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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the layout of the page show the reader about modern poetry?

2. In "Ariel" which stanza is the longest?

3. Which of the following is lacking in Rilke's elegies?

4. What is sonnet II-4 about?

5. What is "For the Sake of a Single Poem" about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think that only some poems have titles?

2. What is "The Bird Feeders" about?

3. How does Rilke create a dramatic tone in his sonnets?

4. What allusions does Rilke use in his poems, especially in the poem "Ariel"?

5. What is "The Prodigal Son" about?

6. Describe the "diaphaonous girl."

7. How did the editors connect praise and grief when putting together Rilke's sonnets?

8. What does the format of the lines say about Rilke and his poetry in Book 1, Chapter 6?

9. Describe the elegy about angels.

10. Describe "To Music."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the consequences of translating Rilke's poems from German to English? What is lost in translation? Is anything gained? Why or why not? Give one specific example.

Essay Topic 2

What role does personfiication play in Rilke's work? Which poem is most effective in personification and why? What effect does personification have on the reader? Why do writers personify objects?

Essay Topic 3

What is the difference between poem and prose? How does Rilke use both? Which is a better technique for Rilke, in your opinion, and why?

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