In the Metamorphoses, Ovid attempts the great task of telling the story of the world, from its creation to the death of Julius Caesar. However, Ovid's work is not just a mythological encyclopedia; it is also the source of much standard figurative language. Likewise, Dante Alighieri attempts to accomplish the great task of assembling a visionary narrative. Hell is a highly structured vision of the future that not only highlights the Christian religion, but also integrates many mythological figures from the past. But Dante's genius lies not in the great vision he dreamed, but in the way he presented it. Through his poetry, Dante aims to instill fear in his readers; he hopes to create a future more real than the present so that his readers will repent. To achieve this goal, Dante uses highly concrete images. Ovid tends towards an opposite goal; in his depiction of specific myths, Ovid aims to evoke a past identical to the present. His aim is to convince readers that the glorious warriors and fantastic gods of the past are very similar to them, and thus he aims to disenchant his readers. Just like Dante, Ovid also uses images to achieve his goal. However, the ways in which these two poets use images are different because their purposes are radically different. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Ovid's images tend to focus on emotions and abstract concepts, rather than physical details. This is especially true in the case of the myth of Medea. Often described as a vengeful witch, Medea is presented as a sympathetic character by Ovid. Instead of focusing on the shocking acts committed by Medea, Ovid highlights her great affection for Jason. Like when a spark that had remained hidden under a crust of ash is nourished by a breeze and is reborn revived, regaining all the vigor it once had; just like that her smoldering love, which you would have thought was almost extinguished, was rekindled (226)By illustrating Medea's love as fire, Ovid helps the reader imagine Medea's emotions. Like a fire, Medea's love is wild, spontaneous and dangerous. His infatuation is a spark that attaches to anything and then spreads wildly. By using diction such as “vigor,” “smoking,” and “ardent,” Ovid reinforces the idea that his love is intense and strong. The image of an uncontainable flame is powerful; more importantly, it's realistic. In reality, emotions are uncontrollable and this concept is easily identifiable. All the terrifying acts that Medea subsequently commits seem explicable in view of this dangerous love. Medea is no longer the last mythical warning of infidelity, but an abandoned wife who has lost all hope. She is no longer the mother who killed her children, but a person who feels undeniable human emotions. Ovid often has to work with characters who are often fantastic in all respects, such as Medea. The only things that connect these characters to readers are emotions and abstract concepts. By creating emotionally charged images, Ovid is able to convince the reader that these fantastical characters are actually not that different from the reader and that myths are very similar to reality. Dante, like Ovid, aims to create vivid images to convince the reader. reader that the world of Hell is authentic. Unlike Ovid, Dante focuses on physical details. Dante attempts to create a world that his readers can easily imagine, a concrete world. After all, Dante's purpose is to force his readers to realize that the future is more important than thepresent. Dante does this by creating lucid images of the physical appearance of hell. In Hell there is a vast, sloping terrain called Malebolge, a lost place of stone as black as the great cliff that caps it. Right in the center of that place there opens up an extremely wide and deep well. I'll talk about it instead. (158)In each new place the journey passes through, Dante takes the time to describe where everything is and how everything physically appears. It does this to create a defined and substantial image for the reader. Of course, the reader knows exactly what the terrain is like – “sloping… [yawning] a well,” what color the stone is – “black,” what it is spatially like – “wide and deep.” Dante also describes every new creature, every new situation in the same way. Although Dante describes abstract ideas such as emotion, these are absent from the images. Through the use of physical imagery, Dante is able to shape his extraordinary world into something tangible and compelling for the reader. Even in the pursuit of creating a concrete world, Ovid faces several challenges. The stories he writes are often exotic compared to everyday life. As a result, Ovid inserts details into the images to inspire a sense of familiarity in the reader. Ovid focuses details on ordinary things, instead of focusing on dramatic things, such as death. Many myths of the Metamorphoses convey a depressing view of life. Ovid tries to neutralize this potentially bleak aspect of his narrative by creating detailed images of people's beauty. In dealing with the myth of Daphne, Ovid succeeds particularly well. Instead of highlighting the fact that Daphne dies turning into a tree, Ovid focuses on the splendor of Daphne herself. As soon as he finishes his prayer, he feels a numbness take possession of his limbs: his flexible trunk is surrounded by a thin layer of fine bark on his smooth skin; his hair turns into leaves, his arms become branches, the lazy roots cling to the feet that were once so fast, his head becomes the top of a tree; all that remains of her is a warm glow. (37) Daphne is deprived of her freedom and her human form; this is not a pleasant situation. The reader's attention, however, shifts away from his death as a human being, and is instead captured by the girl's erotic beauty. The images greatly reduce the brutality of the situation. Ovidio pays particular attention to the details of every little transformation to make this beauty seem more real. The reader can easily imagine each feature, whether it is the “thin layer of fine bark,” or the “lazy roots.” Additionally, details like the “flexible torso” and “smooth skin” help enhance the cozy and sensual tone. Overall, the visuals create a sensual story rather than a brutal one. Thus, Dafne's story becomes less mythical and more recognizable. Dante, on the other hand, does not try to distract us from suffering. Instead, according to the purpose of his composition, he uses details to accentuate the brutality of the situation. The reader is offered a detailed and embarrassing description of physical torture. From each mouth protruded a sinner's leg up to the calf. The plants were all on fire and the joints of the legs trembled and writhed. Withes and bonds would break in grips. Just as oiled things burn only on the surface, so they burned from the heels to the tips of the toes. In this step, the tactile image is very specific. The reader knows exactly what torture feels like. The burning sensation is closely identical to “oiled things [on fire]”. The pain is so intense that sinners “[tremble] and [writhe]” so wildly that “the withers and chains would have.