2.1 Characterization
Mrs. Pearce is Professor Higgins' housekeeper. She seems to be an ordinary woman out of the middle-class. Her standard is not as high as Higgins' is, but even higher than the Elizas'. She is rather educated and believes in good manners; she always attaches importance to a good behavior. ("You mustn't speak to the gentleman like that"; see Pyg. P.24) The striking charactertrades of Mrs. Pearce are resoluteness, rationality, calmness and practicality, but she is respectable and sensible too. The fact of being the only woman in this "bachelor-household" can't harm her.
It is her profession is to arrange; not only the household. She has to arrange the life of employer in case of his livelihood with other people and she supports and influences his decisions with her common sense, but not succeeding all the time. "She treats her employer like a small boy who needs looking after." (Lektürehilfen; p.51)
Although she is an employee, she knows how to defend against Higgins' snide remarks: she never deigns to a discussion; she is trying to keep her head all the time. In the situation for instance, in which Higgins tells, after Mrs. Pearce has quoted, that there is no room for Eliza, that he will put Eliza into the dustbin. Even it is meant ironical and sarcastic, Mrs. Pearce answers, that Higgins must reasonable and that he can't walk over everybody. Then, as he refuses against being reproached with indiscretion and tactlessness, she and Pickering are laughing about his exaggerated reaction and are exposing his own contradictions. (comp. Pygmalion; p. 27)
A hint to her common sense is her appealing to Higgins'
objectiv view on the situation, that he can't pick Eliza up like a pebble on the beach for using her for his goals. (see Pyg.; p.27f.) Mrs. Pearce wants to make him recognize his own selfishness. She tries to prevent Higgins' idea, but it fails, because Higgins neglects her arguments.
Mrs. Pearce has also an influence on Eliza. From the beginning "she shows sympathy for Liza, although she calls her a foolish ignorant girl, a silly girl and a child" (Lektürenhilfe; p.51); she tries to spear her from what will happen. But without success: her influence has borders, because she is only an employee.
As she recognizes, that she can't prevent the following, she decides to support Eliza by keeping her down to earth. Later Higgins says: "You can adopt her, Mrs. Pearce[...]" . She doesn't refuse and begins to sorrow about Eliza's future. (see Pyg.; p.29)
And, because Eliza is not able to defend against Higgins, so Mrs. Pearce protects her. For instance on page 28: "Nonsense Sir. You mustn't talk to her like that."
2.2 Dramatic function of Mrs. Pearce
The person of Mrs. Pearce does not exist for the sake of herself. Through the character of the housekeeper Shaw invents a elemental figure, who presents a look under the surface of the other characters, specially Higgins. She points out the mistakes and the contradictions in Higgins' behavior. On page 36 for example, she asks him not to swear before the girl. He refuses against this reproach, but in the same breath he asks: "What the devil do you mean?". It is not only one of many examples according his bad manners. By recognizing this paradox and complacent reaction, the audience gets an examination of the obscuring self-confidence and arrogance of Professor Higgins, who makes himself very ridiculous.
Through Mrs. Pearce Shaw gives a voice to the audience on stage. That, what the spectators may think about Higgins is expressed by her behavior.
But her function is not only a connection between Mr. Higgins and the audience.
Mrs. Pearce mediates between Higgins and Eliza, she intervenes in the conflict and arranges the "living-together". Later in the play Eliza is able to defend herself against Higgins sarcasm. From this point there is no need for Mrs. Pearce any longer.
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