Question

Read the following excerpt from Sonnet XLIII, 'What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why' by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Which statement best analyzes how the poet's word choice in this excerpt conveys the tone?

A. The words heart' and 'cry compare two unlike emotions to show the capacity of human feelings.
B. The words forgotten' and 'sigh' support the theme of a life unfulfilled by selfish isolation.
C. The words 'ghosts' and 'pain' reveal a deep sense of loss mingled with the sense of detachment.
D. The words kissed' and 'lain' bring a romantic feeling to an otherwise frustrating situation.

Answer 1

The words 'ghosts' and 'pain' in Edna St. Vincent Millay's Sonnet XLIII effectively convey a tone of loss and detachment, highlighting the emotional resonance of past relationships and the sorrow that lingers.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to the question is: C. The words 'ghosts' and 'pain' reveal a deep sense of loss mingled with the sense of detachment. In the excerpt from Sonnet XLIII by Edna St. Vincent Millay, the word choice plays a critical role in establishing the poem's tone. The use of 'ghosts' invokes the idea of memories or past experiences that are no longer tangible but still haunt the present, illustrating a sense of past relationships that linger like specters. Furthermore, 'pain' encapsulates the emotional anguish that accompanies these ghostly recollections, emphasizing the sorrow and detachment from those former intimacies. The poet's selection of these words suggests a strong undertone of melancholy and reflection on what has been lost, underscoring the complexity of human emotions tied to remembrances of love and connection.