Question

owen is writing about the central ideas in \sonnet 18\ by william shakespeare.
but thy eternal summer shall not fade,
nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
when in eternal lines to time thou grow’st,
so long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
so long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

what is the central idea of these lines?
○ the author’s loved one will overcome physical death and summer is eternal.
○ attraction, love, and mild summer days are all fleeting and soon disappear.
○ beauty is not defined by the outward appearance, but by the character inside.
○ the author’s loved one will always remain beautiful in the lines of this poem.

Explanation:

• Analyze the lines: "When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st, So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee" means the loved one's beauty is preserved in the poem's lines as long as the poem is read.
• Eliminate other options:
• Option A: The lines don't focus on overcoming physical death in a literal sense but on immortality through the poem.
• Option B: The poem emphasizes the loved one's beauty is lasting, not fleeting.
• Option C: The lines are about the loved one's beauty in the poem, not inner character.

Answer:

D. The author’s loved one will always remain beautiful in the lines of this poem.