Narcissus and Echo Flashcards

Flashcards based on the lecture notes about Ovid's "Narcissus and Echo" to help review for the exam.

In what book of Ovid's Metamorphoses does the story of Narcissus and Echo appear?

Book III

During whose reign was Ovid's Metamorphoses written?

Emperor Augustus

What is the central theme of Ovid's Metamorphoses?

Transformation

What poetic meter is Metamorphoses written in?

Dactylic hexameter

Who is Echo?

A mountain nymph (Oread)

Which goddess punishes Echo?

Juno (Hera)

What is Echo's punishment?

She can only repeat the last words spoken to her.

Who is Narcissus the son of?

The river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope

What does the prophet Tiresias foretell about Narcissus?

He will live a long life as long as he never knows himself.

Which goddess curses Narcissus?

Nemesis, the goddess of retribution

What happens to Narcissus at the pool?

He falls in love with his own reflection.

What flower blooms where Narcissus dies?

The narcissus flower (daffodil)

What is the theme highlighted by Echo's one-sided love for Narcissus?

Unrequited love

What common theme does Narcissus' punishment reflect?

Pride (hubris) leads to downfall

What does Narcissus' obsession with his reflection symbolize?

Self-absorption and a lack of true self-awareness

What do the physical transformations in the story serve as?

Poetic justice for their emotional states

Whose concept did the myth inspire, describing excessively self-focused individuals?

Sigmund Freud’s concept of narcissism

What does the narcissus flower symbolize in art and literature?

Vanity and self-absorption

What does the curse cause her to do?

Repeat the last words spoken to her

What angers Nemesis, the goddess of retribution?

Narcissus' arrogance and rejection of others

Whom does Echo help, resulting in her punishment?

Jupiter (Zeus) with his infidelities

What happens to Echo after Narcissus rejects her?

She retreats into the wilderness and wastes away from sorrow.

What does Narcissus not realize when he sees his reflection?

That it is his own image

What does Narcissus refuse to do, leading to his demise?

Eat, drink, or move

What does Ovid use frequently to show permanence of emotions?

Metamorphosis