Question

What does the lack of punctuation in William Carlos Williams's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" do to the pacing of the poem?

Answer 1

In William Carlos Williams's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," the lack of punctuation makes the poem seem short and quick. Option A is correct.

In this story, there are so few punctuation marks and no punctuation at the end of any of the lines until the end.

Thus, the lack of punctuation including lack of exclamation marks to indicate surprise, reflects the lack of emotion in the painting. Furthermore, the reader follows the lines of the story without pause.

Answer 2

The correct answer is A.

The lack of punctuation mimics Icarus's fall. Therefore, the lack of punctuation makes the poem seem short and quick -- much like falling to the earth.