“Women upset everything. When you let them into your life, you find that the woman is driving at one thing and you’re driving at another.”
This provocative line comes from the celebrated playwright George Bernard Shaw. It often appears as a standalone quote. However, its true meaning unfolds within its original context. The quote is not a simple declaration of Shaw’s own views. Instead, it is a key piece of dialogue from his most famous play. This dialogue reveals the complex thoughts of a very particular character. Understanding this context is crucial to grasping the quote’s intent and impact.
The Source: A Line from ‘Pygmalion’
The quote originates from George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play, Pygmalion. Source . The play tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics. He makes a bet that he can transform a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, into a lady. He plans to do this simply by teaching her to speak with an upper-class accent. The story explores themes of social class, identity, and independence.
Professor Henry Higgins actually speaks the famous line. He is a brilliant but arrogant and confirmed bachelor. Higgins sees women as a disruptive force in his orderly, academic life. Therefore, his statement reflects his personal biases and frustrations. It is not presented as a universal truth from the author. Instead, it is a window into the mind of a deeply flawed protagonist.
Deconstructing the Quote’s Meaning
When Higgins says, “Women upset everything,” he is complaining about Eliza. She has entered his structured world and introduced chaos. Her presence challenges his routines and his authority. He feels a loss of control. The second part of the quote clarifies his frustration. He says, “…you find that the woman is driving at one thing and you’re driving at another.” This highlights a fundamental clash of goals and perspectives.
For Higgins, the goal is a scientific experiment. He wants to win his bet and prove his linguistic theories. For Eliza, however, the stakes are much higher. She seeks personal transformation, economic independence, and respect. Their motivations are completely different. This misalignment is the source of the conflict that Higgins finds so upsetting. Consequently, the quote is less about women in general and more about Higgins’s inability to see beyond his own narrow worldview. He fails to recognize Eliza’s humanity and her own distinct ambitions.
The Character Behind the Words
Henry Higgins is a classic example of an intellectually brilliant but emotionally stunted character. He treats Eliza more like a subject in an experiment than a person. He is often rude, dismissive, and completely unaware of her feelings. His misogynistic comments are a core part of his characterization. They serve to show his limitations and set the stage for Eliza’s eventual triumph.
Shaw uses Higgins’s biased perspective to critique the patriarchal attitudes of the Edwardian era. The play ultimately champions Eliza’s journey to independence. She learns to speak like a lady, but more importantly, she finds her own voice. She refuses to be a mere creation of Higgins and asserts her own identity. Thus, the quote is a perfect expression of the conflict that drives the entire narrative forward.
The Quote’s Enduring Legacy
Outside of the play, the quote is often misinterpreted. Some use it to support sexist ideas about men and women being fundamentally incompatible. However, this reading ignores the irony Shaw intended. The play itself proves Higgins wrong. Eliza does not just “upset” his life; she enriches and changes it, forcing him to confront his own prejudices. Her strength and resilience challenge his simplistic and cynical view.
Ultimately, the quote endures because it touches on a timeless theme: the friction that arises when different worlds and desires collide. While framed in the language of a battle between sexes, its core message is about the struggle for understanding and empathy. It serves as a powerful reminder from George Bernard Shaw. We must look beyond the surface of words to understand the characters who speak them and the worlds they inhabit.