Question
from Song: to Celia
by Ben Jonson
I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee,
As giving it a hope that there
It could not withered be.
But thou thereon didst only breathe,
And sent'st it back to me:
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself, but thee.
3
Select the correct answer.
How does the author’s syntax develop the mood?
A.
It emphasizes the speaker's nostalgia and empathy.
B.
It emphasizes the speaker’s feelings of regret mixed with cautious optimism.
C.
It establishes the speaker's feelings of futility and hopelessness.
D.
It establishes the speaker's reserved and pitiful spirit.
E.
It emphasizes the speaker's feelings of admiration and fascination.
by Ben Jonson
I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee,
As giving it a hope that there
It could not withered be.
But thou thereon didst only breathe,
And sent'st it back to me:
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself, but thee.
3
Select the correct answer.
How does the author’s syntax develop the mood?
A.
It emphasizes the speaker's nostalgia and empathy.
B.
It emphasizes the speaker’s feelings of regret mixed with cautious optimism.
C.
It establishes the speaker's feelings of futility and hopelessness.
D.
It establishes the speaker's reserved and pitiful spirit.
E.
It emphasizes the speaker's feelings of admiration and fascination.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is **B. It emphasizes the speaker’s feelings of regret mixed with cautious optimism.**
The syntax in the poem conveys a sense of longing and melancholy, particularly in the way the speaker reflects on the rose and the action of sending it back. The idea that the wreath could not wither, combined with the act of breathing on it and its subsequent growth, suggests a mix of regret for the lack of reciprocation and a hope that the feelings represented by the wreath can still thrive in some way.
The syntax in the poem conveys a sense of longing and melancholy, particularly in the way the speaker reflects on the rose and the action of sending it back. The idea that the wreath could not wither, combined with the act of breathing on it and its subsequent growth, suggests a mix of regret for the lack of reciprocation and a hope that the feelings represented by the wreath can still thrive in some way.