Post 6 / Hannah Pulley

Pygmalion was a well-known sculptor from Cyprus, and though he was loved by all, he saw women as flawed, fickle creatures. Finally fed up with them, and society as a whole, he set out to sculpt the most beautiful woman ever seen out of marble. As he worked long, tireless hours to perfect the sculpture, he began to feel drawn to the statue—even more than he had to any woman. One day, after making an offering to Athena and seeing some odd signs, Pygmalion returned to his studio, and began to notice small changes in the now-complete statue. Athena had brought her to life, and so, the woman was named Galatea. Later, Pygmalion and Galatea were married and lived a happy life together, never forgetting to show their appreciation to Athena.

(While it’s not usually this literal, it could be said that the love between Pygmalion and Galatea mirrors the connection that every artist feels with their work. After all, what good is art if nobody cares about it, if nobody is passionate about it?)

If I could have any character brought to life, I would love a chance to meet Valentine Wiggin from Ender’s Game. While incredibly smart and not at all weak, she was passed over for admission to Battle School because of her unusual compassion. Instead, she was able to stay on earth and wrote as Demosthenes, stirring up controversy and sparking discussion across the world about the impending Formic War—which is pretty cool.

"The Myth of Pygmalion and Galatea." Greek Myths Greek Mythology. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.