Question

Read the excerpts from Ovid’s "Pyramus and Thisbe" and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. "Pyramus and Thisbe" They owed their first encounters to their living close beside each other—but with time, love grows. Theirs did—indeed they wanted to be wed, but marriage was forbidden by their parents; yet there's one thing that parents can't prevent: the flame of love that burned in both of them. Romeo and Juliet Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventures piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

What statement best describes the relationship between these works?
Both works show a marriage denied; only Shakespeare offers background. Both works show young people in love; only Shakespeare suggests limitations. Both works show young people in love; only Shakespeare describes the setting.
Both works show a marriage denied; only Shakespeare mentions families.

Answer 1

Both works show a marriage denied; only Shakespeare offers background.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the given two passages from the two different texts, the theme of restricted love plays the most prominent in them. Ovid's Pyramus and Thisbe presents two lovers who wanted to get married but were forbidden by their parents.

Likewise, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Ju liet were also two lovers who wished to get married. They do get married but theirs was also forbidden by their feuding families. But, as seen in the given excerpt from the text, the prologue provides background information and setting into what the story is about.

Thus, while both works show a denial of marriage to both loves, Shakespeare's work provides a background of the story which Ovid didn't.