Question

In the poem "(A nocturnal upon St Lucy's day)," the speaker's experience is characterized by:

A. Cyclical Structure
B. Relentless grief
C. Overcoming loss
D. Plummeting into cynicism

Answer 1

The speaker in John Donne's "(A nocturnal upon St Lucy's day)" is characterized by relentless grief.

Step-by-step explanation:

In John Donne's poem "(A nocturnal upon St Lucy's day)", the speaker's experience is characterized by relentless grief. This is evident as the speaker conveys profound sorrow and a sense of being utterly consumed by loss, akin to the darkest day of the year, which is St. Lucy's Day. The poem lacks any sense of renewal or overcoming of sorrow that would be associated with a cyclical structure, nor does it suggest that the speaker finds any redemption or cynicism that would suggest an overcoming of loss or a plummeting into cynicism respectively. Instead, the poem's emotional landscape is one of sheer desolation and despair, making relentless grief the defining characteristic of the speaker's experience.