View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. "Woman's Lament II" ends with the line, "and the ________ is not in vain."
(a) Butterfly.
(b) Nightingale.
(c) Sparrow.
(d) Ballerina.

2. Mood notes in his introduction to Rilke's poetry that the poet was "in no way an _______, nor in his life."
(a) Aesthete.
(b) Actor.
(c) Amateur.
(d) Artist.

3. In one untitled poem from "Rilke's Poems of Other Difficulties," the poet writes, "Give me, oh earth, pure _____ / clay for the jug of tears."
(a) Reserved.
(b) Unmingling.
(c) Unmitigated.
(d) Resistent.

4. What does Rilke comment in the excerpt from the Introduction that Eros "cannot be"?
(a) Faithful.
(b) Ugly.
(c) Joyful.
(d) Fair.

5. Who does Rilke say is incapable of such loving as he calls for?
(a) Young people.
(b) Religious people.
(c) Women.
(d) Virgins.

6. What is the title of the poem which begins, "Center, how you draw yourself out"?
(a) "Magic."
(b) "Force of Gravity."
(c) "From the Cycle: Nights."
(d) "Music."

7. In the Prologue, who does the commentator say is the other of the two greatest writers of the twentieth century?
(a) Samuel Beckett.
(b) Ernest Hemingway.
(c) F. Scott Fitzgerald.
(d) James Joyce.

8. What is the title of the poem which begins, "From indescribable transformation flash / such creations--: Feel! and trust!"?
(a) "Music."
(b) "Gong."
(c) "Magic."
(d) "Greek Love-Talk."

9. What literary term applies to the following: "exhaust yourself like a spring"?
(a) Metaphor.
(b) Alliteration.
(c) Simile.
(d) Irony.

10. What does the commentator say was Rilke's mode of exploration during "the long periods between his well-known great creative bursts of energy"?
(a) Letter-writing.
(b) Painting.
(c) Sculpting.
(d) Teaching.

11. In introducing Rilke's love poetry, the commentator notes that the poet's sexual and sensual undertones are mostly overlooked because of the striking impact of what?
(a) His spirituality.
(b) His flowery language.
(c) His uncommon rhythms.
(d) His surreal approach.

12. Of what fruit does Rilke write of in "The Poet Praises"?
(a) Strawberry.
(b) Banana.
(c) Orange.
(d) Grapefruit.

13. In the introduction to "Rilke's Poems on Love," the commentator states that Rilke's imagery is all what?
(a) Surreal.
(b) Unnatural.
(c) Heavenly.
(d) Earthly.

14. Which poem from "Rilke's Poems of Other Difficulties" speaks of a king?
(a) "Gong."
(b) "Greek Love-Talk."
(c) "Magic."
(d) "Mausoleum."

15. Rilke writes of love that "So whoever loves must try to act as if he had a _________."
(a) Fragile jewel.
(b) Holy thing.
(c) Priceless possession.
(d) Great work.

Short Answer Questions

1. The commentator regards that Rilke's "justly famed deep spirituality" is rooted essentially in what?

2. What is the name of the artists' colony in Russian where Rilke was further influenced in his writing?

3. What does Rilke write is a simplification of one's way of life?

4. What does Rilke write that he holds to be "the highest task of a bond between two people"?

5. Whose influence helped to expand Rilke's vision, according to Mood?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 458 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample