Contexts of Poetry - AP English Literature and Composition
Card 1 of 776
Le Bateau Ivre
Comme je descendais des Fleuves impassibles
Je ne me sentis plus guidé par les haleurs;
Des Peaux-Rouges criards les avaient pris pour cibles,
Les ayant cloués nus aux poteaux de couleurs.
(As I floated the impassible rivers
I no longer felt myself guided by the haulers;
The gaudy Redskins had taken them for targets,
And had nailed them naked to totem poles.)
What country was the author of this poem from?
Le Bateau Ivre
Comme je descendais des Fleuves impassibles
Je ne me sentis plus guidé par les haleurs;
Des Peaux-Rouges criards les avaient pris pour cibles,
Les ayant cloués nus aux poteaux de couleurs.
(As I floated the impassible rivers
I no longer felt myself guided by the haulers;
The gaudy Redskins had taken them for targets,
And had nailed them naked to totem poles.)
What country was the author of this poem from?
Tap to reveal answer
Arthur Rimbaud was born in Charleville, France, in 1854, although he would later abandon poetry and move to Abyssinia to work. Rimbaud died in Marseilles in 1891.
Passage adapted from Arthur Rimbaud's "Le Bateau Ivre" ("The Drunken Boat") (1871)
Arthur Rimbaud was born in Charleville, France, in 1854, although he would later abandon poetry and move to Abyssinia to work. Rimbaud died in Marseilles in 1891.
Passage adapted from Arthur Rimbaud's "Le Bateau Ivre" ("The Drunken Boat") (1871)
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Le Bateau Ivre
Comme je descendais des Fleuves impassibles
Je ne me sentis plus guidé par les haleurs;
Des Peaux-Rouges criards les avaient pris pour cibles,
Les ayant cloués nus aux poteaux de couleurs.
(As I floated the impassible rivers
I no longer felt myself guided by the haulers;
The gaudy Redskins had taken them for targets,
And had nailed them naked to totem poles.)
Which of the following is a contemporary and confidant of this author?
Le Bateau Ivre
Comme je descendais des Fleuves impassibles
Je ne me sentis plus guidé par les haleurs;
Des Peaux-Rouges criards les avaient pris pour cibles,
Les ayant cloués nus aux poteaux de couleurs.
(As I floated the impassible rivers
I no longer felt myself guided by the haulers;
The gaudy Redskins had taken them for targets,
And had nailed them naked to totem poles.)
Which of the following is a contemporary and confidant of this author?
Tap to reveal answer
All of the poets on this list are French, but not all lived at the same time as Rimbaud. Not only was Paul Verlaine a contemporary of Rimbaud’s, the French poet was also Rimbaud’s lover and partner for a brief, tumultuous period.
Passage adapted from Arthur Rimbaud's "Le Bateau Ivre" ("The Drunken Boat") (1871)
All of the poets on this list are French, but not all lived at the same time as Rimbaud. Not only was Paul Verlaine a contemporary of Rimbaud’s, the French poet was also Rimbaud’s lover and partner for a brief, tumultuous period.
Passage adapted from Arthur Rimbaud's "Le Bateau Ivre" ("The Drunken Boat") (1871)
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His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
Who is the author of this poem?
His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
Who is the author of this poem?
Tap to reveal answer
This is Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem “The Panther.”
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
This is Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem “The Panther.”
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
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His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
Besides German, which of the following languages did this author most frequently write in?
His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
Besides German, which of the following languages did this author most frequently write in?
Tap to reveal answer
Rilke was known for his writings in not only German but also in French. More than 400 of his poems were originally written in his second language.
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
Rilke was known for his writings in not only German but also in French. More than 400 of his poems were originally written in his second language.
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
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Who is the author of The Whitsun Weddings?
Who is the author of The Whitsun Weddings?
Tap to reveal answer
The Whitsun Weddings (1964) is Philip Larkin’s 8th book, and it contains such well-known poems as the title poem, “MCMXIV,” and “An Arundel Tomb.”
The Whitsun Weddings (1964) is Philip Larkin’s 8th book, and it contains such well-known poems as the title poem, “MCMXIV,” and “An Arundel Tomb.”
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His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
What other work did the author of this poem write?
His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
What other work did the author of this poem write?
Tap to reveal answer
Letters to a Young Poet is a 1929 collection of letters that Rilke wrote to a young aspiring poet. The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), Theory of Colours (1810), Roman Elegies (1795), and Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1795) are by Johann Von Goethe.
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
Letters to a Young Poet is a 1929 collection of letters that Rilke wrote to a young aspiring poet. The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), Theory of Colours (1810), Roman Elegies (1795), and Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1795) are by Johann Von Goethe.
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
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His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
What country is this author from?
His weary glance, from passing by the bars,
Has grown into a dazed and vacant stare;
It seems to him there are a thousand bars
And out beyond those bars the empty air.
The pad of his strong feet, that ceaseless sound
Of supple tread behind the iron bands,
Is like a dance of strength circling around,
While in the circle, stunned, a great will stands.
But there are times the pupils of his eyes
Dilate, the strong limbs stand alert, apart,
Tense with the flood of visions that arise
Only to sink and die within his heart.
What country is this author from?
Tap to reveal answer
Rilke was born in Prague, Austria-Hungary, which is now a part of the Czech Republic.
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
Rilke was born in Prague, Austria-Hungary, which is now a part of the Czech Republic.
Passage adapted from Rainer Maria Rilke’s Poems, transl. Jessie Lamont (1918)
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Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
Who is the author of this poem?
Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
Who is the author of this poem?
Tap to reveal answer
These are the opening lines of Alexander Puskin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
These are the opening lines of Alexander Puskin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
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Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
Which of the following is not another work by this poet?
Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
Which of the following is not another work by this poet?
Tap to reveal answer
Pushkin wrote Eugene Onegin (1925), Ruslan and Ludmila (1820), The Gypsies (1827), and Dubrovsky (1841). Egipetskaya marka (The Egyptian Stamp) is by Osip Mandelstam.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
Pushkin wrote Eugene Onegin (1925), Ruslan and Ludmila (1820), The Gypsies (1827), and Dubrovsky (1841). Egipetskaya marka (The Egyptian Stamp) is by Osip Mandelstam.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
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Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
What country is the author of this poem from?
Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
What country is the author of this poem from?
Tap to reveal answer
Alexander Pushkin was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1799 and died in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1837.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
Alexander Pushkin was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1799 and died in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1837.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
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Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
Which of the following is not a genre that this author wrote in?
Mute sat Giray, with downcast eye,
As though some spell in sorrow bound him,
His slavish courtiers thronging nigh,
In sad expectance stood around him.
The lips of all had silence sealed,
Whilst, bent on him, each look observant,
Saw grief's deep trace and passion fervent
Upon his gloomy brow revealed.
Which of the following is not a genre that this author wrote in?
Tap to reveal answer
Pushkin was a multifaceted writer who wrote novels, short stories, dramas, and fairytales in addition to poems. He did not, however, write autobiographies.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
Pushkin was a multifaceted writer who wrote novels, short stories, dramas, and fairytales in addition to poems. He did not, however, write autobiographies.
Passage adapted from Alexander Pushkin’s The Bakchesarian Fountain, transl. William D. Lewis (1849)
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Who is the author of Omeros?
Who is the author of Omeros?
Tap to reveal answer
This is the St. Lucian poet Derek Walcott, an important post-colonial writer and 1992 Nobel Prize laureate, is the author of Omeros (1990). In addition to poetry, Walcott writes plays and essays and has received an Obie Award, a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, a Royal Society of Literature Award, and a T.S. Eliot Prize. He is also a painter.
This is the St. Lucian poet Derek Walcott, an important post-colonial writer and 1992 Nobel Prize laureate, is the author of Omeros (1990). In addition to poetry, Walcott writes plays and essays and has received an Obie Award, a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, a Royal Society of Literature Award, and a T.S. Eliot Prize. He is also a painter.
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In what decade was The Whitsun Weddings written?
In what decade was The Whitsun Weddings written?
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The Whitsun Weddings was first published in 1964. Philip Larkin was born in 1922 and died in 1985, which rules out a few of the answer choices.
The Whitsun Weddings was first published in 1964. Philip Larkin was born in 1922 and died in 1985, which rules out a few of the answer choices.
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Omeros is a poem that reimagines which famous work of literature?
Omeros is a poem that reimagines which famous work of literature?
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Omeros (1990)is a contemporary Caribbean re-envisioning Homer’s Iliad. Omeros is set in modern-day St. Lucia but includes contemporary versions of Iliad characters such as Achilles and Hector (fishermen in this work), Philoctete and Helen, and a blind seer. It also includes characters that are not taken from Homer, such as Sergeant Major Plunkett.
John Milton's Paradise Lost (1674), William Shakespeare's The Tempest (1611), Virgil's The Aeneid, and Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy (1472) were all used as alternative answer choices.
Omeros (1990)is a contemporary Caribbean re-envisioning Homer’s Iliad. Omeros is set in modern-day St. Lucia but includes contemporary versions of Iliad characters such as Achilles and Hector (fishermen in this work), Philoctete and Helen, and a blind seer. It also includes characters that are not taken from Homer, such as Sergeant Major Plunkett.
John Milton's Paradise Lost (1674), William Shakespeare's The Tempest (1611), Virgil's The Aeneid, and Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy (1472) were all used as alternative answer choices.
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What genre of poem is Omeros?
What genre of poem is Omeros?
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Walcott's Omeros (1990) is a contemporary epic, spanning several hundred pages and divided into seven “books” and more than 60 chapters. In this way it echoes its inspiration, The Iliad, which is also an epic poem.
Walcott's Omeros (1990) is a contemporary epic, spanning several hundred pages and divided into seven “books” and more than 60 chapters. In this way it echoes its inspiration, The Iliad, which is also an epic poem.
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Where is the author of Omeros from?
Where is the author of Omeros from?
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Derek Walcott was born in the same place that he sets Omeros (1990): St. Lucia.
Derek Walcott was born in the same place that he sets Omeros (1990): St. Lucia.
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Who is the author of the poetry collection titled Unattainable Earth?
Who is the author of the poetry collection titled Unattainable Earth?
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This is the Nobel Prize-winning Eastern European poet Czesław Miłosz (1911-2004). In addition to Unattainable Earth (1984), he is also known for his collections City Without a Name (1969), Native Realm (1959), and Road-side Dog (1997)as well as for a famous anti-Stalin nonfiction work, The Captive Mind (1953).
This is the Nobel Prize-winning Eastern European poet Czesław Miłosz (1911-2004). In addition to Unattainable Earth (1984), he is also known for his collections City Without a Name (1969), Native Realm (1959), and Road-side Dog (1997)as well as for a famous anti-Stalin nonfiction work, The Captive Mind (1953).
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Although born in Lithuania, the author of Unattainable Earth is usually considered to be from which Eastern European country?
Although born in Lithuania, the author of Unattainable Earth is usually considered to be from which Eastern European country?
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Czesław Miłosz is known first and foremost to critics as a Polish writer and spent World War II in Warsaw, although he has notably refused to identify either as a Lithuanian or as a Pole. He has won a number of prizes from other nations, though, including the Prix Littéraire Européen and the U.S. National Medal of Arts.
Czesław Miłosz is known first and foremost to critics as a Polish writer and spent World War II in Warsaw, although he has notably refused to identify either as a Lithuanian or as a Pole. He has won a number of prizes from other nations, though, including the Prix Littéraire Européen and the U.S. National Medal of Arts.
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The writer of Unattainable Earth was known for several collaborative English translations with which American poet?
The writer of Unattainable Earth was known for several collaborative English translations with which American poet?
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Along with poet Robert Pinksy, Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass (1941-present) is known for his translations of Miłosz’s works, including Provinces (1991), Facing the River (1995), The Separate Notebooks (1984), and Road-Side Dog (1997).
Along with poet Robert Pinksy, Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass (1941-present) is known for his translations of Miłosz’s works, including Provinces (1991), Facing the River (1995), The Separate Notebooks (1984), and Road-Side Dog (1997).
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Which of the following poets is not a contemporary of the author of Unattainable Earth?
Which of the following poets is not a contemporary of the author of Unattainable Earth?
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Zbigniew Herbert (1924-1998), Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012), Tadeusz Różewicz (1921-2014), and Stanisław Barańczak (1946-2014) were all 20th-century Polish writers. Jan Kochanowski (1530-1584) was also a Polish poet, but he lived and wrote during the Renaissance.
Zbigniew Herbert (1924-1998), Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012), Tadeusz Różewicz (1921-2014), and Stanisław Barańczak (1946-2014) were all 20th-century Polish writers. Jan Kochanowski (1530-1584) was also a Polish poet, but he lived and wrote during the Renaissance.
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