Verbal Ability - Selecting Words - Discussion

i think it should be directly

Yes even i go with Saiviswanath ,the answer should either be straight or directly

Yes even I go with Devyansh, the answer should either be straight or directly.

but from this below poem written by Thomas Gray poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
Awaits alike th'inevitable hour.
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

THE ANSWER IS BUT.

but is incorrect either straight or directly

According to me correct answer should be "straight".

Reply for any suggestions.

Correct answer is 'but' itself.

Yes even I am not satisfied with the answer. There is a doubt.

It is a proverb :

The paths of glory means whatever we have gained in our life, like wealth, prestige, money, everything. All these things have a very little sustenance in our life. Nothing lasts forever. We are not going to take all these things to our grave. We even do not take a drop from our treasure to the grave. We have to go alone to our grave.

So if that is the truth, then why we are becoming selfish and possessive in life. Why don't we share our wealth with those who are not that fortunate? We have to share our bits with those who needs it. Everything we achieve in this world is given by Him. Like that we also have to give something to the world.

Never brag of your fortune as we don't know when it will perish. You have only one life to live. So share, care and be happy.

See, the line is taken from poem, so it need not be a proper sentence. As this is poetic so, it has to be that way, as it has been used in the poem. So answer is but.

Since the word lead is already used, "straight/directly" should not be used. Its like saying "comparatively better". When we use but in the above blank, the meaning of the sentence becomes " Paths of glory lead only to the grave and nowhere else".