In Metamorphoses, Ovid attempts the great task of telling the history of the world, from its creation to the death of Julius Caesar . However, Ovid's work is not just an encyclopedia of mythology; it is also the source of much standard figurative language. Similarly, Dante Alighieri attempts the great task of assembling a visionary narrative. Hell is a highly structured vision of the future that not only highlights the Christian religion, but also incorporates many mythological figures from the past. But Dante's genius lies not in the grand vision he dreamed of, but in the way he presented it. Through his poem, Dante aims to inspire fear in his readers; he hopes to create a future more real than the present so that his readers will repent. To achieve this goal, Dante uses very concrete imagery. Ovid strives to achieve an opposite goal; in his depiction of specific myths, Ovid aims to evoke a past identical to the present. He aims to convince readers that the glorious warriors and fantastical gods of the past are very much like them, and thus aims to disenchant his readers. Much like Dante, Ovid also exploits imagery to achieve his goal. However, the way these two poets use imagery is different because their goals are radically different. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Ovid's images tend to focus on emotions and abstract concepts, rather than physical details. This is particularly true in the case of the myth of Medea. Often described as a vindictive witch, Medea is presented as a sympathetic character by Ovid. Instead of focusing on the shocking acts committed by Medea, Ovid highlights her great affection for Jason. As when a spark hidden under a crust of ashes is nourished by a breeze and comes back to life as it is shaken, regaining all the vigor it once had; this is how his burning love, which one would have thought almost extinguished, ignited again (226)By illustrating Medea's love in the form of fire, Ovid helps the reader to imagine Medea's emotions. Like a fire, Medea's love is wild, spontaneous and dangerous. His infatuation is a spark that clings to everything, then spreads wildly. By using dictions like “vigor,” “smoldering,” and “flaming,” Ovid reinforces the idea that his love is intense and strong. The image of an irrepressible flame is powerful; more importantly, it's realistic. In reality, emotions are uncontrollable and this concept can be easily identified. All the horrible acts that Medea subsequently commits seem explainable given this dangerous love. Medea is no longer a mythical final warning against infidelity, but an abandoned wife who has lost all hope. She is no longer the mother who murdered her own children, but the one who feels undeniable human emotions. Often, Ovid has to work with characters who are often fantastic in every way, like Medea. The only things that connect these characters to readers are emotions and abstract concepts. By creating emotionally charged images, Ovid is able to convince the reader that these fantastical characters are actually not very different from the reader and that myths are very similar to reality. Dante, like Ovid, aims to create vivid images in order to convince the reader. reader that the world of Inferno is authentic. Unlike Ovid, Dante focuses on physical details. Dante attempts to create a world that hisReaders can easily imagine a concrete world. After all, Dante's goal is to make his readers understand that the future is more important than the present. Dante does this by creating lucid images of the physical appearance of hell. There is a vast, sloping land in hell called Malebolge, a lost place of stone as black as the great cliff that seals it. Precisely in the center of this place there is an extremely wide and deep well. I will talk about it in his place. (158) At each new site the journey passes, Dante takes the time to describe where everything is and what everything looks like physically. He does this in order to create a defined and substantial image for the reader. Naturally, the reader knows exactly what the ground looks like – “sloping… [yawning] a well”, what color the stone is – “black”, how it is spatially – “wide and deep”. Dante describes each new creature, each new situation in the same way. Although Dante describes abstract ideas such as emotion, they are absent from the imagery. Through the use of physical imagery, Dante is able to transform his extraordinary world into something tangible and compelling to the reader. Also in the pursuit of creating a concrete world, Ovid faces different challenges. The stories he writes are often exotic compared to everyday life. Therefore, Ovid inserts details into the imagery to inspire a sense of familiarity in the reader. Ovid focuses details on ordinary things, instead of focusing on dramatic things, like death. Many Metamorphoses myths convey a depressing view of life. Ovid attempts to neutralize this potentially dark aspect of his story by creating detailed images of the beauty of the people. In dealing with the myth of Daphne, Ovid succeeds particularly well. Instead of emphasizing that Daphne dies by turning into a tree, Ovid focuses on the splendor of Daphne herself. As soon as she finishes her prayer, she feels a torpor take hold of her limbs – her supple trunk is surrounded by a thin layer of fine leaves. bark at his smooth skin; her hair turns into foliage, her arms turn into branches, lazy roots adhere to feet once so swift, her head becomes the top of a tree; all that remains of her is a warm glow. (37) Daphne is deprived of her freedom and her human form; it's not a pleasant situation. The reader's attention, however, shifts away from her death as a human being and focuses instead on the girl's erotic beauty. The images considerably attenuate the brutality of the situation. Ovide pays close attention to the details of each tiny transformation to make this beauty more real. The reader can easily imagine each feature, whether it is the “thin layer of thin bark” or the “lazy roots.” Additionally, details such as the “soft trunk” and “smooth skin” help enhance the cozy and sensual tone. Overall, the images create a sensual rather than brutal story. Thus, Daphne's story becomes less mythical and more accessible. Dante, on the other hand, does not try to distract us from suffering. Instead, depending on the purpose of his composition, he uses details to reinforce the brutality of the situation. The reader is treated to a detailed and cringe-worthy description of the physical torture. From each mouth, a sinner's leg stuck out up to the calf. The soles were all on fire and the leg joints were shaking and twisting. The ropes and ties would have broken in their agony. Just as oiled objects only burn on the surface, they also burn from the heels all the way to the tips of the toes. In this passage,..