Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Reading Notes : Hans Christian Andersen, Part B

ANOTHER FAVORITE. The Little Mermaid is such a classic, and the original slaps. I guess I am old and beaten down now, but this version is my new favorite. The Disney version will always have a special place in my heart and be a part of my childhood, but his original version is so poetic. It is definitely more my style; it leaves an impression when the heroine doesn't get to live happily ever after, which is okay too! The world Hans Christian Andersen weaves is glorious . I could feel the mermaid's pain, urgency, and suffocating need to love and be loved. This is a story that will never get old, part of it due to how beautifully it is written. One of my favorite parts is when he describes the five older sisters and the things they experienced going to the surface for the first time. The scenes he paints makes me feel like I am experiencing those beautiful landscapes for the first time, too. Often time mermaids are fantasized, and it was interesting seeing it from the other per...

Introduction to the Mother of Hedgehogs

Hello! First of all, I hope you are having an amazing day so far. If not, please first enjoy this picture of my first hedgehog, Mochi, in a tiny santa hat.  Personal Photo: my first hedgehog's first Christmas! It might be an unusual choice of pet, but it is one that I highly recommend for students. I am a senior, graduating in May with a degree in Chemistry&Biochemistry and a minor in Pre-Health Social Sciences. These past four years have been very time consuming, and I wanted a pet that would accomodate my schedule. Enter: hedgehogs. They are solitary, nocturnal, small, don't require a lot of resources or space, perfect! And once I got my first, I became hooked on other exotic animals as well. I hope to one day have a large assorment of interesting critters and reptiles!  Aside from loving my hogs, I try to spend my extra time travelling all over the world. Both my parents immigrated from Asia, and we frequently travel back to visit my extended family. I ha...

Reading Notes : Ovid's Metamorphoses Part B

For Part B of Ovid's Metamorphoses , the stories that interested me most were the ones about Narcissus  and  Pyramus and Thisbe . What attracted me to these in particular was the tragic endings that befell the characters, one out of pure love and one out of vain infatuation. After reading them together, it is hard to not compare the two. In both, I could understand (but not relate) to the intesity of each person's emotions, which ultimately caused everyone's untimely death. Both stories were not afraid to use the extreme end of the dramatic spectrum to describe the depth of feelings. I like this technique; there is no wishy-washiness and the reader is very clear at where each character stands. Part of this is because the characters take out their emotions on their own bodies, and the consequence is clear. When Narcissus cannot embrace his own appearance, he beats his own chest and bruises his marble-like body. Pyramus, after finding Thisbe's bloody scarf, stabs him...