The Metamorphoses of Ovid

The Metamorphoses of Ovid Group

Question:

lichaa1
lichaa1
Student

What are some examples of Ovid adapting Greek myths in The Metamorphoses?

Is it relevant to highlight his elimination of 'the age of heroes' (in comparison to Hesiod) as a way in which the heroic ideal is predominately a Greek ideal?

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Posted by lichaa1 on Friday November 9, 2007 at 4:17 PM and tagged with greek myths, metamorphoses, ovid.

Answers:


  1. gbeatty Teacher
    College - Freshman

    A great set of questions. Yes, it is very relevant to highlight this choice, because it is a major part of his adaptation. The other two quite related elements are the ironic tone and the shift from a more organic focus to a more literary style. By "organic" I mean Ovid calls attention to himself as a poet, and to the ways he structures his works; he links the myths, rather than compiling them. This creates both a distance from the original myths and a kind of abstracted unity which really isn't there in some of the earlier myths.

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    Posted by gbeatty on Thursday January 3, 2008 at 12:18 PM

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