Page 123 - 100 Best Loved Poems - Teaching Unit
P. 123
“Adieu, Farewell Earth’s Bliss”
by Thomas Nashe, pages 8-9
Vocabulary
physic – health
devour – consume quickly
vain – hopeless
heritage – birthright, destiny
1. This poem is classified as a lyric. What qualities make it this type of poem?
2. The first stanza of the poem alludes to “life’s lustful joys” and also to Death’s “darts.” With
what mythological figure is Nashe associating with Death?
3. The mentioning of Helen and Hector, both characters of classical epics, is an example of
what literary device?
4. “Wit with his wantonness” is an example of what type of sound device?
5. What is the tone of the poem?
6. What do you feel was Nashe’s purpose for writing this lyric?
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