In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the author capitalizes on love and lust in many stories and transformations. He employs two themes to showcase their effects on individuals and the wider world, resulting in numerous transformations (Sharrock et al., 2020). In this piece, the writer illustrates how various characters’ aspirations and affections sway them toward either ruin or heroism. He shows that love and lust can bring joy and pain into people’s lives, influencing their transformations.
Love is portrayed in many forms and is a universal experience in all parts of the world. The nature of love ranges from passion exhibited between Pyramus and Thisbe to the kind of devotion that Orpheus shows for Eurydice. Another form of love is revealed through the yearning of Apollo for the beautiful Daphne (Anderson, 1998). The author portrays love as a force that inspires and uplifts and, at the same time, causes tremendous heartache and tragedy. A perfect example of the effects of love is when Pyramus and Thisbe decide to take their own lives shortly after their rival family prohibits their union (Anderson, 1998). They believe they are better off dead than apart from each other. Furthermore, Orpheus puts his life at risk to get his love back after losing her in the underworld.
Ovid uses his work to explore the different sides and effects of love and lust; these are the dark and the positive side. In the Metamorphoses, the negative aspects of love and desire are revealed through the actions of various characters who betray their principles and passion for fulfilling their desires. Tereus is controlled by lust which causes him to rape, torture, and mutilates his sister-in-law Philomela. This act triggers rivalry between Tereus, Procne, and Philomela; however, the gods intervene and transform them into birds, a hoopoe, a swallow, and a nightingale, respectively (Anderson & Ovidius Naso, 1972). This is an example of how the author portrays the transformations caused by the negative impacts of lust.
On the other hand, love impacts positive transformations in different characters. An example is the story of Baucus and Philemon; a peasant couple who hosted the Mercury and Jupiter with great hospitality. Despite being poor, their love and devotion for each other culminated in their transformation into a joint pair of intertwined trees (Sharrock et al., 2020). Additionally, the power of love that Pygmalion had for his statue leads the god Venus to transform it into a living thing. In the Metamorphoses, love and lust are common themes used to offer insight into the impact of human emotions and the resulting changes they bring about (Sharrock et al., 2020). He demonstrates that while these feelings can bring about happiness and pleasure, they can also lead to suffering and anguish, causing unforeseen transformations.
In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the theme of attraction plays a significant role in shaping the stories and transformations. He portrays this theme with a broad perspective citing how different characters are attracted to other characters differently (Sharrock et al., 2020). These attractions are manifested through physical desires, intellectual admiration, and emotional connections. In his various tales, Ovid showcases attraction in diverse forms as a potent force that can push individuals to great extents in pursuit of happiness and ardor. Conversely, it can also result in calamity and treachery, leading to catastrophic consequences. One example is the story of Apollo and Daphne, where Apollo’s attraction towards Daphne overpowers him, but his feelings are unrequited as she chooses to remain virtuous and celibate (Anderson, 1998). She seeks the gods for help, transforming her into a laurel tree to avoid his advances. Ovid uses attraction as a source of pain and happiness and how these emotions impact an individual’s transformation.
In this work, attraction is barely portrayed as a unidirectional concept but a multifaceted emotion that impacts people differently depending on their perspectives. Different characters are revealed to have attraction toward other characters, but each is different in its way. Their emotions greatly influence their actions, shaping who they are and the transformations they undergo. These transformations can be positive or negative, as exhibited by Ovid in the stories. From the tragic love of Pyramus and Thisbe to the all-consuming passion of Orpheus for Eurydice to the destructive lust of Tereus for Philomela, He portrays attraction as a complex and multifaceted emotion that can shape the course of our lives (Anderson, 1998). These stories often depict attraction as a force that leads individuals to betray their values and desires, thereby acting in detrimental ways to themselves and others.
Attraction has been portrayed as a force for good in many different stories. For instance, the tale of Baucus and Philemon, a peasant couple, demonstrates their profound bond and fondness for each other (Anderson & Ovidius Naso, 1972). As a result, they are gifted with a joint that morphs into two intertwined trees (Sharrock et al., 2020). Similarly, in the Pygmalion story, the god Venus animates a statue after observing the sculptor’s affection and adoration for it. Finally, Ovid uses the theme of attraction to initiate a narrative for the characters, which would, in turn, culminate in their transformation (Sharrock et al., 2020). Attraction is central to the origin and progress of these stories because it lays the foundation for love and lust among the characters.
In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the theme of love is portrayed as tragic and a source of pain and agony. Various personalities have been utilized to illustrate the adverse effects of affection and how it can lead to an unfavorable transformation in an individual. The author presents the hazards of love in many ways by using different characters in his narratives. These characters exhibit how love can lead them to betray their principles and desires and engage in destructive behaviors toward themselves and others. As an example, the story of Tereus and Philomela illustrates how Tereus’ intense love for her drives him to deceive his wife by faking her death and forcing her into marriage, resulting in her being sexually assaulted and mutilated. Likewise, in the tale of Myrrha, her overwhelming desire for her father causes her to metamorphose into a Myrrh tree (Sharrock et al., 2020). This way, she relives the consequences of her actions and desires without a way of escaping the torment.
In conclusion, Ovid’s Metamorphoses showcases how the themes of love and lust can lead to a tragic transformation. The power of attraction drives individuals to betray their values, pursue harmful deeds, and ultimately suffer the consequences. Ovid portrays love as a dangerous force that can cause people to lose their sense of self and morality. Through his characters and their experiences, he emphasizes the importance of self-control and the dangers of yielding to desire. Overall, the ‘Metamorphoses’ offer a cautionary tale about the destructive nature of love and the importance of being mindful of its influence.
References
Anderson W. S. (1998). Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Books 1-5. University of Oklahoma Press.
Anderson W. S. & Ovidius Naso P. (1972). Ovid’s Metamorphoses Books 6-10. University. of Oklahoma Press.
Sharrock A., Möller D. & Malm M. (2020). Metamorphic Readings: Transformation Language and Gender in the Interpretation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses (1st). Oxford University Press.