The King's Speech
Why can Midas no longer enjoy the food he once loved?
Everything he touches turns to gold, making food impossible to eat.
How are the Princess's values different from her father's?
Midas values wealth and gold, while the Princess values nature and living things.
What does the Queen order the gardeners and huntsmen to do?
Destroy non-gold natural things and preserve golden ones.
What is a stanza?
A group of lines in a poem, similar to a paragraph.
Rock containing valuable metal.
Ore
What happens to Midas's dog and cat when he pets them?
They die/become golden statues.
Name two things the Princess praises in her song.
Birds, rivers, trees, nature, or imagination.
What does the Queen secretly save from destruction?
A real rose tree/rose
What is a rhyme scheme in poetry?
The pattern of rhyming words at the ends of lines in a poem.
What does obdurate mean?
Inflexible, hardened, tough, unwilling to bend, stiff.
Why does Midas describe the golden world as something he would rather be blind than see?
He realizes that wealth has made his world miserable and destroyed the things he loves.
What does the Princess believe is the "heart" of who she is?
Her imagination.
What is the tone of the Queen's speech?
Possible options: angry, outraged, mocking, sarcastic, bitter
What can a rhyme scheme help readers understand about a speaker?
Their feelings, personality, or attitude.
The disease that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes (associated with Midas's golden curse).
Jaundice
How does Midas's attitude toward gold change throughout his speech?
He begins by valuing gold but eventually regrets his wish and wants to return to a normal life.
What does the Princess warn explorers about when searching for gold?
Gold is a trap, and searching for it will not bring true happiness.
Why does the Queen save the rose tree?
She wants to preserve something living to remember/appreciate the real world and remind herself of Midas's foolishness.
What is a slant rhyme, and how is it different from an exact rhyme?
A slant rhyme has similar but not identical ending sounds, while an exact rhyme has matching ending sounds.
What does the phrase "stiff as coats of mail" mean?
Stiff as metal armor worn by knights.
What does Midas mean when he says, "My God was generous. O much too much!"?
His wish was granted, but it was too literal. It became excessive and brought suffering instead of happiness.
Why does the Princess refer to Apollo, the god of music, in her song?
To emphasize the beauty of nature and genuine art rather than material wealth (gold) that her father valued.
What does the Queen mean when she says, "Long live King Midas! And the Golden Rule!"?
She is being sarcastic. She is mocking Midas and his foolish wish, not genuinely praising him.
Label the rhyme scheme:
The stars are shining in the sky
The water flows beside the shore
The waves come crashing ever more
The bird rests quietly in its nest
ABBC
What is the central theme of King Midas?
Don't be greedy. An obsession with wealth can destroy human connection, happiness, and the beauty of nature.
Be careful what you wish for.