Q3 of 7 Page 110

What does the line ‘I never writ, nor no man ever loved’ imply?

This line implies that the poet is confident that his definition of love is absolute and challenges others to find errors in his definition or prove that his words are false. He is willing to stake his own profession as a poet to prove that love is just as he has described it to be and accept that no one is truly capable of love.


More from this chapter

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1

‘Constancy’ is the theme of the poem. Indicate the words, phrases and images that suggest the theme.

 2

Why do you think the poet has used so many ‘negatives’ to make his statement?

 4

Love is presented as the subject or doer of actions in the poem. Why do you think the poet has used this form rather than involving human agents?

 5

Explain the phrases a. his bending sickle’s compass b. Time’s fool

(a) bending sickle’s compass


(b) Time's fool