Curated set · answers marked
Which of the following best captures the main argument in Katherine Philips's poem "A Married State"?
AMarriage is a sacred institution that offers women lasting happiness and fulfillment.
BMarriage is a burdensome state that takes away women's freedom and peace of mind.✓
CMarriage is a necessary social duty that women should accept without doubt.
DMarriage is a romantic ideal that seldom reflects the reality of domestic life.
Rationale
In "A Married State," Katherine Philips cautions against marriage, depicting it as a situation filled with care, grief, and a loss of personal freedom. She encourages women to stay single, arguing that being married leads to more suffering than joy, and that a life of "holy freedom" is far better than the limitations that come with matrimony.
Which poet wrote "A Married State"?
AAnne Bradstreet
BKatherine Philips✓
CAphra Behn
DMary Wroth
Rationale
"A Married State" is a poem by Katherine Philips (1632–1664), a notable Welsh poet from the 17th century, who also went by the pen name "Orinda." The poem offers an honest and cautionary perspective on marriage, alerting women to its challenges and disappointments.