Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse

Quiz — Le Bonheur Dans La Richesse by Sappho

1. Recall – Form & Structure: How many distinct poems or sections make up this text, and what is the form of the second section?

1. Recall – Speaker & Context: Who is identified as the speaker/dedicator in the epitaph section, and to whom is it addressed?

1. Recall – Key Image: What two objects are hung up as a tribute in the epitaph, and what kind of life do they represent?

1. Comprehension – Central Argument: According to the first poem, under what condition does wealth lead to shame rather than happiness?

1. Comprehension – Divine Connotation: Why does the first poem describe gold as a gift from the king of the heavens, and what effect does this have on how wealth is portrayed?

1. Comprehension – Word Choice: The speaker uses the word souvent ("often") when acknowledging that wealth without virtue can be dishonourable. What does this choice of word suggest about the speaker's rhetorical approach?

1. Analysis – Symbolism: What do rust and worms (decay) symbolize in the poem, and how does gold's resistance to these elements reinforce the poem's argument?

1. *Analysis – Theme of Noblesse: In this poem, noblesse* (nobility) does not refer to aristocratic birth. What does it mean instead, and why is this distinction important to the poem's message?

1. Analysis – Contrast Between the Two Sections: How does the juxtaposition of the first poem's celebration of wealth with the fisherman's epitaph reflect a classical tradition of moral contrast?

1. Evaluation – Tone: The analysis describes the tone of the first poem as "aphoristic and celebratory." How does the closing exclamation of the first poem support this tonal description, and how does the tone shift in the epitaph?

Answer Key

1. The text contains two distinct sections: the first is a short lyric reflection on wealth and virtue, and the second is an epitaph (a brief commemorative poem).

1. Ménisque, the father, is the dedicator; the epitaph is addressed in honor of his son, the fisherman Pélagon.

1. Pélagon's nets and oar are hung up as a tribute, representing a life of hard, humble, working-class labor on the sea.

1. Wealth leads to shame when it is not accompanied by virtue and noble character (moral integrity).

1. Calling gold a divine gift from the king of the heavens makes wealth feel sacred and blessed, elevating it beyond mere material possession and giving it an aura of permanence and legitimacy.

1. The use of souvent shows the speaker is not preaching in absolutes; it reflects a pragmatic, wise tone that acknowledges reality without moralizing too harshly, making the argument more credible and relatable.

1. Rust and worms symbolize corruption, decay, and the fragility of things built on unstable foundations. Gold's immunity to these forces underscores wealth's permanence and, metaphorically, suggests that virtue-backed prosperity is similarly enduring.

1. Noblesse here means moral integrity and dignity of character — an inner quality rather than a social rank. This is significant because it democratizes the poem's ideal of happiness: true fulfillment is available to anyone with good values, not just the aristocracy.

1. The grand assertion that rich virtue equals happiness is quietly challenged by the epitaph's dignity in poverty. Together they illustrate the classical moral contrast between the idea of honorable wealth and the quiet honor of an honest, modest life.

1. The closing exclamation gives the first poem the energy of a toast or a proverb, reinforcing its confident, celebratory aphorism. The tone then shifts in the epitaph to something quieter and more elegiac, honoring humble labor with gentle tenderness rather than festive proclamation.