Question
"Be thou blest, Bertram, and succeed thy father In manners, as in shape! Thy blood and virtue Contend for empire in thee, and thy goodness Share with thy birthright! Love all, trust a few, Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy Rather in power than use, and keep thy friend Under thy own life's key: be check'd for silence, But never tax'd for speech. What heaven more will, That thee may furnish and my prayers pluck down, Fall on thy head! Farewell, my lord; 'Tis an unseason'd courtier, good my lord, Advise him."
Excerpt 2
"Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky Gives us free scope; only doth backward pull Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull. What power is it which mounts my love so high, That makes me see, and cannot feed mine eye? The mightiest space in fortune nature brings To join like likes and kiss like native things. Impossible be strange attempts to those That weigh their pains in sense and do suppose What hath been cannot be: who ever strove To show her merit that did miss her love? The king's disease—my project may deceive me, But my intents are fix'd and will not leave me."
How does the narrator's perspective create irony in the text?
Responses
The narrator's perspective highlights the contrast between Bertram's noble birth and the simple advice given, creating irony.
The narrator's perspective highlights the contrast between Bertram's noble birth and the simple advice given, creating irony.
The narrator's perspective shows a cynical view of human relationships, which is ironic given the context of a blessing.
The narrator's perspective shows a cynical view of human relationships, which is ironic given the context of a blessing.
The narrator's perspective emphasizes the simplicity of the advice, which is ironic given the complexity of Bertram's future responsibilities.
The narrator's perspective emphasizes the simplicity of the advice, which is ironic given the complexity of Bertram's future responsibilities.
The narrator's perspective suggests that following this advice is easy, which is ironic because it is actually difficult.
Excerpt 2
"Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky Gives us free scope; only doth backward pull Our slow designs when we ourselves are dull. What power is it which mounts my love so high, That makes me see, and cannot feed mine eye? The mightiest space in fortune nature brings To join like likes and kiss like native things. Impossible be strange attempts to those That weigh their pains in sense and do suppose What hath been cannot be: who ever strove To show her merit that did miss her love? The king's disease—my project may deceive me, But my intents are fix'd and will not leave me."
How does the narrator's perspective create irony in the text?
Responses
The narrator's perspective highlights the contrast between Bertram's noble birth and the simple advice given, creating irony.
The narrator's perspective highlights the contrast between Bertram's noble birth and the simple advice given, creating irony.
The narrator's perspective shows a cynical view of human relationships, which is ironic given the context of a blessing.
The narrator's perspective shows a cynical view of human relationships, which is ironic given the context of a blessing.
The narrator's perspective emphasizes the simplicity of the advice, which is ironic given the complexity of Bertram's future responsibilities.
The narrator's perspective emphasizes the simplicity of the advice, which is ironic given the complexity of Bertram's future responsibilities.
The narrator's perspective suggests that following this advice is easy, which is ironic because it is actually difficult.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The narrator's perspective emphasizes the simplicity of the advice, which is ironic given the complexity of Bertram's future responsibilities. The advice given to Bertram—"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none"—seems straightforward and easy to follow, yet it underscores the considerable challenges he will face as he navigates the intricacies of court life and leadership. The irony lies in the contrast between the seemingly simple moral guidance provided and the reality of adhering to such principles in a world filled with political intrigue, competition, and personal ambition. This dissonance highlights the difficulty of living up to the ideals laid out for Bertram, making the guidance appear overly simplistic in light of the complexities he is destined to confront.