MB UNIUD

EXERCISES ABOUT SONNET 10

PAG. 116-117- 118

Exercice 1:

1. Who is the poem addressed to?

The poem is addressed to death. The poet speaks to death as it were a person, infact, he uses the capital letter "D".

1. What is the introductory statement? Is it unusual?

The poem starts with the line

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou dost overthrow".

I think that it is very unusual, because:

• the poet directly adressed death;
• the poet gives us a different idea of death: before, it was considered the most important and threatening idea of men, because it meant the begin of the Universal Judgement.

1. What is the final statement? Is it truthful or absurd?

In the last line, the poet tells that death will die, because,

"One short sleep past, we wake eternall

And death shall be no more".

I think that it is truthful, because Catholics believe in Resurrection.

Exercice 2:

A

1. The best of human kind desire death (lines 7 / 8)
2. Sleeping potions can make people sleep better than death (lines 11 / 12)
3. Death falsely believes that it can kill people (lines 3 / 4)
4. Christians are promised eternal life (lines 13 / 14)
5. Death has repulsive companions (line 10)
6. Death is a pleasurable experience, not a painful one (line 6)
7. Death has no control over events and people (lines 9)

B

I think that the argumentation n 3 isn't acceptable, because death is not a person, so it can't think.

Exercice 3:

• 1. The rhyme scheme is: ABBA ABBA CDDC EF.

It is an english sonnet (Elizabethan sonnet).

• 2. Exept for first line the syntax coincides with the end of lines.

Exercice 4:

• 1. The poet is speaking with his Lady
• 2. The Lady is crying because the poet is leaving her.
• 3. The word "Kill" rimes with "Skill".
• 4. The speaking voice fears the imagine that he see in his Lady's eyes.