Previous Years Brief Questions | Romantic Poetry

 

2013

a)  What is the full title of the poem “Tintern Abbey”?

Ans: “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a tour July 13, 1798”.

b)  What does the tiger symbolize in Blake’s poetry?

Ans: The tiger symbolizes restlessness and fierceness.

c)  What was the damsel doing in the poem Kubla Khan?

Ans: Singing a sweet song about Mount Abora.

d)  What does Blake mean by “chartered street” in his poem “London”?

Ans: ‘Chartered Street’ means the street which enjoys the freedom guaranteed to it by a royal charter.

e)  How many people were in the skeleton ship and what were they doing?

Ans: Two crew were playing dice.

f)   Who was Cortez?

Ans: He was a famous Spanish adventurer of the 16th century.

g)  What do the meanest flowers reveal to the poet?

Ans: The spirit of God pervades all objects of nature.

h)  How did Juan manage to flee?

Ans: Juan managed to flee, beating Alfonso in a dual but at the cost of his only dress.

i)        What was the cause of the quarrel between Don Jose and Donna Inez?

Ans: Don Jose’s mistress is the cause of the quarrel between Jose and Inez.

j)   Which particular word brings Keats back from the world of his imagination?

Ans: “Forlorn” the word brings Keats back from the world of his imagination.

k)  Why does Shelley call Skylark scorner of the ground?

Ans: Shelley calls Skylark scorner of the ground because it flies higher and higher in the sky, feeling hatred for the earth.

 

2014

a)      What does the child on a cloud represent?

Ans: “Jesus Christ”.

b)  What is Pastoral Poetry?

Ans: Pastoral poetry deals with the rural atmosphere, rural nature, rural people, etc.

c)  What is noticed in every face in “London”?

Ans: “Marks of weakness” and “marks of woes”.

d)  What is an Ode?

Ans: An ode is a lyrical poem that expresses deep feelings of admiration, reverence, or celebration, often dedicated to a person, object, or abstract concept.

e)  How many sailors were on the board of the ship?

Ans: 200.

f)   What was the Abyssinian maiden doing?

Ans: The Abyssinian maiden was singing of Mount Abora with her dulcimer.

g)  Who was Kubla Khan?

Ans: Kubla Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan and the conqueror of Mongolian Empire.

h)  What is a Ballad?

Ans: A ballad is a narrative song or poem that tells a story, often with a simple, rhythmic, and emotional style.

i)        Who is Homer?

Ans: Homer is an ancient Greek poet traditionally credited with composing the epic poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey,” foundational works of Western literature.

j)   Who is called the poet of beauty?

Ans: John Keats.

k)  Who are Juan’s parents?

Ans: Don Jose and Donna Inez.

l)        What do you know about Dorothy?

Ans: She is the sister of William Wordsworth.

 

2015

a)  What does “Abraham Bosom” mean?

Ans: The abode of bliss in the other world: paradise.

b)  What is the central image of “Kubla Khan”?

Ans: “Pleasure dome”.

c)  What is an elegy?

Ans: A mournful poem or song that expresses sorrow and memory for the dead, generally in a formal and nostalgic style.

d)  How did Don Juan look?

Ans: Don Juan was a little curly-haired child.

e)      How does the poet want to fly with the Nightingale?

Ans: The poet wants to fly with the nightingale by the “viewless wings of poetry.”

f)   How does Keats enjoy Homer?

Ans: Keats enjoys Homer pleasurably like an astronomer. 

g)  What did Tom see in his dream?

Ans: Tom saw in his dream that thousands of his fellow sweepers were locked up in a black coffin, and then there came an angel with a bright key who opened the coffin and set them all free.

h)  Why Jesus Christ is called a lamb?

Ans: Because of his meekness and mildness.

i)        What is the moral of the poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”?

Ans: The moral is to appreciate all forms of life.

j)   What are the three classes in “London”?

Ans: Three classes are the “chimney sweeper”, “the soldier”, and “the harlot.”

k)  Where is Tintern Abbey situated?

Ans: Tintern Abbey is situated on the bank of the river Wye in England.

l)        “No, no I go not to Lethe” — Whom does Keats address here?

Ans: Keats addresses here the true seeker of melancholy.

 

2016

a)  Who is called the poet of supernaturalism?

Ans: Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

b)  Who are the ‘Lake Poets’?

Ans: Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Robert Southey are called the ‘Lake Poets’.

c)  What is a Bard?

Ans: A Bard is a poet.

d)  What does the tiger symbolize?

Ans: The tiger symbolizes restlessness and fierceness.

e)  What is an urn?

Ans: An urn is a tall vase receptacle that is used for keeping the ashes of a dead person.

f)   Who was Kubla Khan?

Ans: The Mongolian general and statesman Kublai Khan was the grandson and most excellent successor of Genghis Khan.

g)  Who is ‘she’ in ‘London 1802’?

Ans: England.

h)  What is Xanadu?

Ans: Summar capital of Kubla Khan.

i)        What is an Ode?

Ans: An ode is a lyrical poem that expresses deep feelings of admiration, reverence, or celebration, often dedicated to a person, object, or abstract concept.

j)       Where was Don Juan born?

Ans: In Seville, Spain.

k)  Who is Adonis?

Ans: In Greek mythology, Adonis is a youth of extraordinary beauty and a favorite of the goddess Aphrodite but, in the poem, “Adonais” John Keats is addressed as Adonis.

l)        Who were the crew of the ‘specter-ship’?

Ans: The crew of the “specter-ship” were Death and Life-in-Death.

 

2017

a)      Why does Blake choose a hollow reed to make his pen?

Ans: Blake chose a hollow reed to make his pen to create a rural atmosphere in his poem.

b)  When was the poem “Tintern Abbey” written?

Ans: On July 13, 1798.

c)  How did the Ancient Mariner begin his story?

Ans: The Ancient Mariner began his story abruptly.

d)  What was Donna Inez’s noblest virtue?

Ans: The noblest virtue of Donna Inez is “magnanimity”.

e)  What is meant by ‘love-laden-soul’?

Ans: It means a heart that is full of the pangs of love.

f)   Why does Keats’ heart ache?

Ans: Keats’ heart aches because of the echoes of his joy, which he hears from the Nightingale’s song.

g)  What evils of society are attacked in “London”?

Ans: “London” is attacked by three social evils including callousness of society, adversity of war and lust.

h)  Why does England need Milton?

Ans: England needs Milton in order to restore her moral and spiritual standards.

i)        Why did Coleridge regard “Kubla Khan” as a fragment?

Ans: The whole poem came to him in a dream. After waking up from his dream, he cannot finish the poem. So, the poem is called a fragment.

j)   What are the main features of Byronic Hero?

Ans: A Byronic hero is intelligent and skilled as well as arrogant and self-aware.

k)  What was the Abyssinian maiden doing?

Ans: The Abyssinian maiden was singing of Mount Abora with her dulcimer.

l)        Why is the Urn called “Cold Pastoral”?

Ans: The Urn is called “Cold Pastoral” because it is lifeless and rural scenes are depicted on it.

 

2018

a)  How does the chimney sweeper cry?

Ans: The chimney sweeper cries ‘weep! weep!’ in a sad note.

b)  What does Blake criticize in “Holy Thursday”?

Ans: In “Holy Thursday”, Blake criticizes religious hypocrisy.

c)  What is the doctrine of the pre-existence of the human soul?

Ans: The doctrine of the pre-existence of humans indicates that human souls had pre-natal existence in heaven before they came to earth being united with the bodies.

d)  Who is ‘she’ in ‘London 1802’?

Ans: England.

e)  What does ‘a sunless sea’ signify?

Ans: An ‘infinity of death’.

f)   What is a dulcimer?

Ans: A dulcimer is a stringed musical instrument played by striking the strings with two small hammers held in the hands.

g)  How was Juan detected in Julia’s bedroom?

Ans: Juan was detected by his pair of shoes.

h)  What did Juan learn?

Ans: Juan learned the art of riding, fencing, gunnery, and how to scale a fortress or a nunnery.

i)        From where does the Skylark sing?

Ans: The skylark sings from heaven or near it, that is from, somewhere near the sky.

j)   Who is Urania?

Ans: In Greek mythology, Urania is the muse of astronomy, a daughter of Zeus by Mnemosyne, and also a great-granddaughter of Uranus.

k)  What is nightshade?

Ans: Nightshade is a poisonous plant that produces red and bright berries.

l)        What is Provencal song?

Ans: It is the song of the Bards of Provence, a southern district of France which is famous for wine and love of song and dance.

 

2019

a)  ‘O Attic Shape’ —- why does the poet tell the urn attic?

Ans: Attic means Athenian, here, belonging to Greece. As the ‘urn’ belongs to Greece, the poet tells the urn “O Attic Shape.”

b)  Who was Kubla Khan?

Ans: The Mongolian general and statesman Kublai Khan was the grandson and most excellent successor of Genghis Khan.

c)  Where is ‘Tintern Abbey’ situated?

Ans: At Monmouthshire in England.

d)  What does the ‘Albatross’ symbolize?

Ans: The albatross signifies innocence, goodness, and even God’s love and redemption.

e)  What do the ‘lamp’ and the ‘tiger’ symbolize in Blake’s poems?

Ans: “Lamb” symbolizes innocence and “Tyger” symbolizes restlessness and fierceness.

f)   What is ‘Lethe’?

Ans: A river in Hades whose waters drive the drinkers to forget their past.

g)  Who was Donna Julia?

Ans: Donna Julia was one of the friends of Donna Inez.

h)      Why is the Urn called “Cold Pastoral”?

Ans: The Urn is called “Cold Pastoral” because it is lifeless and rural scenes are depicted on it.

i)        ‘That time is past’— when does the poet refer to as ‘that time’?

Ans: Here ‘that time’ refers to the childhood days and thoughtless youth.

j)       What is hemlock?

Ans: Hemlock is a poisonous plant.

k)      What languages did Donna Inez know?

Ans: Inez knew Latin, Greek, French, and her native language Spanish.

 

2020

a)  Who accompanied Wordsworth in his revisit to the Bank of Wye?

Ans: His sister, Dorothy.

b)  Who is Lucy?

Ans: Lucy is the main character of the Lucy Poems by William Wordsworth, though she is only mentioned and never appears as a speaker.

c)  What was the name of the capital of Kubla Khan?

Ans: Xanadu.

d)  What type of poem is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”?

Ans: An allegorical lyrical ballad.

e)  What is an elegy?

Ans: A mournful poem or song that expresses sorrow and memory for the dead, generally in a formal and nostalgic style.

f)   What does Shelley mean by ‘blithe spirit’?

Ans: Joy and happiness.

g)  Who was Cortez?

Ans: He was a famous Spanish adventurer of the 16th century.

h)  Why does Keats’ heart ache?

Ans: Keats’ heart aches because of the echoes of his joy, which he hears from the Nightingale’s song.

i)        Who is Don Alfonso?

Ans: Don Alfonso was Julia’s husband.

j)   Whom did Julia marry?

Ans: Julia married Don Alfonso, a man of fifty, despite her being only twenty-three.

k)  Why did the chimney sweeper cry ‘weep’?

Ans: The chimney sweeper cried ‘weep’ to attract the attention of the persons who needed his services.

l)        What did Tom see in his dream?

Ans: Tom saw in his dream that thousands of his fellow sweepers were locked up in a black coffin, and then there came an angel with a bright key who opened the coffin and set them all free.

 

2021

a)      What is Holy Thursday? 

Ans: It is Ascension Day when Christ rose from his grave and ascended to heaven.

b)      What does the ‘dewy grass’ symbolize?

Ans: It symbolizes materialism.

c)      What does the poet advise his sister Dorothy?

Ans: To make friends with nature.

d)      Why does England need Milton?

Ans: England needs Milton in order to restore her moral and spiritual standards.

e)      What are the two voices heard in the air by the Ancient Mariner?

Ans: Spirit of Justice and the Spirit of Mercy.

f)       What was the Abyssinian maid singing?

Ans: The Abyssinian maiden was singing of Mount Abora with her dulcimer.

g)      What are ‘Cadiz’ and ‘Guadalquivir”?

Ans: Cadiz is a city in Spain, and Guadalquivir is a river in Spain.

h)      What stanza form is used in ‘Don Juan”?

Ans: Ans. The stanza form used in Don Juan is ottava rima- an eight-line stanza with the rhyme scheme abababcc.

i)        What appeal does Shelley make to the Skylark?

Ans: He appeals to the creature of his imagination to teach him half the gladness “that thy brain must know.”

j)        Who is the youngest son of Urania?

Ans: Shelley calls Keats the youngest son of Urania.

k)      What is negative capability?

Ans: John Keats coins negative capability to describe the poet’s ability to live with uncertainty and mystery. 

l)        Why does Joy always keep his finger on his lips?

Ans: To bid farewell to his worshippers.

 

2022

(a) Who is Bacchus?

Ans: God of wine, agriculture, and fertility.

(b) “Heard melodies are sweet but those unheard are sweeter” in which poem do you find this line?

Ans: “Ode on a Grecian Urn.”

(c) Cite two fine images used in the poem To A Skylark.

Ans: ‘The Maiden’ and ‘The Glow-Worm’.

(d) What is a pastoral elegy?

Ans: A poetic lament for the deceased, typically set in rural or natural surroundings.

(e) What are the features of a Byronic hero?

Ans: The Byronic hero is gloomy, weary, restless, and stricken with grief, remorse and wonder.

(f) What is an Albatross?

Ans: Albatross, a sizable seabird, primarily inhabits tropical regions, especially south of the Cape of Good Hope.

(g) What sin did the Mariner commit?

Ans: killing the Albatross.

(h) What is the name of the river mentioned in “Kabla Khan”?

Ans: Alph.

(i) When did the poet revisit Tintern Abbey?

Ans: July 13, 1798.

(j) What is Romanticism?

Ans: A literary movement that appreciates natural beauty and violates the classical tradition of poetry writing.

(k) Name some chimney Sweepers.

Ans: Tom, Dick, Joe, Ned, & Jack.

(l) What does the ‘Lamb’ symbolize?

Ans: The lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ