Reading Notes: Ovid's Metamorphoses, Part A
The first four sections of this unit are continuations of one story. The first part is a woman using her son to manipulate others for her own benefit. I think this could be a nice touch for my own story. Then, an innocent girl is kidnapped by a man. She is snatched right out from underneath her mother's nose. The mother is obviously distraught and lashes out at others. She would next turn to law enforcement in search of assistance of getting her daughter back. Keeping with the original story, the officer she turns to would be her ex-husband and the father of her child. He would brush her off and try to suggest that their daughter is better off where she is.
The next two stories of Arachne saddened me. This could be used as a story of two teenage girls. One is popular and all but worshipped while the other blends in with others and is not properly acknowledged for her achievements. They both excel at painting or a sport or dance. They would compete. Even though their works are equally incredible, the girl with many friends would be voted as winner. The other girl, who had dared challenge her, would be deeply disappointed. I don't like the idea of killing her off though. That's a bit too dark for me. Someone would feel small (like a spider) after such an event. She would find purpose somewhere else, like a college with an art, sport, or dance scholarship.
The two stories of Niobe were less interesting to me when thinking about creating a new story from it. Her stupidity and stubbornness left little room for pity when her world came crashing down. It would be a challenge for me to rewrite this unless the mother were deeply wronged by someone else. They would have to kill her children with little or no cause. I can't write about a protagonist that I cannot identify with at all.
I considered reversing the roles in the next story. A frog mother is confronted by some hateful male frogs which she turns into humans. They would forever feel like a fish/frog out of water. This could backfire of course with the new humans crushing the poor frog mother. It wouldn't make sense for them to not seek revenge.
The last story is simply one of torture and gore. Retelling this would require a lot of thought and added detail on my part. It is a very vague and plotless tale. I can imagine two brawling band members. First, their words berate one another. Then, their hands are punching and limbs are flailing. I'm much more drawn to the first four parts of the unit, so I think I will stick with those for my storytelling.
Bibliography: Ovid's Metamorphoses by Tony Kline, link to the reading online.
(Image Information: The Kidnapping of Persephone
Source: Wikimedia Commons)
The next two stories of Arachne saddened me. This could be used as a story of two teenage girls. One is popular and all but worshipped while the other blends in with others and is not properly acknowledged for her achievements. They both excel at painting or a sport or dance. They would compete. Even though their works are equally incredible, the girl with many friends would be voted as winner. The other girl, who had dared challenge her, would be deeply disappointed. I don't like the idea of killing her off though. That's a bit too dark for me. Someone would feel small (like a spider) after such an event. She would find purpose somewhere else, like a college with an art, sport, or dance scholarship.
The two stories of Niobe were less interesting to me when thinking about creating a new story from it. Her stupidity and stubbornness left little room for pity when her world came crashing down. It would be a challenge for me to rewrite this unless the mother were deeply wronged by someone else. They would have to kill her children with little or no cause. I can't write about a protagonist that I cannot identify with at all.
(Image Information: Niobe and Her Dead Children
Source: Wikimedia Commons)
I considered reversing the roles in the next story. A frog mother is confronted by some hateful male frogs which she turns into humans. They would forever feel like a fish/frog out of water. This could backfire of course with the new humans crushing the poor frog mother. It wouldn't make sense for them to not seek revenge.
The last story is simply one of torture and gore. Retelling this would require a lot of thought and added detail on my part. It is a very vague and plotless tale. I can imagine two brawling band members. First, their words berate one another. Then, their hands are punching and limbs are flailing. I'm much more drawn to the first four parts of the unit, so I think I will stick with those for my storytelling.
Bibliography: Ovid's Metamorphoses by Tony Kline, link to the reading online.
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