Ovid's Metamorphoses

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Ovid’s epic poem, which chronicles the history of the world through stories of metamorphosis, has been one of the most influential texts written in Latin. Like its subject matter, it is a poem that is protean and difficult to pin down, defying any single interpretation. For this reason it has inspired a wide range of artists, writers, and thinkers ever since its publication in the first years of the Roman Empire. The first part of this course will be dedicated to the close reading of the whole Metamorphoses, with particular attention to its place within the tradition of Greek and Latin epic poetry. The second part will focus on some of the many responses this poem has inspired, including its influence on the visual arts, the way it has shaped our modern understanding of myth, and its conscription into contemporary societal debates.