Shakespeare’s Use of Ovids Metamorphoses and Virgils...

Shakespeare’s Use of Ovids Metamorphoses and Virgils Aeneid as Basis for The Tempest William Shakespeare, as did most writers of his time, took the basis for the stories he wrote from other texts. He would use source poems or mythology in order to write his own works. Romeo and Juliet, for example, can be compared to the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisby. Plays such as Richard III and Julius Caesar are artistic accounts of historic events. The Tempest, however, is commonly perceived as an original story. Many critics feel that this was the only story of his that was entirely created by Shakespeare. This is not the case. In fact, there are several sources from which he very much drew inspiration for this tale. Shakespeare used†¦show more content†¦She calls upon Aeolus, King of the Winds, to cause a mighty storm that will destroy the Trojan fleet. As the storm arises, several ships are destroyed while others are swept away, but eventually Aeneas and some other ships end up in the harbor of an unknown land. Aeneas decides to inspect this strange place, a nd during his exploration he encounters a huntress. This is actually Venus in disguise, and she informs him that this is the land of Dido, Queen of Carthage. Aeneas meets Dido, who welcomes the Trojans and invites them to her feast. During the feast, Venus has her son Cupid, God of Love, make Dido fall in love with Aeneas. He succeeds, and Dido asks Aeneas to tell her of the fall of Troy, which he does. As time goes by Aeneas and Dido fall in love. Dido neglects her territory, and Aeneas ignores his quest. However, Jupiter, King of Gods, insists that Aeneas get back to his destiny and find a new home for his people. Aeneas obeys, and Dido kills herself with his sword. Aeneas next goes to Cumae in Campania to gain access to the underworld from the Sibyl, or priestess of Apollo, and succeeds. He does so in order to ask his dead father about the future of their race. Eventually Aeneas and his people get to the promised land, where they meet Latinus, the king of a neighboring area. Latinus offers Aeneas the hand of his daughter, Lavinia, but she is sought after by Turnus, King of