Question

Read the excerpt from the poem "Thanatopsis" by William Cullen Bryant and answer the question that follows.

Thine individual being, shalt thou go
To mix forever with the elements,
To be a brother to the insensible rock
And to the sluggish clod, which the rude swain
Turns with his share, and treads upon. The oak
Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mold.
What is the meaning of the word swain used in the excerpt?
A. a young vineyard worker

B. a young boy who hunts wild animals

C. a young shepherd or country boy

D. a very unpleasant person

Answer 1

C. A young shepherd or country boy.

Step-by-step explanation:

This excerpt displays the healing element of nature to the ones experiencing melancholy over the idea of death. He exemplifies the in-eternal nature of death and says people should not scream with the thought of death as it is the part of nature and it merely the real form to our mortality. The speaker describes our physical state after death using different metaphors like "sluggish clod" to portray the lack of vitality and a sense of heaviness. The word 'swain' is used to compare how a country boy digs the clod of dirt with plow and treads all over it. The speaker wishes to show the physical human condition after death.

Answer 2

The meaning of the word swain used in the excerpt is a young shepherd or country boy. The answer to your question is C. I hope this is the answer that you are looking for and it comes to your help.