100 Important MCQs on Poetry in English Literature
Sunday, May 04, 2025 |
No comments |
100 Multiple Choice Question Answers on Poetry - English Literature
Note: Most of these multiple-choice questions are based on the following epics/poems -1. Geoffrey Chaucer
- The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
- The Faerie Queene
- Sonnet 1: "Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show"
- Sonnet 2: "Not at first sight, nor with a dribbed shot"
- Sonnet 5: "It is most true that eyes are formed to serve"
- Sonnet 31: "With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb’st the skies"
- Sonnet 39: "Come Sleep! O Sleep, the certain knot of peace"
- Sonnet 18
- Sonnet 24
- Venus and Adonis
- The Flea
- A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
- The Ecstasy
- The Good Morrow
- Paradise Lost (Book I)
- To His Coy Mistress
- Absalom and Achitophel
- The Rape of the Lock
- The Vanity of Human Wishes
- Tintern Abbey
- Ode: Intimations of Immortality
- The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- Ode to the West Wind
- To a Skylark
- Ode to a Nightingale
- Ode on a Grecian Urn
- To Autumn
- The Lotus Eaters
- Ulysses
- In Memoriam A.H.H.
- My Last Duchess
- The Last Ride Together
- The Lost Mistress
- Dover Beach
- The Scholar-Gipsy
- The Blessed Damozel
- The Portrait
- The Second Coming
- When You Are Old
- A Prayer for My Daughter
- The Waste Land
- The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
- In Memory of W. B. Yeats
- The Shield of Achilles
- Daddy
- Lady Lazarus
- When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d
- Crossing Brooklyn Ferry
- Because I Could Not Stop for Death
- Success is Counted Sweetest
- I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed
- Night of the Scorpion
- Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T.S.
- The Patriot
- The Professor
- The Freaks
- A Hot Noon in Malabar
- The Sunshine Cat
- The Looking Glass
100 English Literature Poetry MCQs
1. In "The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue," how is the Knight described?
A) As a vain and boastful man
B) As a modest and honorable warrior
C) As a wealthy merchant
D) As a corrupt and greedy landowner
Answer: B) As a modest and honorable warrior
Explanation: The Knight is portrayed as a noble and humble figure, having fought in many battles for justice and honor.
2. Who is the author of the play "Hamlet"?
A) William Shakespeare
B) Christopher Marlowe
C) John Milton
D) Ben Jonson
Answer: A) William Shakespeare
Explanation: "Hamlet" is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, written around 1600.
3. Which of the following works is written by John Milton?
A) Paradise Lost
B) The Faerie Queene
C) Ulysses
D) The Canterbury Tales
Answer: A) Paradise Lost
Explanation: "Paradise Lost" is an epic poem by John Milton, written in the 17th century.
4. What is the central theme of “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot?
A) The destruction of nature
B) The fragmentation of modern society
C) The glorification of war
D) The celebration of industrial progress
Answer: B) The fragmentation of modern society
Explanation: "The Waste Land" explores the fragmentation and disillusionment of post-World War I society.
5. In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the speaker is best described as:
A) Bold and romantic
B) Confident and satirical
C) Insecure and introspective
D) Violent and aggressive
Answer: C) Insecure and introspective
Explanation: The speaker, J. Alfred Prufrock, is a self-conscious individual who struggles with social anxiety and alienation.
6. In "Ode to a Nightingale," Keats expresses a desire to:
A) Escape the pains of life through beauty and art
B) Return to childhood
C) Seek immortality
D) Find solace in nature
Answer: A) Escape the pains of life through beauty and art
Explanation: Keats longs to transcend the harsh realities of life through the beauty of the nightingale’s song.
7. What does the term "April is the cruellest month" in "The Waste Land" suggest?
A) A joyful welcome to spring
B) Renewal is painful for the spiritually barren
C) A reference to Easter traditions
D) Spring festivals are unpleasant
Answer: B) Renewal is painful for the spiritually barren
Explanation: Eliot opens the poem with this line to suggest that the arrival of spring is unsettling for a world that has lost its spiritual vitality.
8. In "My Last Duchess," the Duke reveals:
A) His humility
B) His love for poetry
C) His authoritarian and jealous nature
D) His fondness for music
Answer: C) His authoritarian and jealous nature
Explanation: The Duke’s monologue reveals his possessiveness and authoritarian tendencies, especially toward his former wife.
9. What does “The Rape of the Lock” by Alexander Pope satirize?
A) The monarchy
B) Gothic novels
C) Trivialities of high society
D) Political rebellion
Answer: C) Trivialities of high society
Explanation: Pope’s mock-epic satirizes the trivial social conflict surrounding a stolen lock of hair in aristocratic society.
10. Which literary device is primarily used in "The Rape of the Lock"?
A) Allegory
B) Parable
C) Mock-epic style
D) Ballad meter
Answer: C) Mock-epic style
Explanation: Pope uses the mock-epic form to parody the trivial nature of the social conflict in the poem.
11. What is the primary theme of “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell?
A) Carpe diem — the brevity of life and urgency of love
B) Religious redemption
C) The futility of love
D) National pride
Answer: A) Carpe diem — the brevity of life and urgency of love
Explanation: The poem urges the speaker’s mistress to seize the moment and not delay love due to the brevity of life.
12. In “Tintern Abbey,” Wordsworth reflects on:
A) The loss of childhood innocence
B) The value of scientific progress
C) A moral and spiritual connection with nature
D) The fleeting nature of human existence
Answer: C) A moral and spiritual connection with nature
Explanation: Wordsworth reflects on how his appreciation of nature has deepened over time, providing him with moral and spiritual strength.
13. What is the central theme of “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats?
A) The immortality of art and the fleeting nature of life
B) The beauty of nature
C) The critique of modern industrialization
D) The experience of love
Answer: A) The immortality of art and the fleeting nature of life
Explanation: Keats reflects on how art preserves beauty and emotion, contrasting it with the transitory nature of human life.
14. In “The Scholar Gipsy,” Arnold idealizes:
A) Scientific advancement
B) University education
C) Escapism from modern fatigue and decay
D) Political revolution
Answer: C) Escapism from modern fatigue and decay
Explanation: The poem presents the scholar gipsy as a figure who escapes the mundane realities of life in search of a higher purpose.
15. The predominant technique in “The Waste Land” is:
A) Lyrical simplicity
B) Omniscient narration
C) Fragmentation and intertextuality
D) Pastoral idealism
Answer: C) Fragmentation and intertextuality
Explanation: Eliot uses fragmented language, images, and references to a wide range of texts to convey a sense of disillusionment in modern society.
16. In “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning,” what does the speaker compare the love between him and his wife to?
A) A storm
B) A compass
C) A rose
D) A flame
Answer: B) A compass
Explanation: Donne uses the metaphor of a compass to describe the steadfast and connected love between the speaker and his wife, even when they are apart.
17. In “The Flea,” what does the flea symbolize?
A) The speaker’s love
B) A barrier between the lovers
C) The bond between two people
D) The idea of death
Answer: C) The bond between two people
Explanation: The flea, in its mingling of blood between the lovers, symbolizes their union and intimacy in a playful, exaggerated manner.
18. “The Good Morrow” focuses on the theme of:
A) Love as spiritual awakening
B) A romantic betrayal
C) The passage of time
D) Political unrest
Answer: A) Love as spiritual awakening
Explanation: Donne’s poem celebrates the transformation of love into a deep, soul-fulfilling connection.
19. In “Paradise Lost,” what is Satan’s ultimate goal?
A) To rule over Heaven
B) To corrupt mankind
C) To escape Hell
D) To seek redemption
Answer: B) To corrupt mankind
Explanation: Satan’s primary aim is to lead humans into sin as an act of revenge against God after his own fall from Heaven.
20. In Philip Sidney’s "Sonnet 31" (“With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb’st the skies”), what emotion does the speaker project onto the moon?
A) Joyful excitement
B) Indifference and detachment
C) Sadness and disappointment in love
D) Anger at fate
Answer: C) Sadness and disappointment in love
Explanation: The speaker addresses the moon as a fellow sufferer in love, projecting his melancholy and feelings of romantic betrayal onto it.
21. In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” the Mariner’s crime is:
A) Killing a fellow sailor
B) Killing an albatross
C) Betraying a friend
D) Ignoring a prophecy
Answer: B) Killing an albatross
Explanation: The Mariner’s unnecessary killing of the albatross brings a curse upon him and his shipmates.
22. “To a Skylark” by P.B. Shelley celebrates:
A) The fleeting nature of beauty
B) The timeless freedom of the skylark
C) The destructive force of nature
D) The quest for fame
Answer: B) The timeless freedom of the skylark
Explanation: The skylark is portrayed as an emblem of eternal freedom, uninhibited by earthly struggles.
23. What is the central theme of “Ode to Autumn” by John Keats?
A) The transience of life and the beauty of nature
B) The joy of harvest
C) The cycle of life and death
D) The power of the imagination
Answer: A) The transience of life and the beauty of nature
Explanation: Keats meditates on the passing of time and the richness of nature during autumn, symbolizing life’s impermanence.
24. In “The Lotus Eaters,” Tennyson explores the theme of:
A) The lure of escapism and the consequences of giving in to it
B) The heroism of war
C) The impact of modernity
D) The value of intellectual pursuits
Answer: A) The lure of escapism and the consequences of giving in to it
Explanation: The poem presents the idea of abandoning one’s duties and responsibilities in pursuit of pleasure and forgetfulness.
25. In “Ulysses,” the speaker’s desire for adventure is a reflection of:
A) Discontent with old age
B) Fear of death
C) The need for family bonds
D) The pursuit of knowledge
Answer: A) Discontent with old age
Explanation: Ulysses, dissatisfied with his old age, yearns for further adventure and the excitement of discovery.
26. “In Memoriam A. H. H.” explores:
A) The poet’s grief and search for meaning after the death of a friend
B) The nature of divine love
C) The futility of human life
D) The philosophical question of existence
Answer: A) The poet’s grief and search for meaning after the death of a friend
Explanation: Tennyson reflects on grief, mourning, and the idea of an afterlife after the loss of a close friend.
27. “The Blessed Damozel” by D.G. Rossetti depicts:
A) A woman waiting for her lover in heaven
B) The sorrow of separation due to social class
C) The loss of innocence in youth
D) A tragic love affair between two artists
Answer: A) A woman waiting for her lover in heaven
Explanation: The poem portrays the Damozel’s longing for her earthly lover while she waits in heaven.
28. In “The Portrait,” D.G. Rossetti’s speaker reflects on:
A) The passing of time and changing beauty
B) The immortality of art
C) The destructive nature of love
D) The loss of innocence
Answer: A) The passing of time and changing beauty
Explanation: The poem meditates on how a portrait captures a moment of beauty while the subject’s life and beauty fade with time.
29. In “The Second Coming,” W.B. Yeats presents a vision of:
A) A peaceful utopia
B) A return of Christ
C) A dark, apocalyptic world
D) A new beginning for humanity
Answer: C) A dark, apocalyptic world
Explanation: Yeats describes a world on the brink of chaos and destruction, foreshadowing a terrifying new age.
30. “When You Are Old” by Yeats is a poem about:
A) Political change
B) The fleeting nature of youth and love
C) The power of artistic achievement
D) A call to action for social change
Answer: B) The fleeting nature of youth and love
Explanation: Yeats urges his beloved to remember the love he gave her for her inner beauty, which outlasts physical youth.
31. In “A Prayer for My Daughter,” Yeats expresses a father’s wish for his daughter’s:
A) Strength and resilience in a chaotic world
B) Wealth and social status
C) Artistic success
D) Independence and political involvement
Answer: A) Strength and resilience in a chaotic world
Explanation: Yeats desires for his daughter to grow up with a strong sense of moral and emotional strength in a world filled with instability.
32. “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” by Auden primarily reflects on:
A) The inevitability of death
B) The role of poetry in times of crisis
C) The political tensions of the era
D) The transcendence of the human spirit
Answer: B) The role of poetry in times of crisis
Explanation: Auden reflects on the power of poetry to give meaning and resonance, even in times of loss and uncertainty.
33. “The Shield of Achilles” contrasts:
A) Love and hate
B) Myth and modern atrocity
C) Democracy and dictatorship
D) Peace and war
Answer: B) Myth and modern atrocity
Explanation: Auden juxtaposes the idealized, mythic past with the brutal and violent realities of the modern world.
34. In “Daddy,” Plath uses Holocaust imagery to:
A) Express personal trauma
B) Criticize political ideologies
C) Pay tribute to victims
D) Satirize war
Answer: A) Express personal trauma
Explanation: Plath uses Holocaust imagery to magnify her personal feelings of being oppressed and traumatized by her father’s death.
35. In “Tintern Abbey,” Wordsworth reflects on:
A) The loss of childhood innocence
B) The value of scientific progress
C) A moral and spiritual connection with nature
D) The fleeting nature of human existence
Answer: C) A moral and spiritual connection with nature
Explanation: Wordsworth reflects on how his appreciation of nature has deepened over time, providing him with moral and spiritual strength.
36. In the poem "The Raven," what does the raven symbolize?
A) Hope
B) Despair
C) Love
D) Freedom
Answer: B) Despair
Explanation: The raven in the poem is a symbol of mourning, loss, and eternal grief, repeatedly uttering "Nevermore."
37. In "Ozymandias," what does the ruined statue represent?
A) The inevitability of death
B) The power of the Pharaoh
C) The futility of human pride and power
D) The enduring legacy of art
Answer: C) The futility of human pride and power
Explanation: The statue's ruined condition symbolizes the eventual decay of human accomplishments and empires.
38. What is the central theme of "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell?
A) The inevitability of death
B) The fleeting nature of time and the urgency of love
C) The power of religious devotion
D) The pursuit of political power
Answer: B) The fleeting nature of time and the urgency of love
Explanation: The speaker argues for seizing the moment in love because time is short.
39. "The Tyger" by William Blake explores the nature of:
A) Goodness
B) The sublime
C) Innocence
D) Moral ambiguity
Answer: B) The sublime
Explanation: The poem contemplates the awe-inspiring and terrifying power of the tiger, symbolizing both creation and destruction.
40. In "The Road Not Taken," what does the speaker reflect upon?
A) His decision to take the road less traveled
B) His childhood memories
C) The inevitability of fate
D) His love for nature
Answer: A) His decision to take the road less traveled
Explanation: The speaker reflects on the significance of choices and their long-term impact, particularly his choice of the road less traveled.
41. In "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," what is Prufrock's primary emotional state?
A) Confidence
B) Fear and indecision
C) Passionate desire
D) Anger
Answer: B) Fear and indecision
Explanation: Prufrock is overwhelmed by insecurity and is paralyzed by self-doubt in his interactions with others.
42. In "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," what is the poet's plea?
A) To embrace death with peace
B) To fight against the inevitability of death
C) To achieve greatness before death
D) To make peace with aging
Answer: B) To fight against the inevitability of death
Explanation: Dylan Thomas urges his father to resist death with vigor and to "rage, rage against the dying of the light."
43. "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" contains a strong message about:
A) The power of the human spirit
B) Nature's supremacy over humanity
C) The consequences of sin and redemption
D) The importance of adventure
Answer: C) The consequences of sin and redemption
Explanation: The Mariner's killing of the albatross leads to a supernatural series of events that illustrate guilt and the path to redemption.
44. In "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning," what does the speaker compare his love to?
A) A physical journey
B) A divine entity
C) A compass that always returns
D) The changing seasons
Answer: C) A compass that always returns
Explanation: The speaker compares his love to a compass, symbolizing the eternal and unchanging nature of true love despite physical separation.
45. "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning is primarily concerned with:
A) A romantic love story
B) The speaker's jealousy and possessiveness
C) A political event
D) An innocent confession
Answer: B) The speaker's jealousy and possessiveness
Explanation: The poem reveals the Duke's possessive and controlling nature over his late wife, whom he reveals was killed due to his jealousy.
46. What is the key theme in John Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale"?
A) The permanence of nature
B) The contrast between earthly suffering and heavenly beauty
C) The futility of life
D) The rejection of immortality
Answer: B) The contrast between earthly suffering and heavenly beauty
Explanation: Keats contrasts the ephemeral nature of human life with the timeless beauty of the nightingale's song.
47. In "The Canterbury Tales," what is the main narrative structure?
A) A monologue
B) A series of interconnected stories told by pilgrims
C) A historical account
D) A dialogue between two characters
Answer: B) A series of interconnected stories told by pilgrims
Explanation: The pilgrims tell tales on their journey to Canterbury, creating a frame narrative.
48. In John Donne’s “The Good Morrow,” what does the speaker claim about the lovers' past?
A) It was full of sorrow
B) It was a dream compared to their current love
C) It was a time of religious devotion
D) It was adventurous and bold
Answer: B) It was a dream compared to their current love
Explanation: Donne suggests that all experiences before their current relationship were meaningless, like dreams before waking to true love.
49. In John Keats’s “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” what does the phrase “Beauty is truth, truth beauty” imply?
A) Beauty and truth are opposites
B) Truth is only found in logic
C) Aesthetic experience reveals deeper truths
D) Beauty is subjective
Answer: C) Aesthetic experience reveals deeper truths
Explanation: The final lines of the ode suggest that beauty and truth are inherently linked, especially in the timeless world of art.
50. In “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell, what tone does the poet adopt toward time?
A) Patient and contemplative
B) Fearful and passive
C) Urgent and persuasive
D) Detached and ironic
Answer: C) Urgent and persuasive
Explanation: The speaker urges his beloved to seize the moment (“carpe diem”) because time is fleeting and youth will fade.
51. In “Daddy,” how does Sylvia Plath portray the father figure?
A) As a gentle presence
B) As a heroic martyr
C) As a dominating, oppressive figure
D) As a forgotten memory
Answer: C) As a dominating, oppressive figure
Explanation: The poem uses intense imagery to express resentment and trauma toward the paternal figure.
52. What theme dominates “Lady Lazarus”?
A) Religious redemption
B) Comic relief
C) Death and resurrection
D) Political satire
Answer: C) Death and resurrection
Explanation: The poem metaphorically portrays the speaker’s repeated returns from suicidal attempts.
53. What is the central theme of “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”?
A) Celebration of spring
B) Political protest
C) Mourning Abraham Lincoln
D) Love for the American landscape
Answer: C) Mourning Abraham Lincoln
Explanation: Whitman’s elegy commemorates the assassination of President Lincoln.
54. “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” explores:
A) New York’s architecture
B) Alienation and human connection across time
C) Natural disasters in the city
D) War experiences
Answer: B) Alienation and human connection across time
Explanation: The poet connects with past and future commuters, emphasizing shared human experience.
55. In “Because I Could Not Stop for Death,” how is Death personified?
A) As a cruel thief
B) As a kind and civil guide
C) As a stormy destroyer
D) As a ghostly child
Answer: B) As a kind and civil guide
Explanation: Dickinson personifies Death as a courteous companion escorting the speaker to the afterlife.
56. What paradox is presented in “Success is Counted Sweetest”?
A) Wealth increases loneliness
B) Only the defeated can truly understand success
C) Lovers always part ways
D) Death is the ultimate freedom
Answer: B) Only the defeated can truly understand success
Explanation: The poem argues that those who fail value success most deeply.
57. “I Taste a Liquor Never Brewed” celebrates:
A) Temperance
B) The joy of nature and poetic inspiration
C) Economic prosperity
D) Loneliness and exile
Answer: B) The joy of nature and poetic inspiration
Explanation: Dickinson compares her ecstasy in nature to inebriation, metaphorically.
58. In “Night of the Scorpion,” the villagers react to the scorpion sting with:
A) Medical advice
B) Skepticism
C) Superstitious rituals and communal concern
D) Indifference
Answer: C) Superstitious rituals and communal concern
Explanation: Ezekiel depicts a rural community’s ritualistic efforts after a scorpion sting.
59. What is ironic in “The Patriot” by Nissim Ezekiel?
A) The hero never arrives
B) The narrator uses broken English to critique nationalism
C) It glorifies colonial rule
D) It praises superstition
Answer: B) The narrator uses broken English to critique nationalism
Explanation: The speaker’s comic misuse of language exposes political and cultural contradictions.
60. “Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T. S.” uses humor to:
A) Mock rural India
B) Critique British politics
C) Satirize formal social niceties and linguistic oddities
D) Celebrate spiritual rebirth
Answer: C) Satirize formal social niceties and linguistic oddities
Explanation: The poem humorously exposes awkwardness in farewell speeches and Indianized English.
61. In “The Professor,” what is the speaker’s tone?
A) Mournful
B) Apologetic
C) Boastful and reflective
D) Romantic
Answer: C) Boastful and reflective
Explanation: The professor reflects on his life, proudly yet humorously detailing his personal history.
62. In “The Freaks,” what emotional state dominates?
A) Rage
B) Detachment and emotional vacuum
C) Jealousy
D) Religious ecstasy
Answer: B) Detachment and emotional vacuum
Explanation: Kamala Das expresses alienation in a physical relationship devoid of emotional connection.
63. “A Hot Noon in Malabar” reflects on:
A) Political rebellion
B) Urban modernity
C) Childhood nostalgia and sensory memory
D) Scientific progress
Answer: C) Childhood nostalgia and sensory memory
Explanation: The poem immerses the reader in the sights, sounds, and heat of a remembered afternoon.
64. What theme dominates “The Sunshine Cat”?
A) Female empowerment
B) Mythological transformation
C) Marital disillusionment and female entrapment
D) Celebration of motherhood
Answer: C) Marital disillusionment and female entrapment
Explanation: Kamala Das portrays a woman’s unhappy domestic life and psychological confinement.
65. In “The Looking Glass,” what advice does the speaker offer?
A) Submit to fate
B) Use beauty to gain power over men
C) Renounce all vanity
D) Trust in religion
Answer: B) Use beauty to gain power over men
Explanation: The poem delivers a satirical take on how women are taught to value physical appearance.
66. In “The Waste Land,” what does the term “April is the cruellest month” suggest?
A) A joyful welcome to spring
B) Renewal is painful for the spiritually barren
C) A reference to Easter traditions
D) Spring festivals are unpleasant
Answer: B) Renewal is painful for the spiritually barren
Explanation: Eliot begins the poem by reversing typical associations with spring to suggest emotional barrenness.
67. In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the speaker is best described as:
A) Bold and romantic
B) Confident and satirical
C) Insecure and introspective
D) Violent and aggressive
Answer: C) Insecure and introspective
Explanation: Prufrock is hesitant, self-conscious, and alienated from modern social life.
68. “The Second Coming” by W. B. Yeats suggests:
A) Peace is on the horizon
B) Democracy is flourishing
C) Chaos precedes a monstrous revelation
D) Christ’s rebirth is imminent
Answer: C) Chaos precedes a monstrous revelation
Explanation: The poem envisions a new, terrifying era ushered in by violence and disorder.
69. In “When You Are Old,” the speaker asks the beloved to:
A) Write a poem for him
B) Mourn her lost youth
C) Recall the one who loved her soul
D) Visit his grave
Answer: C) Recall the one who loved her soul
Explanation: Yeats urges his beloved to remember that only he loved her for her inner beauty.
70. “A Prayer for My Daughter” is primarily concerned with:
A) War and peace
B) Feminist ideals
C) A father’s hopes for his child’s future
D) Colonial independence
Answer: C) A father’s hopes for his child’s future
Explanation: Yeats expresses traditional and moral hopes for his daughter’s upbringing in a troubled world.
71. What feature distinguishes “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” by Auden?
A) It uses rural imagery only
B) It avoids personal reflection
C) It juxtaposes poetic legacy and historical violence
D) It glorifies Yeats without critique
Answer: C) It juxtaposes poetic legacy and historical violence
Explanation: Auden balances tribute with commentary on poetry’s role in troubled times.
72. “The Shield of Achilles” contrasts:
A) War and peace
B) Myth and modern atrocity
C) Politics and religion
D) History and prophecy
Answer: B) Myth and modern atrocity
Explanation: Auden uses Homeric imagery to critique modern brutality and loss of human values.
73. In “Daddy,” the use of Holocaust imagery implies:
A) Political protest
B) Sympathy for victims
C) Personal trauma magnified by historical metaphor
D) Anti-Semitic satire
Answer: C) Personal trauma magnified by historical metaphor
Explanation: Plath uses extreme historical analogies to express deep psychological scars.
74. In “Tintern Abbey,” what shift occurs in the speaker’s perception of nature?
A) From scientific to mystical
B) From fear to disdain
C) From aesthetic to spiritual and moral
D) From passive to hostile
Answer: C) From aesthetic to spiritual and moral
Explanation: Wordsworth reflects on how his understanding of nature has deepened with age.
75. In “The Vanity of Human Wishes,” Johnson critiques:
A) Religious faith
B) Political ambition and worldly pursuits
C) Literary fame
D) Romantic ideals
Answer: B) Political ambition and worldly pursuits
Explanation: The poem highlights the futility of chasing power, wealth, and recognition.
76. In "The Blessed Damozel" by D.G. Rossetti, what is the main theme?
A) The beauty of nature
B) The separation between life and death
C) The longing for reunion after death
D) The power of love in life
Answer: C) The longing for reunion after death
Explanation: The poem explores the emotional tension of a woman in heaven longing to be reunited with her lover on earth.
77. In "The Portrait" by D.G. Rossetti, the speaker addresses:
A) A famous portrait artist
B) A woman’s image as captured in a painting
C) A lover’s memories
D) The depiction of the self in art
Answer: B) A woman’s image as captured in a painting
Explanation: The poem contemplates the emotional impact and eternal beauty of a woman's portrait.
78. In "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats, what is the "rough beast" referring to?
A) A symbol of redemption
B) A divine figure
C) A new destructive era
D) A creature of myth
Answer: C) A new destructive era
Explanation: The "rough beast" represents a new, chaotic force that will bring about a change in the world order.
79. In "When You Are Old" by W.B. Yeats, what does the speaker ask the beloved to remember?
A) His wealth
B) His love for her soul
C) His youthful looks
D) The time they spent together
Answer: B) His love for her soul
Explanation: Yeats urges the beloved to remember that he loved her for her inner beauty, not her outward appearance.
80. What is the central theme of "A Prayer for My Daughter" by W.B. Yeats?
A) The consequences of war
B) The speaker's concern for his daughter's future
C) The power of personal achievement
D) The search for meaning in life
Answer: B) The speaker's concern for his daughter's future
Explanation: Yeats expresses his hopes for his daughter's future in a world fraught with challenges.
81. In "In Memory of W. B. Yeats," what is Auden's attitude toward poetry?
A) It can change the world
B) It is a futile endeavor
C) It immortalizes the poet
D) It can provide comfort after death
Answer: C) It immortalizes the poet
Explanation: Auden suggests that despite the death of Yeats, his poetry lives on and continues to influence.
82. In "The Shield of Achilles" by W. H. Auden, what is contrasted with the heroic ideals of Achilles?
A) The modern, brutal world
B) Ancient Greek mythology
C) The nature of war
D) The politics of the time
Answer: A) The modern, brutal world
Explanation: Auden contrasts the heroic, idealized image of Achilles with the cold, mechanized violence of the modern world.
83. In "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath, the speaker’s relationship with her father is described as:
A) Loving and nurturing
B) Distant and cold
C) Abusive and oppressive
D) Protective and supportive
Answer: C) Abusive and oppressive
Explanation: The poem explores the speaker’s traumatic memories and feelings of oppression toward her father.
84. In "Tintern Abbey," Wordsworth reflects on the effect of nature on his:
A) Intellectual growth
B) Physical health
C) Emotional and spiritual development
D) Artistic creation
Answer: C) Emotional and spiritual development
Explanation: Wordsworth describes how nature has nurtured his emotional and spiritual life over time.
85. "The Vanity of Human Wishes" by Samuel Johnson critiques:
A) The pursuit of wealth
B) The futility of human ambition and worldly desires
C) The nature of true happiness
D) The search for fame
Answer: B) The futility of human ambition and worldly desires
Explanation: The poem explores how human efforts to attain power, wealth, and success often lead to disappointment and frustration.
86. What is the main theme in John Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale"?
A) The power of death
B) The contrast between human mortality and the immortality of art
C) The fleeting nature of beauty
D) The transcendence of nature over civilization
Answer: B) The contrast between human mortality and the immortality of art
Explanation: The poem contrasts the temporary nature of human life with the timeless song of the nightingale.
87. "Ode to a Grecian Urn" by John Keats reflects on:
A) The eternal nature of beauty and art
B) The futility of human pursuits
C) The divine power of nature
D) The importance of personal freedom
Answer: A) The eternal nature of beauty and art
Explanation: The urn symbolizes timeless beauty, capturing moments of life forever through art.
88. What is the central message of "Ode to Autumn" by John Keats?
A) The inevitability of death
B) The celebration of the cycle of life and nature’s abundance
C) The melancholy of changing seasons
D) The power of human creativity
Answer: B) The celebration of the cycle of life and nature’s abundance
Explanation: The poem praises the beauty of autumn and its vital role in the life cycle of nature.
89. "Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson explores:
A) The adventures of a mythical hero
B) The inner conflict between domestic life and adventure
C) The desire for eternal glory and exploration
D) The peaceful resignation to old age
Answer: C) The desire for eternal glory and exploration
Explanation: Ulysses reflects on his desire for adventure and the pursuit of knowledge, despite his old age.
90. "The Lotus Eaters" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson symbolizes:
A) The carefree joy of youth
B) The temptation of complacency and withdrawal from the world
C) The fleeting nature of love
D) The power of nature over humanity
Answer: B) The temptation of complacency and withdrawal from the world
Explanation: The poem describes the lure of the lotus-eating people who desire to escape their responsibilities and worldly struggles.
91. In "The Last Ride Together" by Robert Browning, what does the speaker reflect upon?
A) The joy of victory
B) The loss of his beloved and their final moments together
C) His regrets over past decisions
D) His future without love
Answer: B) The loss of his beloved and their final moments together
Explanation: The poem describes the speaker’s last ride with his lover, reflecting on the fleeting nature of their relationship.
92. In "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning, what does the speaker reveal about his character?
A) He is deeply in love with his wife
B) He is calm and rational
C) He is possessive and controlling
D) He is filled with guilt
Answer: C) He is possessive and controlling
Explanation: The speaker's monologue reveals his jealousy and obsession with controlling his wife’s behavior.
93. In "The Scholar-Gipsy" by Matthew Arnold, what does the speaker admire?
A) The life of a scholar
B) The ideal of a peaceful, contemplative existence
C) The pursuit of wealth
D) The role of the artist in society
Answer: B) The ideal of a peaceful, contemplative existence
Explanation: Arnold admires the scholar-gipsy who rejects society in favor of a quiet, thoughtful life.
94. "Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold explores the theme of:
A) The power of nature
B) The loss of faith in the modern world
C) The tranquility of the sea
D) The strength of romantic love
Answer: B) The loss of faith in the modern world
Explanation: The poem reflects on the decline of faith and the uncertainty of the modern world.
95. In "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot, the speaker’s main struggle is with:
A) His desire for fame
B) His fear of social rejection and self-doubt
C) His love for a woman
D) The meaning of life
Answer: B) His fear of social rejection and self-doubt
Explanation: Prufrock’s internal struggle revolves around his insecurities and fear of rejection in social and romantic contexts.
96. In "The Hollow Men," T.S. Eliot reflects on:
A) The emptiness of modern existence
B) The glory of ancient civilizations
C) The beauty of nature
D) The triumph of the human spirit
Answer: A) The emptiness of modern existence
Explanation: The poem conveys feelings of despair and spiritual emptiness in the post-World War I world.
97. In "The Waste Land," T.S. Eliot uses the image of water to symbolize:
A) Cleansing and renewal
B) Destruction and decay
C) Fertility and growth
D) Isolation and detachment
Answer: B) Destruction and decay
Explanation: The use of water in "The Waste Land" is often associated with both physical and spiritual desolation.
98. In "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, the speaker reflects on:
A) The consequences of choosing the less-traveled path
B) The certainty of fate
C) The difficulty of making choices
D) The importance of adventure
Answer: A) The consequences of choosing the less-traveled path
Explanation: The poem reflects on how the speaker’s choice between two paths has shaped his life’s journey.
99. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost reflects the theme of:
A) The desire to escape from society
B) The beauty of nature
C) The balance between obligations and personal desires
D) The inevitability of death
Answer: C) The balance between obligations and personal desires
Explanation: The poem explores the tension between the speaker's longing to stay in the peaceful woods and his responsibilities that compel him to continue his journey.
100. In "Mending Wall," Robert Frost explores the idea that:
A) Nature’s beauty brings people together
B) Walls are essential to relationships
C) People are inherently isolated
D) The need for boundaries in relationships
Answer: D) The need for boundaries in relationships
Explanation: The poem questions the necessity of boundaries and explores how human relationships are defined by both division and connection.
<< 100 Important MCQs on Drama in English Literature <<
See Also
- English Literature Practice Sets
- English Literature MCQs on Tughlaq by Girish Karnad
- English Literature MCQs on Final Solution by Mahesh Dattani
- English Literature MCQs on Waiting for Godot by Samuel Buckett
- English Literature MCQs on The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare
- English Literature MCQs on Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
- English Literature Important Questions on Cultural Studies
- English Literature Question Answers on Indian English Literature
- English Literature Questions Answers on American Literature
- English Literature Question Answers on Chaucer and His Age
- English Literature Question Answers on Rhetoric and Prosody
- English Literature Question Answers on Literary Theory and Criticism
- English Literature Objective Type Important Question Answers
English Literature, English Literature MCQ, English Literature Poetry Questions, English Literature Questions, Poetry
0 comments:
Post a Comment