From “The Rainy Day” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
Which best helps you determine a possible meaning for mouldering?
the phrase hopes of youth, which suggests inspiration
the phrase thick in the blast, which suggests fire or burning
the phrase dark and dreary, which suggests sadness*****
the word past, which suggests something that has died or is dying****
Maybe it's D or C
Which one? C? or D? and why?
The best option that helps determine a possible meaning for "mouldering" in the given context is C) the phrase "dark and dreary," which suggests sadness.
To determine the possible meaning of the word "mouldering" in the given poem, we can analyze the context and other clues provided in the text.
In the poem, the speaker describes their life as "cold, and dark, and dreary." They also mention their thoughts clinging to the "mouldering Past." This suggests that the word "mouldering" relates to the state of something being decayed, deteriorated, or slowly disintegrating.
Based on this understanding, the best option that helps determine the possible meaning of "mouldering" is the answer choice:
the word past, which suggests something that has died or is dying.