“Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms” by Thomas Moore
Believe me, if all those endearing young charms,
Which I gaze on so fondly today,
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy-gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art.
Let thy loveliness fade as it will.
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own,
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervor and faith of a soul can be known,
To which time will but make thee more dear;
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets,
The same look which she turned when he rose.
Use the poem to answer the question.
Which common criterion for assessing literary merit is NOT applicable to the poem “Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms” by Thomas Moore?
A.
use of poetic form
B.
use of imagery
C.
use of literary devices
D.
political critique
E.
significant theme
D. political critique
D. political critique
The correct answer is D. political critique. The poem "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms" by Thomas Moore does not contain any political critique. The poem primarily focuses on the theme of enduring love and the speaker's declaration of continued affection even if the subject's beauty fades. It incorporates the use of poetic form, imagery, and literary devices to convey this theme. However, there is no mention of any political critique within the poem.
To determine which common criterion for assessing literary merit is NOT applicable to the poem "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms" by Thomas Moore, we need to analyze the poem and exclude the criterion that does not apply.
The poem "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms" is a romantic poem that explores the enduring nature of love. It expresses the speaker's steadfast devotion to their beloved, even as time and beauty fade away.
Let's examine each answer choice to determine which does not apply:
A. Use of poetic form: The poem is written in a regular rhyme scheme and employs lyrical language, so the use of poetic form is applicable.
B. Use of imagery: The poem uses imagery to evoke the reader's imagination and create vivid mental pictures, as seen in phrases like "fairy-gifts fading away" and "the sun-flower turns on her god." Therefore, the use of imagery is applicable.
C. Use of literary devices: The poem employs various literary devices such as metaphor, alliteration, and personification to enhance its meaning and beauty. Hence, the use of literary devices is applicable.
D. Political critique: Nowhere in the poem does it address or critique political matters, making the criterion of political critique not applicable.
E. Significant theme: The theme of enduring love is significant in the poem. It explores the idea that true love remains steadfast even as external beauty fades away. Thus, the presence of a significant theme is applicable.
Based on this analysis, the criterion that is NOT applicable to the poem "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms" by Thomas Moore is D. political critique.