Essay Questions

What is one of the main morals in the poem?

The poet is contemplating how he has spent his time and how he has surrendered it to the materialistic side of life. He talks about an “ancient wisdom” that he had, and ponders if he has given it away, in favor of a lute. Therefore, one of the main morals of the story might be: spending the time you are given wisely.

What can the poet have used the lute as a metaphor for?

From the way the poet has described the lute, it could be interpreted as a “passion” by the reader. The lute is something a person uses time to learn and master, and then uses as a joy to not only himself, but others as well - similarly to how we, as normal every-day people, also have are own passions. The interesting thing in this poem is that the passion has a negative role in the poem, as it has taken so too much of the poet’s time, distracting him from the more important aspects of life.

What is the general tone of the poem?

The general tone of the poem is one of malcontent and dissatisfaction. That is because the poet is pondering and reflecting on his life and how he has used it. Essentially, the poet is disgruntled with the fact that he has spent his time with worldly pleasures and passions instead of non-material facets, such as family, religion, and friends.