Which reading of Ungaretti's "Soldati" ("Si sta come / d'autunno / sugli alberi / le foglie") is the most accurate?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. It compares the fragility of soldiers in war to autumn leaves
- Step 1: The poem has four short lines and no punctuation, and the comparison is placed at the end. Step 2. Leaves in autumn can fall at any moment, so the image renders the precariousness of life at the front. Answer: a comparison of soldiers' fragility to autumn leaves. Why not the others: the poem contains no victory, no homecoming and no claim that war is natural.
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