Question

read the passage. then answer the question that follows.
calpurnia. a lioness hath whelped in the streets,
and graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead.
fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,
in ranks and squadrons and right form of war,
which drizzled blood upon the capitol.
the noise of battle hurtled in the air,
horses do neigh, and dying men did groan,
and ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.
o caesar, these things are beyond all use,
and i do fear them.
—the tragedy of julius caesar,
william shakespeare
which of these are symbols in the passage? check all that apply.
□ blood
□ ghosts
□ lioness
□ streets
□ caesar

Explanation:

In literature, a symbol is something that represents an idea or concept beyond its literal meaning. In the passage:

• "blood" can symbolize violence, danger, or death (related to the chaotic events).
• "ghosts" can symbolize death, the supernatural, or omens.
• "lioness" can symbolize ferocity or a powerful force (as it whelped in the streets, an unusual and ominous event).
• "streets" here is just a literal location, not a symbol.
• "Caesar" is a person, not a symbol in this context (the focus is on the omens around him, not him as a symbol yet in this passage's symbols). So blood, ghosts, and lioness are symbols.

Answer:

• blood
• ghosts
• lioness