description Pygmalion and Galatea Overview
Pygmalion and Galatea is a narrative from Greek mythology, most famously recounted by the Roman poet Ovid in his epic poem "Metamorphoses." In the story, Pygmalion is a Cypriot sculptor who carves a woman out of ivory and falls in love with his creation. He prays to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who brings the statue to life. Although Ovid does not name the statue, later traditions identify her as Galatea.
help Pygmalion and Galatea FAQ
Does Ovid actually call Pygmalion's statue Galatea?
No, the woman created from the statue is unnamed in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The name Galatea became attached to her in later retellings and is now commonly used for the character.
Why does Aphrodite bring Pygmalion's statue to life?
Pygmalion falls in love with the ivory figure he has sculpted and prays for a wife like it during a festival of Venus. The goddess understands his wish and transforms the statue into a living woman.
What happens after Pygmalion's statue becomes human?
In Ovid's account, Pygmalion marries the transformed woman and they have a daughter named Paphos. The child's name connects the story with the Cypriot city sacred to Aphrodite.
How is the myth connected to George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion?
Shaw recast the transformation as a social and linguistic experiment in which Professor Henry Higgins teaches Eliza Doolittle to speak like an upper-class woman. That 1913 play later inspired the musical My Fair Lady.
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