Popular Myths from Ovid’s Metamorphoses

Why have 3,000-year-old Ovidian myths continued to captivate readers, writers, artists, playwrights, and bibliophiles across millennia? This innovative contemporary study guide invites undergraduate students to explore that enduring question as they journey through Metamorphoses by Ovid.

Grounded in Socratic pedagogy, this accessible book introduces the principal issues, ideas, and methods involved in studying Ovid’s classical literature. It helps readers to develop essential skills for literary, humanistic, social, and cultural inquiry, such as strategic reading, thoughtful interpretation, self-reflection, ethical reasoning, and analysis of diverse perspectives. Supplementary online materials for instructors include a course organizational structure, presentation slide decks, engaging classroom activities, and student projects that cultivate critical thinking, active reading, and reflective writing. The online materials also feature curated artworks to deepen students’ engagement with Ovid’s world and support thoughtful interpretation of the myths. Workshop discussions and Socratic Seminars are also included to further enhance students’ ability to analyze Ovid’s extraordinary characters and improbable plots.

Designed for university mythology courses, this contemporary study bridges classical literature and contemporary relevance, inviting students to discover how mythic narratives offer meaningful frameworks for understanding human complexity.