Essay: Women's Woes in Metapmorphoses

(Image Information: Jupiter and Semele by
Gustave Moreau (1895); Web Source: Art Magick)

Women had it all. Women had nothing. Women showed bravery. Women showed fear. In Ovid's Metamorphoses (books 1-4) there were women of varying personalities and situations; however, no matter what characteristics they had, they were subject to a higher power. None of them were strong enough or smart enough to outwit the gods, who always decided their fate.

Io, Callisto, and Semele were all women who were raped by Jupiter because of their immense beauty and appeal to the king of the gods. They had no say in the matter and were often deceived by Jupiter so that he could have his way with them. Afterwards, the girls would feel a great sense of shame, but this shame would stay with them for at least nine months as they carried one of Jupiter’s bastards. It was only a matter of time before Juno would discover her husband’s infidelities and take revenge on the women. Io was raped and transformed into a heifer by Jupiter, taken prisoner by Juno, and eventually left alone and returned to human form. This sparing, due to a lot of pleading by Jupiter, is very similar to Jupiter changing Callisto and her son, Arcas, into constellations before Arcas shoots down his mother. In this story, it is Juno that changes Callisto into a bear. Semele is not as fortunate as the other two, and Juno tricks her into walking right into her own death.

Then, there was the brave nymph. While other nymphs were having relationships with Jupiter, Juno would come looking to punish them. Everytime she would appear, so would Echo, and Echo would use an endless stream of conversation so that the other nymphs could flee and not be found with Jupiter. This constant deception lead to Juno’s decision to punish Echo, leaving her unable to create her own words. Because Echo could only repeat the words she heard, when she saw beautiful Narcissus, she was unable to appeal to him. Still to this day she lives in nature, often repeating what she hears.

As for a typical women, look no further than the story of Perseus and Andromeda. Andromeda was the daughter of Cassiopeia and was doomed by her mother’s words to be sacrificed to the sea monster. Andromeda was beautiful, but she was no more than that. When Perseus passed by her he thought she was so beautiful that he decided to save her in exchange for her hand, terms which the king and queen accepted immediately. Andromeda screamed in fear of the monster, and after being saved, was enamored by her hero.

Women (mortal women) came from a variety of backgrounds in this unit, but one thing seemed to remain consistent. These women did not hold any power over their own lives. They were subordinates to stronger men or gods, and it was these superiors who held the women’s fates in their hands.