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JAMB UTME - Literature In English - 2013

Question 1 Report

These question are based on selected poems from Johnson, R. et al (eds.): New Poetry from Africa; Soyinka, W. (ed.): Poems of Black Africa; Senanu, K.E. and Vincent, T. (eds): A Selection of African Poetry; Umukoro M. et al: Exam Focus: Literature in English; Eruvbetine, A.E. et al (eds.): Longman Examination Guides: Poetry for Senior Secondray Schools NWOGA, d.i. (ED.) wEST aFRICAN vERSE."Let me ask for what reason or rhyme

Women refuse to marry?

Woman cannot exist except by man,

What is there in that to vex some of them so?The lines above from Give Me The Minstrel's Seat is an example of

Answer Details
The lines above from "Give Me The Minstrel's Seat" are an example of a rhetorical question. A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a question is asked, not for the purpose of eliciting an answer, but for rhetorical effect or to make a point. In this case, the speaker is asking a question about the reasons why women refuse to marry, but the question is not intended to be answered. Rather, it is used to emphasize the point that women's existence is dependent on men, and to express confusion about why some women reject this dependence. The use of a rhetorical question in this poem is effective in drawing attention to the issue of gender roles and relationships between men and women, and in challenging societal norms and expectations. By presenting the question in a poetic and rhetorical manner, the poem is able to explore complex themes and ideas in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking.