O my luve's like a red, red rose,
That's newly sprung in June:
O my luve's like the melodie
That's sweetly played in tune
As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I:
And I will love thee still, my dear.
Till a' the seas gang dry.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun:
OI will love thee still, my dear.
While the sands o' life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only live!
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my luve.
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!
A. The poet compares his lady love to a melody
B. The poet is deeply in love
C. The poet loves red roses
D. The poet's love will disappear with old age
E. The poet has travelled a long distance to meet his lady love
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → A and B only
(A) The poet compares his lady love to a melody — True.
- "O my luve's like the melodie / That's sweetly played in tune" is a simile comparing his beloved to sweet music.
(B) The poet is deeply in love — True.
- He says so himself: "So deep in luve am I".
(C) The poet loves red roses — False.
- Not mentioned: the red rose is only an image for his beloved.
- The poem says nothing about his liking for roses.
(D) The poet's love will disappear with old age — False.
- Contradicted: he promises the opposite, that he will love her till the seas go dry and while the sands of life run.
(E) The poet has travelled a long distance to meet his lady love — False.
- Misread: he is saying goodbye ("fare thee weel") and promises to come again even from ten thousand miles away.
- He is about to leave her, not arriving after a long journey.