Answer: C. The Holy Sonnets. Explanation: It’s one of the 19 poems in this collection by John Donne. These sonnets explore deep religious themes, including death, divine judgment, and salvation.
2. From the lineage of which saint was John Donne’s mother descended? A. Saint Thomas Aquinas B. Saint Augustine C. Saint Thomas More D. Saint Francis of Assisi
Answer: C. Saint Thomas More. Explanation: Her name was Elizabeth Heywood, and she was the youngest daughter of John Heywood, an epigrammatist and playwright. This lineage, along with his parents’ adherence to Catholicism, played a significant role in shaping Donne’s life and works.
Answer: A. 1572. Explanation: He was a leading English poet of the Metaphysical school and is often considered the greatest love poet in the English language. His works are noted for their deep exploration of themes such as love, death, and religion.
Answer: C. A slave. Explanation: The line “Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men” suggests that death is not as powerful as it seems, but is instead subject to the whims of others. This is part of the poem’s overall theme of undermining the power and fear associated with death.
Answer: B. Challenging Death. Explanation: He personifies death and addresses it directly, undermining its power and authority. He argues that death is not to be feared and ultimately asserts that “Death, thou shalt die”, indicating a defiance and challenge to the concept of death itself. This reflects Donne’s metaphysical exploration of life, death, and the afterlife.
Answer: B. Less powerful than he thinks he is. Explanation: John Donne personifies Death and challenges its perceived power and dreadfulness. He argues that Death is not as mighty and dreadful as it believes itself to be, and is in fact a ‘slave’ to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men. This portrayal serves to diminish the fear and power traditionally associated with Death.
Answer: D. 1633. Explanation: It’s one of the Holy Sonnets by John Donne, written between February and August 1609. The sonnet is a profound meditation on death and mortality, and it’s part of Donne’s larger collection of religious poetry.
Answer: B. Powerlessness of Death. Explanation: He challenges the traditional view of Death as a powerful and dreadful entity, instead presenting it as less powerful than it believes itself to be. The poem concludes with the assertion that “Death, thou shalt die”, further emphasizing the powerlessness of Death in the face of eternal life. This is a central theme in Donne’s metaphysical exploration of life, death, and the afterlife.
Answer: C. Desperate Men. Explanation: This metaphor serves to diminish the power and fear traditionally associated with Death, presenting it as less powerful and more controlled by other forces.
Answer: C. Poppy. Explanation: The line “And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well / And better than thy stroke” suggests that sleep, which can be induced by poppy (a reference to opium) or charms (a reference to magic or medicine), is more pleasant and desirable than death.
Answer: A. Death. Explanation: The lines “From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow” suggest that rest and sleep are merely images or representations of Death, and yet they bring much pleasure. This comparison serves to undermine the fear associated with Death and presents it as a state of rest and peace.
Answer: B. We wake eternally. Explanation: The line “One short sleep past, we wake eternally” implies the belief in an afterlife, where death is not an end but a transition to eternal life. This reflects John Donne’s Christian faith and his metaphysical exploration of life, death, and the afterlife.
Answer: A. Petrarchan sonnet. Explanation: It’s also known as an Italian sonnet, which is characterized by its structure of an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines). The rhyme scheme of this sonnet is ABBAABBACDDCEE, which is typical of the Petrarchan form. However, it’s worth noting that John Donne’s sonnets, including this one, often combine elements of both Petrarchan and Shakespearean structures.
Answer: C. Death. Explanation: The poem explores the concept of death, personifying it and challenging its perceived power and dreadfulness. It presents death as a transition to eternal life rather than an end, reflecting Donne’s Christian faith and metaphysical exploration of life, death, and the afterlife. This theme is central to the poem’s message and tone.
Answer: D. Dwell with them. Explanation: The line “And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell” suggests that Death is associated with these negative aspects of life, further emphasizing the poem’s theme of challenging the power and fear associated with Death.
17. To what is Death described as a slave? A. Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men B. Love, joy, peace, and hope C. Nature, beauty, truth, and eternity D. Science, art, literature, and philosophy
Answer: A. Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men. Explanation: This metaphor serves to diminish the power and fear traditionally associated with Death, presenting it as less powerful and more controlled by other forces.
18. How does the speaker envision the future of Death? A. Death will become more powerful B. Death will be overcome C. Death will become merciful D. Death will be feared
Answer: B. Death will be overcome. Explanation: The concluding line of the poem, “Death, thou shalt die”, suggests that Death itself will cease to exist, reflecting the belief in eternal life after death. This is a powerful statement of the speaker’s defiance and challenge to the concept of death. It encapsulates the Christian belief in resurrection and eternal life, where death is not an end but a transition.
Answer: B. Mocking. Explanation: The speaker is personifying Death and addressing it directly, undermining its power and authority. By calling Death “poor”, the speaker is ironically belittling Death, suggesting it is less powerful and more pitiable than it believes itself to be. This tone of mockery is consistent with the poem’s overall theme of challenging the fear and power traditionally associated with Death.
Answer: A. Sonnet. Explanation: It’s a type of sonnet known as a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet, characterized by its structure of an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines). The rhyme scheme of this sonnet is ABBAABBACDDCEE, which is typical of the Petrarchan form. However, it’s worth noting that John Donne’s sonnets, including this one, often combine elements of both Petrarchan and Shakespearean structures.
Answer: C. The ninth line. Explanation: The term “volta” is Italian for “turn”, and it refers to the moment in a sonnet where the writer makes an important change or transition. In Petrarchan or Italian sonnets, this turn traditionally occurs between the octave (the first eight lines) and the sestet (the last six lines), thus typically happening at the start of the ninth line.
Answer: A. Renaissance period. Explanation: He was part of the second generation of Elizabethan writers, which reached maturity in the 1590s and the first decade of the seventeenth century. Donne is often considered the leading English poet of the Metaphysical school, a style of poetry that flourished in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
Answer: C. “Songs and Sonnets”. Explanation: This collection is also known as the Holy Sonnets or Divine Meditations. It consists of 19 poems, including “Death, Be Not Proud”, which explore deep religious themes.
24. What does Donne assert about Death in the final lines of the poem? A. Death is invincible B. Death is merciful C. Death will be overcome D. Death is eternal
Answer: C. Death will be overcome. Explanation: The concluding line, “Death, thou shalt die”, suggests that Death itself will cease to exist, reflecting the belief in eternal life after death. This is a powerful statement of the speaker’s defiance and challenge to the concept of death. It encapsulates the Christian belief in resurrection and eternal life, where death is not an end but a transition.
Answer: C. Clergyman. Explanation: He was ordained as a deacon and priest in 1615 and was made a Royal Chaplain at the command of the king. In addition to his religious duties, Donne was also a renowned poet.
Answer: C. Personification. Explanation: John Donne personifies Death throughout the poem, addressing it directly and challenging its perceived power and dreadfulness.
Answer: B. Metaphor. Explanation: In this line, John Donne is comparing death to a short sleep after which we wake up to eternal life. This metaphor is part of the poem’s larger theme of undermining the power and fear traditionally associated with death.
Answer: C. Personification. Explanation: In this line, Death is being addressed directly and is attributed human qualities, which is a characteristic of personification. This device is used throughout the poem to challenge and undermine the power of Death.
