Week 2 Essay: Analyzing Ovid 1 Unit

I am so happy that I started the semester with the Ovid 1 Unit but the only downfall is having the other units interest me just as much as this one did. I have always been interested in Greek mythology and decided it was a good place to start the semester. The first story of Deucalion and Pyrrha was not my favorite. I found myself getting somewhat confused and had to re-read certain parts of the story to make sure I was getting all of the details correct. The notes were definitely helpful. It was nice being able to read a little summary with hints to look for in the story. For example, in the story of Io I probably would not have picked up on the creation of the peacock. However, since the notes in the beginning mentioned it, I knew to look for the details in the story. I can honestly say that all of the other stories I enjoyed. The second half of the reading seemed to contain the more dramatic and exciting stories, in my opinion. The stories contained more symbolism and imagery that drew me into the stories. I feel like I knew more about the personality of the characters in the stories like Echo and Narcissus. I never knew the creation of the peacock, the echo or coral and found these as some of the most interesting things I learned. The only thing I would have maybe liked to have in the notes is the explanation of different symbols: whether physical or colors. My overall goal for the class is to expand my knowledge of the cultures of different people and lands through the use of myths and folktales. Although I knew many of these myths already, I gained new insights from the stories this time around. I think I would like to do another Greek mythology unit next, but also do want to break away from what I am already familiar with. I recommend this unit to anyone who wants to gain more knowledge about Greek mythology and fears it might be too complex for them to understand. The notes by the professor and the language of Tony Kline, the translator, were simple to read and easy to follow. Overall, I am very happy I started with this unit because it was nice to have content that was somewhat familiar to write about as I navigated how to write the blog posts and assignments. 

Juno and her sacred bird, the peacock: Source