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Which part of the analogy of Pygmalion does not come true?

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Final answer:

The part of the Pygmalion analogy that does not come true is the expectation that one can achieve perfect reciprocation of love or true perfection in art or science—represented by Aylmer's tragic failure to perfect his wife's appearance, the student's failed romantic gesture, and Aristotle's perspective on poetic representation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The analogies drawn in the excerpts point to expectations and realities of transformation or creation, whether in relationships, art, or nature. In the context of Pygmalion, an artist who falls in love with his creation which then comes to life, the unfulfilled part of the analogy is the true reciprocation of love or perfection in reality. The first excerpt from Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story 'The Birth-Mark' shows Aylmer's belief in his ability to perfect his wife's appearance, reflecting Pygmalion's act of creation. However, unlike Pygmalion's statue, Aylmer's obsession with perfection leads to tragic consequences, undermining the analogy's fulfillment.

The second excerpt from Oscar Wilde's 'The Nightingale and the Rose' illustrates another failed analogy, where the student's gesture of bringing a red rose to his beloved does not result in the love he anticipated, unlike the love brought to life in Pygmalion's narrative. Lastly, Aristotle's discussion in the third excerpt suggests that while the poet may endeavor to portray people or gods as they 'ought to be', not all representations will be congruent with fact, as with Pygmalion's unrealistic transformation of ivory into flesh. Thus, these examples show how the deliverance of true love's reciprocation, perfect beauty, or idealized representation seldom materializes as it does in the Pygmalion myth.

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