The Pygmalion myth--Hermione as the ideal woman

Possibly my favorite Greek myth was that of Pygmalion, the sculptor. Due to a previous mythological adventure, all the women in Pygmalion's hometown were turned into promiscuous sex fiends. Yet, seemingly against all male instinct, Pygmalion felt only contempt for the sluts by which he found himself surrounded. So in order to live out his (ironically) virtuous fantasies, he sculpted a statue of the most beautiful woman he could devise. He made her perfect in every way and soon found himself falling into a strange obsession with his creation. He would dress her every morning, speak to her as if she could hear, sleep with her in his bed, even go so far as to make out with his statue and imagined that she would kiss him back. Well, one day he prayed to Aphrodite to give his statue life, and, as he laid her into bed, the cold, dead ivory of her flesh began to turn warm and soft. She began to breathe and live. So Pygmalion and his creation--later named Galatea--ended up getting married and having an enjoyable life together. To Pygmallion, Galatea is perfect, faithful and true to her love.

At the end of The Winter's Tale, when the Hermione "statue" returns to life, Shakespeare is characterizing his heroine through the use of classical mythology. The statue of her is so life-like, that Leontes wants to kiss it, but it isn't until magic is pronounced over it that Hermione begins to move and speak. 

Through his use of mythology, Shakespeare further characterizes Hermione as the ideal woman that we hear of so often. She is not only pure and faithful to Leontes, but is also exactly what Leontes has desired for so many years, surrounded by so many women that fall short of his desires and expectations. Despite her perceived passing, he can think only of her until Paulina animates her statue.