Reading Notes: Pygmalion

I kind of knew going into this story that I was going to choose to rewrite it and change the plot. Every time I encounter the story of Pygmalion, I find myself bothered by how willing Venus is to grant Pygmalion's wish, and by how delighted Pygmalion is to find the statue alive. My first issue is answered with a little research prompted by this particular translation, which specifies the source of Pygmalion's misogyny to be the daughters of Propoetus, or the Propoetides. These women rejected Venus as a goddess, so of course Venus didn't like them and would encourage Pygmalion's distaste. Still, Pygmalion extends this dislike to all women. Rather than find a living non-Propoetide woman, he creates and falls in love with his statue, who is perfect because she is not alive. The way I see it, when Venus brings her to life, one of two things can happen to the statue. Either she becomes like a real human woman, with all the "failings that nature gave the female heart," or she's essentially a living doll, as empty inside as when she was ivory. If she is the former, then by Pygmalion's logic he should no longer love her, as she isn't perfect. If she is the latter, then his infatuation, while not necessarily hurting anyone, is concerning and has a strange moral implication that women are better without personalities. Neither seems like a great option.

Obviously, I have plans to make some changes in the story. However, what I did really like about this myth, at least this translation, was the flow and highly descriptive quality of the writing. Kline is a heavy user of commas, which I normally don't love, but in this case, I think they help add to the vibe of the story and give it an older feel. I also really like the multiple uses of repetition, and how Pygmalion's actions are mirrored, in a way, like with the start of this sentence: "He kisses it, and thinks his kisses are returned." Stylistically, I'm much more interested in emulating this story than I am in matters of plot.


Story Source: Pygmalion by Ovid, translated by Tony Kline. Source.

Image: Pygmalion and Galatea (statue). Source.