Yet, let me flap this bug with gilded wings, This painted child of dirt, that stinks and stings   The poets intention is to___________

Analyze the question

The lines come from Alexander Pope's Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot (1735). In them, Pope attacks Lord Hervey, whom he calls "Sporus." The question asks what Pope intends to do with these words.

Explain the concept

To find a poet's intention, look at the tone and the diction (word choice). Positive or neutral words suggest admiration or humor. Harsh, insulting words suggest contempt, scorn or satire.

Step-by-step solution

1. "Let me flap this bug": A bug is a tiny, irritating pest. Calling a man a bug shows he is being treated as insignificant.
2. "Gilded wings": The bug is showy and glittering on the outside. This hints at superficial, false beauty.
3. "Painted child of dirt": "Painted" suggests artificial, fake and cosmetic. "Child of dirt" means he comes from filth. The phrase is demeaning.
4. "That stinks and stings": The bug is foul-smelling and harmful, so it is both disgusting and malicious.

Putting these together, the poet is not trying to be funny or to make us pity the man. He uses insulting imagery to show how low, fake and spiteful he thinks the person is. That is contempt, a satirical attack.

Why the other options are wrong

• A and C (humor/fun): The tone is bitter and scornful, not playful.
• B (sympathy): Nothing in the lines invites pity. The target is ridiculed, not pitied.

Answer: D. Show Contempt

Exam tip: In poetry questions, check the connotation of the key words. Words like "bug," "dirt," "stinks" and "stings" signal scorn or contempt. Soft words like "gentle," "poor" or "weeping" signal sympathy.