Dr.

Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow

2011-2012

Final Draft of English

Topic: Transformation via Phonetics: From a flower girl to a Duchess:

A Play

Submitted To: Mrs. Alka Singh Asst.Professor(English)

Submitted By: Anusha Ramathan, Roll no 23 Mayank Punia, Roll no 64 Saurabh Sharma, Roll no 114 Sonal Singh, Roll no 130

CAST

ANUSHA RAMANATHAN- ELIZA DOLITTLE MAYANK PUNIA- COLONEL PICKERING SAURABH SHARMA- PROFESSOR HENRY HIGGINS SONAL SINGH- THE NARRATOR.

The play opens at the portico of St. Pauls Church, in London at 11: 15 p.m. It was raining torrentially with people running for cover. A man is sitting on the portico, judiciously taking down something. A flower girl enters the scene. She is not at all a romantic figure. She is perhaps 18, perhaps 20, hardly older. Her hair needs washing, rather badly. She is no doubt as clean as she can afford to be, but compared to the ladies of the upper class, she is very dirty. She has a cockney pronunciation i.e., the pronunciation of the typical uneducated Londoner. An elderly gentleman of amiable military type rushes into the shelter, and closes the dripping umbrella. The flower girl taking advantage of military gentlemans proximity to establish friendly relations with him tries to sell flowers. Flower girl: If its worse, its a sign its nearly over. So cheer up Captain and buy a flower off a poor girl. Pickering: Im sorry. I havent any change. Flower girl: I can give you change, Captain. Pickering: For a sovereign? Ive nothing less. Flower girl: garn ---Oh do buy a flower off me Captain .I can change half-a crown. Take this for ---tuppence. Pickering: Now dont be troublesome, there a good girl. (Trying his pockets) I really havent a change. Stop. there a pence if dats of any use to you Flower girl: Thank you Sir. Then all of a sudden, a bystander informs her that a person sitting behind is taking down every blessed word what she was saying. She gets terrified and springs up jerkily. Flower girl: I aint done anything wrong by speaking to the gentleman. Ive a right to sell flowers if I keep off the kerb. Im a respectable girl; so help me. Higgins: Dont start shouting. Whos hurting you? Nobody is going to touch you. Flower girl: Oh Sir! Dont let him charge me. Hes a coppers nark. Theyll take away my character and drive me on the streets for speaking to gentleman.

Higgins: Whats a coppers nark? Flower girl: I take Bible oath. I never said anything. Pickering: She thought you to be a policeman. Higgins: Oh shut up! Shut up! Do I look like a policeman? Flower girl: Then what did you take down my words for? You just shew me what youve written wrote about me(looks at what Higgins had written) Whats that? that aint proper writing. I cant read that. Higgins: I can. Cheer up Keptains n Baw ya flawr orf a poor gel. You were born in Lisson Grove. Flower Girl: Oh! What harm is there in my living Lisson Grove? It wasnt fit for a pig to live in . Oh! Boo-hooo ooo.. Pickering: Come, come calm yourself. You have right to live where you-------------. (Sarcastically) Sir, do you know where I came from? Higgins: Cheltenham, Harrow, Cambridge and India. Pickering: Quite right . You know all about it. May I ask Sir, do you do this for your living at a music hall? Higgins: Someday Perhaps. Pickering: How do you do it , if I may ask ? Higgins: Simply phonetics. The science of speech. That my profession; also my hobby. Happy is a man who can make his living by his hobby. You can--------an Irishman or a Yorkshireman by his brogue. I can place any man within six miles. I can place him within two miles in London. Sometimes within two streets. Flower girl: Right to be ashamed of himself, unmanly coward. Pickering: Is there a living in that?

Higgins: Oh yes, a fat one.

Flower girl: Let him mind his own business and leave a poor girl. Higgins: A woman who utters such a depressing and disgusting sounds have no right to be anywhere- no right to live. Flower girl: Ah- ah- ow- ow-ow. Higgins: Heavens! (to Pickering) Well Sir, in three months I could pass that girl as a dutchess at an ambassadors garden party. Flower girl: Whats that you say? Higgins: I would even get her a place as ladys maid or shop assistant which requires better English. Can you believe that? Pickering: Of course I can. I am myself a student of Indian dialects. Higgins: Are You? Do you know Col. Pickering, The author of Spoken Sanskrit? Pickering: Im Col. Pickering. Who are you? Higgins: Henry Higgins, The author of Higgins Universal Alphabet.

Both the gentlemen recognised each other and renewed their acquaintance. Next day, Eliza comes to Prof. Higginss house to ask him to change her into a lady at a flower shop. Higgins is energetic, scientific type, heartily, even violently interested in everything that can be studied as a scientific subject. Higgins refused Elizas proposal but then Pickering reminds Higgins of his claim and issues a challenge. Accepting the challenge, Higgins decides to tutor Eliza. First day of the training. Higgins: Remember that youre a human being with a soul and divine gift of articulate speech: that your native language is the language of Shakespeare, Milton and Bible; now lets start. Say your alphabet. Eliza: I know my alphabets. Do you think I know nothing? I dont need to be taught like a child.

Higgins: Say your alphabet. Pickering: Say it Miss Doolittle. You will understand presently. Do what he tells you, and let him teach you in his own way. Eliza: Ahyee, bayee, cayee, dayee. Higgins: Stop. Listen to this. Say A, B, C, D. Eliza: But Im saying it. Ahyee, bayee, cayee. Higgins: Stop. Say ABCD. Eliza: ahyee, bayee, cayee, dayee. I can hear no difference but that it sounds more genteellike when you say it. Higgins: You squashed Cabbage Leaf. Repeat after me, A Eliza: A Higgins: B Eliza: B Higgins: C Eliza: C Higgins: D Eliza: D Pickering: Splendid, Miss Doolittle.

On day 15th there is a slight progress. Higgins and Eliza move on to vowels. Higgins: Say your Vowels. Eliza: I know my vowels. I do before I come. Higgins: Then say it if you know it. Eliza: Ahee, Ayee, Iee, Aowoo, Vooo Higgins: A E I O U Eliza: Thats what I said. Ahee, Ayee, Iee, Aowoo, Vooo. Thats what Ive been saying for the three days now I wont say it. Pickering: I know its Difficult for you Miss Doolittle but try to understand.

Higgins: You been a military man shouldnt say that. All she needs is grilling. Do leave her alone or shell be turning to you for sympathy. Pickering: Very well. If you insist, have a little patience with her Higgins. Higgins: Very well. Say A E I O U. Eliza: Thats I am been saying. Higgins: A Eliza: Ahee Higgins: A Eliza: Ahee Higgins: I promise youll say your vowels by tonight or you shall have No Lunch, No Dinner and definitely No Choclate. Eliza: Ahee, Ayee, Iee, Aowoo, Vooo

On day 25th Eliza attempts to speak sentences which involve pronunciation with a puff of breath. Higgins: In Heartfort, Hedward, Hampshire, Hurricanes Hardly ever happens. Eliza: In Artford, Edward, ampshire, arricane, ardly, hever appen. Higgins: Oh! No no no! Say with a puff of breath. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Eliza: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Higgins: Go on.

Day 40. Higgins: How kind of you to let me come. Eliza: How kind of you to let me come. Higgins: Oh no no!!! Kind of you......

Kind of you...... Kind of you..... Like...... cup of tea...kind of you............. Say, say cup of tea.......... Eliza: cuppa-a-tea Higgins: No. Like cup of tea. What a good cake! Pickering: Thats right . you have a strawberry tart in the middle. Higgins: Now try again. Pickering: Did you try....... Higgins: PICKERING!!!!!!!!!!!! Eliza: cuppa-a-tea Higgins: NO... cant you hear the difference? Put your tongue forward until it squeezes against the top of your lower teeth. And say ---Cup Eliza: cup Higgins: Then say of Eliza: of Higgins: say cup cup cup cup Eliza: cup cup cup cup Higgins: of of of of Eliza: of of of of Eliza: Aaaa.....ooo...wwwww

On the 60th day, Eliza starts with a complex exercise to modify her pronunciation. Higgins (putting marbles in Elizas mouth): 1,2,3,4,5,6. Now, I want you to this. I want you to enunciate every word. Just with the marbles and not in your mouth. with Blackest moss the flower pot were thickly crusted one and all. Eliza: with blackest moss the flower pots were thickly crusted one and all..... I cant.... I cant....... Pickering: I say Higgins are those pebbles nearly necessary? Higgins: If they are necessary for demoscles then they are necessary for Eliza Dolittle. Come on Eliza. Eliza: With blackest moss............... Higgins: I cant understand a word. Not a word. Eliza: thickly crusted one and all.... Pickering: Higgins, why do you have to make it difficult for the girl, why cant you do something simpler like the owl and the pussy cat? Honestly thats a charming line. Higgins: Oh Oh Pickering! I cant hear her. Now whats the matter? Eliza: I swallowed one. Higgins: Oh dont bother, ive more. 1,2,3,4.

On the 80th day Higgins (resting) : the rain in spain stays mainly in the plain. Eliza: I cant, I cant. Im so tired. Pickering: Please stop it Higgins. It must be 3 o clock in the morning. Do be reasonable. Higgins: Im always reasonable. Eliza, if I can go on in a blistering headache, even you can. Just think what you are dealing with. The majesty and the grandeur of the English language is the greatest possession we have. The noblest thoughts they were flowing through the hearts of men contained in its extraordinary imaginative and musical mixtures of sounds. And thats what youve set yourself out to conquer Eliza. And conquer it you will. Now try it again. Eliza: The rain in spain stays mainly in the plain. Higgins: What was that? Eliza: The rain in spain stays mainly in the plain. Higgins: again. Eliza: The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain. Pickering: I think shes got it. By Jove, shes got it. By jove, shes got it. Higgins: Now once again. Where does it rain? Eliza: on the plain........on the plain.......... Pickering: and where is that soggy plain? Eliza: in spain......... in spain.......

Higgins, Pickering and Eliza together: the rain in spain stays mainly in the plain. Higgins: In Heartford, Heredford and Hampshire...................................... Eliza: hurricanes hardly ever happen..... (Higgins produces a tune from the board) How kind of you to let me come!!!!!! Pickering: Now where is the rain? Eliza: on the plain......... On the plain ............. Higgins: and where is that blasted plain? Eliza: in Spain.......................in Spain ................................ Higgins, Pickering and Eliza together: the rain in spain stays mainly in the plain........ The rain in spain stays mainly in the plain....... Prof. Higgins wins the challenge issued by Colonel Pickering as he was successfully able to transform and present Ms. Eliza Dolittle in the English society as a lady of upper class.