He’s brilliant. He’s a bully. He’s a genius who can determine a person's exact birthplace by the way they pronounce a vowel, yet he can't seem to figure out where his own slippers are without help. Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady is arguably the most polarizing "romantic" lead in musical theater history.
Honestly, calling Henry Higgins a "romantic lead" feels like a stretch to some. If you’ve seen the 1964 film starring Rex Harrison or the original Broadway production, you know the vibe. He’s abrasive. He’s misogynistic. He treats Eliza Doolittle like a pebble in his shoe before treating her like a laboratory specimen. Yet, for decades, audiences have flocked to see this man. Why?
Maybe it’s because he represents a specific brand of unapologetic intellectualism that we find fascinating, even when it's wrapped in a package of terrible manners. Or maybe it’s because the character, originally penned by George Bernard Shaw in the 1913 play Pygmalion, was never actually meant to be liked.
The Origin Story: From Pygmalion to My Fair Lady
To understand the man, you have to look at where he came from. George Bernard Shaw didn't write a love story. He wrote a social satire. The original Henry Higgins was modeled loosely after several real-life phoneticians of the era, most notably Henry Sweet, a man known for being brilliant but having a "short fuse."
Shaw’s Higgins was a cold, clinical creature. When Pygmalion was adapted into the musical My Fair Lady by Lerner and Loewe in 1956, the edges were softened, but only slightly. The music makes him more palatable. It's much easier to forgive a man for being a jerk when he’s talk-singing "Why Can't the English?" with impeccable comedic timing.
But here’s the thing: Higgins doesn't change.
In most stories, the protagonist goes through a massive character arc. They learn a lesson. They become a "better person." Higgins doesn't do that. He remains a self-absorbed bachelor who values phonetics over feelings. Even his final realization—that he’s grown "accustomed to her face"—is deeply centered on his comfort and his routine, not necessarily a selfless love for Eliza.
The Rex Harrison Effect
It is impossible to talk about the Professor Higgins of My Fair Lady without talking about Rex Harrison. He is the character for most people. Harrison won a Tony for the stage version and an Oscar for the film.
Funny enough, Harrison couldn't really sing.
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Because he wasn't a singer, he developed a unique "sprichgesang" or "speak-singing" style. This ended up being a stroke of genius for the character. It emphasized Higgins’s arrogance. He doesn't have time for melodies; he’s too busy lecturing. He talks over the music because he believes what he has to say is more important than the orchestra.
If you watch the 1964 film today, Harrison’s performance is a masterclass in "likable unlikability." He’s charismatic. You want to hear what he says next, even if you want to slap him for saying it. This creates a weird tension for the audience. We want Eliza to succeed, but we also kind of want her to win his approval, which is a testament to how well the character is written (and played).
The "Ordinary Man" Fallacy
One of the most revealing moments for Professor Higgins is the song "A Hymn to Him." He spends several minutes lamenting why women can't be more like men. He claims men are "so honest, so thoroughly square."
It’s hilarious because it’s so blatantly false.
Higgins is the least "square" person in the show. He’s temperamental, he’s dramatic, and he’s incredibly sensitive to his own needs while ignoring everyone else's. He views himself as a pillar of logic, but he’s actually a slave to his own whims. This irony is what keeps the character from being a one-dimensional villain. He’s a hypocrite, but he’s a human one.
The Phonics and the Class Divide
At its core, Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady is a gatekeeper. He holds the keys to the upper class. In Edwardian England, your accent was your destiny. If you talked like Eliza Doolittle, you were relegated to selling flowers in the gutter. If you talked like a Duchess, you were treated like one.
Higgins proves that class is a performance.
By teaching Eliza how to speak "properly," he exposes the absurdity of the entire social hierarchy. If a "flower girl" can pass for a Queen just by changing her vowels, then the "superiority" of the upper class is a total sham. Higgins knows this. He delights in it. He calls his experiment a "smashing defeat" for the aristocracy.
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However, this is also where he fails Eliza. He gives her the tools to leave her world but no place to go in his. He changes her voice but forgets that she has a soul. This is the "Pygmalion" myth in action—the creator falling in love with (or at least becoming obsessed with) his own creation, while forgetting that the creation is a living, breathing human being.
Is Higgins Actually a Misogynist?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: It’s complicated by the time period and his own weird brand of equality.
Higgins treats everyone like dirt. He’s just as rude to Colonel Pickering and his own mother as he is to Eliza. He calls himself a "confirmed old bachelor" and views women as "upsetting" to the "well-ordered" life of a scientist.
There’s a specific line in the play that often gets overlooked in the musical. Higgins tells Eliza that he treats everyone the same—"I treat a Duchess as if she were a flower girl."
Eliza’s response is the real kicker. She points out that the difference isn't how she behaves, but how she is treated. Higgins thinks that by being equally rude to everyone, he’s being fair. In reality, he’s just being a bully.
The Ending Controversy: Slippers or Independence?
We have to talk about the slippers.
In Shaw's original Pygmalion, Eliza leaves. She marries Freddy Eynsford-Hill. She starts her own life. Shaw was adamant that she should never end up with Higgins. He hated the idea of a romanticized ending. He thought it ruined the point of the play.
But Hollywood and Broadway had other ideas.
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In My Fair Lady, the ending is ambiguous but leans toward a "reconciliation." Eliza returns to the house. Higgins sits back in his chair, tips his hat over his eyes, and asks, "Eliza, where the devil are my slippers?"
Some see this as a romantic "happily ever after" (in a weird, twisted way). Others see it as a tragedy. Eliza has returned to a man who will never truly respect her. She’s traded the freedom of the streets for the comfort of a gilded cage.
Why the Character Persists in 2026
You’d think a character like Henry Higgins would have been "canceled" by now. He’s the epitome of toxic masculinity in many ways. Yet, the show remains a staple of high schools, community theaters, and professional revivals.
I think we keep coming back to him because the questions he raises haven't gone away. We still judge people by how they talk. We still struggle with the balance between professional ambition and human empathy. And we still love a "transformation" story, even if the person doing the transforming is a total jerk.
Higgins is a mirror. He shows us the elitism we often try to hide. He’s the part of us that wants to be right more than we want to be kind.
Key Takeaways for Understanding Professor Higgins
If you’re studying the character for a production or just trying to win a trivia night, keep these specific points in mind:
- The Model: He isn't just a generic professor. He is a phonetician. This is a very specific, technical field involving the study of human speech sounds. His obsession with detail is what drives his lack of social awareness.
- The Relationship with his Mother: Mrs. Higgins is the only person Henry actually fears and respects. She sees right through his "brilliance" and calls him out on his behavior. If you want to see the real Higgins, watch him interact with his mom.
- The Lack of Growth: Unlike Eliza, who undergoes a total internal and external metamorphosis, Higgins ends the play almost exactly where he started. His "growth" is just acknowledging that he misses a person he previously viewed as an object.
- The Musical Style: His songs aren't traditional ballads. They are fast-paced, wordy, and rhythmic. This reflects his brain—always moving, always analyzing, rarely feeling.
How to Approach the Story Today
If you're watching My Fair Lady for the first time, or the fiftieth, try looking at it through Eliza’s eyes rather than Higgins’s.
- Observe the Power Dynamics: Notice how often Higgins stands while Eliza sits, or how he uses physical space to dominate her.
- Listen to the Lyrics: Songs like "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" are often framed as love songs, but look closely at the words. He talks about her being "a second nature to me now / Like breathing out and breathing in." It's about his own biology, not her personality.
- Research the "Pygmalion Effect": This is a real psychological phenomenon where higher expectations lead to an increase in performance. Higgins is the ultimate (and most extreme) example of this.
Ultimately, Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady remains one of the most complex figures in the American canon. He’s a reminder that talent and genius don't excuse a lack of humanity, but they certainly make for a compelling show. Whether you root for him or root for Eliza to leave him in the dust, you can't deny that he’s a character who demands your attention.
Next time you hear someone "murdering" the English language, you might just find yourself thinking of the Professor. Just don't forget to check where you put your slippers.