Thanatopsis (Poem) Quiz

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Take our free Thanatopsis quiz below, with 25 multiple choice questions that help you test your knowledge. Determine which chapters, themes and styles you already know and what you need to study for your upcoming essay, midterm, or final exam. Take the free quiz now!

Directions: Click on the correct answer.

Questions 1-5 of 10:

1.

What are “the complaining brooks” (42) most likely referring to in the context of the verse? (from Lines 1 – 82)

The injustice of mortality.

The arduous work of life.

The agony of existence.

The sound of rapidly flowing water.

2.

Which element of nature is implicitly attributed omniscience? (from Lines 1 – 82)

The oak tree.

The sun.

The ocean.

The sky.

3.

Which of the following subjects is NOT explicitly gendered as masculine in the poem? (from Lines 1 – 82)

The universal human subject facing mortality.

The Oregon.

The rude swain.

Oceans.

4.

What human vocation is specifically mentioned in the poem? (from Lines 1 – 82)

That of the merchant.

That of the astronomer.

That of the seafarer.

That of the farmer.

5.

What explicit contrast does the author draw between the living and the dead? (from Lines 1 – 82)

The dead are tranquil in slumber; the living are aroused in fury.

The dead are wise; the living are foolish.

The dead are like rocks; the living are like rivers.

The dead exist in multitudes; the living are but a small fraction of these.

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