Question

the winters tale
by william shakespeare
act 5, scene 3

the following is an excerpt from shakespeares final play, a winters tale. the play centers on the jealous king leontes, who falsely accuses his wife, hermione, of being unfaithful. even though evidence shows that she is innocent, leontes refuses to believe her. upon learning that their son has died, hermione faints and is carried off. later, leontes learns that hermione has died. leontes exiles his newborn daughter, perdita, to live with shepherds. sixteen years pass. in this scene, the main characters gather at the house of paulina, a noblewoman and friend of hermione, to see a statue she has had made.

a chapel in paulinas house.

(enter leontes, polixenes, florizel, perdita, camillo, paulina, lords, and attendants)

leontes: o grave and good paulina, the great comfort
that i have had of thee!

paulina: what, sovereign sir,
i did not well i meant well. all my services
you have paid home: but that you have vouchsafed,
with your crownd brother and these your contracted
heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to visit....

select the correct answer.

how did shakespeare transform a detail from ovids story about the awakening of a statue?

shakespeare had music awaken the statue in his play, while the statue is awakened by a goddess in ovids story.
shakespeare had the statue made of painted marble that awakens, while the statue is already a living woman in ovids story.
shakespeare had leontes beg the statue to forgive him to awaken it, while the statue is awakened by pygmalions kiss in ovids story.
shakespeare had the statue regain her youth when she awakens, while the statue is awakened as a young woman in ovids story.

Explanation:

Analyze the mythological source material

In Ovid's Metamorphoses, the sculptor Pygmalion carves a statue out of ivory. He falls in love with it, and after praying to the goddess Venus, the goddess herself breathes life into the statue, which is awakened when Pygmalion kisses it.

Analyze Shakespeare's adaptation

In Act 5, Scene 3 of The Winter's Tale, Paulina presents a "statue" of Hermione. To awaken the statue, Paulina calls for music to play ("Music, awake her; strike!"). The music serves as the catalyst that brings the statue (who is actually the living Hermione in hiding) to life.

Evaluate the options

• Option 1: Correctly identifies that Shakespeare uses music to awaken the statue, whereas Ovid's statue is awakened by a goddess (Venus).
• Option 2: Incorrectly states the statue is already a living woman in Ovid's story (it was an ivory statue).
• Option 3: Incorrectly states the statue is awakened by Pygmalion's kiss in Ovid's story as the primary transformation detail contrasted with Leontes begging for forgiveness.
• Option 4: Incorrectly states the statue regains her youth (Hermione actually appears aged, showing the passage of sixteen years).

Answer:

• (A) Shakespeare had music awaken the statue in his play, while the statue is awakened by a goddess in Ovid's story. (Correct answer)
• (B) Shakespeare had the statue made of painted marble that awakens, while the statue is already a living woman in Ovid's story.
• (C) Shakespeare had Leontes beg the statue to forgive him to awaken it, while the statue is awakened by Pygmalion's kiss in Ovid's story.
• (D) Shakespeare had the statue regain her youth when she awakens, while the statue is awakened as a young woman in Ovid's story.