Comparing Ovid's Metamorphosis And Landscape With The Fall Of

Adaptations present the development of ideas, which contribute to further understanding of the values upheld in the era of its creation. As such, readers today have the opportunity to view these displayed works that provide an insight into life during certain periods of history. For instance, Ovid’s narrative poem, ‘Metamorphosis’ 8 CE, depicts the dangers for a man to deviate from the natural order. Whereas, Pieter Bruegel’s acclimatised art piece, ‘Landscape with the Fall of Icarus’ c. 1560, emphasises the sustenance of work. Also, W.H. Auden’s poem, ‘Musée des Beaux Arts’ has presented a more suitable paradigm to his era, demonstrating the ignorance one has for disasters that do not directly affect oneself.

Unmistakably seen within ‘Metamorphosis’

As such, Metamorphosis portrays Daedalus, father of Icarus, who discourages him to stretch the boundaries of his capabilities. As such, it is shown that he encourages him to only “travel between the extremes”, which persists with a metaphor to attentively stay between boundaries and not challenge borders one naturally would not go beyond. With this, viewers today can interpret the idea that extremes were not positively acted upon, but instead, were the limits a person could not and should not tamper with. However, it can be seen that Icarus is attracted to the intoxicating nature of freedom and power. Supposedly, with the use of personification, he decides to “ignoring his guide, drawn by desire to the heavens”, move off; closer to the sun than warned. In such ways, a modern reader is able to obtain the ever-longing to challenge themselves, but, there was never an act put upon it. Although, it can be seen earlier in the story that Daedalus hypocritically challenges the natural order of things himself, making him seem a hypocritical character. As such, foreshadowing is present through the use of negative connotation, so saying he “altered the natural order of things.” This is so, as the audience perceives the presence of both the ‘natural’, as being good and the ‘alteration’ of the natural, being bad. Today’s readers are therefore positioned to respond to Ovid’s outtake on the world in his

For as this work was created 1500 years after and in a different location, the artwork gives an insight of peasantry life in the Netherlands. The audience in Bruegel’s time is thus able to decipher a more contemporary environment that they can easily identify as their own with only minor adjustments. Dutch Renaissance art is influentially used, particularly with the subject matter of Dutch landscapes and Flemish ships. This relevantly persists the surrounding atmosphere that Bruegel and his society are most prone to. However, with references to ‘Metamorphosis’, there is still some positioning of the Roman world through the seas and the island that Ovid was banished to, which contrasts with the rest of the image. By doing so, it directly alludes to the scenes described by Ovid, leaving the audience of today to realise the unsettlement of the landscape and its unnatural arrangement. Also, by the use of eidetikos (or, visual imagery), Bruegel presents a scene which diverts to the original story by Ovid as instead, he presents three parallel worlds in one. Firstly, he displays in each section, differing landscapes including an illuminated sky, a reflective sea, and a darker earth. In doing so, the audience