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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Ovid's version of the creation of the earth, what are the first two forces to be separated?

2. After Arachne is dead, what type of animal does Minerva transform her body into?

3. In hearing of Mercury's affections for Herse, what goddess does Minerva transform herself into?

4. During the competition, what does Minerva's portrait exemplify?

5. As Cadmus and his wife mourn Athamas and Ino, what animals are they turned into by their grief?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Procne respond when she receives news of the way that Tereus is treating her sister, Philomena?

2. Who is Erysichthon and how is he punished for his actions against the nymph?

3. What happens when Medea attempts to help Pelias' daughter return their father to an age of youthfulness?

4. What is the result of Phaeton's visit to the Sun?

5. How does Perseus come to marry Andromeda?

6. How does Minerva respond to Arachne's portrait of the gods?

7. What prophecy does Meleager's mother remember in regards to her son's life and death?

8. What happens when Cephalus calls for a breeze to cool him in the woods?

9. Why do Pyramus and Thisbe kill themselves?

10. Who do Cupid's first two arrows shoot, and what is the outcome?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The forces of nature are very strong throughout the novel. Many characters find themselves transformed into earthly elements such as water, trees, and flowers. Choose two examples of characters that were transformed into earthly elements and explain the circumstances of their transformations, and what their transformations symbolized.

Essay Topic 2

Taking a woman by force is an unfortunately common practice in Ovid's "Metamorphoses". Explain how women are treated by the gods in the novel, and how the practice of taking a woman by force relates to the idea of love.

Essay Topic 3

Storytelling is an important asset to Ovid as he progresses through this novel. Explain how storytelling presents itself in the novel, and then compare / contrast storytelling and plot as they appear as themes in the novel as a whole.

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