Whitman is known as one of the greatest American poets of all time. How did he push against the boundaries of traditional poetry?

Question

Question 1 options:

By rejecting traditional rhyme and meter in favor of free verse

By using only religious themes and imagery

By incorporating everyday language and popular sayings

By using long, flowing sentences and complex grammar

Question 2 (1 point)
Which theme is central to Whitman's poetry as shown in the following opening lines from "Song of Myself"?

"I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you"

Question 2 options:

The beauty of nature and its healing power

The pursuit of individualism and freedom

The interconnectedness of all living beings

The inevitability of death

Question 3 (1 point)
Read this excerpt from Poem 6 of "Song of Myself":

I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise,
Regardless of others, ever regardful of others,
Maternal as well as paternal, a child as well as a man,
Stuff'd with the stuff that is coarse and stuff´d with the stuff that is fine,

Why does Whitman create these pairs of opposites?

Question 3 options:

to make a distinction between mothers' and fathers' roles

to create division and separation between different age groups

to draw attention to those in society who are strong and those that are weak

to illustrate, celebrate, and embody America's diversity

Question 4 (1 point)
The following lines are from Poem 52 at the end of "Song of Myself."

"I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,

I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.

I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,

If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles."

Which technique is Whitman using in the bolded sections?

Question 4 options:

simile

epic poetry

parallel structure

imagery

Question 5 (1 point)
Looking at the same excerpt from Question 4:

"I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,

I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.

I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,

If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles."

What do these lines tell us about Whitman's views of death?

Question 5 options:

It emphasizes the finality of death.

It reinforces the separation between humans and nature.

It shows his belief that life is a cycle and we become part of nature when we die.

It portrays life as a series of random events.

Question 6 (1 point)
How did Emily Dickinson's use of dashes (--) in her poetry reflect her unique style?

Question 6 options:

By adding a sense of urgency to her words

By indicating pauses or shifts in thought

By separating contrasting ideas or images

All of the above

Question 7 (1 point)
In her poem "I Heard a Fly Buzz -- When I Died," Dickinson describes a fly buzzing around when the speaker dies. What does the fly represent?

Question 7 options:

It means that her body is starting to break down already.

It shows how everyday things can happen even during important moments.

It symbolizes angels coming to take the speaker away.

It shows that everyone will die someday.

Question 8 (1 point)
Which of the words from the following lines from "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" show slant rhyme?

"We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground -

The Roof was scarcely visible -

The Cornice - in the ground -"

Question 8 options:

House and Ground

Ground and Ground

Visible and Ground

Seemed and Ground

Question 9 (1 point)
In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death," the speaker is riding in a carriage with Death. Along the way, they pass a school where children are playing during recess, fields of grain, and the setting sun. What do these things symbolize?

Question 9 options:

the stages of life (childhood, adulthood, old age)

different seasons of the year

times of day

the beauty of nature

Question 10 (1 point)
How did Whitman and Dickinson show the Romantic ideas of individualism and personal expression in their poetry?

Question 10 options:

They wrote about the beauty of nature and personal feelings.

They focused on city life and modern technology.

They followed strict rules and traditional forms of poetry.

They ignored emotions and wrote only about facts.

Answer 1

Here are the answers to your questions based on your context about Whitman's and Dickinson's poetry:

Question 1:
Answer: By rejecting traditional rhyme and meter in favor of free verse

Question 2:
Answer: The interconnectedness of all living beings

Question 3:
Answer: to illustrate, celebrate, and embody America's diversity

Question 4:
Answer: imagery

Question 5:
Answer: It shows his belief that life is a cycle and we become part of nature when we die.

Question 6:
Answer: All of the above

Question 7:
Answer: It shows how everyday things can happen even during important moments.

Question 8:
Answer: House and Ground

Question 9:
Answer: the stages of life (childhood, adulthood, old age)

Question 10:
Answer: They wrote about the beauty of nature and personal feelings.

Feel free to ask if you have any more questions or need further clarification!