Ovid Paper

Reuss 1
Jackie Reuss
Dr. Borlik
European Lit I
Salvador Dalis painting Metamorphosis of Narcissus is based on Ovids myth Echo

and Narcissus. Every detail of Dalis painting was carefully placed in order to portray meaning.
Dalis effort to portray as much of the myth as possible illustrates Dalis reverence for Ovids
myth and the lesson it conveys. Dali placed everything that preceded Narcissus metamorphosis
in the background and the metamorphosis itself as the focal-point in the foreground, thus giving
the painting its title. Through analysis of the painting, the message of the self-destructive
consequences of narcissism that underlie Ovids myth is preserved and refreshed for a 20th
century audience.
Dali managed to preserve Ovids message in a lot of ways. Firstly, the bulk of the story
takes up the bulk of the painting, all in the background. The background contains pictorial
evidence about how Narcissus lived. By surveying the background from left to right, Narcissus
first admirer, Echo, is depicted by the large rock formations, followed by the crowd of others
who lust after Narcissus. The figure to the right in the background is Narcissus, up on his
pedestal. He is facing away from the crowd of people who is beckoning to him, as well as to
Echo. This can be interpreted as an illustration of his arrogance and conceit; he thinks hes too
good for all of them. Further in the background, there is a road and a mountain which Dali
places between Narcissus figure in the background and the crowd. It is significant that these
Reuss 2
landmarks are not between the two figures which represent Narcissus love for himself in the
foreground. In Ovids myth, Narcissus said while speaking to his reflection:
between us lies
No mighty sea, no long and dusty road,
Nor mountain range nor bolted barbican.
A little water sunders us, (III.450-453).
Dali does specifically place these obstacles between Narcissus and his crowd of admirers but not
between his frustrated figure at the edge of the pool and the figure representing his punishment,
metamorphosed into a flower at his own hand. Dali seems to suggest that it might have been
better or prevented his demise had the mountain and the road been between him and himself
rather than the reflective pool.
Dali did however take away the grass, leaving the dog and the flower being the only nonhuman living things. The dog, which is pictured as eating something he apparently chased down
can be interpreted as a symbol of absolute lust, the way a dog will not give up the chase of his
prey until he has it. Dali places the dog in the foreground, accompanied by the faceless figure of
Narcissus. The figures facelessness represents that he is lost in the reflection of himself in the
pool and his lack of ability to recognize that it is unnatural to lust for oneself. These two aspects
of the foreground of Dalis painting effectively communicate Ovids lesson that blind narcissism
is self-destructive; because Narcissus lusts for himself but fails to see it as unnatural, he is
doomed. Thus, the consequence is placed between the two things that led him to his selfdestruction. The form of the hand can be interpreted as being his because it is in the same shape
as his kneeling body. The hand holds his head, now an egg, symbolizing that he is changed into
the flower that sprouts out of the egg and that this metamorphosis is by his own hand. It is his
own fault that he is changed. Dali carefully places the flower he has been changed into between
the crowd reaching for him and his figure on the pedestal, making it appear like they are all
reaching to pick the flower. In his metamorphosis, his ability to refuse them has perished.
Dalis careful adherences to the details of the story relay his reverence for Ovid. Dalis
focus on the metamorphosis of Narcissus illustrates that he valued the lesson that could be
learned from Echo and Narcissus tale. Dali purposefully denies Narcissus a face, which shows
that Dali finds the lesson meaningful and applicable to all of humankind, not just that specific
individual. Dalis painting as a whole attempts to portray the lesson as applicable and relatable to
anyone who is narcissistic.

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Reuss 1

Salvador Dalis painting Metamorphosis of Narcissus is based on Ovids myth Echo

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