Which author wrote both 'Aftermath' and 'A Psalm of Life'?

Which author wrote both 'Aftermath' and 'A Psalm of Life'?

• A. Poe
• B. Longfellow
• C. Hawthorne
• D. Burns

Answer: (B)

Both poems come from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a 19th-century American poet known for accessible verse with uplifting, moral themes. A Psalm of Life invites readers to live with purpose now, exhorting action and making one’s life meaningful, a hallmark of Longfellow’s reassuring, didactic voice. Aftermath fits with his habit of reflecting on the consequences of hardship and loss and finding resilience and hope in its wake. The pairing shows a consistent approach: clear language, moral temper, and encouragement to face life’s challenges with courage. The other poets listed are known for different styles—Poe for darker, gothic imagery; Hawthorne for prose with moral allegory; Burns for Scottish lyric and political poetry—so they don’t fit as the author of both works.

Both poems come from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a 19th-century American poet known for accessible verse with uplifting, moral themes. A Psalm of Life invites readers to live with purpose now, exhorting action and making one’s life meaningful, a hallmark of Longfellow’s reassuring, didactic voice. Aftermath fits with his habit of reflecting on the consequences of hardship and loss and finding resilience and hope in its wake. The pairing shows a consistent approach: clear language, moral temper, and encouragement to face life’s challenges with courage. The other poets listed are known for different styles—Poe for darker, gothic imagery; Hawthorne for prose with moral allegory; Burns for Scottish lyric and political poetry—so they don’t fit as the author of both works.