“Mutability” and “A Defence of Poetry” by Percy Bysshe Shelley — Quiz
Question 1 • British Literature and Composition
Read the second stanza from "Mutability.” We rest.—A dream has power to poison sleep; We rise.—One wandering thought pollutes the day; We feel, conceive or reason, laugh or weep; Embrace fond woe, or cast our cares away What is the effect of the words poison and pollutes in this stanza?
Answer
A
They suggest that human beings tend to be inherently negative.
B
They illustrate the negative effects of not getting enough sleep.
C
They emphasize the idea that thoughts can have negative effects.
D
They show that negative thoughts alone are able to destroy one’s life.
Explanation
The words “poison” and “pollutes” suggest that a thought can spoil or harm an otherwise ordinary experience. In the stanza, a dream can disturb sleep, and a wandering thought can affect the day, emphasizing that thoughts can have negative effects. Choice A goes too far by claiming negative thoughts destroy a person’s life.
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