1)How does the author show that the king is semi-barbaric? With support from the text, explain in one sentence how he is barbaric, and in another sentence, how he is civilized, or progressive. The author shows that the king is barbaric by having “large, florid, and untrammeled” ideas. The king demonstrates his progressive side by his use of the public arena, in which “the minds of his subjects were refined and cultured.”2)When the author states that the king “was greatly given to self-communing,” what does this say about the way he rules?The author describes the king by saying, “When he and himself agreed upon any thing, the thing was done.” This shows that the king follows his own counsel, and does not rely on the democratic process.3)Break sentence four of paragraph one into its individual parts (divided by commas and semi-colons). Explain what is being discussed in each part of the sentence and explain the purpose The author begins the sentence by explaining how the king is happy when all in his kingdom runs smoothly: When every The Lady, or the Tiger?/Frank Stockton/ Created by Santa Ana District
for the use of commas, semi-colons and conjunctions. How did this process help you to better understand the character of the king?member of his domestic and political systems moved smoothly in its appointed course, his nature was bland and genial;4)The semi-colon and the conjunction “but,” however, shows the contrast between the first part and second part of the sentence. In the second part of the sentence, the author uses a metaphor set off by commas to describe disorder in the kingdom: but whenever there was a little hitch, and some of his orbs got out of their orbits, The author then uses another comma to explain how this makes him even happier than he would be in the first instance: he was blander and more genial still,5)Then he uses another comma and the word “for,” which is a word of explanation, to explain, once again in figurative language, how he enjoys restoring order in his kingdom: for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight, and crush down uneven places. This also indicates that the king likes to be in control and to mete out quick and final justice.This process helps the reader understand that the king enjoys his position of power and especially enjoys exerting that power over others.6)Drawing on the text, describe the king’s method of administering justice within the arena.When the king “gave a signal, a door beneath him opened, and the accused subject stepped out into the amphitheater.” The accused “could open either door he pleased…If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger…as a punishment for his guilt…But, if the accused person opened the other door, there came forth from it a lady…and to this lady he was immediately married, as a reward of his innocence.”The Lady, or the Tiger?/Frank Stockton/ Created by Santa Ana District
7)What characteristics does the king’s daughter share with her father?She is “as blooming as [the king’s] most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own.”Describe the princess’s passion for her lover. What role does her barbarism play?
She was “well satisfied with her lover, for he was handsome and brave to a degree unsurpassed in all this kingdom; and she loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong.” Since it wasn’t acceptable for a princess to carry on with a subject, the excitement of doing wrong might also have appealed to her barbarous nature.Why doesn’t the king approve of the youth’s love for his daughter? What clues from the text make this clear?
The author states that the youth was of “a lowness of station.” This indicates that he would not be a good match for a princess. He also states that “never before had a subject dared to love the daughter of a king.” Clearly, the fact that the king cast the youth in prison and scheduled him for a trial in the arena demonstrates that the king did not approve of the love affair.
