Pygmalion

Eliza is a bold, quick-witted flower seller who becomes a focused, determined learner under Higgins's tutelage. She navigates the tension between her street speech and the aristocratic veneer she’s pressured to adopt. Her drive for autonomy and belonging propels the central conflict of transformation.

Higgins is a brilliant but prideful linguist who believes language shapes social worth. He treats Eliza as a linguistic project and measures success by outward polish rather than inner change. His confidence borders on detachment, yet his expertise drives the core conflict.

Pickering acts as a humane foil to Higgins, supporting Eliza with respect and belief in her potential. He values humanity over status and helps temper Higgins's more abrasive methods. His kindness provides a counterweight to the professor's single-minded pursuit.

Mrs. Higgins serves as a perceptive observer of her son's methods and Eliza's feelings. She champions Eliza's dignity and recognizes the emotional cost of the experiment. Her presence questions whether refinement should come at the expense of humanity.

Mr. Doeluttel is Eliza's father, a roguish dustman figure whose life is upended by social shifts. He embodies the pressures and paradoxes of upward mobility in a world of appearances. His interactions highlight family dynamics and economic concerns.

A socialite whose reception becomes a test for Eliza's new persona. She represents high-society expectations and the judgment Eliza risks facing. The scene reveals how appearances influence reputation.

A guest in upper-class circles who embodies the social gaze Eliza confronts. Her reactions underscore the performance of refinement and the pressures of propriety. She helps illustrate the era's social rituals.

A young member of high society who mirrors the era's views on class and reputation. He participates in or observes social events that test Eliza's transformation. His presence anchors the male gaze of the social circle.

A household figure who helps populate Higgins's social world. Her presence adds to the sense of routine and order in domestic spaces where Eliza learns and is judged.