Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Comprehension - (Poetry / Literary)

Question:

Read the poem and answer the question below

I was angry with my friend; 
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe: 
I told it not, my wrath did grow. 
 
And I waterd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears: 
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles. 
 
And it grew both day and night. 
Till it bore an apple bright. 
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine. 
 
And into my garden stole, 
When the night had veild the pole; 
In the morning glad I see; 
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

Which of the following is one of the themes of the poem?

Options:

Importance of truthfulness

Suppressing forgiveness

Suppressing anger

Rationality and moderation

Correct Answer:

Suppressing anger

Explanation:

Suppressing anger is one of the themes of the poem.

As the poem opens, the speaker describes how he was angry with his friend. Still, he told his friend he was angry ("I told my wrath"), and presumably why he was angry, and his anger disappeared.

"I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow."

The speaker describes a different scenario, now. He was once angry with his "foe" (his enemy), but didn't tell him about it. Since the speaker did not talk about his anger ("I told it not"), his anger got bigger and bigger ("my wrath did grow"). Thus, the author is suppressing his anger.