Nothing Gold can stay
Part B: Select one of the correct themes identified in Part A. Which two lines from the poem best develop and support the theme you selected? Explain what the lines show and why they are the best examples.
EXTRA HELP
Use these questions to help you write a response:
- Reread the poem and think about how each line connects to the theme you selected. Which lines stick out to you as being meaningful or connected to the theme?
- What do the lines you selected mean?
- How do the lines you selected best develop and support the theme you selected more so than other lines in the poem?
One of the correct themes identified in Part A is the idea of impermanence or the fleeting nature of beauty. Two lines from the poem that best develop and support this theme are "Her hardest hue to hold" and "So Eden sank to grief."
These lines convey the idea that beauty is transient and ephemeral. The line "Her hardest hue to hold" suggests that even the most beautiful and precious things are difficult to maintain or preserve, hinting at the impermanence of beauty. The use of the word "hardest" indicates the struggle to sustain something fleeting.
Similarly, the line "So Eden sank to grief" evokes the image of paradise lost, emphasizing the transient nature of perfection and beauty. This line suggests that the perfect and idyllic state of Eden eventually succumbed to sorrow and disillusionment, symbolizing the inevitable decay and loss of all things beautiful.
These lines best develop and support the theme of impermanence because they illustrate the idea that nothing, not even the most precious or beautiful things, can last forever. By highlighting the difficulty in maintaining beauty and the eventual decline of perfection, these lines powerfully emphasize the fleeting nature of all things gold.