Question
Miniver Cheevy
Edwin Arlington Robinson
Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.
Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.
Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam's neighbors.
Minever mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance, now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.
Minever loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.
Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the mediæval grace
Of iron clothing.
Miniver scorned the gold he sought,
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.
Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.
Question
What is implied about Miniver Cheevy in these lines from the poem?
Responses
A He is satisfied with his life.He is satisfied with his life.
B He lives mostly in his thoughts and dreams.He lives mostly in his thoughts and dreams.
C He isn't interested in many things.He isn't interested in many things.
D He has a positive perspective on life.He has a positive perspective on life.
Edwin Arlington Robinson
Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.
Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.
Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam's neighbors.
Minever mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance, now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.
Minever loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.
Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the mediæval grace
Of iron clothing.
Miniver scorned the gold he sought,
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.
Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.
Question
What is implied about Miniver Cheevy in these lines from the poem?
Responses
A He is satisfied with his life.He is satisfied with his life.
B He lives mostly in his thoughts and dreams.He lives mostly in his thoughts and dreams.
C He isn't interested in many things.He isn't interested in many things.
D He has a positive perspective on life.He has a positive perspective on life.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct response is:
B He lives mostly in his thoughts and dreams.
The poem portrays Miniver Cheevy as a character who longs for the past and fantasizes about heroic times and figures, indicating that he is deeply engaged in his thoughts and dreams rather than being satisfied with his current life.
B He lives mostly in his thoughts and dreams.
The poem portrays Miniver Cheevy as a character who longs for the past and fantasizes about heroic times and figures, indicating that he is deeply engaged in his thoughts and dreams rather than being satisfied with his current life.