I really enjoyed the first half of this play, but the second half just didn't "flow" as well, to me. It seemed like there were times where the plot was moving so fast and then others where it dragged on and on. For instance, the plot moved incredibly fast after Eliza and Higgins had the slippers fight. She left, and suddenly she and Freddy were madly in love. She then, somehow, got settled into Mrs. Higgins house. When I read it, I had to go back to make sure I didn't miss anything because it just came out of nowhere. It just seemed a little too fast paced. And then other times in the play, there were arguments and discussions that went on for nearly entire acts. Now, I know that this could have been due to the inability to have fluid set changes (as we discussed in class last time), but it was so easy to get lost in a mess of words.
Even through all of these issues, I did quite enjoy the play overall. Especially the end. I liked seeing the dynamics of Higgins' character in the last fight between him and Eliza. She finally got to speak up to him, and I think it shocked him; this showed us, if only briefly, a side of him that we had never seen previously. And even though he seems to show this different side, he still speaks in that way that we love so much. "I shall miss you Eliza [...] I have learnt something from your idiotic notions: I confess that humbly and gratefully. And I have grown accustomed to your voice and appearance. I like them, rather" (Shaw 100).
I have theatre experience in my past. So, whenever I read plays, I find myself thinking of the technical aspect of putting the show on stage. Part of the reason for the long, wordy sections could partly be for the actual changing of the set but, generally speaking, sets don't change while actors are talking (because of all the noise it would cause). However, I think that a lot of it has to do with the fact that this is a play about words and speaking, therefore, it must have plenty of that.
ReplyDeleteI also found myself laughing at the end of the show, when Higgins made his same, smart comments to Eliza, just as we've grown accustom to in the play.
I agree with you about the play not being as fluid in the later acts. I was confused and jumbled about as I read, and as you did, I had to go back as well. The parts that dragged on made me feel as if I had already figured out what was happening with the scene before it was even finished. Other parts I was unsure about how things processed and turned out the way they did. Like when Liza is with Freddy and then appears at Mrs. Higgins house. That all just seemed to be missing something. I would have liked to see the conversation between Liza and Mrs. Higgins when she showed up.
ReplyDeleteI also liked the end of the play when Higgins finally tells Eliza that he will miss her. I thought it was interesting when Eliza points out that she could teach better than Higgins, simply because she can have a different type of compassion. I saw it as her saying that she can transform people and their speech without making them into an experiment. I never thought Higgins would tell Eliza that he appreciated her, but I was happy to see that he did.
ReplyDeleteWhen Eliza said she could teach better than Higgins I actually laughed. Not so much as it was Eliza that said it, but that we already know that Higgins past pupil is a fool. Or at least that is what we were shown him to be. It would be possible for her to teach better. Especially since she has better people skills and doesn't try to insult those around her, as Higgins does.
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