Shakespeare’s play uses the same theme of transformation as Ovid’s book, but the tone Shakespeare uses is very different.
The Metamorphoses
by Ovid
BOOK THE FIFTH.
FABLE I.
While Perseus is continuing the relation of the adventures of Medusa, Phineus, to whom Andromeda has been previously promised in marriage, rushes into the palace, with his adherents, and attacks his rival. A furious combat is the consequence, in which Perseus gives signal proofs of his valor. At length, perceiving himself likely to be overpowered by the number of his enemies, he shows them the head of the Gorgon; on which Phineus and his followers are turned into statues of stone. After this victory, he takes Andromeda with him to Argos, his native city, where he turns the usurper Prœtus into stone, and re-establishes his grandfather Acrisius on the throne.
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Midsummer Night's Dream
by William Shakespeare
SCENE II. The Same. A Room in a Cottage
Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT and STARVELING.
QUINCE.
Is all our company here?
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Question
Use the passages to answer the question.
Select the correct answers from the lists.
(1 point)
Shakespeare’s play uses the same
as Ovid’s book, but the
Shakespeare uses is very different.
11 answers
The Metamorphoses
by Ovid
The party-wall, common to the two houses, was cleft by a small chink, which it had got formerly, when it was built. This defect, remarked by no one for so many ages, you lovers (what does not love perceive?) first found one, and you made it a passage for your voices, and the accents of love used to pass through it in safety, with the gentlest murmur. Oftentimes, after they had taken their stations, Thisbe on one side, and Pyramus on the other, and the breath of their mouths had been mutually caught by turns, they used to say, ‘Envious wall, why dost thou stand in the way of lovers? what great matter were it, for thee to suffer us to be joined with our entire bodies? Or if that is too much, that, at least, thou shouldst open, for the exchange of kisses. Nor are we ungrateful; we confess that we are indebted to thee, that a passage has been given for our words to our loving ears.’ Having said this much, in vain, on their respective sides, about night they said, ‘Farewell’; and gave those kisses each on their own side, which did not reach the other side.
"The Metamorphoses" by Ovid
Midsummer Night's Dream
by William Shakespeare
THISBE.
O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,
For parting my fair Pyramus and me.
My cherry lips have often kiss’d thy stones,
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Question
Use the passages to answer the question.
How does Shakespeare transform Ovid’s source material? Select the two correct answers.
(1 point)
Responses
Shakespeare takes Ovid’s story and puts it into dialogue to be performed by actors.
Shakespeare takes Ovid’s story and puts it into dialogue to be performed by actors.
Shakespeare uses Ovid’s source material to make the story new for new audiences.
Shakespeare uses Ovid’s source material to make the story new for new audiences.
Ovid’s story uses source material from an older story and makes it relevant to a new audience.
Ovid’s story uses source material from an older story and makes it relevant to a new audience.
Ovid’s story is a comedy, but Shakespeare turns it into a tragedy.
Ovid’s story is a comedy, but Shakespeare turns it into a tragedy.
Shakespeare has Thisbe talk to the wall, but Ovid does not.
Shakespeare has Thisbe talk to the wall, but Ovid does not.
by Ovid
The party-wall, common to the two houses, was cleft by a small chink, which it had got formerly, when it was built. This defect, remarked by no one for so many ages, you lovers (what does not love perceive?) first found one, and you made it a passage for your voices, and the accents of love used to pass through it in safety, with the gentlest murmur. Oftentimes, after they had taken their stations, Thisbe on one side, and Pyramus on the other, and the breath of their mouths had been mutually caught by turns, they used to say, ‘Envious wall, why dost thou stand in the way of lovers? what great matter were it, for thee to suffer us to be joined with our entire bodies? Or if that is too much, that, at least, thou shouldst open, for the exchange of kisses. Nor are we ungrateful; we confess that we are indebted to thee, that a passage has been given for our words to our loving ears.’ Having said this much, in vain, on their respective sides, about night they said, ‘Farewell’; and gave those kisses each on their own side, which did not reach the other side.
"The Metamorphoses" by Ovid
Midsummer Night's Dream
by William Shakespeare
THISBE.
O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,
For parting my fair Pyramus and me.
My cherry lips have often kiss’d thy stones,
1 of 8
Question
Use the passages to answer the question.
How does Shakespeare transform Ovid’s source material? Select the two correct answers.
(1 point)
Responses
Shakespeare takes Ovid’s story and puts it into dialogue to be performed by actors.
Shakespeare takes Ovid’s story and puts it into dialogue to be performed by actors.
Shakespeare uses Ovid’s source material to make the story new for new audiences.
Shakespeare uses Ovid’s source material to make the story new for new audiences.
Ovid’s story uses source material from an older story and makes it relevant to a new audience.
Ovid’s story uses source material from an older story and makes it relevant to a new audience.
Ovid’s story is a comedy, but Shakespeare turns it into a tragedy.
Ovid’s story is a comedy, but Shakespeare turns it into a tragedy.
Shakespeare has Thisbe talk to the wall, but Ovid does not.
Shakespeare has Thisbe talk to the wall, but Ovid does not.
The two correct answers are:
-
Shakespeare takes Ovid’s story and puts it into dialogue to be performed by actors.
-
Shakespeare uses Ovid’s source material to make the story new for new audiences.
The class president’s face took up one half of the screen and the survey took up the other half.
“Alright,” she said. “You can all vote for whichever community project most interests you. I can’t see the totals from my side while the vote is ongoing, but when everyone’s finished, I’ll announce the winner.”
Casey voted, and a bar graph showing the vote totals popped up in the survey’s place. She watched one bar on the graph rapidly outclimb the others.
“I’m sure this will be a close vote,” the class president continued. “A lot of thought went into developing these ideas, and it’s just so hard to choose.”
There were four options. As the president spoke, Casey watched the vote spread settle at 19 to 1 to 1 to 2.
“I hope we can all agree to put our all into the project that wins,” the president went on. “And, for those of you who feel strongly about an option that doesn’t win, perhaps you can consider leading an additional project next semester.”
Question
Use the story excerpt to answer the question.
In 3–5 sentences, explain how the author uses a type of irony to create an effect. Identify both the type of irony used and the effect it has.
(4 points)
“Alright,” she said. “You can all vote for whichever community project most interests you. I can’t see the totals from my side while the vote is ongoing, but when everyone’s finished, I’ll announce the winner.”
Casey voted, and a bar graph showing the vote totals popped up in the survey’s place. She watched one bar on the graph rapidly outclimb the others.
“I’m sure this will be a close vote,” the class president continued. “A lot of thought went into developing these ideas, and it’s just so hard to choose.”
There were four options. As the president spoke, Casey watched the vote spread settle at 19 to 1 to 1 to 2.
“I hope we can all agree to put our all into the project that wins,” the president went on. “And, for those of you who feel strongly about an option that doesn’t win, perhaps you can consider leading an additional project next semester.”
Question
Use the story excerpt to answer the question.
In 3–5 sentences, explain how the author uses a type of irony to create an effect. Identify both the type of irony used and the effect it has.
(4 points)
The author uses situational irony in this excerpt, where the expectation of a close vote contrasts sharply with the actual results displayed on the bar graph. The class president anticipates a competitive election, stating, “I’m sure this will be a close vote,” but the overwhelming support for one option—19 votes compared to the others—creates an ironic twist. This discrepancy enhances the effect of humor and highlights the disconnect between the president's optimistic view and the reality of the situation, as it becomes clear that one project has dominated the interest of the class.
The Lion Fable
This story follows a lion who is shy and afraid to act for fear of looking foolish. While the lion watches quietly, several other animals step up to lead without hesitation—and make things progressively worse. Each time, the lion quietly tells his mouse friend how he would have done things, and each idea sounds like it would have been a much better and more logical solution. Finally, the mouse points out that the most foolish animals in the kingdom have stepped up to lead without hesitation and suggests that the biggest fool of them all is the lion, who has the best ideas but is too timid to lead. The lion takes the mouse’s words to heart and steps up to rule.
The Animal Council
This story is about a group of animals who serve on King Lion’s council. They gather frequently when their king is not around to complain about his rules and way of doing things. They echo one another’s concerns, and all agree that the king is their greatest problem. Hearing of their doubt, the king decides to teach the animals a lesson. He disappears for two weeks. During this time, the animal council is given the chance to lead. They make several messes, and by the end of the two weeks, the mouse alerts the king that his council is desperate to find and return him to his throne. When he returns, he tells the animals not to question his leadership if they cannot do better themselves.
Question
Use the folk tale descriptions to answer the question.
Both stories focus on characters who rule over others. In 3–5 sentences, explain how this culture views its rulers and explain what evidence you found in each story to support your answer.
This story follows a lion who is shy and afraid to act for fear of looking foolish. While the lion watches quietly, several other animals step up to lead without hesitation—and make things progressively worse. Each time, the lion quietly tells his mouse friend how he would have done things, and each idea sounds like it would have been a much better and more logical solution. Finally, the mouse points out that the most foolish animals in the kingdom have stepped up to lead without hesitation and suggests that the biggest fool of them all is the lion, who has the best ideas but is too timid to lead. The lion takes the mouse’s words to heart and steps up to rule.
The Animal Council
This story is about a group of animals who serve on King Lion’s council. They gather frequently when their king is not around to complain about his rules and way of doing things. They echo one another’s concerns, and all agree that the king is their greatest problem. Hearing of their doubt, the king decides to teach the animals a lesson. He disappears for two weeks. During this time, the animal council is given the chance to lead. They make several messes, and by the end of the two weeks, the mouse alerts the king that his council is desperate to find and return him to his throne. When he returns, he tells the animals not to question his leadership if they cannot do better themselves.
Question
Use the folk tale descriptions to answer the question.
Both stories focus on characters who rule over others. In 3–5 sentences, explain how this culture views its rulers and explain what evidence you found in each story to support your answer.
The culture depicted in both folk tales views its rulers as figures who should take initiative and demonstrate competence in leadership. In "The Lion Fable," the lion initially fails to act due to his timidity, which highlights the expectation that effective leaders must be confident and willing to make choices, as exemplified by his wise ideas that go unvoiced. Meanwhile, "The Animal Council" showcases the animals’ dissatisfaction with King Lion's leadership, which leads them to complain and ultimately make poor decisions when given the chance to lead themselves. This behavior reinforces the expectation that rulers need to have both the capability and courage to guide their subjects effectively, as the council learns that they are unable to replace the king’s leadership without creating chaos.
The Lady of Shalott
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
PART I
On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road runs by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs forever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle embowers
The Lady of Shalott.
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Question
Use the painting and poem to answer the question.
A painting of The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse. She is sailing alone in a small boat on the river.
Source: IanDagnall Computing. Alamy Stock Photo
In 3–5 sentences, analyze how the poem and the painting each contribute to your understanding of the story. Explain at least one detail the poem contains that the painting does not and tell how it contributes to your understanding. Then, explain at least one detail the painting contains that the poem does not and tell how it contributes to your understanding.
(4 points)
by Alfred Lord Tennyson
PART I
On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road runs by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs forever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four gray walls, and four gray towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle embowers
The Lady of Shalott.
1 of 10
Question
Use the painting and poem to answer the question.
A painting of The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse. She is sailing alone in a small boat on the river.
Source: IanDagnall Computing. Alamy Stock Photo
In 3–5 sentences, analyze how the poem and the painting each contribute to your understanding of the story. Explain at least one detail the poem contains that the painting does not and tell how it contributes to your understanding. Then, explain at least one detail the painting contains that the poem does not and tell how it contributes to your understanding.
(4 points)
The poem "The Lady of Shalott" provides a vivid description of the setting and the isolation of the lady, emphasizing her entrapment within the confines of her tower as she gazes longingly toward Camelot. The mention of “long fields of barley and of rye” and the “four gray walls, and four gray towers” creates a stark contrast between the beauty of the surrounding landscape and the lady's imprisonment, which deepens the sense of her longing for freedom. In comparison, the painting by Waterhouse depicts the moment when the Lady of Shalott is sailing away from her island, which visually conveys her act of defiance against her confinement and her desire to connect with the world beyond.
One detail in the poem that the painting lacks is the emphasis on the flowers surrounding the lady's island, which symbolizes beauty and nature but also highlights her isolation from the vibrant life outside her tower. Conversely, one detail in the painting is the depiction of the lady's expression of determination as she sails, illustrating her resolve to escape her fate. This contrast enhances the emotional weight of her ultimate choice, as it brings forth a visual representation of her longing and the risks associated with seeking freedom. Together, the poem and the painting enrich the understanding of the themes of isolation, longing, and the quest for freedom in the story.
In 3–5 sentences, analyze how Star-Crossed uses archetypes from classical literature to create characters that can be universally understood by today’s readers.
(4 points)
(4 points)
"Star-Crossed" employs classic archetypes, such as the tragic hero and the forbidden lover, to create characters that resonate with contemporary audiences. The tragic hero often grapples with fate and personal flaws, making them relatable as they face challenges that mirror the struggles of modern life. Meanwhile, the archetype of the forbidden lover evokes themes of societal barriers and intense passion that many readers can understand, reflecting real-life dilemmas around love and acceptance. By weaving these timeless archetypes into its narrative, "Star-Crossed" creates characters whose experiences and emotions transcend time and culture, making their stories compelling and universally relevant.
1 answer