Question

analyzing idea development
some glory in their birth, some in their skill
some in their wealth, some in their body’s force;
some in their garments, though new - fangled ill;
some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;
and every humour hath his adjunct pleasure,
wherein it finds a joy above the rest:
but these particulars are not my measure;
all these i better in one general best.
thy love is better than high birth to me,
richer than wealth, prouder than garments’ cost,
of more delight than hawks and horses be;
and having thee, of all men’s pride i boast:
wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take
all this away, and me most wretched make.
—“sonnet 91,”
william shakespeare
which statement best describes the development of ideas in “sonnet 91”?
○ the quatrains build ideas off of one another, and the couplet conveys a new idea.
○ the quatrains contradict one another, and the couplet resolves their disagreement.
○ the couplet agrees with the idea in the first quatrain but contradicts the others.
○ the couplet builds off of the idea of the third quatrain but contradicts the others.

Explanation:

1. Analyze the sonnet's structure: The first three quatrains list various things people glory in (birth, skill, wealth, etc.). Each quatrain builds on the idea of different sources of pride. The couplet then shifts to the speaker's own measure of pride (the beloved's love) and introduces a new concern (the beloved could take it all away).
2. Evaluate each option:

• Option 1: The quatrains build ideas (listing different glories) off one another, and the couplet conveys a new idea (the speaker's pride in love and the fear of losing it). This matches the structure.
• Option 2: The quatrains do not contradict; they list similar - themed items (different glories), so this is incorrect.
• Option 3: The couplet does not just agree with the first quatrain; it introduces a new idea about the speaker's love, so this is incorrect.
• Option 4: The couplet is not just building off the third quatrain; it introduces a new perspective on the speaker's pride, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

The quatrains build ideas off of one another, and the couplet conveys a new idea.