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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 1: "O Captain! My Captain!" lines 1-24.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In the second quatrain of the second stanza, what becomes clear about the speaker's state of mind?
(a) He is actually asleep and only dreaming of the captain's death.
(b) He hopes to hide the captain's death from the crowd.
(c) He has not fully accepted the captain's death.
(d) He is afraid that he is in some way responsible for the captain's death.

2. Which term describes the poem's repeated use of the phrases "O Captain! My Captain!" (lines 1 and 9) and "fallen cold and dead" (lines 8, 16, and 24)?
(a) Conceit.
(b) Verse.
(c) Refrain.
(d) Chorus.

3. In context, the literal meaning of the word "rack" in line two is which of the following?
(a) A metal rod used for hanging things.
(b) A thorough sorting or sifting.
(c) Storm or upheaval.
(d) Battle or confrontation.

4. The poem's title and first line contain an example of which technique?
(a) Personification.
(b) Synechdoche.
(c) Apostrophe.
(d) Simile.

5. Line 5, " But O heart! heart! heart!" is an example of which technique?
(a) Euphemism.
(b) Aphorism.
(c) Apostrophe.
(d) Paradox.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which details in the second stanza evoke a patriotic occasion?

2. What is the most common type of metrical foot in "O Captain! My Captain!"?

3. What does the phrase "swaying mass" refer to (line 12)?

4. Where is the ship in the beginning of the poem?

5. The list of ways the crowd is celebrating the arrival of the ship in lines 9-12 is an example of which technique?

(see the answer key)

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