Question 6 • (OC27) ENG 4-1001400-S2-VRobinson-VOL7006P
Read these stanzas from the poem "Ballad" by Paul Laurence Dunbar.I know my love is true,And oh the day is fair.The sky is dear and blue,The flowers are rich of hue,The air I breathe is rare,I have no grief or care;For my own love is true,And oh the day is fair. My love is false I find,And oh the day is dark.Blows sadly down the wind,While sorrow holds my mind;I do not hear the lark,For quenched is life's dear spark,—My love is false I find,And oh the day is dark!What is the central idea of this poem?
Answer
A
The narrator’s moods are altered with the changing weather.
B
The narrator finds a new love for every season of the year.
C
The narrator contemplates his love in the morning and the night.
D
The narrator’s mood is determined by the state of the relationship with his love.
Explanation
The poem contrasts two emotional states: when the narrator believes his love is true, he sees the day as fair and feels no grief; when he discovers his love is false, the day seems dark and sorrowful. This shows that his mood depends on the state of his relationship, not on changing weather or the time of day. The central idea is that the narrator’s mood is determined by the state of the relationship with his love.
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