Section 7:
Ovid's
Metamorphoses
Books VI-XV
The following questions invite you to consider the larger issues in the Metamorphoses.
Last week you looked at specific instances of transformation in the first half of the poem. Now,
having read the entire poem, you are can begin thinking about the structure of the work and the
meaning of the poem as a whole. The size and complexity of the poem (there are over 200 stories
of varying length) make such an enterprise extremely challenging, and the following questions can
be addressed in many ways. Print this assignment and tuck it into your copy of the
Metamorphoses, so you can refer to our expertly written questions as you read Ovid on the beach
during Spring Break!
Discussion Questions:
Art—
1.
Read the story of Arachne and Minerva in Book 6 (Humphries p. 129-133). What
do Arachne and Minerva’s artistic creations say about art? What kinds of attitudes
to or opinions about art do they show? How do these relate to Ovid’s artistic
creation (the whole poem)? In answering those questions consider the following:
How does Ovid present the two main characters? What does each of them depict
in her weaving? How do the images they create relate to themes in the
Metamorphoses?
2. Read the story of Pygmalion in Book 10 (Humphries pp. 241-243).
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What kinds of comments/ideas about art does the Pygmalion story contain?
Can they be seen to be relevant to Ovid’s poem? If so, how? What kinds of
implications do the ideas about art expressed in the episode have for Ovid’s
art as a whole?
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Do you think this story suggests anything about love, and what makes for
successful love? Is the story essentially about love? If not, what do you think is
its main theme? What themes can you find that this story shares with other
episodes in the Metamorphoses? Are they presented differently here?
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Rhetoric—
In general, why do you think rhetoric or speaking ability is important in the
Metamorphoses? Do good speakers always win? How do you think rhetoric relates to
ideas of art in Ovid?
3. Read the Cyclops’ wooing of the sea-nymph Galatea in Book 13 (Humphries pp.
330-4).
” Compare this episode to Polyphemus’ appearance in Book 14 (Humphries
pp. 343-5). How do the descriptions of Polyphemus differ?
” How is Polyphemus presented in Book 13’s story? How does he present
himself in his speech? Is Polyphemus an effective speaker?
4.
Read the debate between Ajax and Ulysses in Book 13 (Humphries pp. 305-318).
How are the two characters depicted? How does each speaker present his case?
Why do you think Ulysses wins?
Rome—
5. Read Ovid’s “Aeneid” (pp. 326-357); note as well the reference to Aeneas in the
speech of Pythagoras (p. 378). In comparison with Virgil’s Aeneid, what aspects of
the story does Ovid tell/focus on/elaborate/mention in passing/omit/include that
Virgil does not? Why do you think that Ovid presents this particular version of the
story? Why this focus? What is his tone in the aspects of the story he does tell?
6. Read Ovid¹s treatment of the death of Julius Caesar and the rise of Augustus in
Book 15 of the Metamorphoses (Humphries pp. 388-392). How would you
describe his treatment of this theme? How does it compare to images or texts you
have seen previously presenting Augustus’ rise to power? Can you see anything in
this episode that reminds you of how Virgil presents the destiny of Rome?
Written assignment:
My intention is to tell of bodies changed to different forms…
Write your own Metamorphosis!!
Assignment in 2 parts.
1. You are Ovid reborn – and something has survived the transition: your desire to tell
stories! For this week’s response paper you will be writing your own metamorphosis story
in the Ovidian style.
As a preliminary to writing your own Metamorphosis, begin by choosing a figure
(modern, mythological, or historical) and how and why it would be transformed. Following
Ovid’s style seen in the story patterns and techniques in the Metamorphoses, write a
unique 300-400 word Metamorphosis story. Feel free to stretch your creative muscle and
select a literary or historical figure – or even your TF – and have fun concocting a tale of
transformation. (You could metamorphose Ben Franklin into an owl, an owl into a TF, or
your TF into Ben Franklin.) But be sure to stay as close as possible to Ovid’s model.
2. Discuss your story. Include a 50-100 word commentary examining your newly written
Metamorphosis. In your discussion focus on the questions below and identify which stories
of the original Metamorphoses inspired you.
When writing your own Metamorphoses consider the following:
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Where does the metamorphosis occur within the story? Does it begin
the story or serve as its climax? What effects does this metamorphosis
have on the story and the character?
What form does the metamorphosis take? How does it reflect on the
character transformed?
Why does this metamorphosis occur?
How would you describe the tone of the metamorphosis (tragic,
grotesque, comic, etc.)?
How extensive or detailed is the description of the metamorphosis?
Post-metamorphosis, is any part of the character left unchanged? Does
the unchanged portion serve as a comfort or torment for the character
changed, or other characters in the story?
What attitude does the narrator take towards the character and its
metamorphosis?
Note: This commentary is required in addition to the 300-400 word story.
Fine Print:
Students who dare to metamorphose their TF risk exile to the most remote and uncultured corner of
the globe (a.k.a. Yale)