Ostracizing plays a large role in many of Shakespeare's plays and in my secondary source, Ovid and Shakespeare;Bate writes, "Touchstone's association of exile with 'Ovid among the Goths' raises the question of whether other Shakespearian banishments are keyed to Ovid. The language of exile in the first act of Richard II seems to echo that of the Tristia, with its emphasis on 'frozen winters' spent in banishment and separation from the native tongue. But, save for Falstaff's, the most celebrated banishment is Romeo's. And here the association with Ovid, at least in the mind of one contemporary, is decisive."
Bate continues to explore Shakespeare compared to contemporary playwright Ben Jonson who rewrote the separation of Romeo and Juliet as the departure of Ovid and Julia, one of his women who happened to be the emperor's daughter. Shakespeare and Jonson sought influence from stories in history whereas Ovid found the basis of his stories in the oral history of Greek/Roman myth. The final interaction between Romeo and Juliet is one that is far too short for how much meaning can be found in their words. The reference to the pomegranate tree or the simple statement of, "I must be gone and live, or stay and die" that Romeo throws about often. At first saying he must go so he can continue to live but then having Juliet respond that he is her light and sun that drives her to live he decides, "Let me be ta'en, let me be put to death...Come, death, and welcome!" In Jonson's interaction between Ovid and Julia on a similar balcony,
"Ovid: Yet Julia, if thou wilt, A little long, stay\
Julia: I am content
Ovid: O, mightie Ovid! what the sway of heaven could not retire my breath hath turned back."
Just as the interaction between Romeo and Juliet we see them debate and bicker whether they shall leave one another in hopes of a life without a companion or if staying together and dying in one another's arms is worth. These conversations do not leave us with a solid answer as both are cut short by interruptions from fellow characters; only adding to the suspense.
Through historical context we know Ovid was exiled to Tominus where he would die in 17 AD with nothing more than his works because he sought to survive by a quote from his first book, Amores;in which he quotes, "My name shall live, and my best part aspire." He accomplished this goal and has been one of the most influential authors to have graced this god forsaken planet with his marvelous stories.
It is the sense of imitatio (the imitation of god to find virtue. To share stories that explain moral reasoning) that Ovid, Shakespeare, Jonson, and other authors write. Every author writes with the intention of influencing their readers' thoughts and this is shown through Shakespeare and Ovid's works. They both took ideas from past authors whether they were oral or written and devised a story structure unique to their style. It is important for writers to be imitated to ensure their thoughts are clearly shared with the entire population. Author's have different styles and strive for certain audiences and may even strive to avoid specifics.
This is where the Bible and other religious texts come into play because while Ovid is looked at as a mythological work-of-art it is no more mythical than the Bible or Koran. I say this because I believe Ovid just as the composers of the Bible intended for the Metamorphoses to be read with the intent of improving the world and its' community to gain a deeper understanding. Not just in a mechanical sense but in a world beyond what the eye sees, into natural order. Shakespeare uses Puck to explain the feelings behind love. Before witnessing how love occurs between two people in A Midsummer Night's Dream. ;Shakespeare goes even further than Ovid: he invites us to consider the possibility that the love-gods are no more than a dream, something we invent to help us understand erotic love which comes wholly from within" (135). Using the explanation of magic adds an even deeper meaning behind this surreal emotion.
Magic also shows that a simple misunderstanding can dramatically change the outcome between two people. Shakespeare shows us the frenzy of love through Lysander/Demetrius and Puck's influence on the relationship. The two are inflicted by a magical pollen and fall deeply in love with Helena. This is done to emphasize natural order and as we see in Ovid when natural order is evaded only trouble shall follow. Throughout Ovid's mythic encounters we are constantly seeing the power of classical gods in situations. When Arachne runs her mouth and angers Athena because she brags she is a better weaver. Athena continues to mock Athena (amongst other gods) during their contest and weaves a scene in which the gods are portrayed with their weaknesses; it is when these stories are taken too seriously that problems are created. Religion is the number one cause of war and I do not personally believe we will see a peaceful world until religion has been exterminated from our planet. A person's allegiance to religion and an unknown world is currently much stronger than their allegiance to a mankind they know they can influence and a society they can improve. Instead they hope their doings for religious improvement will help improve their standings with God, Allah, or whoever may be their prophet of choice.
So enough babbling, I will try and make a clear, concise statement. "I never may believe/ These antique fables, nor these fairy toys'" (Ovid, v.i.2-3). Stories are written for influence but it does not require a person to believe in the actual story to walk away with meaning. There can be several views taken from a statement and they can be positive/negative but the important thing is that the reader does take something away. The author intends to sway the reader to a side but the counterpoint is likely to be just as strong. The more learned a person becomes the more they think for themselves and are able to draw connections from story to story. This is what makes reading Shakespeare after Ovid special, while my memory does not serve me nearly as well as it does fellow students I am able to see these connections and strive to see more. I make indirect connections to the Bible from what I learned in Bible as Lit. to Ovid even though the church states Ovid is mythological while Biblical stories while also filled with imagination in the Garden of Eden is the basis for earth.
A person should always strive for their virtue to be improved because we live in a world where too many events happen that shouldn't and too little is done to truly improve the world but as the world strives to grow and become connected the understanding of foreign nations/people grows as well. What did Shakespeare and Ovid intend for their readers to take away? Through the readings of plays I feel I have gained a slight concept and Ovid connects back to last semester so hopefully through my paper I can assist in your understandings.
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