Question

That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang. These lines contain a metaphor describing the narrator in the poem. What is conveyed by this comparison? 1 The narrator has done something wrong and is expecting to be discovered and punished. 2 The narrator looks forward to the beauty and quiet that come after the warm days of summer. 3 The narrator has realized that the end of life is near and the period of growth and vitality is gone.

Answer 1

The lines you've quoted are from Sonnet 30 by William Shakespeare. The metaphor comparing the narrator to “bare ruined choirs” in the context of trees losing their leaves suggests a sense of loss and the passage of time. The imagery evokes themes of aging, decay, and the waning vibrancy of life.

Therefore, the most fitting interpretation from the options provided is:

**3. The narrator has realized that the end of life is near and the period of growth and vitality is gone.**

This comparison highlights the narrator's awareness of mortality and the inevitable decline that comes with the passage of time.