Edmund’s Soliloquy
Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why astard? wherefore base? When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true, As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us With base? with baseness? astardy? base, base? Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take More composition and fierce quality Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then, Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land. Our father's love is to the astard Edmund As to th' legitimate. Fine word—'legitimate'! Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, And my invention thrive, Edmund the base Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper. Now, gods, stand up for astards!
Use the passage to answer the question.
Edmund’s tone in his soliloquy can best be described as
A. contemptuous and indignant.
B. outraged yet depressed.
C. righteous yet cautious.
D. amused yet resigned
E. surprised and upset.
A. contemptuous and indignant.
A. contemptuous and indignant.
To determine Edmund's tone in his soliloquy, we need to analyze the specific words and phrases he uses. Based on the passage, Edmund's tone can best be described as A. contemptuous and indignant.
He expresses contempt towards society and its customs, questioning why he is being treated as lesser because he is the illegitimate son. Phrases such as "plague of custom," "curiosity of nations," and "base, base" show his contemptuous attitude towards the social norms that label him as "base" or "astardy."
Furthermore, his tone is also indignant as he questions the fairness of being treated differently based on his birth status. He argues that he is just as deserving and capable as any legitimate child, with "dimensions... compact," "mind... generous," and "shape... true." His use of words like "deprive," "brand," and "got 'tween asleep and wake" reflects his indignation towards the bias he faces.
Therefore, the correct answer is A. contemptuous and indignant.
Edmund’s Soliloquy
Thou, Nature, art my goddess; to thy law My services are bound. Wherefore should I Stand in the plague of custom, and permit The curiosity of nations to deprive me, For that I am some twelve or fourteen moonshines Lag of a brother? Why astard? wherefore base? When my dimensions are as well compact, My mind as generous, and my shape as true, As honest madam's issue? Why brand they us With base? with baseness? astardy? base, base? Who, in the lusty stealth of nature, take More composition and fierce quality Than doth, within a dull, stale, tired bed, Go to th' creating a whole tribe of fops Got 'tween asleep and wake? Well then, Legitimate Edgar, I must have your land. Our father's love is to the astard Edmund As to th' legitimate. Fine word—'legitimate'! Well, my legitimate, if this letter speed, And my invention thrive, Edmund the base Shall top th' legitimate. I grow; I prosper. Now, gods, stand up for astards!
Use the passage to answer the question.
Edmund’s tone in his soliloquy can best be described as
A. contemptuous and indignant.
B. outraged yet depressed.
C. righteous yet cautious.
D. amused yet resigned
E. surprised and upset.