Apollo and Daphne Study Questions

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Bring on the tough stuff - there's not just one right answer.

1. Why is Apollo so full of himself at the beginning of the story? What has he just accomplished?
2. What does Apollo do to offend Cupid? What does Cupid do to Apollo in revenge?
3. What is the significance of Cupid's gold-tipped arrow versus his lead-tipped arrow?
4. Do you think that Peneus's solution for saving Daphne from Apollo is a good idea? Why, or why not?
5. Why do you think Cupid decides to make Apollo fall in love with Daphne? Does she deserve her fate, or is she just an innocent bystander? Explain your answer.
6. Write a new ending to the story. What would've happened if Peneus hadn't intervened?
7. Why is the laurel Apollo's sacred tree? What have its leaves now come to represent?
8. Compare and contrast Ovid's version of the tale with another version like Thomas Bullfinch's.
9. In what ways might the story be commenting on the place of women in society?
10. Compare and contrast two different artistic representations of the story, like Bernini's sculpture and Waterhouse's painting.