Question

Worth 15 points

Read the poem and answer the question.

When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang

Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,

Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.

In me thou sees the twilight of such day

As after sunset fadeth in the west;

Which by and by black night doth take away,

Death's second self that seals up all in rest.

In me thou seest the glowing of such fire

That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,

As the deathbed whereon it must expire,

Consumed with that which it was nourished by.

This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.

What is the fact about this excerpt?

This is a Shakespearean sonnet.
This is an Elizabethan sonnet.
This is a Petrarchan sonnet.
This is not an example of a sonnet.

Answer 1

This is a Shakespearean sonnet.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fact that this excerpt is a Shakespearean sonnet is determined by its specific structure and form. Shakespearean sonnets are a type of sonnet that follow a distinct pattern established by William Shakespeare in his poetry. This pattern consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final couplet (two-line stanzas), resulting in a total of 14 lines.

In this excerpt, we can see the characteristic structure of a Shakespearean sonnet. The poem consists of three quatrains, each presenting different images and ideas related to the theme of transience and the passage of time. The final couplet serves as a conclusion or resolution to the preceding lines.

Additionally, Shakespearean sonnets typically adhere to a specific rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme of this excerpt is ABABCDCDEFEFGG, where each letter represents a unique rhyme sound. This consistent rhyme scheme is another characteristic of Shakespearean sonnets.

Therefore, based on its structure, form, and rhyme scheme, we can determine that this excerpt is a Shakespearean sonnet.