Question

4. Analyze "From the Dark Tower" is written in the form of a Petrarchan sonnet, in

which the octave, or first eight lines, presents a problem or challenge, and the final
six lines, the sestet, resolves or comments on the problem. How does Cullen apply
this structure to express his message?

Answer 1

The poem "From the Dark Tower" by Countee Cullen is written in the form of a Petrarchan sonnet. Cullen uses this structure to express the challenges faced by African-American poets.

Step-by-step explanation:

The poem "From the Dark Tower" by Countee Cullen is written in the form of a Petrarchan sonnet. The Petrarchan sonnet consists of an octave, which presents a problem or challenge, and a sestet, which resolves or comments on the problem. Cullen applies this structure to express his message by presenting the challenges faced by African-American poets in the octave and providing a resolution or commentary in the sestet.