When I first heard the myth of Pygmalion, I took it literally. I thought it was about a sculptor who made a statue of a beautiful woman. She was so beautiful that he fell in love with her. Pygmalion (the sculptor) implored the gods to bring his statue to life, so that he could have a life with his creation. I first thought that the sculpture being a beautiful woman was what caused Pygmalion to fall in love with her. I read the story differently now.
An artist falls in love with each creation that comes out well. Deeply in love. I have some songs of my own which I love deeply. I listen to them with enraptured delight. I have certain poems that I feel the same about. Now a poem or a song can’t come to life. But that doesn’t change the love affair that the musician or poet enters into with these creations.
There is, of course the matter of public’s reaction to an artist’s creations. That would be more like a parent’s feelings about her or his children. And that would be a different myth.
David Fekete 