What is the story of Echo and Narcissus about?
Echo and Narcissus is a myth from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a Roman mythological epic from the Augustan Age. The introduction of the myth of the mountain nymph Echo into the story of Narcissus, the beautiful youth who rejected Echo and fell in love with his own reflection, appears to have been Ovid’s invention.
Who is Echo married to?
Echo (mythology)
| Echo | |
|---|---|
| Parents | (possibly) Ouranos |
| Siblings | Nymphs |
| Consort | Pan, Narcissus |
| Children | Iynx and Iambe |
What is the lesson of Echo and Narcissus?
The first thing that the story of Echo and Narcissus teaches us is to beware the trap of vanity or self-adoration. Basically, don’t go around thinking you’re all that. Narcissus is so attractive that he practically has to carry around a spear to keep the girls away. The problem is that he knows how attractive he is.
Who is Echo in love with?
Narcissus
To punish Echo, Hera deprived her of speech, except for the ability to repeat the last words of another. Echo’s hopeless love for Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image, made her fade away until all that was left of her was her voice.
How did Narcissus treat Echo?
‘ to which she responded, ‘Who’s there? ‘ When at last she revealed herself, she leapt to embrace Narcissus, but he scorned her and cast her off. Echo spent the rest of her days pining for Narcissus, and slowly withered away until there was nothing left of her but her voice. The Narcissus flower, or daffodil.
What Narcissus said about Echo?
Finally Narcissus tried to call to Echo, but it failed since she could only repeat his call. Finally Echo appeared and tried to hold Narcissus. Narcissus rejected her and Echo ran to hide. Her body then wasted away while she pined for him.
How did Zeus punish Narcissus?
So Nemisis, the goddess of revenge and divine retribution, decided to punish him. She attracted him to a pool of water where he fell in love with his own reflection. Eventually, he stared at his reflection so long he starved to death and turned into a Narcissus flower (aka a daffodil).
Why was ECHO cursed by Hera?
The goddess Hera cursed her with just an echo for a voice as punishment for distracting her from the affairs of Zeus with her endless chatter. She was loved by the god Pan, and herself became enamoured of the boy Narkissos (Narcissus).
What are the themes in Echo?
Echo – Literature – Themes
- Music. As the title Echo already implicates, sounds and hence the theme of music is omnipresent in the novel.
- Magic and a person’s future. Magic is closely linked to the theme of music in the novel.
- Prejudices and discrimination.
What are the two central themes of Echo and Narcissus?
Echo is cursed with only being able to repeat whatever she hears. After Narcissus sees his reflection he is forced to stay in that moment for the rest of his life until he starves and dies. Narcissus being transformed into a flower represents beauty without vanity. The theme is excessive pride leads to bad things.
Why is Echo called Echo?
The word echo derives from the Greek ἠχώ (ēchō), itself from ἦχος (ēchos), “sound”. Echo in the Greek folk story is a mountain nymph whose ability to speak was cursed, leaving her able only to repeat the last words spoken to her.