Question

Read the excerpt below and answer the question.

And your quaint honour turn to dust,
And into ashes all my lust. (Marvell, “To His Coy Mistress”; lines 29-30)

Based on this context, the words quaint honor most likely mean _______.

A. valor
B. ability
C. courage
D. virginity

Answer 1

The correct answer is D. Virginity

Step-by-step explanation:

In writing, the context of a word refers to the way a word relates to others that surround it and to the clues these words provide about the meaning of a word, as most words can change their meaning according to the context, especially in poetry. In the case presented the word "honour" is linked to the word "quaint" which means peculiar, this implies the word "honour" does not refer to its literal meaning of high respect, merit or value as the author or narrator is recognizing this type of honour is different. Additionally, this word is linked to the phrase "and into ashes all my lust" that explicitly suggests the word has a sexual connotation and also implies the "lust" will disappear once the "honour turn to dust", which means both words are directly connected. Thus, the context in which the word quaint honor appears to suggest it most likely means "virginity".

Answer 2

Answer: D. virginity

The poem is dedicated to a "coy mistress," so we know that it is likely to deal with sexual topics. This is also identified in the second line by talking about his "lust." Moreover, the reference to "honour" is a common one in literature that deals with the sexual relationships of women. As the honour has "turned to dust," we can assume the author refers to virginity, as it is something that is often considered "lost" after a sexual encounter.