Literature Entry Week 4
This week we looked at Ovid, and his interpretation of the ‘Four Ages’ - The Golden Age, The Silver Age, The Bronze Age and finally The Iron Age. He tells of the way that the world and the people in it have changed from being able to live without wars and laws to living from the land and appreciating the things that they had and then the other end of the spectrum of having to live with laws and wars and the eventual exit of the ‘Lady Astrey’ or ‘The Lady of Justice’.
In the Golden Age life was good and just, everyone lived in harmony and there was no need for wars because the land was made of milk and honey everywhere they went. This kind of reminds me of the description of the Garden of Eden in the bible. I think that Ovid is referring to this because the people of this age did not need to think of the things that we lust for in this age like wealth, beauty, and power. The world was a good place and so were the people in it.
In the next age, the Silver Age, the world began to change and people with it. The seasons were formed, cultivation began and because of this the world was changed. Unlike the Golden Age where the world was beautiful and just, people began to want more from the earth and this brought about these changes. I think that they began to become more powerful and reap more from the world and this brought on the next age the Bronze Age.
The Bronze Age brought wars and feuds to the peaceful world and thus it was changed forevermore.
The Iron Age where people became mischievous and faith and truth were lost, this brought about the 7 deadly sins of the world (which has now been changed to 14! Gee we are a sinful bunch of people!). I think that the sins greed and lust played a part in the Iron Age because people became greedy and wanted power and wealth, especially during the gold rush that swept the world and the fact that they could dig for precious stones, minerals.
I think that this is a good perception of the world, in that it shows how we have moved or ‘metamorphosed’ in a society of power hungry people from the carefree and peaceful society of the golden age. It is interesting to put it all in perspective though and I did like looking at this text.