Question

Read the following poem and answer the question that follows.

"When I Was One-and-Twenty," by A.E. Housman

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
'Give crowns and pound and guineas
But not your heart away;

Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free.'
But I was one-and twenty,
No use to talk to me.

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
'The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
'Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.'
And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true.

What connotation does the poet use for the word in bold?

Happiness and true love
Confusion and fear
Anger and a destroyed friendship
Sadness and a broken heart

(sighs is bolded)

Answer 1

sadness and broken heart

Answer 2

Sadness and a broken heart

Step-by-step explanation:

In "When I Was One-and-Twenty," by A.E. Housman, the connotation that the poet uses for the word in bold (sighs) is sadness and a broken heart. In the first part of the poem, a wise man is advising the twenty-one-year-old poet. This wise man told him to give valuable gifts as precious stones, and money, but not to give away his heart. The poet now aged twenty-two has not followed this advice and is paying with sorrow, sadness, and regret.