Ovid's Metamorphoses

        Book I of Ovid’s Metamorphoses is a collection of stories within other stories. The central theme of Metamorphoses is transformation from one shape or form into another. The theme is presented in the opening lines, where the poet invokes the gods, who are responsible for the changes, to look favorably on his efforts to compose. Ovid’s narrator is not the only, or even primary, storyteller. He often lets the different characters in the stories tell their own tales, which means that no one perspective is dominant or consistent. Even within the same story, the perspectives of different characters can conflict with each other. One thing that remains consistent in Ovid’s Metamorphoses is change, whether from human to animal, animal to human, human to thing, or just a change of personal qualities and features.

        The imagery of water is very prevalent in Ovid’s poem. Water is constantly changing, so in this way water illustrates the fundamental truth about life, that it is constantly changing. You can see the symbolism of water with the gods and goddesses that are associated with water. Water-gods are typically described by Ovid as shape-shifters. Jupiter, who was king of the gods, decides that all humans are evil and must be exterminated, after a negative experience with one man. Jupiter uses a flood to wipe away mankind in a desire to make the world a safer place.

Ovid’s usage of plants often functions as a way for people to live on after death. In the story of Daphne and Apollo, Apollo changed from a prideful god, to a god that can’t control his love for Daphne. After Apollo brags to Cupid of his great defeat of the python, Cupid humbles him by reducing Apollo to a shameless lover with his gold-tipped arrow of love. Apollo changes from a figurehead of power, the God of War, to a crazed lover with no power over his love. Cupid also shot Daphne with a blunt, lead tipped arrow which puts love to flight. She was no longer interested in love and begged her father to save her from Apollo. Her father then changed her to a tree. Daphne’s transformation was tragic, but there is something about the stolid, unmoving form here father gives her. Still undoubtedly in love with Daphne, Apollo kisses her and gropes her bark. Plants are such a potent symbol in this poem because they grow up out of the ground, where people are buried. In this way, they symbolize rebirth.

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