Sound and Structure in Poems by Dylan Thomas and W. B. Yeats — Quiz
Question 3 • English Language Arts 12
Read the excerpt from "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death." I balanced all, brought all to mind, The years to come seemed waste of breath, A waste of breath the years behind In balance with this life, this death. Which statement best describes the effect of the repetition in this excerpt?
Answer
A
The repeated words emphasize the speaker's desire to live and return to Ireland.
B
The repeated words highlight the idea that it doesn't matter whether he lives or dies.
C
The repeated words show that the speaker had a promising future ahead of him.
D
The repeated words reinforce the speaker's lack of emotional attachment to his homeland.
Explanation
The repetition of “waste of breath” makes the speaker’s view of both the years ahead and the years behind sound equally empty. The phrase “in balance” also places “this life” and “this death” on equal terms, suggesting that he feels neither outcome matters more than the other. This supports the idea that it doesn’t matter whether he lives or dies.
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