Question

At the end of the poem, what does the narrator say will be the fate of Belinda's lock?

a) It will be lost forever.
b) It will be recovered by Belinda.
c) It will become a shining star in the night sky.
d) It will remain a source of conflict and amusement.

Answer 1

At the end of the poem, the narrator declares that Belinda's lock will become a shining star in the night sky. (Option C)

Step-by-step explanation:

While the theft of Belinda's lock sparks chaos and conflict, the poem ultimately ends with a fantastical transformation. The narrator evokes the myth of Berenice, whose hair was plucked by her scorned lover and transformed into a constellation. He declares that Belinda's lock will follow a similar fate, ascending to the heavens and shining brilliantly among the stars.

This ending is open to interpretation. Some see it as a consolation for Belinda's loss, suggesting her beauty will be immortalized and admired for eternity. Others view it as a satirical jab at the frivolity and vanity of Belinda and her society, implying that even a trivial event like a stolen lock can be inflated to epic proportions.

However, regardless of interpretation, the narrator's pronouncement definitively places Belinda's lock in the heavens, shining amongst the stars.

Option C is answer.