces the room, looking quite pleased.

George Bernard Shaw

"Pygmalion"

The play takes place in London. On a summer evening, the rain pours like a bucket. Passers-by run to Covent Garden Market and to the portico of St. Pavel, where several people have already taken refuge, including an elderly lady with her daughter, they are in evening dresses, waiting for Freddie, the lady's son, to find a taxi and come for them. Everyone, except for one person with a notebook, peers impatiently into the torrents of rain. Freddie appears in the distance, having not found a taxi, and runs to the portico, but on the way he runs into a street flower girl, hurrying to take cover from the rain, and knocks a basket of violets out of her hands. She bursts into swearing. A man with a notebook hurriedly writes something down. The girl laments that her violets have disappeared, and begs the colonel standing right there to buy a bouquet. The one to get rid of, gives her a change, but does not take flowers. One of the passers-by draws the attention of a flower girl, a sloppily dressed and unwashed girl, that a man with a notebook is clearly scribbling a denunciation of her. The girl starts whimpering. He, however, assures that he is not from the police, and surprises everyone present by accurately determining the origin of each of them by their pronunciation.

Freddie's mother sends her son back to look for a taxi. Soon, however, the rain stops, and she and her daughter go to the bus stop. The Colonel takes an interest in the abilities of the man with the notebook. He introduces himself as Henry Higgins, creator of the Higgins Universal Alphabet. The colonel turns out to be the author of the book Conversational Sanskrit. His last name is Pickering. He lived in India for a long time and came to London specifically to meet Professor Higgins. The professor also always wanted to meet the colonel. They are about to go to dinner at the Colonel's hotel, when the flower girl again begins to ask to buy flowers from her. Higgins tosses a handful of coins into her basket and leaves with the Colonel. The flower girl sees that she now owns, by her standards, a huge amount. When Freddie arrives with the taxi he finally hailed, she gets into the car and, slamming the door shut, leaves.

The next morning, Higgins demonstrates his phonographic equipment to Colonel Pickering at his home. Suddenly, Higgins' housekeeper, Mrs. Pierce, reports that a certain very ordinary girl wants to speak with the professor. Enter yesterday's flower girl. She introduces herself as Eliza Doolittle and says that she wants to take phonetics lessons from the professor, because with her pronunciation she cannot get a job. The day before, she had heard that Higgins was giving such lessons. Eliza is sure that he will gladly agree to work off the money that yesterday, without looking, he threw into her basket. Of course, it is ridiculous for him to talk about such amounts, but Pickering offers Higgins a bet. He incites him to prove that in a matter of months he can, as he assured the day before, turn a street flower girl into a duchess. Higgins finds the offer tempting, especially since Pickering is willing, if Higgins wins, to pay the entire cost of Eliza's education. Mrs. Pierce takes Eliza to the bathroom to wash.

After a while, Eliza's father comes to Higgins. He is a scavenger, a simple man, but impresses the professor with his natural eloquence. Higgins asks Dolittle for permission to keep his daughter and gives him five pounds for it. When Eliza arrives, already washed and wearing a Japanese robe, the father does not even recognize his daughter at first. A couple of months later, Higgins brings Eliza to his mother's house, just in time for her appointment. He wants to know if it is already possible to introduce a girl into secular society. Mrs. Higgins is visiting Mrs. Einsford Hill with her daughter and son. These are the same people with whom Higgins stood under the portico of the cathedral on the day he first saw Eliza. However, they do not recognize the girl. Eliza first behaves and talks like a high-society lady, and then moves on to a story about her life and uses such street expressions that all those present are only amazed. Higgins pretends this is the new social jargon, thus smoothing things over. Eliza leaves the gathering, leaving Freddie ecstatic.

After this meeting, he begins to send Eliza ten-page letters. After the guests leave, Higgins and Pickering vying, enthusiastically tell Mrs. Higgins about how they work with Eliza, how they teach her, take her to the opera, to exhibitions, and dress her. Mrs. Higgins finds that they treat the girl like a living doll. She agrees with Mrs. Pierce, who believes that they "don't think of anything".

A few months later, both experimenters take Eliza to a high-society reception, where she has a dizzying success, everyone takes her for a duchess. Higgins wins the bet.

Arriving home, he enjoys the fact that the experiment, from which he has already managed to get tired, is finally over. He behaves and talks in his usual rough manner, not paying the slightest attention to Eliza. The girl looks very tired and sad, but at the same time she is dazzlingly beautiful. It is noticeable that irritation accumulates in her.

She ends up throwing his shoes at Higgins. She wants to die. She does not know what will happen to her next, how she will live. After all, she became a completely different person. Higgins assures that everything will work out. She, however, manages to hurt him, unbalance him and thereby at least a little revenge for herself.

Eliza runs away from home at night. The next morning, Higgins and Pickering lose their heads when they see that Eliza is gone. They even try to track her down with the help of the police. Higgins feels without Eliza as without arms. He does not know where his things are, nor what he has scheduled for the day. Mrs. Higgins arrives. Then they report about the arrival of Eliza's father. Doolittle has changed a lot. Now he looks like a wealthy bourgeois. He lashes out indignantly at Higgins for the fact that through his fault he had to change his way of life and now become much less free than he was before. It turns out a few months ago Higgins wrote to a millionaire in America, who founded branches of the Moral Reform League all over the world, that Dolittle, a simple scavenger, is now the most original moralist in all of England. He died, and before his death, he bequeathed to Dolittle a share in his trust for three thousand annual income, on the condition that Dolittle would give up to six lectures a year in his Moral Reform League. He laments that today, for example, he even has to officially marry the one with whom he has lived for several years without registering a relationship. And all this because he is now forced to look like a respectable bourgeois. Mrs. Higgins is overjoyed that a father can finally take care of his changed daughter the way she deserves. Higgins, however, does not want to hear about "returning" Dolittle Eliza.

Mrs. Higgins says she knows where Eliza is. The girl agrees to return if Higgins asks her forgiveness. Higgins is in no way agreeing to go for it. Eliza enters. She expresses gratitude to Pickering for his treatment of her as a noble lady. It was he who helped Eliza change, despite the fact that she had to live in the house of a rude, slovenly and ill-mannered Higgins. Higgins is smitten. Eliza adds that if he continues to "push" her, she will go to Professor Nepin, a colleague of Higgins, and become his assistant and inform him of all the discoveries made by Higgins. After an outburst of indignation, the professor finds that her behavior is now even better and more dignified, something when she looked after his things and brought him slippers. Now, he is sure, they will be able to live together no longer just as two men and one stupid girl, but as "three friendly old bachelors."

Eliza goes to her father's wedding. Apparently, she will still live in Higgins' house, because she managed to become attached to him, as he did to her, and everything will go on as before.

On a summer day, the townspeople, escaping from the downpour, hide under the portico of St. Paul's Cathedral. Higgins watches the assembled neighbors in misfortune, making notes in a notebook. He wrote the book The Higgins Universal Alphabet. Colonel Pickering, the creator of the book "Conversational Sanskrit" became interested in this man and they get to know each other. The gentlemen decided to dine at the hotel. Along the way, Higgins tossed a handful of change to a girl selling violets.

The next morning, Higgins was hosting Pickeringau at his home, and a violet merchant comes in asking for phonetics lessons so she can get a decent job. Pickering and Higgins make a bet that the latter will turn a tradeswoman into a duchess in a matter of months. And if Higgins can do it, then Pickering will pay all the costs of the Merchant.

So Eliza achieves her desire to learn. For two months, the girl lives in the Higgins house and he works hard with her. He brings her to his mother, who gives a reception to see if there is a result from his labors. Eliza behaves like a society lady, but talking about her former life, she switches to street jargon. Higgins saves the day by making this jargon a modern secular trend. His pupil left the guests of the mother in complete delight.

One of the guests at Freddie's reception is so subdued by the girl that he writes ten-page letters to her. A few more months later, Higgins and Pickering take the ward to a high society reception. And there she was considered a duchess. Pickering lost the bet. But now Eliza is sad. She has changed and does not understand what to do next. Higgins assures that everything will be fine, but does so in his usual rude manner. Eliza throws her shoes at Higgins and goes to her room.

In the morning, Higgins and Pickering discovered that Eliza was missing. Higgins is so used to Eliza that he cannot imagine life without her, he does not know where things are and what things are planned for the day. Eliza took on the duties of a personal assistant. He tries to find by contacting the police. Higgins is visited by Eliza's father. He was previously a simple scavenger, but now he has become a bourgeois. He wrote to the American millionaire organizer of the Moral Reform League, who, dying, left Dolittle a share, on the condition that he lecture at the League. And now Dullitl can support his daughter himself, but Higgins doesn't even want to hear about it.

Soon Eliza returns and she tells Higgins that he must apologize to her and continue to be more polite otherwise she will become an assistant to his competitor Nepin. Higgins is pleased with the girl and the manners that he instilled in her and now she can live in his house and be on an equal footing with him.

The play takes place in London. On a summer evening, the rain pours like a bucket. Passers-by run to Covent Garden Market and to the portico of St. Pavel, where several people have already taken refuge, including an elderly lady with her daughter, they are in evening dresses, waiting for Freddie, the lady's son, to find a taxi and come for them. Everyone, except for one person with a notebook, peers impatiently into the torrents of rain. Freddie appears in the distance, having not found a taxi, and runs to the portico, but on the way he runs into a street flower girl, hurrying to take cover from the rain, and knocks a basket of violets out of her hands. She bursts into swearing. A man with a notebook hurriedly writes something down. The girl laments that her violets have disappeared, and begs the colonel standing right there to buy a bouquet. The one to get rid of, gives her a change, but does not take flowers. One of the passers-by draws the attention of a flower girl, a sloppily dressed and unwashed girl, that a man with a notebook is clearly scribbling a denunciation of her. The girl starts whimpering. He, however, assures that he is not from the police, and surprises everyone present by accurately determining the origin of each of them by their pronunciation.

Freddie's mother sends her son back to look for a taxi. Soon, however, the rain stops, and she and her daughter go to the bus stop. The Colonel takes an interest in the abilities of the man with the notebook. He introduces himself as Henry Higgins, creator of the Higgins Universal Alphabet. The colonel turns out to be the author of the book Conversational Sanskrit. His last name is Pickering. He lived in India for a long time and came to London specifically to meet Professor Higgins. The professor also always wanted to meet the colonel. They are about to go to dinner at the Colonel's hotel, when the flower girl again begins to ask to buy flowers from her. Higgins tosses a handful of coins into her basket and leaves with the Colonel. The flower girl sees that she now owns, by her standards, a huge amount. When Freddie arrives with the taxi he finally hailed, she gets into the car and, slamming the door shut, leaves.

The next morning, Higgins demonstrates his phonographic equipment to Colonel Pickering at his home. Suddenly, Higgins' housekeeper, Mrs. Pierce, reports that a certain very simple girl wants to talk to the professor. Enter yesterday's flower girl. She introduces herself as Eliza Doolittle and says that she wants to take phonetics lessons from the professor, because with her pronunciation she cannot get a job. The day before, she had heard that Higgins was giving such lessons. Eliza is sure that he will gladly agree to work off the money that yesterday, without looking, he threw into her basket. Of course, it is ridiculous for him to talk about such amounts, but Pickering offers Higgins a bet. He incites him to prove that in a matter of months he can, as he assured the day before, turn a street flower girl into a duchess. Higgins finds the offer tempting, especially since Pickering is willing, if Higgins wins, to pay the entire cost of Eliza's education. Mrs. Pierce takes Eliza to the bathroom to wash.

After a while, Eliza's father comes to Higgins. He is a scavenger, a simple man, but impresses the professor with his natural eloquence. Higgins asks Dolittle for permission to keep his daughter and gives him five pounds for it. When Eliza arrives, already washed and wearing a Japanese robe, the father does not even recognize his daughter at first. A couple of months later, Higgins brings Eliza to his mother's house, just in time for her appointment. He wants to know if it is already possible to introduce a girl into secular society. Mrs. Higgins is visiting Mrs. Einsford Hill with her daughter and son. These are the same people with whom Higgins stood under the portico of the cathedral on the day he first saw Eliza. However, they do not recognize the girl. Eliza first behaves and talks like a high-society lady, and then moves on to a story about her life and uses such street expressions that all those present are only amazed. Higgins pretends this is the new social jargon, thus smoothing things over. Eliza leaves the gathering, leaving Freddie ecstatic.

After this meeting, he begins to send Eliza ten-page letters. After the guests leave, Higgins and Pickering vying, enthusiastically tell Mrs. Higgins about how they work with Eliza, how they teach her, take her to the opera, to exhibitions, and dress her. Mrs. Higgins finds that they treat the girl like a living doll. She agrees with Mrs. Pierce, who believes that they "don't think of anything".

A few months later, both experimenters take Eliza to a high-society reception, where she has a dizzying success, everyone takes her for a duchess. Higgins wins the bet.

Arriving home, he enjoys the fact that the experiment, from which he has already managed to get tired, is finally over. He behaves and talks in his usual rough manner, not paying the slightest attention to Eliza. The girl looks very tired and sad, but at the same time she is dazzlingly beautiful. It is noticeable that irritation accumulates in her.

She ends up throwing his shoes at Higgins. She wants to die. She does not know what will happen to her next, how she will live. After all, she became a completely different person. Higgins assures that everything will work out. She, however, manages to hurt him, unbalance him and thereby at least a little revenge for herself.

Eliza runs away from home at night. The next morning, Higgins and Pickering lose their heads when they see that Eliza is gone. They even try to track her down with the help of the police. Higgins feels without Eliza as without arms. He does not know where his things are, nor what he has scheduled for the day. Mrs. Higgins arrives. Then they report about the arrival of Eliza's father. Doolittle has changed a lot. Now he looks like a wealthy bourgeois. He lashes out indignantly at Higgins for the fact that through his fault he had to change his way of life and now become much less free than he was before. It turns out a few months ago Higgins wrote to a millionaire in America, who founded branches of the Moral Reform League all over the world, that Dolittle, a simple scavenger, is now the most original moralist in all of England. He died, and before his death, he bequeathed to Dolittle a share in his trust for three thousand annual income, on the condition that Dolittle would give up to six lectures a year in his Moral Reform League. He laments that today, for example, he even has to officially marry the one with whom he has lived for several years without registering a relationship. And all this because he is now forced to look like a respectable bourgeois. Mrs. Higgins is overjoyed that a father can finally take care of his changed daughter the way she deserves. Higgins, however, does not want to hear about "returning" Dolittle Eliza.

Mrs. Higgins says she knows where Eliza is. The girl agrees to return if Higgins asks her forgiveness. Higgins is in no way agreeing to go for it. Eliza enters. She expresses gratitude to Pickering for his treatment of her as a noble lady. It was he who helped Eliza change, despite the fact that she had to live in the house of a rude, slovenly and ill-mannered Higgins. Higgins is smitten. Eliza adds that if he continues to "push" her, she will go to Professor Nepin, a colleague of Higgins, and become his assistant and inform him of all the discoveries made by Higgins. After a burst of indignation, the professor finds that now her behavior is even better and more dignified than when she looked after his things and brought him slippers. Now, he is sure, they will be able to live together no longer just as two men and one stupid girl, but as "three friendly old bachelors."

Eliza goes to her father's wedding. Apparently, she will still live in Higgins' house, because she managed to become attached to him, as he did to her, and everything will go on as before.

retold