Sound & Sense: Chapter 13 Exercise

1.      A- The euphonious sounds in “guide” and “guard” give the line a more pleasing and comforting sound than the second set of lines. The rhythm in conjunction with the sounds gives a sense of security.

2.      B- The cacophonous sounds in “harsh” and “crabbed” are contrasted by the euphonious sounds in the following lines. The repeated “l” sound in “dull fools” and “Apollo’s lute” adds a melodious sound that represents the pleasing, musical nature of philosophy more effectively than “lute of Phoebus.”

3.      A- The long “o” sounds of “crows croak hoarsely over the snow” suggest a gloomy or sorrowful tone. The lines describe a drab, slightly depressing scene of birds flying away on a cold day, and the sound adds to the melancholy tone of the description. The second set of lines does not carry the same tone because the long “o” sounds are broken up.

4.      B- The euphonious sounds of “low voice” as opposed to the cacophonous sounds of  “talk attests” better represent the resounding fullness of bells ringing over the water. In addition, the repetition of the “l” sound lines adds to the flow of the lines, creating a musical quality.  

5.      B- The repeated “m” sound such as in “myriads,” “moan,” and “murmuring” as well as the “im” and “in” sounds in “immemorial” and “innumerable” create a business and intensity. There is energy in the lines, almost as if there were a hum in the background. The first set of lines does not have quite the same effect because it misses the repeating “m” sounds.

6.      A- The repeated “s” sound of “sings so” introduces the soft sound associated with song. However, the “s” sound is later cut off in “straining harsh discords” and “sharps,” demonstrating through sound how the lark is out of tune. In the second set of lines, the words “doleful flats” do not have the same cacophonous sound to them.  

7.      B- The cacophonous sounds contrast the euphony in “soft Muses’ gullets,” demonstrating how weapons of war disturb the peace. The harsh repeated “b” sounds add to the bluntness and incessancy of the lines. In the first set of lines, the cacophony is not present to the same extent, particularly in the second line.  

8.      A- The repeated “s” sound of “sisters,” “incessantly,” “softly,” and “soiled” mimic a hissing, cleansing sound. In contrast to “repeatedly,” the use of “incessantly softly” adds a certain insidious nature to the concepts of night and death.

9.      B- The euphonious sounds add to the peace at the end of the day. The long “o” sound in “lowing” and “slowly o’er” represents slowness and lack of energy. The alliteration of “weary way” demonstrates a sense of exhaustion while the repeated “pl” sound in “plowman” and “plods” carries a certain heaviness. The first set of lines separate the alliteration, thereby dampening the potential effect.

10.  B- Most of the words in these lines are only one syllable, so they create a staccato rhythm in the poem. The short vowel sounds and cacophony add a more energetic feel compared to the other set of lines.