"Ovid's best known poem, the Metamorphoses, is one of the cornerstones of Western culture and the principal source for all the most famous myths of Greece and Rome. Not surprisingly, it has provided a continuing inspiration for poets, composers and painters alike.".

"This is the first inclusive account of this hugely important poem's influence on English literature. The Metamorphosis of Ovid charts the reception of the Metamorphoses over the course of six centuries, beginning with Chaucer's enigmatic House of Fame and ending with Ted Hughes' widely acclaimed Tales from Ovid.

As well as offering reassessments of works whose debt to Ovid has long been recognised, such as The Tempest and Paradise Lost, this book demonstrates that Ovidianism is an even more complex and pervasive phenomenon within English literature than has previously been recognised, and may be found in the most unexpected places."--BOOK JACKET.