Metamorphosis within Metamorphoses

 As I am getting further and further into Metamorphoses, it is amazing how many examples there are of people and things being changed into new forms. We have discussed so many different examples in class that I don't think that I need to re-examine them at this point. However, some of the transformations that we have not spoken of are not of the physical nature.

From my experiences in Oral Traditions, I have come to understand the importance of names and the spoken language. I'm sure many of you have noticed how names are often changed in Metamorphoses but I don't think it is as easy to understand the significance of these transformations. Changing of names is an outward symbol of the inward transformations that happen within an individuals lifetime or existence, in the case of Ovid's gods.

So much of Metamorphoses' transformations seem to be in the physical sense that we tend to forget or ignore the non-physical alterations. But these changes are just as important! The character (for lack of a better word) was Diana, Artemis, Phoebe, Agrotera, Locheia, and many other facets of herself. While these names represent a single entity, they do not represent the same person. This is the part of my reasoning that is so difficult to articulate. Every one of these names is referencing a different personality that is hosted within the same body. The reason that Diana needs different names for each of these personalities is not due to the fact that she is named by different peoples (or at least not completely for that reason) but from the fact that she needs some tangent symbol of her altered personality, lifestyle, needs, and desires.

We can see this in characters who are not gods as well. When Achilles is spoken of he is given different epithets, depending on what his role at that point was. He could be "swift-footed", "son of Peleus", or "lion-hearted". It purely situational on what epithets, or name, fits the person. An epithet is not only a symbol to the reader but also a symbol to the characters of how to behave. I am sure there are examples in Metamorphoses but none are as dominant in my mind as Achilles.

Following this same line of reasoning, epithets in real life are symbols to the people who are being referred. The reason we do not think of them this way is because we now think of epithets as titles. A few titles, or epithets, in my life include Jennifer, El Presidente (Sorority thing), Jennifer the Charmed, Harold Brusett's granddaughter, or John Cooley's daughter. Whenever someone refers to me as one of these things, my role in the interactions change. In this sense, I am a character of my own reality. Once these structures have been put on me, it is dang hard to break from the character personality that must accompany my current name. The transformation from each name signifies the process of initiation. To gain the name Jennifer the Charmed, I had to become initiated into the world of Dr. Sexson and his classes. Sure part of it may have come from my personality but it came primarily from my personality that fits with the character that I adopt when in the classroom environment. I was able to gain the name John Cooley's daughter from the initiation of my birth. It is very interesting to explore the idea of names having more significance than they appear to.

Another way that I think of names having power is to imagine if my name was different. When my parents were preparing for my birth, my name was to be Roanna. I just cannot see myself as a Roanna. I am most definitely a Jennifer. But after thinking that it leads to the question of how does one define a Jennifer? A Roanna? There is no definition per se except for the character that has been built around this name from my initiation process of birth and childhood. Does this mean that I would be a different person if I had indeed been named Roanna? Maybe but maybe not. That is the point. The point is that transformations and initiations are not always physical. Always remember, words are powerful. Way more powerful than we give them credit for.

We are exploring creation myths so we all should be aware of the power that words can possess. But I think it is worth thinking about how our own words have power, even if we are not a god. I know that we have been told this since childhood in relation to how we treat others. But also our words have power when speaking about anything. By changing the name of something that thing is changed. I know that this isn't Oral Traditions but I think it would be interesting to explore how everyone of us in this class would change if we were given an epithet. Would the rest of the classes' idea of the word change to fit the person or would people change to fit their epithet? I personally think a little of both would happen. Just something to think....