Which of the following assertions about love is contradicted by the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe?
A. Love cannot be forbidden.
B. Love can always find a way.
C. Love is always ill-fated.
D. Love is like a flame that burns hot.
I am guessing B?
Right.
To determine the correct answer, let's analyze the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. In this story, Pyramus and Thisbe were young lovers who lived in neighboring houses. Their families forbade their love, but they found a way to communicate through a crack in the wall between their houses. Eventually, Pyramus and Thisbe decided to meet in secret near a mulberry tree outside the city walls. However, Thisbe arrived first and saw a lioness with blood on her mouth nearby. She ran away in fear, dropping her veil in the process. When Pyramus arrived and saw the bloody veil, he assumed that Thisbe had been killed by the lioness. Overwhelmed with grief, he took his own life. When Thisbe returned and discovered Pyramus' lifeless body, she also killed herself with the same dagger.
Now let's examine the assertions:
A. Love cannot be forbidden: In the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe, their families forbade their love, which demonstrates that love can indeed be forbidden. Therefore, assertion A is supported by the story and is not contradicted.
B. Love can always find a way: The tale of Pyramus and Thisbe presents a tragic outcome where their love could not find a way in the face of unfortunate circumstances. Therefore, assertion B is contradicted by the story.
C. Love is always ill-fated: The tale of Pyramus and Thisbe is a tragic story, as their love ultimately leads to their untimely deaths. This supports the assertion that love can be ill-fated, so assertion C is not contradicted.
D. Love is like a flame that burns hot: Although the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe involves the intensity of their love, this notion is not directly addressed in the story. Therefore, it neither supports nor contradicts the assertion, so assertion D does not provide enough information to determine if it is contradicted.
Based on the analysis, the correct answer is B. Love can always find a way, as the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe demonstrates that their love, tragically, could not find a way to overcome the obstacles they faced.