Question

i neer was struck before that hour
with love so sudden and so sweet,
her face it bloomed like a sweet flower
and stole my heart away complete.
my face turned pale as deadly pale,
my legs refused to walk away,
and when she looked, what could i ail?
my life and all seemed turned to clay.
and then my blood rushed to my face
and took my eyesight quite away,
the trees and bushes round the place
seemed midnight at noonday.
i could not see a single thing,
words from my eyes did start—
they spoke as chords do from the string,
and blood burnt round my heart.
are flowers the winter’s choice?
is love’s bed always snow?
she seemed to hear my silent voice,
not love’s appeals to know.
i never saw so sweet a face

assessment questions

1. what does the following quote reveal about the speaker’s attitude?

\and when she looked, what could i ail? / my life and all seemed turned to clay.\ (lines 7-8)
a. the speaker does not think that the woman will notice them.
b. the speaker feels confident that the woman will return their feelings.
c. the speaker feels silly for having such a strong reaction to the woman.
d. the speaker does not feel like they are in control of their body or feelings.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze the quote "And when she looked, what could I ails? / My life and all seemed turned to clay." The phrase "turned to clay" and the speaker's description of losing control over their body (face turning pale, legs refusing to walk) and feelings (life seeming transformed) indicate a lack of control. Option A is incorrect as the quote doesn't relate to the woman noticing them. Option B is wrong because there's no confidence about the woman's feelings. Option C is incorrect as the speaker doesn't express feeling silly. Option D matches the speaker's loss of control over their body and emotions.

Answer:

D. The speaker does not feel like they are in control of their body or feelings.