Metamorphosis in Greek myths
By: P.M.C. Forbes Irving.
Series: Oxford classical monographs
Publisher: Clarendon Press; Oxford University Press
Published: 1990
Place of publication: Oxford [England]; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 326
Subjects: Mythology, Greek.; Metamorphosis -- Mythology.
Description: The transformation of people into animals, plants, and stones is one of the most common and characteristic themes of Greek mythology, embodying as well some of the most mysterious and fantastic episodes in a mythology that is sometimes considered to be relatively realistic and lacking in fantasy. This book, the first study of these myths in English, analyzes the various ways in which they imagine and explore the experience of changing one's form. Irving's unusual approach is to look for their meaning not in long-forgotten rituals or historical events, but in their imaginative appeal as stories.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.