The Metamorphoses Flashcards
Who is the author?
Ovid, the first major Roman poet to begin his career during Augustus’ reign.
Themes
- metamorphosis
- human vs nature
- love is destruction
- the power of art
What is the tone of the invocation?
Optimistic, hopeful, and confident as Ovid says the gods “will help [him], or [he] hope(s) so, with a poem”.
What, according to the narrator, was the universe like before the “creation”?
It was chaos and everything was all bunched together so you couldn’t make sense of it.
Why does the narrator refer to the order imposed on the world by the creator as “a liberation”? What did the god “liberate”?
The narrator is saying that God freed Heaven, and Earth, by making them separate places.
What does the narrator mean when he says “love is a finder, always”? What figure of speech is he using?
He means that love brings people together if they are meant to be. This is an example of personification.
How does the author use “The Story of Pyramus and Thisbe”s setting as a symbol for foreshadowing?
He uses the wall to say nothing will get between them, and the tomb to foreshadow their death.
What realistic details does Ovid use in “The Story of Pyramus and Thisbe”? What do they add to the story?
By the author including the guilt someone feels after losing a loved one. He is making the story more meaningful, and allows others to connect to it.
What details does the author use to characterize Daedalus? How does he characterize Icarus?
By explaining the details of the wing building he makes Daedalus seem smart and determined. Whereas Icarus is characterized as careless and too ambitious.
How does the point of view change throughout “The Story of Daedalus and Icarus”?
Most of it is in the pov of Daedalus but towards the end it is Icarus.
What happened to the place where Icarus landed? How is that significant?
The sea became the Icarian and the the land is named for Icarus. This is significant because it is a reminder of how powerful yet dangerous art can be.
In “The Creation” which portion does Ovid say the brothers of the earth hold?
Eurus, the east
Zephyrus, the west
Boreus, the north
Auster, the south
In “The story of Pyramus and Thisbe”, what literary devices are used?
Metaphors, similes, personification, allegories(symbols), and apostrophe(a figure of speech used to address someone who is absent or dead or even an abstract idea).
What is an important theme in Pyramus and Thisbe?
Love conquers all things
What word best describes Ovids attitude toward love in Pyramus and Thisbe?
Sympathetic
