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Arachne Facts & Worksheets

Arachne is a mortal from Greek mythology famous for being transformed into a spider after challenging and losing to Athena in a weaving contest

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Arachne is a mortal from Greek mythology famous for being transformed into a spider after challenging and losing to Athena in a weaving contest.

See the fact file below for more information on Arachne or alternatively, you can download our 30-page Arachne worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

MYTHOLOGY

  • According to Ovid, Arachne was a maiden from Lydia, a region in the west of Anatolia.
  • She was the daughter of a well-known dyer in purple known as Idmon of Colophon.
  • Arachne was believed to be the inventor of nets and linen cloth. Her son, Closter, is attributed to being the first to use spindle in manufacturing wool.
  • Ovid writes in Metamorphoses that Arachne started weaving at a young age.
  • Arachne became a great weaver and created beautiful pictures into cloth. Folks would travel just to see her works.
  • Because of this, she got conceited, suffered from hubris, and boasted that her skills surpassed that of Athena’s.
  • The goddess transformed into an old lady and approached Arachne warning her: “You can never compare to any of the gods. Plead for forgiveness and Athena might spare your soul.”
  • However, instead of humbling down, Arachne said to the old lady: “Ha, I only speak the truth and if Athena thinks otherwise then let her come down and challenge me herself.”
  • The goddess then transformed to reveal herself, clothed in sparkling white chiton. Arachne and Athena then began weaving right away.
  • Athena weaved a depiction of four varying contests between the gods and the mortals where the former punished mortals for putting themselves in the same level as the gods.
  • Arachne, on the other hand, weaved a picture of the mortals having been abused and misled by the gods, especially Zeus.
  • The goddess saw that Arachne had not only insulted the gods but had also weaved a far better work than her.
  • Athena got furious and ripped the mortal’s work and hit Arachne’s head three times.
  • Arachne felt so ashamed and scared that she hanged herself.
  • Even though she was enraged by Arachne’s work, Athena, out of pity, expressed “Live on then, and yet hang, condemned one, but, lest you are careless in the future, this same condition is declared, in punishment, against your descendants, to the last generation!”
  • Athena then sprayed the juice of Hecate’s herb onto Arachne, who was immediately transformed when the juice touched her skin.
  • Arachne began losing her hair, ears, and nose; her head and body shrank making her so tiny; her fingers became long, tiny side legs; and the rest of her body became a belly. From her belly comes out a thread, which she spins and uses to weave her ancient web.
  • Arachne became a spider and was also cursed to weave for eternity.

INFLUENCE

  • Arachnida, the taxonomic class for joint-legged invertebrates, is derived from Arachne.
  • This class includes, but is not limited to, spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks.
  • The myth of Arachne was also the inspiration for Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez’ painting called Las Hilanderas, known as The fable of Arachne or The Spinners in English.
  • Velázquez is a Spanish painter who is dubbed as the leading artist during the Spanish Golden Age.
  • In Las Hilanderas, Velázquez presented two essential parts of the myth.
  • The contest between Arachne and the goddess shown as an old weaver was painted in the front.
  • The back depicts the Abduction of Europa, a copy of another painter’s work.
  • Athena, in her Roman form, Minerva, also appears in the front, just as she was punishing Arachne.
  • Las Hilanderas translates the tale into an expression of god and man, creation and imitation, and master and pupil.
  • The 19th-century novella of Jeremias Gotthelf, entitled The Black Spider, is also speculated to be heavily inspired by the same myth.
  • The Black Spider mentions a woman who was transformed into a venomous spider after breaking a deal she made with the devil.
  • In the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Arachne is shown as a hideous half-spider, a half-woman monster who nests on mortals to conceive killer spiders.
  • Peter S. Beagle also took inspiration from Ovid’s tale of Arachne and made a character in his novel The Last Unicorn, in the likings of Arachne.
  • In this novel, a witch casts a spell on a brown spider, making it believe she was Arachne. The book describes her: “the greatest weaver in the world—her fate’s the proof of it. She had the bad luck to defeat the goddess Athena in a weaving contest. Athena was a sore loser, and Arachne is now a spider, creating only for Mommy Fortuna’s Midnight Carnival, by special arrangement.
  • Warp of snow and woof of flame, and never any two the same. Arachne.”
  • There is also a Spider-Woman called Arachne in Marvel Comics.
  • Several plays have also adapted the myth of Arachne, one of which is the Broadway musical called Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
  • A play for children by the Australian writer Ursula Dubosarsky, Arachne: Spider Girl!, was also based on the myth.
  • The illustration of the punishment of Arachne in the Purgatory for Dante’s Purgatorio painted by Gustave Doré is one of the artworks depicting Arachne that has been used multiple times in pop culture.

Arachne Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Arachne across 30 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Arachne who is a mortal from Greek mythology famous for being transformed into a spider after challenging and losing to Athena in a weaving contest.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Arachne Facts
  • Threading Story
  • Cross Weave
  • Picturesque Arachne
  • What Do You Weave?
  • Arachne-da
  • The Mark of Arachne
  • Linen Line
  • The Goddess
  • Own Verdict
  • Changed Dame

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Arachne?

In Greek mythology, Arachne was a talented mortal weaver known for her exceptional skill in spinning and weaving.

What is the story of Arachne?

According to Greek mythology, Arachne challenged the goddess Athena, who was also the goddess of weaving, to a weaving contest. Arachne’s tapestry depicted scenes that criticized the gods, while Athena’s depicted their greatness. Despite Arachne’s exceptional skill, Athena won the contest and punished Arachne for her hubris by transforming her into a spider.

Why was Arachne transformed into a spider?

Arachne’s transformation into a spider was a punishment from Athena for her arrogance and disrespect towards the gods. The transformation condemned her to forever weave intricate webs as a spider.

What does Arachne’s story symbolize?

Arachne’s story symbolizes the consequences of excessive pride and disrespect towards the gods. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of challenging divine authority and the importance of humility.

Is “arachnid” related to Arachne?

The term “arachnid” is derived from the name Arachne. Arachnids are a class of joint-legged invertebrates that includes spiders, scorpions, and ticks. The name was given to this group due to the association of spiders with Arachne in Greek mythology.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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