Literary Analysis: Poetry
This is an enrichment activity. If you are up for a challenge, try it! The questions focus on tone, mood, figurative language and other literary devices.
You do NOT have to complete this activity to get credit for your remediation session. Take it for additional practice and points!
- 1.
Refer to Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130" to answer the questions in this enrichment activity.
- 2.
Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 is a (an)
- A.
A. cruel attack on the speaker’s mistress
- B.
B. belittling of a loved one for the amusement of friends
- C.
C. playful expression of faults to irritate the lady
- D.
D. comment on the ordinary beauty of the speaker’s mistress
Correct Answer
D. D. comment on the ordinary beauty of the speaker’s mistressExplanation
The correct answer is D. comment on the ordinary beauty of the speaker's mistress. This is evident from the content of Shakespeare's sonnet 130, where the speaker describes his mistress in a realistic and unconventional way, highlighting her imperfections and comparing her to natural elements. The sonnet challenges conventional beauty standards and celebrates the uniqueness and authenticity of the speaker's mistress.Rate this question:
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- 3.
The last two lines of the sonnet
- A.
A. express the true feeling of the speaker
- B.
B. seem out of place in the poem
- C.
C. express a love for someone whose beauty is of the spirit
- D.
D. reveal the speaker as a liar
Correct Answer
A. A. express the true feeling of the speakerExplanation
The last two lines of the sonnet express the true feeling of the speaker. This suggests that the speaker's emotions and thoughts are genuinely reflected in those lines, indicating that they are honest and sincere in their expression.Rate this question:
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- 4.
The main purpose of the first 12 lines of the sonnet it to
- A.
A. describe the way the speaker’s love truly looks
- B.
B. give an angry description of the speaker’s love
- C.
C. poke fun at traditional love sonnets
- D.
D. play on metaphors
Correct Answer
C. C. poke fun at traditional love sonnetsExplanation
The first 12 lines of the sonnet are likely to poke fun at traditional love sonnets because they do not describe the speaker's love or give an angry description of it. Instead, they may use humor or satire to mock the conventions and clichés often found in traditional love sonnets. The lines may play with metaphors in a way that highlights their absurdity or exaggerates their romanticism for comedic effect.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Seemingly, all of the following are criticisms of the mistress EXCEPT
- A.
A. Coral is more red than her lips.
- B.
B. I love to hear her speak.
- C.
C. There are no roses on her cheeks.
- D.
D. Music has a more pleasing sound than her voice.
Correct Answer
B. B. I love to hear her speak.Explanation
This question asks for the criticism of the mistress that is not mentioned in the given options. Option B, "I love to hear her speak," is not a criticism but rather a positive statement about the mistress. The other options all highlight negative aspects or comparisons that criticize the mistress in some way.Rate this question:
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- 6.
By “false compare” the speaker states that
- A.
A. the traditional praise of mistresses by poets are romantic lies
- B.
B. to win love, one must compare the charms of mistresses with the beauties in nature
- C.
C. love poetry must abound in hyperbole or exaggeration
- D.
D. the women whom men love must be worshipped as goddesses
Correct Answer
A. A. the traditional praise of mistresses by poets are romantic liesExplanation
The speaker suggests that the traditional praise of mistresses by poets is false and not based on reality. This implies that the romanticized descriptions of mistresses in poetry are not accurate representations of the women themselves.Rate this question:
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- 7.
The true intent of the speaker in the sonnet is revealed most by
- A.
A. the outrageousness of his metaphors
- B.
B. the rare words of praise that creep into his statement
- C.
C. his sense of fun
- D.
D. the contrast between the first twelve lines and the last two
Correct Answer
D. D. the contrast between the first twelve lines and the last twoExplanation
The correct answer is D. The contrast between the first twelve lines and the last two. This is because the speaker starts off the sonnet with a negative and critical tone, using metaphors that exaggerate and criticize the subject. However, in the last two lines, the tone shifts and the speaker expresses their true intent, revealing a sense of admiration and love for the subject. This contrast between the initial negativity and the final positive tone suggests that the speaker's true intent is to express their deep affection and admiration.Rate this question:
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- 8.
All of the following are metaphorical comparisons EXCEPT
- A.
A. My mistresses’ eyes are nothing like the sun.
- B.
B. If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
- C.
C. No roses are her cheeks.
- D.
D. The lady I love is rare.
Correct Answer
D. D. The lady I love is rare.Explanation
The correct answer is D. "The lady I love is rare." This statement is not a metaphorical comparison. It is a straightforward statement describing the rarity of the lady the speaker loves, without using any figurative language or comparisons.Rate this question:
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- 9.
The tone of the sonnet is
- A.
A. happy
- B.
B. sad
- C.
C. satirical
- D.
D. pessimistic
Correct Answer
C. C. satiricalExplanation
The correct answer is C. satirical. This can be inferred from the use of irony, sarcasm, and mocking tone in the sonnet. The poet is criticizing or ridiculing something or someone, which is characteristic of a satirical tone.Rate this question:
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- 10.
The word “false” in line 14 refers to
- A.
A. a lying woman
- B.
B. the lying speaker of the poem
- C.
C. the ideal woman who does not really exist
- D.
D. his mistress
Correct Answer
C. C. the ideal woman who does not really existExplanation
The word "false" in line 14 refers to the ideal woman who does not really exist. This can be inferred from the context of the poem, where the speaker describes his mistress as being more real and tangible than the idealized and unattainable notion of the perfect woman. The word "false" suggests that the speaker views the concept of the ideal woman as something deceptive and untruthful.Rate this question:
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- 11.
The speaker’s mistress, based on his own description, can best be described as
- A.
A. beautiful
- B.
B. ugly
- C.
C. ordinary
- D.
D. intellectual
Correct Answer
C. C. ordinaryExplanation
Based on the speaker's own description, the mistress can be best described as "ordinary". This suggests that she is not particularly beautiful or ugly, and does not possess any exceptional intellectual qualities. The word "ordinary" implies a sense of average or unremarkable appearance and intelligence.Rate this question:
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- 12.
The assumption in line 12 is that other women
- A.
A. walk, but very slowly
- B.
B. float above the ground
- C.
C. walk on the ground
- D.
D. are carried when they need to go somewhere
Correct Answer
B. B. float above the groundExplanation
The assumption in line 12 is that other women float above the ground. This assumption is made based on the context provided in the question, which suggests that the women being referred to are different from the narrator. Since the narrator is described as walking on the ground, it can be inferred that the assumption is that other women have the ability to float above the ground.Rate this question:
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