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.

Question

"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 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.

Shakespeare has Thisbe talk to the wall, but Ovid does not.
Shakespeare has Thisbe talk to the wall, but Ovid does not.

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.

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.

Answer 1

The correct answers are:

1. Shakespeare uses Ovid’s source material to make the story new for new audiences.
2. Shakespeare takes Ovid’s story and puts it into dialogue to be performed by actors.

These choices highlight how Shakespeare adapts and transforms Ovid’s original narrative for a contemporary theatrical audience, emphasizing dialogue and character interaction.