In Eliza
Doolittle's conquest of British society, Shaw skewers the idea that class and privilege are
based on genetic superiority. Henry Higgins teaches Eliza, a lower-class flower seller from
London's East End, to have an upperclass accent and manners. He also has her bathed and dressed
as a lady. In no time, Eliza has established herself in English society. Shaw thus shows that
membership in the upper class, supposedly based on "better" bloodlines, is, in fact, a
matter of completely superficial factors such as accent and clothing. With a little coaching,
anybody could become a lady.
Shaw also satirizes the uselessness of the
British lady, showing that once she becomes one, Eliza, who once worked for a living, is fit for
nothing but marriage. Shaw thus questions a society in which upperclass women are reduced to
uselessness. Eliza says
Oh! if I only COULD go back to my
flower basket! I should be independent of both you and father and all the world! Why did you
take my independence from...
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