Ovid The Poet Essay, Research Paper
Not exactly considered a “serious” poet or author, Publius Ovidius Naso, or Ovid as he is more commonly called, captured the spirit of Greek and Roman mythology in his most noted work The Metamorphoses. The stories told in this work are commonly thought of as not serious enough for adults. Therefore, many of these stories have been “dumbed down” and transposed into child book form. Though most of these stories are very serious, many do not see them as sophisticated literature. True as this is, his works are still great and reflect much of the attitude and culture of his time. Behind his fables, Ovid was a fantastic storyteller and a master at capturing the spirit of the ancient times as well as portraying his own life through his work.
Like many poets of that time, Ovid’s father wished him to be a lawyer. His father sent him from his home in Sulmo, where he was born, to Athens to obtain a legal degree and study rhetoric. “Indeed rhetoric was the core of Roman education in Ovid’s time, as it had been for almost a century before his birth as it was for centuries after his death” (Luce 785). When his formal training was complete, Ovid studied philosophy. Ovid then came home to start a serious career.
“It did not work. Fathers of poets seem to have a penchant for trying to turn their male offspring into lawyers, doctors, or engineers. Usually this stratagem is effective because most sons are not poets. Most fathers confronted with the problem of a versifying son, therefore, turn out to be right; Ovid’s father turned out to be wrong” (Luce 785).
Ovid sincerely attempted to satisfy the demands of his father, but failed horribly. He abandoned his law studies and he drifted off to book merchants and poetry readings. He also married, but swiftly divorced, the woman his father had chosen for him. He was clearly strong-minded and independent. Ovid became more interested with the world of poetry. He also became acquainted with most of the leading poets of the time. Thus, at approximately at the age of twenty, Ovid launched into his career as poet. Up to this point, the poet’s life was basically ho-hum.
“Until the catastrophe in A.D. 8, when Augustus exiled him to Tomis on the Black Sea, Ovid’s life appears to have been uneventful” (Luce 785). In the next years of his life, he married a total of three times.
“?This might suggest domestic turmoil of an unusual sort; but given social fragmentation of his time, even this apparent disorder may have been merely ordinary. In any case, the third and final marriage seems to have been an extraordinary one, and Ovid’s devotion to the wife he left in Rome when he went to Tomis is manifest to her in his final volumes” (Luce 785).
Soon in Ovid’s life appeared an adversary, though. Augustus Caesar, the grand nephew to Julius Caesar, took the empirical throne. Augustus was bent on reforming Rome in a time of spiritual freedom. He saw the “free love” attitude of Ovid’s time as wrong and demeaning to the family. He soon made laws against certain acts between two unmarried people. At this point Ovid was just discovering and enjoying this time of freedom.
“While Augustus was devoting himself to the reform of a social order that nearly a hundred years of cival war had left in ruins, Ovid devoted himself to the refinement of his craft and of his observations of Roman high society and politics” (Luce 786).
The difference between the two’s mind set is described by T. James Luce as
“?The confrontation between two irreconcilable visions of human life, the collisions of political necessity with poetic freedom, of pragmatic with a humanism that is grounded in religious intuitions, of the contingencies of history with moral imagination” (Luce 788).
Ovid found himself exiled to Tomis from Rome. The exact circumstances of this exile are unknown, for even Ovid himself shrouds them in mystery. He and his friends who practiced the same loose mindset did not take Augustus’s efforts seriously.
“What Ovid and his playmates did not understand, what would have appalled them had they been able to grasp it, was that Augustus was utterly, deadly serious in his efforts to purify and revitalize the social patterns of Rome” (Hendry 250).
Yet Ovid continued in his activities and his writings. He poked fun at the members of high society and publicly criticized the movements of the emperor and other politicians. “Ovid, whose eye is on the beautiful people and their foibles, glances at the emperor in these years (23 – 3 B.C.) occasionally, and his attitude is one of mild flippancy and tolerant good humor” (Luce 786). Augustus was not pleased, nor was he amused, with Ovid. He banished the poet to the island of Tomis with no explanation left in history. There are speculated versions of the story. “Ovid laments having seen something, but refuses to specify what it was for fear of reawakening the imperial wrath” (Luce 787). Ovid was banished, suspiciously, from Rome about the same time that Augustus himself also mysteriously exiled his granddaughter, Julia, from Rome. A connection between the two is plausible. It is thought that perhaps Ovid was a semi-innocent bystander in a scandal in which adultery was discovered. Ovid may have been a confidant to either Julia or to her lover, had sympathized, and had helped in the concealment of this scandal.
“Ovid discusses his banishment and its causes in a long poem, but though he fastens the blame for his exile directly on himself, the precise nature of his wrongdoings eludes us, for what seems an apology to his prince is in fact an elaborate self defense and self-justification” (785).
In his days in exile, Ovid spent his energy writing apologies and justifications to his “crime” in attempt to escape from exile along with love letters to his last wife. Despite his attempts to be released, Ovid died exiled from Rome.
“Ovid’s poetry falls into three divisions: the works of his youth, of his middle age, and of his years in exile. In the first period, Ovid continued the elegiac tradition of Roman poets Sextus Propertius and Albius Tibullus, both of whom he knew and admired. Ovid’s Amores are erotic poems centered on Corinna, but they display little real feeling and are characterized by artificiality and cleverness. Other works of his are didactic poems, including Medicamina Faciei Femineae, a fragment of writing on cosmetics; and Remedia Amoris, a kind of recantation of the Ars Amatoria. Ovid’s Medea, a tragedy highly praised by ancient critics, has not been preserved. His interest in mythology is reflected in his Heroides, or Epistulae Heroidum, 21 fictional love letters, mostly from mythological heroines to their lovers” (Redmond).
“The commentator of his day, he presented most of his findings in the form of love elegies on themes from seduction to abortion, and distilled his professorial wisdom into the witty and comprehensive art of love” (Godolphin xxvi). Ovid’s works reflected the issues of the time and the attitude of its people. His poems and writings left an impression in history that, maybe not completely accurate, was entertaining. In his middle period Ovid wrote The Metamorphoses in 8 A.D., his greatest poetic achievement. Using Greco-Roman mythology as the material of his 15 books and change as his theme, he particularly isolates love as the agent of change, love now seen in its more profound ethical dimensions. Among readers of the late Middle Ages, the Metamorphoses rivaled the Bible in popularity. The other work of his middle period is The Fasti, a poetic calendar describing the various Roman festivals and the legends connected with each. Of the projected 12 books, 1 for each month of the year, only the first 6 survived into the present. “Ovid is the storehouse of classical mythology” (Godolphin xxvii). The Metamorphoses provided extensive insight on mythology of the times. Melancholy and despair pervade the works composed during his exile. They include The Tristia, five books of elegies that describe his unhappy existence at Tomis and appeal to the mercy of Augustus; The Epistulae ex Ponto, poetic letters similar in theme to The Tristia; The Ibis, a short invective invoking destruction on a personal enemy; and The Halieutica, a poem extant only in fragments, about the local fish. The Nux and The Consolatio ad Liviam are usually considered wrongly attributed to Ovid. A poem written in Getic, the native language of Dacia, has not survived. With the exception of the Metamorphoses and the fragmentary Halieutica, both of which are in dactylic hexameter meter, all the poetry of Ovid is composed in the elegiac couplet. These works contained some history of ancient Rome and the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of Ovid himself. “Whenever the characters of an author suffer, they do so at the behest of their author- the author is responsible for their suffering and must justify his cruelty by the seriousness of his moral imagination” (Trilling 88). Ovid transposed his own pain and suffering to his characters.
The love elegy was one of Ovid’s trademark writings. He was one of the few poets who used this style of writing. “In classical Latin poetry there would be no more love elegy after Ovid” (Luce 792). Love was a small subject of his poems in the way that most of his major works did not involve it. His middle stage poems are characterized by a lack of caring and most of his exiled work is that of sorrow and melancholy.
“For although love will continue to haunt him throughout his career, the genre that Catullus began and that Propertius and Tibullus developed Ovid has let go of- because, in effect, he has demolished it” (Luce 792). So, basically, Ovid took out a style of writing with him.
“Ovid must be counted as a major figure in the making of modern literature. His ability to tell a story, as shown in the vast number of tales in the fifteen books of The Metamorphoses, and his keen interest in psychology?helped to bring about the shift from medieval to modern literature” (Godolphin xxvii).
Ovid was truly a writer of his time. He showed the mentality of the times of ancient Rome intermixed with his own feeling and views. Though much of his life is shrouded in obscurity, he still managed to adequately convey Rome and its mythological side. In addition to this he passed along a bit of history with his entertaining works.
Godolphin, Francis R.B. The Latin Poets. New York: Random House, 1949.
Hendry, Michael. “Ovid. Ex Ponto, III 8,6.” Museum Criticum (1995-1996): 249-252.
Luce, T. James. Ancient Writers: Greece Rome. New York: Charles Schribner’s Sons,
1982.
Redmond, Sean. “Island of Freedom.” Online posting: island-of
freedom/OVID.HTM. Internet. Date Unknown.
Trilling, Lionel. “A Gathering of Fugitives.” New York: Random House, 1973.
Другие работы по теме:
Bruce Daw
– Consumerism Essay, Research Paper What does Bruce daw’s poetry say about consumerism and it’s influence on modern day society?Consumerism is a significant feature of modern society and the poet Bruce Dawe is highly critical of it’s negative influence.Throughout his work, Dawe sarcastically attacks the way in which people have been manipulated by the lore and appeal of consumerism.
The Life And Works Of Shakespeare Essay
, Research Paper William Shakespeare is the world’s most admired playwright and poet. He was born in April, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, about 100 miles northwest of
Emily DickinsonS I Felt A Funeral In
My Brain? Essay, Research Paper Emily Dickinson?s poem entitled ?I felt a Funeral, in my Brain? is directed towards a death in the speaker?s life. This death could have been a romantic love that had left him or her behind. It seems that they go through a type of struggle that is sort of bound to them.
Rimbaud Essay Research Paper Part II
Rimbaud Essay, Research Paper Part II A man so confused and confusing as Arthur Rimbaud, it is a wonder that he can even be analyzed, critiqued, and judged by his literary works. Never the less it has been done, however how accurate can they be, when even Rimbaud said in his Lettre Du Voyant that for the I is someone else.
Strength In Imagination Essay On Robert Frost
’s Poem ‘Birches’ Essay, Research Paper Strength in Imagination In Robert Frost’s “Birches,” a whimsical image that turns fact into fancy illustrates the poet’s power to blend observation and imagination. The poem begins with the capricious image of birch trees bending left and right. The speaker “would like to think some boy’s been swinging them.” (3) The speaker breaks into this daydream with a factual illustration, commenting “Often you must have seen” (5) that ice storms bend the birch branches down to stay.
Poem Du Fu Essay Research Paper It
Poem: Du Fu Essay, Research Paper It is often contended that the greatest and most important works of Chinese poetry was produced during the Tang dynasty. Many critics consider Du Fu to be the greatest Chinese poet during the dynasty and quite possibly of all time. His unique style and mastery of Chinese language is unparalleled.
Ovid Essay Research Paper OVID
Ovid Essay, Research Paper OVID ‘n KAFKA:METAMORPH Nature controls people’s emotions and causes tragic disruptions in nature. Money and emotions control each individual. Besides the fact all the great pleasures of life money, nature and emotions can bring in people, they can also expose callowness greed and extirpate all common good on the face of the earth.
Maya Angelou 4 Essay Research Paper Maya
Maya Angelou 4 Essay, Research Paper Maya Angelou is a remarkable Renaissance woman who is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature. As poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world, spreading her legendary wisdom.
Possible Philosophical Influences For Shakespeare
& Essay, Research Paper In Shakespeare s The Tempest, (Act 2, Scene 1) Gonzalo, the councilor, puts forth his idea of the perfect society. In his utopia, the people would not need to do anything – nature would provide everything. This is a reference to the Golden Age of Man. The Golden Age was a chapter in Greek mythology which took place not long after man was created.
Emerson And The Poet Essay Research Paper
Ralph Waldo Emerson states in The Poet the question, which is what is the poet? He says that all men express their feelings, but what makes a poet is that he has more ability to express his own. For example, a poet would express the beauty of nature well, while men who are less expressive cannot give nature the worth it should be given, related to reality of course.
Faust By Goethe 1749
– 1832) Essay, Research Paper The legend of Faust is older than Goethe’s version, dating back to the early years of Christianity. The English poet Christopher Marlowe wrote his own version of the play several centuries
Transformations In Ovid Essay Research Paper Transformations
Transformations In Ovid Essay, Research Paper Transformations in Ovid Transformations from one shape or form into another are the central theme in Ovid s Metamorphoses. The popularity and timelessness of this work stems from the manner of story telling. Ovid takes stories relevant to his culture and time period, and weaves them together into one work with a connecting theme of transformation throughout.
Antigone Overview Essay Research Paper Antigone by
Antigone: Overview Essay, Research Paper Antigone, by the great tragic poet Sophocles, is about conflicting duties. The heroine Antigone has defied her uncle Creon’s edict and buried her rebellious brother. Here, Creon, concerned with the safety of the state, learns of the crime and confronts Antigone, who places family duty above everything.
Compare And Contrast Of Mr. Perry And
Mr. Keating From “Dead Poet’s Society” Essay, Research Paper The movie ?Dead Poet?s Society? launches the viewer into the world of several boys who learn from a non-traditional teacher in a traditional school. Throughout the movie several conflicts appear between several of the major characters. One of the main conflicts begins with two characters that only meet each other twice during the film.
Blackness Essay Research Paper BlacknessWhat is it
Blackness Essay, Research Paper Blackness What is it to be black? What is it to be white? Why are so many people looking to fit under a color s stereotype? To be born black is no longer the only factor or standard of blackness. Langston Hughes is a highly celebrated and commended author of the Harlem Renaissance.
SHAKESPEARES SONNET 23 Essay Research Paper The
SHAKE?SPEARE?S SONNET 23 Essay, Research Paper The strength of emotion in Sonnet XXIII effects the poet?s ability to express his love; therefore, he trusts his poetry–the written word (or possibly the silent language of the
The Importance Of Being Earnest By Oscar 2
The Importance Of Being Earnest By Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) Essay, Research Paper Oscar Wilde, the witty Edwardian poet, playright, and author, was noted for his refined demeanor. The same mannerisms
Two Poems By Emily Dickinson Essay Research
Paper Emily Dickinson wrote many poems in her lifetime. She writes two of my favorite poems. They are: “I heard a Fly buzz when I died” and “Because I could not stop for Death”. They both have similarities and differences from each other.
Hope Is Pathetic Essay Research Paper Barrett
Hope Is Pathetic Essay, Research Paper Barrett Marum AP. English In the poem Dover Beach, the poet uses conflicting imagery to give meaning to the poem. The differences in the way that the poet sees the relationship between the beach and the sea and the way that most people would see it become more pronounced as the poem develops.
Spiritual Journeys Essay Research Paper The Tale
Spiritual Journeys Essay, Research Paper The Tale of Saigyo and The Inferno both trace the unique journeys of two interesting figures, Saigyo and Dante. The two journeys are differing in that one is a journey through the life of a Buddhist monk, and the other is a journey through the different circles of hell.
Analysis Langston Huges Theme For English B
Essay, Research Paper The instructor directs the poet to write at home, at night and from the heartand soul of the writer. The instructor is Caucassion, the poet black and or African American. The poet finds it necessary to begin by describing hissurroundings. Harlem is usually a strong sign that the residents are black.He resides at the YMCA showing he is also in a low income bracket.
Poet
’s Use Of Mockery As Diction In Poem Essay, Research Paper Poet’s Use of Mockery As Diction in Poem Tom Dinkel The poet’s use of mockery as diction conveys his disillusioned attitude
Explication The Road Not Taken Essay Research
Paper Explication: The Road Not Taken “The Road Not Taken” is a poem written by Robert Frost. In his poem Frost describes a traveler’s choice between two roads and how this choice effects his life later.
Keat And Shelley Essay Research Paper In
Keat And Shelley Essay, Research Paper In Keat?s "Ode to a Nightingale" and Shelley?s "Ode to the West Wind" both poet?s show much inspiration within their poetry. The
Annabell Lee Essay Research Paper In the
Annabell Lee Essay, Research Paper In the poem Annabell Lee the poet Eggar Allen Poe brings out the theme that true love will never die. This is a poem that is timely in its relevance. There are few
FireandIce Essay Research Paper Fire and Ice
Fire_and_Ice Essay, Research Paper ?Fire and Ice? by Robert Frost is an epigram which presents the poet?s dislike of hatred, indifference, and desire that human beings display towards one another. Compressing these feelings into an epigram tends to make his message quite clear and brief. Thus, Frost?s tone in ?Fire and Ice? is somewhat glib and straight to the point?perhaps even slightly stoic.
Legal Cheating Essay Research Paper Legal cheatingI
Legal Cheating Essay, Research Paper Legal cheating I was never really good in Latin, although I had taken it for 5 years. The final exam was near and would decide whether I failed or passed the class. There were just 6 people and all the students were very smart and had an average of about 95%. I had a normal average of 86%.
Poetry And Love Essay Research Paper I
Poetry And Love Essay, Research Paper I never believed that life could be so strange. Now, I am sure that there is no stranger than life. I never believed in love, at least on Hollywood style. Now, I am living a love story. I know it sounds contradictory, but I fell in love with a man whom I never met. I fell in love with a man on the Internet.
The Dead Poet That Kill Himself (A
Response To _Dead Poet’s S Essay, Research Paper The movie Dead Poet’s Society raises an interesting question: When educating teen-agers, is it better to use the school’s policy of Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence or Mr. Keating’s philosophy of carpe diam (seize the day)? Mr. Keating believed that people should “suck the marrow out of life” and live like a free thinking person even at the young age of seventeen.
The Red Wheelbarrow Essay Research Paper William
The Red Wheelbarrow Essay, Research Paper William Carlos Williams was an imagist poet; he wanted to revision poetry in America. His whole theme dealed with visions and images. He opposed general statements and abstract ideas. His poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” was filled with images and ideas that made the poem so easy to visualize.
Analysis Of
‘Thirteen Ways To Look At A Blackbird’ Essay, Research Paper Analysis of ?13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird? ?Thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird? by Wallace Stevens is a poem about what it means to really know something. In this poem, Stevens shows this connection by writing a first person poem about a poet’s observation and contemplation?s when viewing a blackbird.
A Poetry Explication Of Option By Robert
Morgan Essay, Research Paper Poetry Explication Option by Robert Morgan Written in free verse, this poem dramatizes the chance confrontation of a groundhog and terrier.
Aurora Leigh Essay Research Paper Aurora LeighThe
Aurora Leigh Essay, Research Paper Aurora Leigh The story “Aurora Leigh” is the story of a fictional woman poet. This story was Elizabeth Barret Browning’s greatest achievement. This was the first major poem in English Literature in which the heroine, just like the author was a woman writer. This story had a lot to do with Aurora as a rising poet in a society that did not except woman as artists.
Romanticism Vs Neoclassicism Essay Research Paper Throughout
Romanticism Vs. Neoclassicism Essay, Research Paper Throughout history, the arts and literature have been a form of rationalization of the minds and thoughts of an artist or writer. The progression or regression of knowledge over a period of time can be chronicled or mapped with the use of the literature and arts of these artists.