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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 is the name of the painter that Neruda describes in Sonnet LXXVI?

2. What happens to Neruda in Sonnet XC that he says makes him feel "the cold up close?"

3. What time of day is described in Sonnet LXXIX?

4. In Sonnet LXXXIX, why does Neruda want Matilde to live on after he has died?

5. In Sonnet LVIII, where does Neruda go while he is "singing with the wind?"

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Matilde's body comfort Neruda in Sonnet LXXXV?

2. In Sonnet LXXXIX, what does Neruda want Matilde to do when he dies? Why does he want her to do this?

3. In Sonnet XCII, what does Neruda choose to contemplate instead of the inevitable death of either himself or Matilde?

4. What defeats envy and rancor in Sonnet LVI?

5. How does Neruda describe Matilde's laugh in Sonnet LI?

6. What does the figurehead in Sonnet LxVIII appear to do that prompts Neruda to write about her?

7. In Sonnet XCIII, why does Neruda ask Matilde to leave her mouth half-open if she should die before him?

8. How does Neruda describe his homeland in Sonnet LXIII?

9. What are Neruda and Matilde looking for in Sonnet LXXI?

10. In Sonnet LV, what attacks the "honied contentment" Matilde and Neruda share?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose at least three recurring motifs that appear throughout Neruda's works. Explore the significance of each recurring motif, including any symbolism associated with the motif. Support all assertions with examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Many of Neruda's poems focus extensively on different animals or insects. Choose three poems that contain examples of animals or insects, and examine the importance of those beings in the poem. Use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Assess Neruda's use of the sonnet as a form of poetry. How are Neruda's poems similar to traditional sonnets? How are they different? How does Neruda view his sonnets when he compares them to those of other poets? Be specific.

(see the answer keys)

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