Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Tony Kline (2000).

Anthology notes

Metamorphosis

Plot Focus:

As he kissed the ivory girl she melted into a woman of flesh.

He only loved her and asked the goddess to make a real life ivory girl

He covered her in jewels and silks

The goddess was fond of Pygmalion so she granted his wish

Pygmalion created the perfect woman and fell in love

Character Focus:

Pygmalion---> Padme – a marvelous sculptor, disgusted with the men in her town, she yearns for passion, acceptance, someone who will listen to her creative brain, a man that sees her as more than a woman, she speaks with him, tells him all of her problems without any response, she needs a companion that will share with her intelligent conversation, as well as love, she falls in love with her creation, she imagines touching this ivory man and getting soft touches in return, she imagines a sweet quiet life with him, she creating and he doing what his ivory heart desires

Changes: gender switch, artist creates beautiful statue on the perfect ivory man , no mortal man

Plot: Goes to venus’s festival, a celebration throughout Cyprus. There are incense, offering from Padme to the goddess, at the alter. “she wishes for a husband” “ one like the ivory man”

The goddess hears her desire and through love of Padme granted this wish

When she returns she cannot cease her thoughts of this wish , this ivory man in real life. She pictures a real man and softly presses her lips to the sculpted man, she feels a warm return and a melting sensation under her own skin. Padme begins embracing her creation, every touch of hers resulting in a softened touch from him.

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