Question

19

Select the correct answer.
How does Blake's poem transform the original Greek story of Cupid?
A.
B.
C.
OD.
The poem describes Cupid's arrows as bringing joy or sorrow.
The poem describes the origin of the character Cupid.
The poem argues that Cupid wounded people with arrows of love.
The poem argues that Cupid was a boy because of the Greeks' love of war.
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Answer 1

Blake's poem transforms the original Greek story of Cupid by depicting his arrows as causing both joy and sorrow, diverging from the traditional portrayal of Cupid in Greek mythology.

Step-by-step explanation:

A student has inquired about how William Blake's poem transforms the original Greek story of Cupid. The poem indeed alters the classical perspective of Cupid by illustrating that his arrows could engender both joy and sorrow. This notion is substantiated by Aphra Behn's poem 'Love's Power', where Cupid's indiscriminate use of arrows is evidenced in the opening lines, "Love when he Shoots abroad his Darts / Regards not where they light". The Greek portrayal typically presents Cupid as an indiscriminate instigator of passion, but the answer lies in understanding Blake's interpretive transformation rather than focusing on the traditional narrative.

The option that most closely aligns with the given texts is:

D. The poem describes Cupid's arrows as bringing joy or sorrow.

William Blake's approach in his work often included a moral dimension to mythological characters, setting him apart from the Greek tradition that focused more on the narrative elements of the gods' characters and actions.

Answer 2

The correct answer is D.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Blake’s poem “Why Was Cupid a Boy”, he argues that Cupid was a boy because of the Greeks’ love of war. He writes, “‘Twas the Greeks’ love of war Turn’d Love into a boy, And woman into a statue of stone-- And away fled every joy.”