Gods, Myth, and Metamorphosis: Unveiling Roman Society in Ovid's Metamorphoses

The Metamorphoses by Publius Ovdius Naso (Ovid) has been long acknowledged as one of the most influential works written by the famous Roman poet. The epic contains a rich mythological narrative that provides a unique window into the cultural and social fabric of Rome during the reign of Augustus. Though there has been extensive scholarship on the poet and the Metamorphoses, much of the research focuses solely on Ovid's life, his relationship to Augustus, or individual myths. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research into how Ovid's collection of myths as a whole reflects Roman values, norms, and beliefs through recurring themes. Central to these myths is a single unifying thread: transformation. This thesis addresses this gap by exploring transformation as a narrative framework in the Metamorphoses, analyzing ways in which the text reveals various aspects of Roman society, particularly social norms, religious beliefs and the role of the gods, and gender roles. Through a close reading of Ovid's Metamorphoses and a comparative analysis with other ancient sources, such as the work of Euripides, along with existing scholarship on Ovid and his works, this study examines recurring themes of transformations across more than ten different myths from the text to identify significant aspects of Roman society. I analyze the myths of Pentheus and Bacchus, Icarus and Phaethon, and Lycaon to explore social norms; I examine religious beliefs and the role of the gods through my analysis of the myths of Arachne and Minerva, Daphne and Apollo, Pentheus and Bacchus, and Hippolytus; and I analyze the myths of Medusa, Medea, Hades and Persephone, and Circe to gain insight into gender roles. By examining these myths through the lens of societal norms, religion, and gender, this research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of Roman society that can contribute to studies of gender, power, and cultural norms in the Roman Empire, as well as providing fresh insights into the relationship between mythology and the political climate of the Augustan regime.