Question

Read the poem below and answer the question.

That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou sees the twilight of such day As after sunset fadeth in the west; Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self that seals up all in rest. In me thou seest the glowing of such fire That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the deathbed whereon it must expire, Consumed with that which it was nourished by. This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well, which thou must leave ere long.

Lines 9-12 compare "ashes" to _____.

A)life
B)love
C)light
D)youth

What major theme does the final couplet introduce into the sonnet?

A)love
B)death
C)life
D)old age

If we were to remove the final two lines, we could say that this poem was just about _____.

A)love
B)old age and dying
C)relationships
D)lust

What is the most likely meaning of the word "ere"?

A)after
B)instead
C)before
D)again

Which of these is a symbol for life?

A)night
B)ashes
C)fire
D)the tree's bare boughs


How is "youth" like a pile of "ashes"?

A)Youth is eternal and like light never dies out.
B)Youth burns like a fire refusing to die out.
C)Youth burns bright but like a fire ultimately dies out.
D)Youth burns brightly but softly so it doesn't die out.

The character invented by Shakespeare to narrate this poem is called a(n) _____.

A)personification
B)voice
C)persona
D)implied listener

Answer 1

1. D) Youth

2. A) love

3. B) old age and dying

4) C) before

5) C) fire

6) C)Youth burns bright but like a fire ultimately dies out.

7) C) persona

In this poem, Shakespeare discusses what it is like to grow old and be near death. He characterizes old age as "autumn" and "twilight." Both of these represent the conclusion of something, and a natural decay. Although the poem mostly discusses these two topics, towards the end he introduces the topic of love, and discusses how sad it is to lose someone you love due to old age. He also compares youth to a fire which burns bright inside a person, but which ultimately dies out.