Final answer:
Examples of 'futility' in 'Rhapsody on a Windy Night' include the despair of the lunatic taken to an asylum, reflective of lost hope, and the suggested meaningless pursuit of knowledge compared to the simplicity of nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The poem 'Rhapsody on a Windy Night' by T.S. Eliot contains several instances that depict the theme of futility or ennui. A feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement is present throughout the poem, reflecting on the meaningless routine of life and the passing of time. The fragment 'The lunatic is carried at last to the asylum a confirm'd case, (He will never sleep any more as he did in the cot in his mother's bedroom;)' speaks to an inevitabledestruction of innocence or hope, illustrating futility in the face of life's harsh realities. Another example is the image of 'Books! 'tis a dull and endless strife: Come, hear the woodland linnet, How sweet his music!' contrasting the intellect's search for meaning with the simplicity and wisdom found in nature, suggesting that scholarly pursuits may ultimately lead nowhere.