Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse

Essay Questions

1. *How does Sappho use the symbolic properties of gold to construct her argument about the relationship between wealth and virtue in Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse?*

Consider how the poet's choice of gold — as an incorruptible, divinely gifted material — functions not merely as a literal subject but as a moral and philosophical framework. Explore how this symbolism shapes the poem's central claim about happiness. [AQA AO2 | AP Lit Q1 Poetry Analysis | IB Guiding Concept: Style & Technique]

1. *To what extent does the aphoristic tone of Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse strengthen or limit the poem's moral argument?*

Examine how Sappho's confident, epigrammatic voice positions the speaker as a moral authority, and consider whether the poem's brevity and declarative style produce persuasive wisdom or oversimplified moralising. [AQA AO1/AO2 | AP Lit Q1 Poetry Analysis]

1. *How does Sappho present the concept of noblesse (nobility of character) as essential to happiness, and how does this challenge or complicate conventional understandings of social class and wealth?*

Analyse how the poem redefines nobility away from aristocratic birth and toward moral integrity, and discuss what this implies about the relationship between social class, honour, and true contentment. [AQA AO1/AO3 | IB Guiding Concept: Culture, Identity & Community]

1. *How does Sappho balance celebration and caution in Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse, and what does this balance reveal about her attitude toward material prosperity?*

Consider how the poem's structure — moving from praise of gold to a conditional concession and finally to a qualified conclusion — creates a nuanced rather than simply moralistic stance on wealth and happiness. [AQA AO1/AO2 | AP Lit Q1 Poetry Analysis]

1. *Compare the treatment of wealth, labour, and human dignity in Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse and the epitaph for Pélagon. To what extent do these two poems present complementary or contrasting visions of a life well lived?*

Explore how Sappho's celebration of virtuous wealth in the first poem dialogues with the quiet honouring of humble poverty in the epitaph, and discuss what the juxtaposition of these two perspectives suggests about the poem's broader moral and social vision. [AQA AO1/AO3 | IB Guiding Concept: Intertextuality | AP Lit Comparative Analysis]

1. *To what extent does the historical and cultural context of Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse — as a French translation or adaptation of an ancient Greek lyric — shape its moral message about wealth and virtue?*

Consider how the classical tradition of moral contrast, the prestige of the source culture, and the conventions of 17th–18th century French verse adaptations influence the reception and understanding of the poem's central argument. [AQA AO3 | IB Guiding Concept: Time, Place & Context]

1. *How does Sappho employ the themes of mortality and impermanence in Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse to reinforce her argument about the ultimate source of happiness?*

Examine the contrast between decaying materials (rust, rot) and gold's enduring incorruptibility, and analyse how this imagery invites the reader to reflect on what truly lasts — and what truly matters — in a human life. [AQA AO1/AO2 | AP Lit Q1 Poetry Analysis | IB Guiding Concept: Time & Space]