Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
In George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion," the character who represents the pygmalion figure is Henry Higgins.
Henry Higgins is a phonetics professor who takes on the challenge of transforming a working-class flower girl named Eliza Doolittle into a refined and eloquent lady. Similar to the mythological character Pygmalion, who sculpted a statue and brought it to life, Higgins molds and shapes Eliza's speech, manners, and appearance to fit into the upper-class society.
Through rigorous training and constant guidance, Higgins attempts to change Eliza's accent, vocabulary, and overall behavior to pass her off as a duchess. He teaches her proper pronunciation, etiquette, and even transforms her physical appearance.
Higgins embodies the pygmalion figure in the play because he assumes the role of Eliza's creator and takes responsibility for her transformation. However, unlike the mythological Pygmalion, Higgins does not develop romantic feelings for Eliza but sees her as an experiment and a challenge to his skills as a linguist.
It is important to note that while Higgins plays the pygmalion figure, other characters in the play also contribute to Eliza's transformation. Colonel Pickering, a fellow linguist, provides support and guidance to Higgins in his endeavor. Eliza's father, Alfred Doolittle, undergoes his own transformation due to the consequences of Eliza's newfound social status. However, the primary pygmalion character in Shaw's play is Henry Higgins.