Literary Devices and Style
Which literary device is primarily used in the line “The rays around thy brow / Are an eternal wreath for thee”?
A. Simile
B. Alliteration
C. Metaphor
D. Personification
Correct Answer: C. Metaphor
What is the primary subject of the poem?
A. The soul
B. A lone star in the night sky
C. A mountain range
D. A lover
Correct Answer: B. A lone star in the night sky
The speaker refers to the star as “companionless” in the first stanza. This is an example of:
A. Irony
B. Epiphora
C. Imagery
D. Personification
Correct Answer: D. Personification
The speaker’s comparison of the star to the human soul suggests which idea?
A. Humanity’s fall from grace
B. The destructive force of the star
C. A longing for purity and constancy
D. The need to conquer space
Correct Answer: C. A longing for purity and constancy
What poetic device is most prominent in the line “Above the reach of clouds, / Of storms, of wreck, oh lofty star!”?
A. Anaphora
B. Hyperbole
C. Apostrophe
D. Metaphor
Correct Answer: C. Apostrophe
The line “I would all men might look / Upon thy pure sublimity” primarily expresses:
A. Despair over mankind’s distance from nature
B. Hope for human spiritual uplightment through nature
C. Criticism of those who ignore progress
D. Admiration for man’s search for the know in the unknown
Correct Answer: B. Hope for human spiritual upliftment through nature
Which best describes the tone of the final stanza?
A. Sardonic and aloof
B. Reverent and reflective
C. Nostalgic
D. Didactic and formal
Correct Answer: B. Reverent and reflective
The poet’s vision of the star reflects a romantic style of poetry that emphasizing:
A. Civic duty
B. Order and restraint
C. Religious doctrine
D. Individual examination
Correct Answer: C. Individual examination
What effect is achieved by the repetition of the word “alone” in the final stanza?
A. It emphasizes the speaker’s fear of isolation.
B. It highlights the power of solitude.
C. It serves as a critique of society.
D. It foreshadows the star’s eventual end.
Correct Answer: B. It highlights the power of solitude.
What central theme is developed?
A. The futility of seeking knowledge
B. The superiority of nature over man
C. The isolation required for true greatness
D. The decay of human values over time
Correct Answer: C. The isolation required for true greatness