Question

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this scene and the myth.

How does Shakespeare transform Ovid's myth "Pyramus and Thisbe” in Act V, Scene I of A Midsummer Night's Dream?

He presents the tragedy in fable form with a lesson at the end.
He adds characters to heighten the conflict and create more confusion.
He personifies animals and objects to create a more playful tone.
He adds nonfiction components to make the story seem more realistic.

Answer 1

He personifies animals and objects to create a more playful tone.

Instead of just having the characters of Pyramus and Thisbe, Shakespeare gives the inanimate objects like the wall and the moon, and animals like the lion actual lines. This creates humor, especially because the actors are so bad, and sets it apart from the original myth.