OpenSAT

Question #N26

The author of the essay, a scholar of ancient Greek poetry, argues that Sappho’s poetry is a form of "direct address" because she often writes as if she is speaking directly to a person, even though the reader is not present. This technique, she argues, is one way that Sappho conveys her powerful emotions. For example, in one particularly moving poem, Sappho writes, "I wish I could say to you—that I could say—that what I wish, that what I desire, that what I’m longing for, that what I’m searching for, that what is in my soul, could all come to pass. You would never leave me, never forget me." However, in another poem, the poet uses a less personal, more introspective tone. "My mind is at war, and my whole body is in a fever," she writes, "because I long for you, but you, you are not here." The author would most likely agree that this change in tone is intended to _____.

Which choice best completes the sentence?