 Although meeting the criteria for an epic, the poem defies simple genre classification by its use of varying themes and tones.Ovid took inspiration from the genre of metamorphosis poetry, and some of the "Metamorphoses" derives from earlier treatment of the same myths; however, he diverged significantly from all of his models.One of the most influential works in Western culture, the "Metamorphoses" has inspired such authors as Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio, Geoffrey Chaucer, and William Shakespeare.