Metamorphoses

Metamorphoses 

• Genre: Poetry; epic; mythology 
• Originally Published: 8 CE 
• Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult 
• Structure/Length: Comprised of 15 books of poetry; approximately 450 pages; approximately 18 hours and 25 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Metamorphoses does not have a single protagonist or central conflict. Instead, it is a collection of mythological and historical tales, all involving some form of transformation. The work covers a vast array of stories from the creation of the world to the deification of Julius Caesar, weaving together narratives from Greek and Roman myth. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of violence, transformation, and the supernatural; sexual content and infidelity

Ovid, Author 

• Bio: Publius Ovidius Naso (43 BC-17/18 AD); known as Ovid; Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus; was a contemporary of Virgil and Horace; best known for Metamorphoses, a major work of classical mythology, and his creativity, wit, and technical mastery of the Latin language 
• Other Works: Amores (Love Affairs), a collection of love poems; Ars Amatoria (The Art of Love), a didactic elegy on love; Fasti, a poetic treatment of the Roman calendar 

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Sexual Violence and Power
• Myth, History, and Empire
• Boundaries and Fluidity

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the historical, literary, and mythological contexts of Ovid’s epic poem.