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Difficulty: HardSpeaker and Perspective

Read the following passage from Sir Thomas Wyatt's poem (published posth. 1557) carefully:

(1) Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,
(2) But as for me, hélas, I may no more.
(3) The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,
(4) I am of them that farthest cometh behind.
(5) Yet may I by no means my wearied mind
(6) Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
(7) Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
(8) Since in a net I seek to hold the wind.

In lines 5–7 ('Yet may . . . follow'), the speaker’s perspective is best characterized as which of the following?

  1. A
    A historical reflection of the poet's own personal frustration with political intrigues and romantic rivalries in the Tudor court
  2. B
    A literal description of a hunting party's physical exhaustion as they struggle to keep pace with a deer in the forest
  3. An expression of psychological conflict, in which the speaker's rational awareness of futility is undermined by an ongoing emotional obsessionAnswer
  4. D
    A display of unwavering optimism and resolve, indicating that the speaker expects to eventually triumph over his fatigue
  5. E
    A formal declaration of the speaker's indifference toward the pursuit, showing that he has successfully detached himself from the object of desire

Answer

An expression of psychological conflict, in which the speaker's rational awareness of futility is undermined by an ongoing emotional obsession.
The correct answer is correct because lines 5–7 illustrate a deep psychological divide within the speaker: though he is consciously aware that the chase is futile and exhausting, he confesses that he cannot redirect his thoughts or cease his pursuit, indicating that his emotional obsession dominates his rational mind.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze lines 5-7 within the context of the poem's overall situation.
The speaker admits that despite being tired ('wearied mind'), he cannot withdraw his attention from the 'deer' and continues to follow her even while 'fainting'.
This establishes the core tension between what the speaker knows is rational and how he actually behaves.
2
Evaluate the relationship between the speaker's intellect and emotions.
The speaker knows the hunt is a 'vain travail' (line 3) and that he should 'leave off' (line 7), but his mind is compulsively drawn to the pursuit.
This confirms that the speaker is experiencing an internal, psychological conflict where emotion overrides reason.
3
Match this analysis against the options to find the best description of the speaker's perspective.
The choice stating that the speaker's rational awareness of futility is undermined by an emotional obsession perfectly encapsulates this state of psychological conflict.
It identifies the correct tone and speaker dynamics without falling for literal or biographical misconceptions.

Key Concept

Speaker and Perspective
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Topics

Speaker and Perspective

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