Metamorphoses Journal

Transformation was portrayed as a revelation of a different side of the truth in Calvino’s work. In Ovid, on the other hand, it is a change from one distinct form to the other. The relationship between gods and humans in Ovid is complicated. The two texts are similar in that they are both made up of short stories tied to a central theme. The gods hold the power to arbitrarily bless or destroy humans, but they are dependent upon sacrifices in their temples, and they feel an obligation to help, albeit cryptically, humans who are pious and worthy who ask for help, as the humans did after the flood. The Ovid creation myth is similar to the Christian creation story in that the supreme being, Ovid identified him as God, separated chaos into normal forms- land from sea, the earth from the heaven, he created animals and fish and lastly man in his own image, similar to the creation of the world by God. Ovid’s tone is mystical and revalationary, as if he is telling stories that reveal something new about both age old myths and the word we inhabit.
Te Demeter myths are very different. Homer’s version is respectful and treats the characters with dignity and respect, as if they were (as the writer believed) goddesses who could interfere in his life if they were not given their proper respect. In the Pomegranate Seeds, however, the myth is dumbed down to the state of a children’s tale, turning all of the characters into slightly lovable and harmless figures. This is very different than the view of the characters as actually potent beings. For example, Demeter is called Demeter in the Homeric poem, and Mother Ceres in the children’s tale. Mother Ceres sounds like a nice, matronly figure while Demeter calls to mind images of respect. Even more interesting is the way they treat te god of the underworld. In the children’s tale they call him King Pluto, while in the Homeric poem they shower so much respect upon him that the author seems reluctant to even mention his name, as if mentioning the name would summon the god himself.