The Golden Ass

Why might Apuleius have chosen the particular interpolated stories he inserts into The Golden Ass? How do they relate to the frame narrative? What themes do they pick up on, and how do they interact with Lucius’s own story?

Compare Lucius’s turn as an ass to that of another man-turned-donkey: Bottom, from Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What does being turned into an ass mean in these different narratives?

What do the different female figures in The Golden Ass suggest about ancient Roman hopes, fears, stereotypes, and beliefs about women? What forms does female power take in this novel, and what roles does it play?

The Golden Ass is the earliest extant written version of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, and by far the longest interpolated story in the book. Why did Apuleius give this story such prominence in his novel? What makes the story of Cupid and Psyche central to this book?

Drawing on the tone and style of The Golden Ass, write a new interpolated story for Lucius to tell. What do you discover by mimicking his voice and storytelling style?

When the upper-class Lucius becomes an ass, he finds himself among all sorts of common people he might never otherwise have encountered, from brigands to runaways. How do wealth and class shape Lucius’s education?

The tone of The Golden Ass ranges, from low and bawdy, to elevated and sublime. Why do you think Apuleius might have used this wide range of voices to tell this story? How do the book’s different flavors work together?

How do Lucius’s experiences lead him to priesthood in the cults of Isis and Osiris? Research these deities. How does the symbolism of these particular gods fit what Lucius has been through?