Reading Notes : Ovid's Metamorphoses, Part A

Ovid's Metamorphoses recounts a number of human transformations, the majority of which resulted because of Jupiter's infidelity. But the one that left the greatest impression on me was Phaethon and the Sun. I liked the length of it; it was longer and allowed deeper plot and character development. The imagery and dual descriptions also left an impression. The writer discussed both extremes that would happen if the son tried to drive the chariot. This made the reader imagine the desctruction even before it played out. I also like how every force of nature was represented by a godly character or beast, like Aurora, the stars, the dragons at the poles. By personifying these forces of nature, they were able to act on a deadly scale when the sun horses ran amuck. The fierce setting was perfect for amazing descriptive imagery; where there was fire in one place, there was ice in another. I enjoyed this story more than others mainly because it did not involve Jupiter raping a woman and it clearly laid out prideful actions followed by devastating consequences. The stubborness of one half-human half-god child affected everyone on the earth and heavens. It made me think that, even though the gods are immortal and almighty, they can do little to stop the actions of foolish humans. As with many Greek myths, I was underwhelmed by the roles of the parents. Parents are often single-minded, while the children are erratic and much more driven by strong emotions as consequence. Another trait I would like to add to my own storybook is making each living thing an actual character that can contribute to the plot. This would include letting trees and rivers have thoughts and being able to communicate with the main protagonist, even as far as the moon, earth, and sun. I have already decided that I want my storybook to have lessons within it, although not as black-and-white as this story. But the imagery and personification is something I will work on incorporating.

Painting: Apollo and Phaethon by Tiepolo. Source: Wiki

The Metamorphoses, Ovid. Translated by Tony Kline. Web source.

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Mythology and Folklore

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