Question

. . . the ploughman may

Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry,
But for him it was not an important failure;
Which of the following best summarizes the meaning of these lines?
A. Suffering is part of the human condition.
B. Suffering occurs while everyone else is busy living his life.
C. Suffering occurs when everyone is watching.
D. Suffering happens to everyone.

Answer 1

B. Suffering occurs while everyone else is busy living his life.

The ploughman may be very busy in doing his task that he does not heed the forsaken cry. A cry that denotes suffering.

It might not be an important failure to the ploughman because it does not directly concern or affect him. The ploughman is manifesting his indifference in the plight of others.