ENG 273: World Literature

  43 BC – 17 AD  Born in the Roman Republic  Metamorphoses is his most influential work  Also wrote love poems  Popular with contemporaries and celebrated by later writers The Poet: Ovid

  Published in 8 AD  15 Book Collection  Includes the retelling of over 250 classical myths  Focuses on stories describing physical transformations of one or more characters  Very influential in Western literature The Poem : Metamorphoses

  Key Characters  Tiresias  Jove  Juno  The Transformations  Tiresias turned from man to woman and back to man  Tiresias is blinded, but given the gift of prophesy “Tiresias”

  Key Characters  Echo  Narcissus  The Transformation  Echo becomes just a voice  Narcissus becomes a flower “ Narcissus and Echo”

  Key Characters  Arachne  Minerva (Athena)  The Transformation  Arachne becomes a spider “Arachne”

  Key Characters  The Minotaur  Daedalus  Icarus  The Transformation  Daedalus and Icarus attempt to become like birds and fly, but fail “The Minotaur: Daedalus and Icarus”

  Stories  Orpheus and Eurydice  Orpheus’s Song  The Death of Orpheus  The Transformation  Orpheus tries to rescue his bride from Hades, but fails  Transform from ghost back into human  Reunited only when Orpheus dies  Transform from human into ghost “Orpheus”

  Theme of Transformation  Nature’s Seasons  Day and night  Lifespan  Birth, Childhood, Adulthood, Old Age  Life and Death  Change is the only constant “Pythagoras”

  Transformation  Physical  Emotional  Role of gods in people’s lives  Cautionary tales  Entertainment for the gods  Tiresias  Challenge the gods  Arachne  Try to become like gods  Daedalus  Conflict among the gods  Pride Key Themes