ThatQuiz Test Library Take this test now
The Wasteland And Other Poems by Thomas Stearns Eliot
Contributed by: Salmon
  • 1. The Wasteland And Other Poems by Thomas Stearns Eliot is a seminal work in modernist literature, published in 1922 and notable for its intricate structure and breadth of themes. The titular poem, 'The Waste Land,' is a complex exploration of post-World War I disillusionment, capturing the fragmentation of contemporary life through a tapestry of voices, allusions, and shifting perspectives. It employs a diverse array of literary references, from classical mythology to contemporary culture, weaving together a rich tapestry that reflects the chaos, despair, and alienation of modern existence. Eliot's innovative use of stream-of-consciousness narrative and vivid imagery presents a stark contrast to traditional poetic forms, inviting readers to engage with the text on multiple levels. This collection also includes other significant poems by Eliot, such as 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' and 'The Hollow Men,' each reflecting his unique style and thematic preoccupations, including the search for meaning and identity in an increasingly fractured world. Eliot's work is characterized by its profound depth, multifaceted symbolism, and philosophical inquiries into the nature of existence, making it a cornerstone of 20th-century poetry that continues to resonate with audiences today.

    Who is the author of 'The Waste Land'?
A) W.B. Yeats
B) Wallace Stevens
C) Ezra Pound
D) T.S. Eliot
  • 2. Which poem begins 'April is the cruellest month'?
A) Gerontion
B) The Waste Land
C) Ash-Wednesday
D) The Hollow Men
  • 3. Which mythological figure is central to 'The Waste Land'?
A) The Fisher King
B) Odysseus
C) Orpheus
D) Prometheus
  • 4. In 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock', what does Prufrock measure his life with?
A) Teacups
B) Heartbeats
C) Coffee spoons
D) Footsteps
  • 5. Which poem contains the line 'This is the way the world ends'?
A) Prufrock
B) The Waste Land
C) The Hollow Men
D) Gerontion
  • 6. What is the final word of 'The Hollow Men'?
A) Silence
B) Whimper
C) Bang
D) Nothing
  • 7. Which ancient text heavily influences 'The Waste Land'?
A) The Epic of Gilgamesh
B) The Aeneid
C) The Upanishads
D) The Iliad
  • 8. In 'Gerontion', the speaker describes himself as what?
A) A wandering Jew
B) A lost child
C) A blind prophet
D) An old man
  • 9. Which poem features the line 'I have measured out my life with coffee spoons'?
A) The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
B) Ash-Wednesday
C) Gerontion
D) The Waste Land
  • 10. What is the dominant theme of 'The Waste Land'?
A) Spiritual desolation
B) Romantic love
C) Political revolution
D) Childhood innocence
  • 11. Which poet significantly edited 'The Waste Land' manuscript?
A) Robert Frost
B) W.H. Auden
C) Ezra Pound
D) Marianne Moore
  • 12. What recurring symbol represents fertility in 'The Waste Land'?
A) Gold
B) Stone
C) Water
D) Fire
  • 13. What form does 'The Waste Land' primarily use?
A) Villanelle
B) Free verse
C) Blank verse
D) Sonnet
  • 14. Which city is prominently featured in 'The Waste Land'?
A) Rome
B) New York
C) Paris
D) London
  • 15. In 'Ash-Wednesday', what religious concept is central?
A) Martyrdom
B) Repentance
C) Eternal damnation
D) Divine love
  • 16. Which classical work is quoted in the epigraph of 'The Waste Land'?
A) The Odyssey
B) The Aeneid
C) The Satyricon
D) Metamorphoses
  • 17. What does the thunder say in 'The Waste Land'?
A) Datta, Dayadhvam, Damyata
B) Truth, Beauty, Goodness
C) Love, Hope, Charity
D) Faith, Hope, Love
  • 18. Which poem marks Eliot's conversion to Anglicanism?
A) Ash-Wednesday
B) The Hollow Men
C) Gerontion
D) The Waste Land
  • 19. What is the primary emotion in 'The Hollow Men'?
A) Joy
B) Hope
C) Despair
D) Anger
  • 20. Which section of 'The Waste Land' deals with Madame Sosostris?
A) The Fire Sermon
B) The Burial of the Dead
C) A Game of Chess
D) What the Thunder Said
  • 21. What animal imagery dominates 'The Waste Land'?
A) Wolves
B) Eagles
C) Lions
D) Rats
  • 22. What is the famous opening line of 'The Waste Land'?
A) April is the cruellest month
B) Because I do not hope to turn again
C) Let us go then, you and I
D) I will show you fear in a handful of dust
  • 23. Which literary technique is prominently used throughout 'The Waste Land'?
A) Allusion
B) Onomatopoeia
C) Hyperbole
D) Simile
  • 24. What is the final word of 'The Waste Land'?
A) Amen
B) Goodnight
C) Peace
D) Shantih
  • 25. Which river is mentioned in 'The Fire Sermon' section of 'The Waste Land'?
A) The Mississippi
B) The Thames
C) The Ganges
D) The Nile
  • 26. What form does 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' primarily take?
A) Ballad
B) Dramatic monologue
C) Ode
D) Sonnet
  • 27. In 'Prufrock,' what does the speaker fear?
A) Social judgment
B) Illness
C) Physical danger
D) Poverty
  • 28. What is the primary structural device Eliot uses in 'The Waste Land'?
A) Chronological narrative
B) Alphabetical order
C) Fragmentation
D) Rhyming couplets
  • 29. In which year was T.S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land' first published?
A) 1922
B) 1918
C) 1930
D) 1925
  • 30. What famous phrase from 'The Waste Land' refers to London's collapsing civilization?
A) The Hollow Men
B) Unreal City
C) The Second Coming
D) The Dark Tower
  • 31. Which historical event profoundly influenced the disillusioned tone of 'The Waste Land'?
A) World War I
B) The Great Depression
C) The Industrial Revolution
D) The Russian Revolution
  • 32. What is the name of the clairvoyant in 'The Waste Land's first section?
A) Madame Sosostris
B) Tiresias
C) Sybil
D) The Cumaean Sibyl
  • 33. What mythological figure appears as a hermaphroditic prophet in 'The Waste Land'?
A) Echo
B) Tiresias
C) Orpheus
D) Narcissus
  • 34. In 'The Hollow Men,' what are the stuffed men filled with?
A) Sand
B) Ashes
C) Dust
D) Straw
  • 35. What is the final section of 'The Waste Land' titled?
A) The Fire Sermon
B) What the Thunder Said
C) Death by Water
D) A Game of Chess
  • 36. In 'The Waste Land', what does the phrase 'Shantih shantih shantih' mean?
A) The final judgment
B) The beginning of wisdom
C) The peace which passeth understanding
D) The end of suffering
  • 37. Which section of 'The Waste Land' contains the Thames-daughters scene?
A) The Burial of the Dead
B) A Game of Chess
C) The Fire Sermon
D) What the Thunder Said
Created with That Quiz — a math test site for students of all grade levels.