Question

What is the main message in the closing lines of the sonnet?

• A. The speaker praises the virtues of wealth and success
• B. The speaker denounces moral hypocrisy and defends his integrity
• C. The speaker expresses regret over lost love and missed opportunities
• D. The speaker advocates for societal conformity and tradition

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The speaker denounces moral hypocrisy and defends his integrity

• In the final couplet—“Unless this general evil they maintain: / All men are bad, and in their badness reign”—the speaker is calling out the hypocrisy of those who judge him while being guilty themselves.

• He essentially says: don’t judge me unless you’re willing to admit that everyone, including you, is flawed—and that you're comfortable living in that flaw.