brusque diffidence

Hello.

I was reading the NYT review of Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’ for my English literature class, and I came across this line: ”His latest play tells a love story with brusque diffidence and a wealth of humor.”

what does ‘brusque diffidence’ mean?

Thank you.

a sudden shyness

‘Brusque’ means ‘curt’ or ‘abrupt in manner’, and ‘diffidence’ means ‘restraint’ or ‘reserve’. So it means the story is told in a way that has both these characteristics, mainly represented in the character of Henry Higgins.

It is easy for me (and Ellieanne, it seems) to interpret the expression because I have seen the play. Even if people haven't seen the play, they have probably seen the musical My Fair Lady which is based on it. We therefore have no difficulty in associating "brusque diffidence" with the character of Henry Higgins.

However, I suspect that original readers of the review would not have been able to interpret the expression so easily. Brusque is easy enough, but "diffidence" has other meanings, and I am not sure that readers would have been able to form much of an opinion as to what the writer was trying to say, except that neither word really fits in with this being a love story.

This lack of clarity is almost certainly intentional. The reviewer liked the play, and wanted their review to sound interesting. "Brusque diffidence" will arouse the reader's interest, and might well encourage them to go and see the play. I am sure this line will have been seized upon by the theatre and the producer and used as advertising.

Thanks, Ellieanne and Jack! This was a great help!