Question

Read "Sonnet VII" by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Then, answer the question that follows.

When I too long have looked upon your face,
Wherein for me a brightness unobscured
Save by the mists of brightness has its place,
And terrible beauty not to be endured,
I turn away reluctant from your light,
And stand irresolute, a mind undone,
A silly, dazzled thing deprived of sight
From having looked too long upon the sun.
Then is my daily life a narrow room
In which a little while, uncertainly,
Surrounded by impenetrable gloom,
Among familiar things grown strange to me
Making my way, I pause, and feel, and hark,
Till I become accustomed to the dark.

The lines in bold contains a shift in attitude. Which of the following best explains that shift?

From the wonder of being in nature to the fun of being alone
From amazement at beauty to a feeling of not deserving beauty
From watching the sun rise to watching the sun set
From a feeling of pure sadness to a feeling of overwhelming joy

Answer 1

The shift in attitude in 'Sonnet VII' by Edna St. Vincent Millay is from amazement at beauty to a feeling of not deserving beauty.

Step-by-step explanation:

The shift in attitude in Edna St. Vincent Millay's 'Sonnet VII' is from a feeling of amazement at beauty to a feeling of not deserving beauty. The speaker describes being dazzled by the brightness and terrible beauty of the person's face, but then turns away feeling undeserving and overwhelmed. The shift is evident in the lines: 'And stand irresolute, a mind undone, / A silly, dazzled thing deprived of sight / From having looked too long upon the sun.'