Shaw uses
several devices to communicate Eliza's frustration with her situation. Shaw primarily wants to
reveal her annoyance at the insensitive Mr. Higgins, who treats her as less than
human.
Shaw causes Eliza to expostulate or make noises of disagreement that
express her frustration. Shaw's script repeatedly has Eliza saying,
"Ahahahahowowoooo!!!" Those sounds have no meaning except to convey frustration in
her situation.
Shaw underscores Eliza's Cockney background by having her
respond physically to Higgins's rudeness. Shaw uses stage directions to indicate Eliza's
frustration. For example, towards the end of the play, he directs that she start
snatching up the slippers, and hurling them at him one after the
other with all her force.
The slipper throwing uses the
image of flying slippers striking Higgins to communicate, without words, Eliza's welling
frustration and anger.
Shaw also uses dialogue. Eliza, when she can find the
right words, is forceful in expressing her frustration. For example, after throwing the slippers
at Higgins, she cries out:
There are your slippers. And
there. Take your slippers; and may you never have a day's luck with them!
Shaw uses the exclamatory stage direction shown below to indicate
Eliza's frustrated mood. The direction is exclamatory because it ends with two exclamation
points, communicating Eliza's strong feelings. We read that she
gives a suffocated scream of fury, and instinctively darts her nails at his
face!!
Shaw doesn't leave the audience or reader in the
dark as to Eliza's emotions.
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