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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What follows from "I have my dead"?
(a) And I want to die.
(b) And I let them live.
(c) And I keep them close.
(d) And I have let them go.

2. What became of Bohemia?
(a) It became Czechoslovakia.
(b) It became a part of Canada.
(c) It became part of Russia.
(d) It was divided up among several different countries.

3. Which of the following best describes the rhyme scheme of the gazelle poem?
(a) Rilke did not rhyme, but the translator did.
(b) Rilke did not intend to rhyme, but he did.
(c) The vocabulary is very tense, so the rhyme is overlooked.
(d) The rhyme scheme was somewhat preserved in translation.

4. Which of the following people does Rilke paint a picture of through poetry?
(a) His country's leader.
(b) His favorite pet.
(c) Himself.
(d) His mother.

5. Which of the following is a line from "I am the Anxious One"?
(a) Won't you stay and ease my fears?
(b) Can't you hear the words?
(c) Don't you hear my voice?
(d) Don't you love me anymore?

Short Answer Questions

1. Which adjective best describes both of the poems about the human condition in Book 1, Chapter 2?

2. What is the title of Book 1, Chapter 1?

3. In Greek mythology, what did the sun readily take on the guise of?

4. Which of the following is included in the final poem of Book 1, Chapter 3?

5. Which animal is described as being a restless captive?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of the title "Requiem for a Friend"?

2. What is the tone of the poem, "Archaic Torso of Apollo"?

3. What are the consequences of translating German to English?

4. Why is it significant for Rilke to write about the sun in "Archaic Torso of Apollo"?

5. Describe the mythical and legendary women that Rilke describes in Book 1, Chapter 2.

6. Choose one poem from Book 1, Chapter 2 and dissect the meaning.

7. How does the tone change in "I am the Anxious One"?

8. How does Rilke describe the gazelle in the poem in which it is the subject?

9. What is the tone of "Requiem for a Friend"?

10. How does Rilke honor ancient Greeks?

(see the answer keys)

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