Question 1 of 17 • AA Spring 26 British Literature
Read the excerpt from "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death."I know that I shall meet my fate Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate Those that I guard I do not love; My country is Kiltartan Cross, My countrymen Kiltartan's poor, No likely end could bring them loss Or leave them happier than before.Read the excerpt from "Do not go gentle into that good night."Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rave at close of day;Rage, rage against the dying of the light.Though wise men at their end know dark is right,Because their words had forked no lightning theyDo not go gentle into that good night.Good men, the last wave by, crying how brightTheir frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Answer
A
The refrains of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Own Death" stress that life and death are balanced, while the parallel structure of "Do not go gentle into that good night" stresses that men of all ages should fight against their oncoming demise.
B
The repetitions and refrains in both excerpts develop the theme that death cannot be avoided, no matter how hard one struggles against it.
C
Both the parallel structure in the excerpt of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Own Death" and the repetition in the excerpt from "Do not go gentle into that good night" emphasize the inevitability of death.
D
The parallelism in "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" emphasizes the idea that the speaker identifies himself as an Irishman, while the refrains in "Do not go gentle into that good night" emphasize the speaker’s vehement opposition to death.