Ovid Metamorphoses Titian Perseus and Andromeda

Ovid Metamorphoses Titian Perseus and Andromeda As a painting, Perseus and Andromeda (Plate 3.6) cannot narrate the events in the same way as Ovids text, but instead captures the moment of Perseus fight with the sea monster. Titians painting could be considered a translation of Ovids poem insomuch as the key elements of Ovids myth remain; it is authentic in its representation and there are enough correspondences between the two pieces to make it clear that Ovids Metamorphoses is Titians original source. Having said that, Titian produced Perseus and Andromeda for a specific person and purpose, in the manner of other Renaissance artists, and, it was intended to be viewed together with the rest of the Poesie (Gould), so the painting could be described as a hybrid, or even a refiguration of the Ovidian legend. The painting shows Andromeda chained to a rock, her vulnerable pose contrasting plainly with Perseus powerful lunge. There is no mention in Ovids text of either Perseus or Andromedas clothing, except for Perseus sandals; Titian has respected Ovids work in this aspect, giving Perseus his winged sandals instead of the Pegasus that other artists have favoured. Andromedas nakedness in the painting symbolizes her innocence and vulnerability, characteristics also shown in Metamorphoses (Ovid 670-675), and also reflects the Renaissance culture in which the painting was produced. Gould quotes Titians letters to Philip II as evidence of the erotic aspect of Andromedas nudity, particularly when considered with the other poesia. (Gould) This nudity, when taken together with the bright colours used for Perseus clothing, places the emphasis clearly on the soon-to-be couple; our eyes are immediately drawn to the helpless girl awaiting rescue by her hero. Ovid also seems to highlight the heros figh t, dedicating almost a third of the full narrative to it. Titian parts from his source however, by consigning Andromedas parents to the background, if in fact, they appear at all in the extreme right background, a city is visible, and on the shore, a group of people; it is not clear however, whether this group includes her parents, or are those mentioned towards the end of Ovids tale (Ovid 735). Titian again follows the Metamorphoses with his inclusion of what appear to be shells and coral at Andromedas feet. The shells presumably represent the Nereids and are a reminder of the reason for Andromedas fate, while the coral recalling Ovids allegorical description of its creation (Ovid 740-753). The remaining part of Ovids narrative, Perseus sacrifices to the gods, does not appear in Titians painting. This may be simply because, in concentrating on Perseus fight with a sea monster, the painting necessarily becomes a seascape and the sacrifices that Ovid describes occur on land. In my opinion, Titians representation of Perseus and Andromeda is sympathetic to his source and invokes the excitement of Ovids own words. The Renaissance representation reflects some of Ovids more misogynistic elements. My only criticism of the Titian piece is the figure of Perseus, who seems to me to be falling, not fighting. Personally, this gives the painting a comic aspect that Im sure the artist had not intended and detracts from Ovids own emphatic telling of the myth. Part 2 (75 marks) Write an essay of not more than 2,000 words on the following. In what ways does Ovid manipulate a myth in order to highlight his theme of metamorphosis? Do you consider that this technique can lessen the myths impact and coherence at times? Answer with reference to a specific mythic narrative in Metamorphoses. Ovids epic poem brings together a collection of formerly unrelated myths connected by a mutual theme; metamorphosis. The transformations described by Ovid usually occur as a result of love or lust, consensual or otherwise, and are often used to explain the origins of particular animals, plants or natural phenomena. Since Ovid wrote his Metamorphoses, it has often been used as a source of myth, however, when compared to other sources, it is clear that Ovid manipulated the myths, displaying his knowledge of the myths and combining and separating them into new forms to suit his own agenda. Of course, it is the nature of myth that they should be moulded and transformed in each retelling, and this is evidenced in the extant works of the Greek tragedians. Ovid is, at times, faithful to his sources, but at others, he appears to delight in his manipulation of the traditional myths. Ovids chosen theme of transformation is not only seen explicitly within the myths, for example in Arachnes transformation into a spider (Ovid 6.140-145), but also implicitly in Ovids own transformation of the received version of the myths in the classical world. Homer or Hesiods treatment of myth is serious and deliberate, revealing much about the gods destructiveness, unpredictable moods, loves, and personal vendettas, appearing to define the authors perceptions of life itself. While the events may be dramatic, irrational or even comical, they are presented as serious perceptions on the way things are. Modern readers can understand how such tales would explain things such as natural phenomena or the existence of certain creatures. Ovids Metamorphoses however, appears to be primarily a collection of stories for the sake of entertainment and Ovids own fame. Whilst some of the myths retain their didactic elements, for example, Teiresias prophecy that Narcissus would live a long life so long as he never knows himself (Ovid 3.348), others appear to simply emphasize the gods desire to punish, for example Dianas punishment of Actaeon (Ovid 3.139-252). In fact, this change in attitude to the myths in the removal of some of the moral significance can also be described as a metamorphosis. Ovid also includes other transformations in his epic poem, such as transformations in human culture or in the natural world. Ovid highlights his theme throughout the Metamorphoses, emphasizing that everything changes, and that in fact, is the only constant (Ovid 15.176-452). The transformation of Narcissus is one of the best-known of the Greek myths and has inspired writers and artists for over two thousand years. There are several extant versions of the myth; the most well-known of these is Ovids version, found in Book III of his Metamorphoses (completed 8AD). Until recently, scholars assumed that Ovids version was the earliest; however an earlier version was discovered among the Oxryynchus papyri prompting Dr Benjamin Henry, the Oxford scholar who discovered the poem, to claim that the myth was altered by Ovid to broaden its appeal (Keys). This version, attributed to the poet Parthenius of Nicaea, is thought to have been composed some 40 years before Ovids version, and ends with Narcissus committing suicide. Conon, a contemporary of Ovids, tells the same myth in his Narrations and like Parthenius, ends it with Narcissus suicide, while Pausanias later version has Narcissus fall in love not with himself, but with his twin sister (Jacoby). Conons version is a more moral telling of the myth that sees Narcissus punished by the gods for his pride and vanity. The young man Aminias fell in love with Narcissus, and, like his fellow suitors was spurned by him, so took his sword and killed himself by the door, calling on the goddess Nemesis to avenge him. (Atsma) As a result of Nemesis curse, Narcissus fell in love with a reflection of himself in a stream, and in despair and guilt over his treatment of Aminias, Narcissus killed himself. That his death was more brutal than that portrayed in Ovids Metamorphoses is clear in Conons claim that From his blood sprang the flower. (Atsma) Ovids version of the myth begins with Teiresias prophecy that Narcissus should never know himself (Ovid 3.348), and then digresses with the tale of Echo. Echo, cursed by Juno for helping Jupiter to conceal his adultery, was only able to repeat the words she heard at the end of a sentence and never reply for herself (Ovid 3.369). When she saw Narcissus hunting in the woods, she, like many others before her, fell in love with him and followed him, repeating his last words in an attempt to communicate with him. When finally, feels encouraged enough by his words We must come together! (Ovid 3.386) to show herself, he rejects her harshly, Hands off! May I die before you enjoy my body! This is an ironic choice of words give his imminent demise, and Ovid is manipulating the tone here to reflect his earlier description of Narcissus as hard and proud (Ovid 3.353). Echo was left ashamed and broken-hearted, eventually wasting away until only her voice, an echo, remained. The connection betwee n Echo and Narcissus appears to be Ovids own invention since there are no earlier accounts that link the two characters. Ovids departure from the received narrative enables him to include two further metamorphoses in this poem. The first of these occurs when, in her anger, Juno transforms Echo from the crafty nymph with a prattling tongue (Ovid 3.367) to a poor creature (Ovid 3.374) who could only repeat others words, the second when Narcissus rejection of Echo triggers her further transformation into a mere voice (Ovid 3.359). The inclusion of Echo in the Narcissus narrative may not have been usual in Ovids time, but my first reading of the Narcissus myth was in Ovids Metamorphoses, so for me, the two characters have become truly interlinked. I am not inclined to pity Narcissus, so for me, the Echo story heightens the tragic timbre of the full narrative. Without the inclusion of Echo, the Narcissus myth becomes simply a story of a proud, arrogant boy getting his comeuppance, but Echos story invites compassion and even a desire for justice. Together with the additional opportunities for metamorphoses that her story provides, Ovids inclusion of Echo as a new part of the Narcissus myth was in my opinion, inspired, and resulted in a more compelling story. With his metamorphoses of Echo complete, Ovid returns the focus to Narcissus; at the appeal of one of his scorned admirers (Ovid 3.404), Nemesis curses Narcissus to fall in love and never obtain his desire (Ovid 3.405). We then encounter the first of Narcissus transformations the change from thirsting for water to thirsting for himself. Another transformation is Narcissus own character, changing from an arrogant youth with a heart so hard and proud (Ovid 3.354) through love to an anguished youth who welcomes death as an end to his heartache. Ovid subtly alludes to these more implicit transformations that infuse his Metamorphoses. Of course the most explicit transformation of the Echo and Narcissus story is Narcissus own transformation into the narcissus flower. This is the climax of the myth, the realisation of the theme of metamorphosis. Narcissus metamorphosis is the result of his pride, vanity, and his treatment of his admirers; as he rejected others, he is rejected by himself, becoming both the subject and object of unrequited love. Even in death, Ovid suggests that his arrogance continues; as he crossed the Styx to ghostly Hades, he gazed at himself in the river (Ovid 3.504). Ovid builds the suspense of the transformation itself gradually, not revealing the outcome until the final line in the narrative; The body, however, was not to be found only a flower with a trumpet of gold and pale white petals (Ovid 3.510). The fact that the narrative ends with the resulting metamorphosis illustrates Ovids desire to highlight his theme. Ovid uses metamorphosis to explore the social and cultural ramifications of th e events in his poem, for example, Narcissus harsh treatment of Echo resulted in her transformation into a mere voice (Ovid 3.359) Echo essentially lost herself to love. Gildenhard and Zissos believe that the poetic form of Metamorphoses is interrupted by the story of Narcissus, claiming that this confirms that the inclusion of this myth was an afterthought that Ovid felt was necessary to verify Teiresias prophecies. They believe that the Narcissus myth is a replacement for the Oedipal figure that would be expected at this point in the Theban books, quoting Hardies comments that Behind the Narcissus story there hovers the figure of the Sophoclean Oedipus, the glaring absence from the narrative surface of Ovids Theban books, Metamorphoses 3 and 4, but a ghostly presence in much of the drama of blindness, sight, and insight, particularly of the third book. (Gildenhard and Zissos 3) Their essay explores the intertextuality between Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus and Ovids Narcissus myth, claiming that Oedipus and Narcissus emerge as thematic mirror reflections of each other (Gildenhard and Zissos 13). Gildenhard and Zissos conclude that Ovids inclusion of Na rcissus over Oedipus stems from a desire to concentrate on the members of Cadmus family, and that Oedipus tale would [not] have lent itself easily to inclusion within the tight-knit patterning of Cadmus daughters and nephews (Gildenhard and Zissos 17). However, in my opinion, the story of Echo and Narcissus is simply more appropriate to Ovids chosen theme. Even if Ovid did include it as an afterthought, or a way of proving Teiresias prophecies, he does so in such a way that it amplifies his metamorphosis theme. The story of Echo and Narcissus is one of my favourite classical myths, and also inspired one of my favourite paintings Salvador Dalis Metamorphosis of Narcissus. The tragedy, the anger and the justice of the myth come together with the transformations of the characters to produce a captivating story. The freshness and originality with which Ovid presents a well-known tale make it uniquely Ovidian. His writing is vivid and the story moves quickly, and whilst some may consider the inclusion of Echo a digression, the narrative still flows. In my opinion, Ovids manipulation of some of the key elements of the myth helps to enhance it further. The Parthenius and Conon versions of the myth that end in the suicide of Narcissus lack the poetic justice of Ovids slow decline. In Ovids versions of the myth, Narcissus gradual fading away mirrors Echos demise, and in this way, once again highlights Ovids theme of metamorphoses. When Narcissus is dying, he is not concerned about the world around him, about food, drink or sleep; he takes his last breath by the image he has fallen in love with but can never obtain (Ovid 3.405), and so dies alone, without love. Ovids masterful handling of the narrative gives it an intensity that can be hard to find in retellings of classical myths, but Ovids Echo and Narcissus has stood the test of time and continues to inspire other writers and artists even today. WORD COUNT: 1829