Question

Read the epitaphs of Mr. and Mrs. Purkapile from the Spoon River Anthology and answer the question that follows.

Answer 1

Mrs. Purkapile
HE ran away and was gone for a year.
When he came home he told me the silly story
Of being kidnapped by pirates on Lake Michigan
And kept in chains so he could not write me.
I pretended to believe it, though I knew very well
What he was doing, and that he met
The milliner, Mrs. Williams, now and then
When she went to the city to buy goods, as she said.
But a promise is a promise
And marriage is marriage,
And out of respect for my own character
I refused to be drawn into a divorce
By the scheme of a husband who had merely grown tired
Of his marital vow and duty.

Mr. Purkapile
SHE loved me.
Oh! how she loved me I never had a chance to escape
From the day she first saw me.
But then after we were married I thought
She might prove her mortality and let me out,
Or she might divorce me. But few die, none resign.
Then I ran away and was gone a year on a lark.
But she never complained. She said all would be well
That I would return. And I did return.
I told her that while taking a row in a boat
I had been captured near Van Buren Street
By pirates on Lake Michigan,
And kept in chains, so I could not write her.
She cried and kissed me, and said it was cruel,
Outrageous, inhuman! I then concluded our marriage
Was a divine dispensation
And could not be dissolved,
Except by death.
I was right.

Answer 2

Which best describes Mrs. Purkapile's attitude toward her husband?

Spiteful—even though she knew he wanted a divorce, she refused to grant him one
Loving—she cared for him, so much she forgave him for leaving
Concerned—because he made up a story about being abducted by pirates, she worried about his sanity
Devoted—even though he did not love her anymore, she was committed to saving their marriage

Answer 3

What do you think the answer is?

Answer 4

We can rule out Loving; she obviously didn't point toward caring for him.

Answer 5

We can also rule out concerned: she clearly states
"But a promise is a promise And marriage is marriage, And out of respect for my own character I refused to be drawn into a divorce"

Answer 6

My first thought was spiteful ..

Answer 7

then im thinking more .. reading again and i think its devoted...

Answer 8

That was my first thought as well; she doesn't seem on the devoted side, but is rather spiteful in assuming her husband was unfaithful.

Answer 9

It's a difficult choice.

Answer 10

The only reason i was thinking devoted was because "But a promise is a promise And marriage is marriage, And out of respect for my own character I refused to be drawn into a divorce" makes me think that she was committed to saving her marriage

Answer 11

Devoted may be a word to describe her, but she seems much more spiteful. Yes, she is committed to saving their marriage as well.

Answer 12

In all seriousness both could describe her.

Answer 13

yeah.. ill go with my gut thought .. so ima say spiteful just because that was what came to mind first .

Answer 14

Alright. You could also think about how she only wanted to save their marriage in regard to her own character; that could prove more spiteful.

Answer 15

Mind helping with another ? and yeah i agree.

Answer 16

Alright :)

Answer 17

Which of these lines from the epitaph directly names Mr. Purkapile's attempt to end the marriage?

SHE loved me./Oh! how she loved me I never had a chance to escape
I then concluded our marriage/Was a divine dispensation
She might prove her mortality and let me out
Then I ran away and was gone a year on a lark.

Answer 18

i was thinking b

Answer 19

What do you think the answer is? :3

Answer 20

The thing is, in the context that line is in he's decided the marriage could only be separated by death.

Answer 21

D?

Answer 22

"I then concluded our marriage Was a divine dispensation And could not be dissolved, Except by death."

Answer 23

Yes, that would be the best answer. The other answers seem like references to his decision to run off for a year, and D directly says it.

Answer 24

Thank you so much !

Answer 25

Yw ^^

Answer 26

:D