Transformation In David Malouf's Metamorphoses

167 Words1 Pages
A desire to be free is entrenched in human nature. In An Imaginary Life both Ovid and the Child seek the “pleasure at being free.” Malouf depicts both the Child and Ovid as trapped within Tomis, at the very edge of “the known world.” Their freedom comes when they are able to go out “to a turfy island” outside of the village walls and together discover a “new world.” In Metamorphoses Ovid uses transformation in much the same way, his characters become “confined” in a body that is not their own and unable to change back to their true form to once again become free. In contrast to Ovid’s portrayal of transformation as a punishment and imprisonment, brought on by the lust and desire of others, Malouf depicts Ovid’s spiritual transformation in An