King Midas study guide
Why does Midas tell the Princess and Queen to keep away from him?
He wants to make sure they do not turn into gold.
Why have the palace clocks stopped?
Midas has transformed them into gold.
Which of these major ideas is most clearly conveyed by the three speakers in the selection from "King Midas"?
The pursuit of wealth can lead to unhappiness.
Why is Midas upset about his dog and cat?
They are dead because he touched them.
Which of these people typically wears a suit of mail?
a medieval knight
What sort of stanza is the following, which appears in the selection from "King Midas"? I praise the bird, the river, and the tree. If I were deaf or dumb, I could not see Imagination is the heart of me.
a tercet
What is the rhyme scheme of these four lines from "King Midas"? Princess, come no closer; my rigid kiss, Though it is royal still, will make you this Or that kind of a statue. And my Queen, Be armed against this gold paralysis....
aaba
In "The Princess's Song" section of the selection from "King Midas," with which of these things is the Princess most clearly pleased?
aspects of the world of nature
How does Midas feel about all his wealth?
comes to hate it
The suffix -able means "capable of." Using this information and your knowledge of the Latin root -dur-, choose the phrase that describes a durable fabric.
difficult to wear out
What would an obdurate person be most likely to do?
fail to adapt to new circumstances
How many iambs does this line from "King Midas" contain? A falling leaf in fall's a thing to mourn.
five
Which of these pairs of end rhymes in the selection from "King Midas" is an example of slant rhyme?
gone / then
Where would ore most likely be found?
in a mine
In the selection from "King Midas," "The King's Speech" consists of eight-line stanzas. Which of the following terms identifies a stanza of that length?
octave
In this excerpt from "King Midas," how many pairs of end rhymes are exact rhymes? I rather would be blind than see this world All affluent in yellow, bought and sold By Kings that hammer roses into gold: I did not know I loved their warring thorns Until they flowered into spikes so hard My blood made obdurate the rose's stem. My God was generous. O much too much! The nearest rose is now beyond my reach.
one
Where does enjambment take place in these lines, which begin the selection from "King Midas"? The palace clocks are stiff as coats of mail. Time stopped; I flicked it with my fingernail. My taste is shattered on these works of art It fathers by a touch....
only after art
At the end of his speech, what does Midas ask the god Dionysus to do?
rid him of the golden touch
What is the meaning of the Latin root -dur-?
strong and lasting
Which words best describe the attitude or feelings that the Queen expresses in the selection? Choose two.
unhappy, sarcastic
