In her 1921 poem "Spring," Edna St. Vincent Millay subverts conventional depictions of springtime. Instead of celebrating growth and renewal, Millay disputes the merit of the season entirely:

Question

In her 1921 poem "Spring," Edna St. Vincent Millay subverts conventional depictions of springtime. Instead of celebrating growth and renewal, Millay disputes the merit of the season entirely:

Which quotation from "Spring" most effectively illustrates the claim?
"To what purpose, April, do you return again? / Beauty is not enough."
The sun is hot on my neck as I observe / The spikes of the crocus.
The smell of the earth is good. / It is apparent that there is no
death
Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted
stairs.

Answer 1

"To what purpose, April, do you return again? / Beauty is not enough."

Answer 2

The quotation from "Spring" that most effectively illustrates the claim is: "To what purpose, April, do you return again? / Beauty is not enough." This quotation highlights Millay's questioning and challenging of the significance of spring and suggests that mere beauty is insufficient to define its purpose.