Pygmalion

Below is a short sample of the essay Pygmalion. If you sign up you could be reading the rest of this essay in under two minutes. Registered users should login to view the essay.

Pygmalion

I chose the archetype “The prostitute with a heart of gold”. An archetype is
defined as a universal idea that can take many forms, appearing
“spontaneously, at any time, at any place, and without any outside
influence” (Pygmalion’s Word Play, Carl Jung, p. 82). When present in the
unconscious, an archetype shapes thoughts, feelings, moods, speech, and actions.
The ‘prostitute with a heart of gold’ originated in early Greek mythology as
the story of Pygmalion. Next, a more modern version called My Fair Lady was
written and performed in the 1950’s. Then in the 1980’s the movie Pretty
Woman came out, which has the same story line as the other two, although it is a
lot more modernized and the theme of a ‘prostitute with a heart of gold’ is
much more evident than in of its predecessors. Although ‘the oldest
profession’ was just as large a factor in society in 1912 when George Bernard
Shaw’s Pygmalion play was released as it is today, it was talked about much
less freely and the idea of reforming street girl was not as feasible as it is
today. “My Fair Lady” was one of the first versions of a poor street girl
metamorphasizing into an elegant, proper lady. Pretty Woman can closely trace
its roots back to “My Fair Lady,” because both women reform to a better life
that they never dreamed was possible, the most striking difference being that
Pretty Woman is a more modernized version and the evidence of prostitution is
much more evident. In the story of Pygmalion, he wanted a wife, yet he saw too
much corruption in women and always doubted their true motives. He was a very
talented sculptor, and one day he began sculpting an ivory maiden statue. No
woman was physically comparable to this statue, not the most perfect naturally
created woman. His art was so good that it caught him in his own web of deceit.
Eventually Pygmalion fell in love with this counterfeit creation, full well
knowing that he would drive himself mad obsessing over an inanimate object while
at the same time knowing that nothing good could come from his love. He caressed
her, gave her presents and decorated her body with fine clothing and jewels. He
even laid her on his royal bed at night to sleep, calling her his wife. Finally,
the festival of Venus came and Pygmalion stood before the altar and timidly
said, “Give me, I pray to you for my wife” - he dared not say “my ivory
wife”, but said instead - “One like my ivory virgin” (“Metamorphoses by
Ovid, p.10). The golden goddess of Venus knew...

The complete article is about 1921 words and 7.68 pages long.

To continue reading the complete article, subscribe below and get free instant unlimited access.

Once you have registered for an Account, No refunds can be issued.
Please make sure you look over the site before you purchase an account!!!