Question

A primary theme in Robert Lowell’s poem "For the Union Dead" is _____. Select all that apply.

Answer 1

A main theme of the poem is how although a lot has changed since the civil war, civil rights have not improved, as shown in the second answer option.

We can come up with this answer because:

• The Speaker shows how there is no memorial to the first black regiment in the American Civil War, but there is a memorial to Shaw, a white man who led that regiment.

• Shaw was an abolitionist and his stance on behalf of the black population, in addition to his attitude of leading a black regiment, was important in strengthening civil rights ideals in America.
• For this reason, it was important to preserve the memory made for Shaw, as it represented abolitionism and the struggle for civil rights.
• However, urbanization damaged Shaw's memorial, showing that the ideals he and the black soldiers fought for were useless as society would ignore.

When thinking about it, the speaker realizes that society has not evolved about civil rights and still maintains the black population with limited access to these rights and this is not only addressed by the devaluation of Shaw's monument, but also by the images of segregated schools and children living within that system.

You can find more information about civil rights here:

brainly.com/question/3992850