“What needs my Shakespeare for his honoured bones”
The labour of an age in piled stones?
Or that his hallowed Reliques should be hid
Under a star-pointing pyramid?
These lines are written by

Correct option is B

Explanation:

These lines are from John Milton’s poem “On Shakespeare” (1630), written as a tribute to William Shakespeare. The poem reflects Milton’s reverence for Shakespeare’s genius, emphasizing that Shakespeare’s works are his eternal monument, rendering material memorials unnecessary. Milton uses vivid imagery, such as “piled stones” and “star-pointing pyramid,” to highlight that Shakespeare’s literary achievements surpass physical tributes.

Information Booster:
John Milton (1608–1674):
Milton was an English poet and intellectual, renowned for his epic poem "Paradise Lost", which explores themes of disobedience, redemption, and the human condition.
His early works, like “On Shakespeare”, display his mastery of lyric poetry.
Milton’s contributions to literature also include his political writings advocating liberty and freedom.
About "On Shakespeare":
Written as a preface to Shakespeare’s Second Folio (1632), it honors Shakespeare’s literary legacy.
The poem employs the Petrarchan sonnet form, showcasing Milton’s skill in blending classical structure with contemporary themes.
Genre and Legacy:
This work is part of laudatory poetry, a genre celebrating cultural and literary figures.
It emphasizes the notion that true artistic achievement immortalizes an individual beyond physical monuments.

Additional Knowledge:
Ben Jonson:
A contemporary of Shakespeare, Jonson wrote the first critical appraisal of Shakespeare in “To the Memory of My Beloved, the Author, Mr. William Shakespeare” (1623).
Robert Browning:
Known for dramatic monologues, such as “My Last Duchess".
William Wordsworth:
Celebrated as a Romantic poet, Wordsworth revered Shakespeare and referenced him in poems like “Scorn not the Sonnet”.