Graduation Year

2026

Date of Submission

4-2026

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Literature

Reader 1

Ellen Ketels

Reader 2

Jody Valentine

Abstract

On the island of Helios, the sun god, a water nymph finds comfort tending to the flora along  riverbanks. Clytie avoids her oceanid sisters’ poisonous proclivities. Modeling herself after the sun god’s incessant responsibilities, she spends her existence working. Only taking breaks to perch herself at the top of her alcove’s hill to watch Helios drive his chariot to rise and set the sun, she sees him as the epitome of perfection and freedom.

Her tranquil life is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Helios himself at the footsteps of her isolated cave. Clytie begins to feel new emotions as their relationship develops. Just when she thought they were getting closer, Helios begins to change. Suddenly apathetic to the responsibilities he prided himself on, the Sun God distances himself from Clytie. Eventually, he disappears without a word, leaving a grieving Clytie to wonder if the goddess of love is involved.

Confronted with hidden secrets and convinced she can help, Clytie journeys to the east to find answers. What happens when she meets a human Babylonian princess who makes her question everything she thought she knew?

Through this novel retelling of “Leucothoe and the Sun God” from Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”, I seek to uncover the voices of ancient women from the hegemonic narrative, through the “nymph” and its etymological roots in “bride”. Just as fiction can expand beyond a singular moment, “By the Light” confronts and reimagines the “jealous, vengeful woman” trope into a nymph who fights against her “fated narrative”.

Download

Share

COinS