Read the excerpt below from “The Lake of the Dismal Swamp” by Thomas Moore and answer the question that follows. “They made her a grave, too cold and dampFor a soul so warm and true;And she’s gone to the Lake of the Dismal Swamp,Where, all night long, by a fire-fly lamp,She paddles her white canoe. “And her fire-fly lamp I soon shall see,And her paddle I soon shall hear;Long and loving our life shall be,And I’ll hide the maid in a cypress tree,When the footstep of death is near.” Who is the speaker in this section of the poem?
Answer
A
the maiden paddling the canoe
B
the lover searching for his lost bride
C
an unknown observer of the incident
D
the hired paddler of the canoe
Explanation
The speaker says, “I soon shall see” the maiden’s lamp and hear her paddle, showing that he expects to find her. He also calls her “the maid” and promises that “our life shall be” long and loving, suggesting he is her lover. Therefore, the speaker is the lover searching for his lost bride.
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