Question

Which of these lines from the epitaph directly states Mrs. Purkapile's reason for staying married?

A But a promise is a promise/And marriage is marriage
B I pretended to believe it, though I knew very well/What he was doing
C And out of respect for my own character/I refused to be drawn into a divorce
D By the scheme of a husband who had merely grown tired/Of his marital vow and duty.

Answer 1

I think C is the correct answer.

Answer 2

The epitaph of Mrs. Purkapile is part of Edgar Lee Masters' "Spoon River Anthology". It was published in 1915. This is a sequence of 245 free-verse epitaphs that are presented in the form of monologues. They are written from the point of view of deceased citizens of a small town.

The correct answer is option C: "And out of respect for my own character / I refused to be drawn into a divorce." These lines directly state the reason that Mrs. Purkapile had for staying married.