Marina Warner and Mythological Stories - Essay Example

OVID, SHAKESPEARE AND BLIXEN Marina Warner is a famous English novelist and critic, who has produced remarkable stories, essays and novels on various topics including mythology, feminism and culture. Her remarks given in the paragraph emphasize on the significance of imagination in man’s life. She stated that though observation plays a vital role in man’s performances, yet almost all the activities and conducts of the individuals are dependent of his imagination. Looking into the works of great authors and writers, it becomes evident that imagination serves as the central point to regulate man’s actions, reactions and conducts. The same can be estimated by studying his long narrative epic poem under the title “Metamorphoses” by renowned poet of ancient Rome Ovid. The Metamorphoses consists of different tales regarding the creation and history of the world at large in an artistic and highly imaginative way. Ovid seemed to be impressed by Greek mythology; it is therefore, his stories portray almost the same pictures while depicting his characters as have been described in mythological works of his times. Greek mythology submit countless stories of transformation of gods, goddesses and heroes into some other creature, as Zeus has transformed himself into a big eagle to kidnap and abduct Trojan prince Ganymede, and has adopted the guise of a beautiful swan to seduce Leda. Ovid’s Metamorphoses story of Gregor Samsa also reveals the same where a young salesman named Gregor finds himself has been transformed into a big cockroach during his sleep, and no one could be able to recognize him altogether. Thus, he remains almost isolated eating the food of insets and bugs. There appear risks in his life regarding starvation, aloofness and being killed by some human. Since his father, mother and sister fail to identify him, he dies in the same state of an insect in an extremely pathetic and miserable situation. While examining the story, it becomes obvious that Ovid would have never observed transformation of man into sect or other thing and particle; yet, the influence of mythological tales forced him produced the same out of his own imagination. In the same way, he must maintain some fears regarding life in his own imagination, which can be estimated in his story. There are some blessings and benefits of transformation too as an insect has got the ability to move everywhere without hurdles. An insect requires no permission to move or enter from one place to the other. Nevertheless, the anxiety of being alone in a state of extreme misery is sure to take his life consequently. Similarly, William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest” has also been written on the patterns of mythological stories where the mythological theme of Prosperos magic spell, Ferdinands weird survival in an imaginary island, safe boarding of all the crew of wrecked ship carrying the King of Naples Alsono, his brother Sebastian, his son Ferdinand and others, and Ariels astounding help depict the imaginative thoughtfulness of Shakespearean comedy, which serve as against the normal laws of human destiny. "Since Prospero controls the entire pre and post storm situation in the sea with his magical powers and gets the stage for the desired outcome, the play serves more mythological than Christian." (David Daiches, 2001:302) The concept of magic and transformation has never been the part of Christian faith or teachings. In the same way, though concept of ghosts and their appearance prevailed in the literature of that time, which Shakespeare also applied in his plays, yet no great stories had been written regarding magic and supernatural powers existing in the world deciding the fate of many lives. Hence, Shakespeare had perhaps never learnt or observed such tales or incidents around him in his atmosphere. Nevertheless, the Tempest maintains the theme completely based on the supernatural elements including the witch Sycorax, her half human offspring Caliban and the sprite Ariel present a metaphysical environment where only imagination does count and no real thing related to normal human life could be seen playing the decisive role during the whole play. "The Tempest is a specimen of the purely romantic drama, in which the interest is not historical, or depen-dent upon fidelity of portraiture, or the natural connexion of events,—but is a birth of the imagination, and rests only on the cooptation and union of the elements granted to, or assumed by, the poet." (Quoted in the Tempest essays) Danish writer Karen Blixens "Tempests" is a story taken from her collection under the title Anecdotes of Destiny, in which she expresses the role of destiny in mans life. The authoress views the imperative part the Devil and presence of supernatural elements in life. Devilish temptations kept the heroine in a state of isolation, but in return she got immortality and performed greater than the ordinary individuals in her life. "That when soon I sail from here, I may again run into such a storm as the one in Kvasefjord. But this time I shall clearly understand that it is not a play in the theatre, but it is death. and it seems to that then, in the last moment before we go down, I can in all truth be yours..." (from Tempest in Anecdotes of Destiny, 1958: Quoted in http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/blixen.htm) It is a fact beyond doubt that supernatural forces have always been the part of every culture, society and civilization; it is therefore, people have beliefs and fears regarding such ghostly objects. Since literature is the imitation of real life, stories have also been written where metaphysical characters have been elaborated in an interesting and imaginative way. The stories produced by Ovid, Shakespeare and Blixen reveal the presence of metaphysical forces that regulate and interfere in mans everyday life. Since the authors have created these pieces of art out of their deep and thought-provoking imagination, they invite their readers to have a more vivid and vast vision of thoughtfulness, where many pieces of art and literature can be produced and presented which have no existence in contemporary world, though their characters can be depicted and painted making the literature more colorful, gorgeous, pageant and delightful one. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Tempest Essays. (Quoted in absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/tempest/essay/tempest_essay.htm) Blixen, Karen.1958 The Tempests: Quoted in Anecdotes of Destiny Shakespeare, William. The Tempest Ovid, http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/blixen.htm http://www.karenblixen.com/question31.html Read More