Pygmalion hated women and blamed the for all his problems. Instead of looking for a wife, Pygmalion decided to create one himself. Pygmalion carves out an ivory woman that he thinks is more beautiful than anyone alive. He dressed the ivory statue up, bought her gifts, and made her his wife. Pygmalion asked the goddess for a wife who looked like his ivory sculpture, but she knew that he really wanted to marry his ivory figurine. Venus heard Pygmalion’s plea and brought life to his ivory sculpture.
Pygmalion is obsessed with denial in Pygmalion. Pygmalion has enough of women. But he wants to be loved so much that he creates a fake woman instead of searching for one. Pygmalion is obsessed with his ivory statue of a ‘perfect woman’ after he has denied all women. Pygmalion does not say what has upset him so much that all women are thrown out, but he reveals his approach to conflict.
Narcissus comes to mind when I read this story. Pygmalion was also obsessed with an object or person, but he fell in love with himself instead. Narcissus rejects every suitor he meets, believing they are not good enough. Pygmalion is completely turned off by all women. He believes the only woman who can be his wife will come from a goddess. These stories have parallels in several ways.
