Reading Notes: Metamorphosis - Pygmalion
Pygmalion
The story begins by mentioning Pygmalion's distaste for women. It describes him as believing they were wicked, failures where the female heart was concerned because they did not have the same virtue as men.
Instead of finding an actual real-life woman to marry, Pygmalion decides that none are good enough for him. They are corrupt in his eyes. So, Pygmalion carves a woman out of ivory. He falls in love with his creation.
Pygmalion begins to treat the statue as if it is real. He brings her gifts, dressing the statue, and offering heartfelt touches.
He prays to the Gods that he may receive a woman exactly like his "ivory girl" and Venus hears his prayer. She brings the statue to life. The pair is married, and later on, the woman gives birth to Paphos, their island's namesake.
How did the statue feel? The story says she smiled when she saw her husband, but was she really happy? Since, according to Pygmalion's beliefs, women are wicked, perhaps his wife also has the failings of the female heart.
The story begins by mentioning Pygmalion's distaste for women. It describes him as believing they were wicked, failures where the female heart was concerned because they did not have the same virtue as men.
Instead of finding an actual real-life woman to marry, Pygmalion decides that none are good enough for him. They are corrupt in his eyes. So, Pygmalion carves a woman out of ivory. He falls in love with his creation.
Pygmalion begins to treat the statue as if it is real. He brings her gifts, dressing the statue, and offering heartfelt touches.
He prays to the Gods that he may receive a woman exactly like his "ivory girl" and Venus hears his prayer. She brings the statue to life. The pair is married, and later on, the woman gives birth to Paphos, their island's namesake.
How did the statue feel? The story says she smiled when she saw her husband, but was she really happy? Since, according to Pygmalion's beliefs, women are wicked, perhaps his wife also has the failings of the female heart.
Art by Elisabeth Caren
Art by Elisabeth Caren
Art by Elisabeth Caren
Hey, I also wrote about Pygmalion! I wondered about how the statue felt about all this as well. It seemed a little weird just how attached he was to her, and all the things he did were...strange to say the least. I wonder she remembers her time before she came alive. That could require some serious explanation from her new husband!
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