Discover a Golden Treasury of Poetry Quiz

Answer: P.B. Shelley's "To a Skylark"

The editor of the anthology from which these questions are taken was Francis Palgrave (1824-97) he became professor of poetry (1885-95) at Oxford University. A long time friend of Lord Tennyson he is probably best remembered as the editor of the famous anthology, "The Golden Treasury of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language" which was published in 1861.

The really good news for the 21st century student is that the whole anthology is now on-line at http://www.bartleby.com/106/index3.html

Percy Bysshe Shelley was born August 4, 1792 into a very privileged background but his personal idealism and high intellectual ability saw him bullied and abused in the public schools he attended. He met even more radical ideas when he went up to Oxford and was expelled for refusing to acknowledge or deny authorship of a pamphlet entitled "The Necessity of Atheism".
His life is worth some study and I commend both his poetry and personal history of being worthy of further study if you want to consider how radicalism is not necessarily the sole province of the underprivileged.

Answer: W. Wordsworth's "To the Skylark"

William Wordsworth (April 7, 1770 - April 23, 1850) was a major English romantic poet who helped to launch the so-called 'Romantic Age' in English literature in 1798 with a joint publication with Coleridge of "Lyrical Ballads".
Wordsworth's revolutionary zeal dimmed following the excesses of the Revolution in France and he was criticized by some contemporaries for what was seen as his support for the Establishment later in life.

Answer: T. Hood's "Past and Present"

Thomas Hood(1799-1845).

I find it hard to accept his categorisation by some critics as one of the so-called 'lesser poet' of the Romantic Era. To me his work shows a great range and practical functionality. In his day Thomas Hood was best known as a comic writer. In modern times he is best known for his more serious work, of which "The Song of the Shirt" is widely recognised as a major force attacking worker exploitation.

It first appeared in 'Punch' in 1843, but was soon reprinted across various European newspapers, and appeared on such media as pocket handkerchiefs and broadsheets.

Thomas Hood was highly regarded by many famous men of letters including Charles Dickens.

He is worthy of your further research if a new name to you.

Answer: R. Herrick's "To Daffodils"

Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674) was a 17th century English poet. He was born in Cheapside, London, he was the seventh child and fourth son of Nicholas Herrick, a prosperous goldsmith. After some time as an apprentice jeweller he graduated from Oxford and became a member of the 'Sons of Ben', a group of Cavalier poets who styled their work on the works of Ben Jonson.

A man of principle in the wake of the English Civil War, his position as vicar was revoked on account of his refusal to make pledge to the Solemn League and Covenant.
His position was returned to him in the Restoration of Charles II and he returned to Devon in 1662, residing there until his death in 1674.

Although well-known for his bawdy style and frequent references to lovemaking and the female body, Herrick was a bachelor all his life, and many of the women he names in his poems are thought to be fictional.

Answer: R. Burns

Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is today widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland.

He has a deserved international reputation as a poet of quality in tone and construction of his verse.

Although some of his poetry might now seem heavily accented, at the time of his writing it was not considered so and he is said to have a 'light' Scots dialect which would have been accessible to a wider audience than simple Scottish people of his day.

Answer: W. Shakespeare

William Shakespeare. One of the world's best known playwrights of course. But, folks, if he had never written a play he would be known as one of the world's best poets.

Answer: J. Keats' "Ode to Autumn"

One of my all time greats as far as poetry and personal courage is concerned. Despite being devastated by early and recurring family tragedy and unrequited love and disparagement by critics he continued his work.

He died on February 23 1821 and was buried in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome, a city to which he had been sent by his doctors in a doomed attempt to stave off the TB which was beginning to ravage him as it had already claimed his mother and brother.

His last request was followed, and thus he was buried under a tomb stone reading, "Here lies one whose name was writ in water." His name does not appear on the stone.

Answer: W. Shakespeare

"He was not of an age, but for all time." So wrote Ben Jonson in his dedicatory verses to the memory of William Shakespeare in 1623, and this opinion continues to be widely held today.

Few if any other writers in English can rival the appeal that Shakespeare has enjoyed.

Answer: B. Jonson

Ben Jonson (1572-1637) one of William Shakespeare's contemporaries and rivals.

Jonson suggested his rival had little education or wit but consider he also wrote these lines in his "Hymn to the Belly":
"Room! room! make room for the bouncing Belly,
First father of sauce and deviser of jelly;
Prime master of arts and the giver of wit,
That found out the excellent engine, the spit,"

Answer: Alexander Selkirk

William Dampier who circumnavigated the globe with the privateer Woodes Rogers and during the voyage rescued Alexander Selkirk, who had been marooned on the the Island of Juan Fernandez in 1704 and marooned there for five years. They found Selkirk clothed in goat skins, looking "wilder than the original owners of them." He had survived by hunting and fishing and had passed the time "reading, singing Psalms and praying, so that he said he was a better Christian while in this solitude, than he ever was before."