Ovid’s Metamorphoses--Two Millenia of  Constant Change

The fifteen-book epic poem Metamorphoses by Publius Ovidius Naso (Ovid) may be the most influential piece of writing you’ve never heard of. Its legacies are all around us, in art and literature, in movies and games, in brand names, place names, the names of flowers and constellations. Names and associations from the Metamorphoses appear blazoned on the sides of battleships and space modules, on toys, on tires, on packages of gum; words such as arachnid and atlas come straight out of the Metamorphoses. Moreover, many would argue that the ways in which the Mediterranean region figures in politics, in history and even in maps is shaped in part by the Ovid’s poem. In this course, we consider Ovid’s “monster” poem through a twenty-first century lens. Our work with the poem will entail readings in Ovid, and in the poetry, criticism, media and advertising that flow from the legacies of the Metamorphoses. Assignments for the course include regular blogging, as well as quizzes, tests and group projects.

Satisfies General Education Requirements:

• Group-Satisfying: Arts and Letters
• Multicultural Courses: International Cultures (IC)