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"Funeral Blues" by W.H. Auden Trivia Quiz

I first heard this poem on "Four Weddings and a Funeral". It was so beautiful I wanted to make a quiz about it.

A multiple-choice quiz by pennie1478. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
pennie1478

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
279,416

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
680

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 41 (10/10), Guest 105 (5/10), Guest 172 (8/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What is the first line of the poem "Funeral Blues"? Hint

Pour away the ocean

Cut off the telephone

Stop all the clocks

He was my North

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Question 2 of 10

2. How was the dog supposed to be prevented from barking? Hint

A juicy bone

With a muzzle

By putting him outside

By giving him away

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Question 3 of 10

3. What message were the airplanes (or aeroplanes) going to write in the air? Hint

Directions to the funeral

He is dead

The deceased's name

He was my North

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Question 4 of 10

4. What color gloves were the traffic policemen to wear? Hint

Black cotton gloves

Gray wool gloves

White satin gloves

Red satin gloves

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Question 5 of 10

5. What day did Auden say was his day of rest? Hint

Sunday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Saturday

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Question 6 of 10

6. How does the quote end? "He was my noon, my midnight, my talk, my ____" Hint

Light

Song

Sun

Night

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Question 7 of 10

7. According to Auden, were the stars accepted?

Yes

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Question 8 of 10

8. What does Auden want done with the sun? Hint

Dismantled

Scribbled out

Packed up

Silenced

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Question 9 of 10

9. How does this line go? "Pour away the ____ and sweep up the woods".

Answer: (Five letter word)

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Question 10 of 10

10. What is the last word of this poem? Hint

Good

Dead

Nothing

Blues

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 17 2024 : Guest 41: 10/10
Nov 17 2024 : Guest 105: 5/10
Nov 08 2024 : Guest 172: 8/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What is the first line of the poem "Funeral Blues"?

Answer: Stop all the clocks

"Stop all the clocks" is the first line of the poem "Funeral Blues" written by Wystan Hugh Auden in 1936.

2. How was the dog supposed to be prevented from barking?

Answer: A juicy bone

The original four stanza poem was from Auden's play "The Ascent of F6" which he wrote with Christopher Isherwood. It was quoted in the funeral scene of a political figure written for the play.

3. What message were the airplanes (or aeroplanes) going to write in the air?

Answer: He is dead

The poem was to be put to music and sung by opera star Hedli Anderson in an arrangement done by a British composer named Benjamin Britten.

4. What color gloves were the traffic policemen to wear?

Answer: Black cotton gloves

Auden put the poem in a book of other poems and the gave the book the title, "Another Time". The four poems in the book were meant as cabaret songs for Hedli Anderson.

5. What day did Auden say was his day of rest?

Answer: Sunday

"Funeral Blues" was quoted by actor John Hannah in the 1994 award winning movie, "Four Weddings and a Funeral", at the funeral of his partner Gareth.

6. How does the quote end? "He was my noon, my midnight, my talk, my ____"

Answer: Song

The poem is a tribute poem inscribed on a wall in Belgium where a retaining wall collapsed killing thirty-nine people. A soccer game was being played by England and Italy.

7. According to Auden, were the stars accepted?

Answer: No

Auden says to put out every star because none of them is wanted anymore. "Funeral Blues" is a song title on Jay Munly's 1999 album called "Galvanized Yankee".

8. What does Auden want done with the sun?

Answer: Dismantled

Auden wants the sun dismantled and the moon packed up. DJ Noize used lines of "Funeral Blues" in his CD "Think Differently Music: Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture".

9. How does this line go? "Pour away the ____ and sweep up the woods".

Answer: Ocean

The United Kingdom edition of the book "Another Time" has the poem "Funeral Blues" in it. The UK's edition of this poem is the only country that has a misprint in line fifteen. The line, "Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods", is written without the letter 's' in 'woods'.

10. What is the last word of this poem?

Answer: Good

"Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good."

Source: Author pennie1478

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