Page 55, Question 2

Question 2: In what ways do the story's closing lines aptly conclude the darkness/death imagery which Ovid has developed throughout the narrative?



Probably the most well-known instance where Ovid portrays imagery of the darkness, is in the color of the mulberry fruit. In the last line of Pyramus and Thisbe, Ovid writes, "nam color in pomo est, ubi permaturuit" meaning for the color of the fruit is dark, when it has fully matured. Ovid relates darkness and death to each other, and it is only fitting that after this line, he says "quodque rogis superest, una requiescit in urna," and that which remains of the funeral pyres (the ashes) rests in one urn, speaking about Pyramus and Thisbe's death. Furthermore, it is important to note that Ovid previously also mentioned darkness and death together. In line 108, he has Pyramus say, "una duos" inquit "nox perdet amantes." However, Ovid does not always reference darkness as negative imagery.

Thisbe is able to escape the walls of the city, through the In lines 88-89, "lateantque sub umbra arboris" meaning, the shadow of the tree allowed for a particular, common meeting place, and also shadow for Pyramus and Thisbe to hide under. Furthermore, in line 93, "Callida Thisbe egreditur per tenebras," once again the darkness of night, allows Thisbe to leave the walls of the city, and meet with Pyramus. Furthermore, when Thisbe "fugit obscurum in antrum", the darkness of the cave is providing protection for Thisbe from the lion, as the tree can be considered to be doing for both Pyrams and Thisbe. On the contrary, though, it is darkness that protects Thisbe from the lion, but prevents Pyramus from seeing Thisbe, leading to the death of Pyramus, and therefore the death of Thisbe, as well.

The closing lines of Pyramus and Thisbe conclude the darkness/death imagery, because they relate the two to each other, as Ovid has been doing the entire narrative. The fruit of the mulberry becomes dark, once it has matured, as the ashes of both unfortunate lovers, rest in one urn. Pyramus and Thisbe, as a poem, embodies the cycle of life after death, providing comfort for some, in the fact that once death has passed, things will proceed and move on. In this case, the fruit of the tree, the mulberry, is the product of reproduction, of the tree. It symbolizes life, after death, and therefore, one can conclude that the mulberry also symbolizes life occurring, after Pyramus and Thisbe's death, and that the fruit of the mulberry and the two lovers are connected. Ovid even utilizes the word "fetus" for the fruit in line 125, instead of pomo, which he has used previously to represent the mulberry. By using the word fetus, he connotates the idea of birth/life/offspring, even though the fruit has matured, with the dark color, provided by the deaths of Pyramus and Thisbe. In this way, Ovid portrays the theme life after death, or the occurance of life originating from death.

Page 49, Question 1

How is Ovid's graphic depiction of Pyramus's suicide quite essential to the story line?



Ovid's graphic depcition of Pyramus's suicide demonstrates the irony of the whole situation. The reason why Pyramus and Thisbe fled the city and its restricting walls, were to be able to unite and be together. However, as soon as they escaped the physical city walls, they encountered other metaphorical 'walls' that we have discussed in class, which continue to prevent them from being together. The situation is ironic because by fleeing the city in search of freedom to love, Pyramus recklessly commits suicide. Also, Ovid specifically has Pyramus stab himself in the groin/genitals for a purpose. The groin area is where real intimacy occurs between two lovers, and it is, further even more ironic, that Pyramus stabs himself there as opposed to his chest, heart, or throat. Another reason why Pyramus may have stabbed himself in the groin is because the sensitivity of the area causes tremendous pain and suffering, which Pyramus desired due to the guilt and responsibility he felt for Thisbe's unfortunate "death."

Limerick: Pyramus and Thisbe

There once was Thisbe of Babylonia
Her desired marriage forbidden by Papa
Burning passion caused rebellion
Ill-timing causing destruction
Unfortunate death is always the saga

Figures Of Speech (105-127)

• In line 114, Ovid utilizes an apostrophe, when he has Pyramus say "O quicumque sub hac habitatis rupe leones!" meaning, "Oh! Whatever lions that live under this rock!" An apostrophe is demonstrated by line 114 because Pyramus is speaking to the lions that are not actually present at the time and place where he is, himself. An apostrophe can also occur when one is speaking to an inanimate object, instead of an object that is not present at the time.
• A synechdoce is demonstrated by Ovid in line 119 "Quoque erat accintus, demisit in ilia ferrum." This can be considered a synechdoce, when a whole is represented by naming one of its parts, because the word ferrum means iron. Ovid did not mean to say Pyramus literally stabbed himself in the groin with a piece of iron, but rather, with a sword. Therefore, iron is the word representing the sword: the part representing the whole.
• In line 117, Ovid uses an anaphora by repetition of the word "dedit." He writes "utque dedit notae lacrimas, dedit oscula vesti" meaning he gave tears and gave kisses to the familiar veil. An anaphora is the repetition of the same word, at the beginning of successive clauses, so evidently, Ovid successfully utilizes an anaphora to evoke sympathy from the audience, for Pyramus.