1.
Correct Answer:
D
Why: Caesura, a
pause, and hyperbaton, an inversion of word order, are both syntactical
devices, so a noun like a mask, doesn’t apply. This eliminates A and C. Motif
is a recurring theme of symbolic significance. Litote is a type of
understatement, which never shows up in the poem, much less as the mask, ruling
out E. Although the poem alludes to a myth and a poem, the mask isn’t included
as an allusion. The mask holds symbolic significance and repeatedly shows up,
making it a motif. So, answer D is right.
2.
Correct Answer:
A
Why: Although
the imagery does help to establish the character and setting (Choice B), it is
not its main purpose. The subject and setting of Orpheus is only touched upon by the imagery (Choice C and E) while
the imagery doesn’t touch on the development of character (Choice D). Mainly, the imagery functions to describe
Rukeyser’s ideal, the women “gold-hunting, singing . . .” (Line 3), so the
answer is A.
3.
Correct Answer:
E
Why: The speaker
clearly states that the god “was myself” (Line 7), making the correct answer E.
Though Orpheus is the god in the technical sense, it doesn’t apply to the
particular line stated in the question (Choice A). The references to the women
already concluded in the previous lines (Choice B), while the mentions of the
song and the fragments come later in the piece, eliminating Choices C and D.
4.
Correct Answer:
C
Why: Choice B is
wrong because the poem ends with the “fragments join[ing] in [her]” (Line 16),
conveying a sense of totality rather than destruction. Their unification also
rejects E is an option. The women are never mentioned after Line 2, eliminating
D. Although the god does return in this stanza, there is no textual evidence to
support that he has been resurrected, eliminating A and making C the correct
answer. The unification of the fragments and their ability to sing conveys that
the speaker has become whole and has been healed.
5.
Correct Answer:
C
Why: There are
no questions anywhere in the poem, eliminating Option I. The repetition of “No
more” at the beginning of each sentence underscores the speaker’s conviction,
making Option II viable while the short sentences after the long run-ons draws attention
to the speaker’s new conviction, making Option III
correct as well. So, the right answer is C.
When I read the poem “The Poem as Mask” and then took the corresponding multiple choice mini-test, I chose the following answers: 2) A; because there is a clear contrast being developed between what is actually happening and what is not (the mask being a clear part of that division). The interpretation I chose for that particular stanza was that the mask was hiding reality from the speaker. 3) E; because the speaker follows the reference to the god with the statement “it was myself” (8). 4) C; because the mask is a hindrance, preventing the speaker with bridging the gap to reality, and only the removal of the mask can allow a transformation within the life of the speaker. 5) A; because no question was asked, so no question would be answered, and the syntax actually shows parallel structure and not varied sentence structure. Also, anaphora is present to emphasize the statement. For question 1, I was unsure of any answer.
ReplyDeleteWhen reviewing your explanations for the real answers to the questions, that for question one not only helped me better understand the role of the mask in the poem as a motif, but also clarified the significance of the other devices—though they weren’t necessarily present in this text. For questions two through four, I clearly agree with the answer and explanation, though for question five, I would argue that the syntax within those two sentences is not varied. I do, however, see the merit behind the answer though, as compared to the rest of the poem, the syntax does change, and a turning point is created.