What is pygmalion?

Pygmalion

In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a Cypriot sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved.

  • The Sculptor: Pygmalion was a talented sculptor who, disillusioned with the women he saw around him, decided to create his ideal woman in ivory.

  • The Statue: He sculpted a statue of unparalleled beauty and realism. He named her Galatea.

  • Falling in Love: Pygmalion became deeply enamored with his creation. He treated her as if she were a real person, bringing her gifts and talking to her. He fell deeply into <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/erotic%20fixation">erotic fixation</a>.

  • Aphrodite's Intervention: During a festival of <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/aphrodite">Aphrodite</a>, Pygmalion prayed to the goddess for a wife like his statue. Aphrodite, witnessing his genuine love and devotion, took pity on him.

  • The Statue Comes to Life: When Pygmalion returned home, he kissed the statue, and it came to life.

  • Marriage: Pygmalion and Galatea married, and they had a daughter named Paphos, who gave her name to the city of Paphos in Cyprus, a city devoted to Aphrodite.

  • Themes and Interpretations: The story of Pygmalion explores themes of artistic creation, the power of love and desire, the blurring of the lines between art and reality, and the creation of an <a href="https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/ideal%20woman">ideal woman</a>. It also touches upon the idea of self-fulfilling prophecy, as Pygmalion's belief in his statue's potential ultimately brought her to life.