Poetry Test

Question 1

the person who narrates or speaks.

Answer 1

Persona

Question 2

the repetition of identical or related vowel

sounds

Answer 2

Assonance

Question 3

a comparison of two unlike objects by means of

words (like, as, as if,than)

Answer 3

Simile

Question 4

the repetition of a pattern of consonants with

changes in the intervening vowels e.g.: hill hall ; live love

Answer 4

Consonance

Question 5

when an object, animal, ideal or quality is

given the attributes or characteristics of a human being

Answer 5

Personification

Question 6

one syllable e.g.: tell and bell

Answer 6

Masculine rhyme

Question 7

the repeated use of the same sounds or

combination of sounds in the beginning of a series of words

Answer 7

Alliteration

Question 8

the pattern of rhymes found in each stanza

Answer 8

Rhyme Scheme

Question 9

more than one syllable e.g.: stable and

table

Answer 9

Feminine rhyme

Question 10

rhyming within the lines

Answer 10

Internal rhyme

Question 11

In “God’s World” the poet addresses each stanza to a different listener. Identify each listener and explain a reason for the change.

1st stanza:

2nd stanza:

Answer 11

1st stanza: Earth

2nd stanza: God

Question 12

Explain the poet’s feelings in the last two lines of the poem, “God’s World”.

Answer 12

Her soul is exiting her body to be with nature.

Question 13

What poetic device (other than rhyme) is most prevalent in “Indian Summer?” 2. Consider the overall effect of the poem when answering this question. Defend your answer.

Answer 13

Personification - (objects, animals, or nature acting as if they were human-like) “river’s mouth”, “sumachs on the hills Have turned their green to red”, “blue jay calls”

Question 14

Explain the main idea of “Flander’s Fields”.

Answer 14

The remaining soldiers must avenge their fellow comrades by trudging on in the war.

Question 15

“Out of Pompeii” written by Wilfred Campbell in 1892.

What historic event is described in this poem? When did it occur?

Answer 15

The fire of Pompeii in 79 A.D.

Question 16

A Kite is a Victim: This poem is free verse. What is the definition of free verse?

Answer 16

Free verse is when none of the lines rhyme.

Question 17

A Kite is a Victim: Cohen uses four metaphors in his poem. What are they? Label them 1-4.

Answer 17

1. A kite is a victim you are sure of.
2. A kite is a fish you have already caught
3. A kite is the last poem you’ve written
4. A kite is a contract of glory

Question 18

Conscientious Objector: Define “conscientious objector”.

Describe the speaker of this poem and the tone of the poem. Use quotes to support your answers.

Answer 18

conscientious objector: “individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service”

The speaker is Millay, the poet, who doesn’t believe in death. This leads to an informative/declarative tone of the poem, as she is stating her opinion on the subject. “I shall die, but that is all I shall do for Death.” this explains her stance on the matter, saying she will not kill, or support it, but only die a natural death.

Question 19

Conscientious Objector: Which two images in this poem are the most vivid to you and why? (Include direct quotes!)

Answer 19

I believe two images most prevalent in this poem are death and war. These are shown through quotes such as the frequent word “death” and the mention of World War I and the Spanish American War with “Cuba” and “Balkans.”

Question 20

Conscientious Objector: What are two other poetic devices (not mentioned in #3) are most prevalent in this poem? (Quote)

Answer 20

Personification with “Death” portrayed as a real person and imagery.

Question 21

Explain the irony in Ozymandias. Include the type of irony in your explanation.

Answer 21

The irony of Ozymandias was that the king was talking about how no one could take over his reign, but he was already dead! So basically, his statue lived longer than his own self. This is situational irony.

Question 22

There is a comment after the end of “On a Stupendous Leg…” about the title. Is it a serious comment that should be taken literally or is there some irony in it? Explain what you mean. What is your opinion of the title?

Answer 22

I believe that it could be taken both humorously or literally. His title is funny in a way, but also has an underlying meaning, making it symbolic. The reason I like this poem better than the other is the title.

Question 23

“My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning

Describe the character of the last Duchess. Use examples from the poem to support what you say. (Keep in mind the point of view in the poem.) QUOTE

Answer 23

Going off what the Duke describes as “but who passed without Much the same smile?” we can tell he became annoyed with her flirtatious personality towards other men. Though we cannot completely determine whether this is accurate (he could be exaggerating in his bitterness).

Question 24

In “My Last Duchess” what gift does the Duke say he gave his Duchess? What does he mean by this?

Answer 24

He gave her his “nine hundred years-old name”, which is believed to be his ancestors and previous kings’ name of honor.

Question 25

My Last Duchess: The Duke says that he doesn’t have the skill in speech to say exactly what he wants. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Find evidence to support your answer. This also means to quote from the poetry.

Answer 25

I disagree with this statement. The Duke clearly explains all of his actions and experiences. “she liked whate’er She looked on, and she looked everywhere.” and “She thanked men—good! but thanked Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody’s gift.” explains her favor towards any gift received and her flirtatious personality clearly, and so does the rest of the poem.

Question 26

My Last Duchess: The interesting part of this poem is what we learn about the Duke by what he says. Describe the character of the Duke. What type of person is he? Quote from the poetry.

Answer 26

The Duke is a murderer, but more than that. He prefers to have a painting of a women rather than a real wife. He believes women should be controlled by men, with his statement “I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.” This suggests both his controlling personality and murder.

Question 27

Give the definition of an ode. (Be sure that your definition differentiates it from other types of poems.)

Answer 27

Ode – A form of lyric poetry that expresses emotion

Question 28

What is the rhyming pattern of the following stanza from “Ode on a Grecian Urn”?

O Attica1 shape! Fair attitude! with brede2 ____

Of marble men and maidens overwrought, ____

With forest branches and the trodden weed; ____

Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought ____

As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral! ____

When old age shall this generation waste, ____

Thou shalt remain, in midst of others woe ____

Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st, ___

Beauty is truth, truth beauty-that is all ____

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know ____

1 Attica: Attica was a district of ancient Greece surrounding Athens.

2 Brede: woven pattern. “Overwrought”; ornamented all over.

Answer 28

ABABCDEDCD

Question 29

Why would many consider the poem, “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, to be a non-ballad? Do you think that it can rightly be classified as a ballad? Why or why not? Refer to the definition of a ballad as you make your case. That means include part of the definition of a ballad in your answer and reasoning for its classification.

Answer 29

I consider this poem to be a ballad, which is a poem that progresses like a story. Some people refer to it as a narrative poem, which fits the definition of a traditional ballad. It progresses like a story, so therefore I would consider it a ballad/narrative poem.

Question 30

Refer to “The Ballad of the Harp-weaver”.

How did the mother show her love for her son?

Answer 30

She stayed up all night in their cold house and made clothes for him.

Question 31

Why may we rightly classify “The Ballad of the Harp-weaver” as a ballad? Again, include the definition of a ballad in your answer.

Answer 31

Again, it progresses like a story, fitting the definition of a traditional ballad.

Question 32

Who is the “Portuguese”?

Answer 32

Elizabeth

Question 33

Which of the following poems are Shakespearean (English)?

Answer 33

Sonnet 116

Question 34

Which of the following poems are Petrarchan (Italian)?

Answer 34

Sonnets from the Portuguese XLIII, The World is Too Much with Us, On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer

Question 35

To whom is Elizabeth Browning speaking in this poem?

Answer 35

Her husband, Robert.

Question 36

This line is an example of what type of figurative language: “I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;”

Answer 36

simile

Question 37

How many ways does she say that she loves “thee” (present tense)? Count carefully (there are less than 10).

Answer 37

Seven

Question 38

extreme exaggeration

Answer 38

hyberbole

Question 39

allusion

Answer 39

reference to an historical figure or event

Question 40

seven

Answer 40

perfection

Question 41

three

Answer 41

Trinity

Question 42

forty

Answer 42

trial or testing

Question 43

thirteen

Answer 43

betrayal

Question 44

eight

Answer 44

resurrection or regeneration

Question 45

apostrophe

Answer 45

direct address

Question 46

one

Answer 46

unity

Question 47

five

Answer 47

sacrifice