MAUREEN'S HARP
commonlit answers

1. alliteration

2. wistful

the correct answer is d. a discussion of specific uses of alliteration

.

when you are critiquing or evaluating a poem, you will mostly pay attention to the theme, as well as figures of speech and rhythm. alliteration is a figure of speech where consonants are repeated in neighboring words - and it is important for analysis of sound and rhythm, which is why it might appear in the evaluation of that poem.

the correct answer is d. in john paston's letter written friday, 14, 1476, he expresses his fear that he may have to go to war.

indeed, although the black death was ravaging europe, the pastons were relatively safe from it due to their social status as they were part of the landed gentry. it is clear that the vast majority of the victims of the pandemic were the poor. the reason why he is weary of having to go to war is because at the particular time england was also devastated by the war of the roses and paston, being a courtesan was inevitably involved.