TRANSFORMATIONS OF POWER: THE HIDDEN INFLUENCE OF OVID IN SHAKESPEARE'S HISTORICAL CHRONICLES
Keywords:
Metamorphosis, Ovidian influence, Shakespearean Histories, Power Dynamics.Abstract
This paper examines the influence of Ovid’s Metamorphoses on William Shakespeare’s historical plays, focusing on King Richard II, The First Part of King Henry IV, The Second Part of King Henry IV, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and King Henry V. By analyzing the motif of transformation, both personal and political, the study highlights Shakespeare's adaptation of Ovidian themes to explore shifts in power, identity, and social dynamics. In King Richard II, the transformation of Richard from sovereign to mortal underscores the fragility and cyclical nature of power, while The First and Second Parts of King Henry IV follow Prince Hal's evolution into a responsible king, juxtaposed with Falstaff’s refusal to change. The Merry Wives of Windsor uses comedic humiliation and disguise to depict social transformation, while King Henry V illustrates Hal’s complete metamorphosis into a unifying leader. Through these works, Shakespeare reinterprets Ovidian metamorphosis to examine human vulnerability, change, and the impermanence of power within the context of Elizabethan drama.
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