The main idea of the play Metamorphoses by Zimmerman is changing. That explains the title of the play, as “metamorphose” means to change the character or appearance of somebody or something. Metamorphoses, being based on Greek Mythology (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2002), is filled by examples of changing, and each story that Metamorphoses by Zimmerman includes, contains one or even more instances of various changes.
So, Midas is a character, three laundresses were telling about, who became one of those, who underwent changes. King Midas was a very rich man, having a daughter, who he was regularly shunning for being very disruptive while his speech about his taking care of family. But due to his greediness, he was deprived of his kid. Being in chase of riches, he asked Bacchus, who wanted to grant Midas a wish for his great graciousness to Silenus, for an ability to turn everything, he touches into gold. After such changing, having got this ability, accidentally, Midas turned his own daughter into gold. And desired once changing of Midas to turn all he touches into gold, brought just disasters.
Alcyone and Ceyx also exposed themselves to changing. The story about Alcyone and her husband Ceyx was told by those laundresses as well. This is a story of love and devotion dedicated to King Ceyx and his wife Alcyone. King Ceyx, in spite of his wife’s warnings, has decided to voyage into the sea for visiting an oracle. However, Poseidon wrecked a ship belonged to Ceyx and he was killed while the process of shipwreck. With the help of Aphrodite, who gave a hint to Alcyone by dreaming of Ceyx some changes happened. In this dream he told his wife to be at the shore and with gods’ mercy, these loving hearts were united again, however, turned into seabirds.
The theme of transformation that is reflected in title and can be observed throughout the whole play is connected with to the play dependence on water. However, not just the water changes function in Metamorphoses, but the water is described by Zimmerman like the most varied thing in the world. Each of six myths is overfilled with the ability of water to change everything and change itself. That is due to its instantaneous nature, it could transform from calm to violent and then to become still again. Because of such variability of water, it became a central point of the whole play. At the very beginning of it, the author mentions that: “The stage is entirely occupied by a square or rectangular pool of water of varying depth… All scenes take place in and around the pool” (Zimmerman 3). That is why the pool has the primary meaning for the whole play and there are no stages this feature was absent. This water is central concept for each of the myths those were told in the play by Zimmerman, however, its purpose may change greatly. The pool play a role of various reservoirs, among which are a basin for washing and, the sea or the River Styx.
In two episodes, mentioned above, the pool also plays a central role. For instance, King Midas, who has got a gift to transform everything he touch into gold due to which he turned his daughter into soulless piece of metal could solve the problem of his changing just if he sought some mystic pool. The fact that nothing else water is able to restore the King to normal confirms mysterious ability of water for various changes.
The story about Alcyone and Ceyx is fully saturated by the concept of water. This myth starts when King Ceyx is going to take the sea. At sea Ceyx’s shipwreck took place and there his death happened. However, in spite of all changes Alcyone and Ceyx remained together and having become seabirds, they fly to the horizon above sea. To describe destroying forth of water Zimmerman uses Poseidon, who is known as the Ocean God. “Poseidon and his Henchmen had arrived” (Zimmerman 23) and a mighty men became helpless. Poseidon became embodiment of great power of water and its destructive nature that is able to be dangerous for weak people. Water reveals human smallness in comparison with element’s power. It can become embodiment of all the difficulties any person can meet in his life, and under their influence he/she is able to change greatly, for instance, it start to feel and recognize loss of beloved people deeper.
It is understandable that all the myths have poetic nature (Beiderwell and Wheeler, 2007). But Zimmerman described all the myths by Ovid (Ovid, 2001) in some new manner, making it closer and easier to understand for modern audience. That is why the author’s aim was to make the language fantastic but still relating to the audience. Zimmerman obtained this aim with the help of sets of phrases and especial rhythm she chose for Metamorphoses. The rhythm is realized in rapid scenes and to-the-point dialogues, making it easy to catch the main idea and follow all the events without leaving a lot of moments of silence or pauses while the conversations.
Such rhythm is rather optimistic: MIDUS: Now, I’m not a greedy man, but it is an accepted fact – a proven fact – that money is a good thing. A thing to be longed for, a necessary thing. And my god, I have a lot of it! It wasn’t always this way with me – the boats, the houses be the sea, the summer cottages and the winter palaces, the exotic furnishings, the soft clothes, the food… (Zimmerman 9).
With the help of such up-tempo rhythm playwright create that fantastic atmosphere of the whole play.
Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses describes psychological state of love and relationships between human beings being under the influence of this state as well as changing in them. It is shown as a thing that is able to make any person be something fully different. The powerful and rich King Midas turns into a pilgrim, who travels far away because of love for daughter, who is more important for him than all his money and who make him forget about it. Ceyx and Alcyone are turned into seabirds to save their great love for each other and be together. It must be mentioned that love, having the changing power, is central theme of Metamorphoses. And like water is the tool of transformations, love is the main cause of them. Common emotions are depicted as keys for heart and soul. So, a wild grief of Alcyone helps her to reunite with her husband and due to it he is persuaded to come back to her.
Bibliography
Beiderwell, Bruce and Jeffrey Wheeler, The Literary Experience: Essential Edition, Cengage Heinle, 2007.
“Greek Mythology.” Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2002.
Ovid. The Metamorphoses. New-York: New American Library, 2001.
Zimmerman, Maria. Metamorphoses. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 2002.