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Giacomo Leopardi Trivia Quiz

Giacomo Leopardi is surely the most important Italian poet of the 19th century. How much do you know about him?

A multiple-choice quiz by SteGallagher. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
SteGallagher

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
269,599

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
242

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Giacomo Leopardi is famous as a pessimist. His thought passed through three phases: historic pessimism, cosmic pessimism and...? Hint

Revolution

Titanism

Ethic dichotomy

Cosmic confusion

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Question 2 of 10

2. Many Italian students have to learn by heart Leopardi's "Il sabato del villaggio" at elementary school. The poet writes about a girl who is holding in her hand a bunch of flowers. What are they? Hint

Roses and daisies

Roses and violets

Daisies and violets

Daisies and tulips

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Question 3 of 10

3. "L'infinito" (= the infinite) is probably the most famous poem written by Giacomo Leopardi. Do you remember the last words?
"E il naufragare m'� dolce in questo..." (= It's sweet to drown in this...) Hint

...stagno (=pond)

...lago (=lake)

...mare (=sea)

...fiume (=river)

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Le ricordanze" is another well known poem by Leopardi. What's the name of the girl he writes about? Hint

Laura

Silvia

Lucrezia

Nerina

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Question 5 of 10

5. "A Silvia" is, of course, dedicated to the memory of Silvia. Like Nerina, her name comes from an older piece of Italian literature. What work is it? Hint

"La vita nuova" by Dante Alighieri

"Orlando furioso" by Ludovico Ariosto

"Saul" by Vittorio Alfieri

"Aminta" by Torquato Tasso

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Question 6 of 10

6. When Leopardi wrote the poem "La ginestra" (= The Broom) he got inspiration from an Italian volcano. Which one? Hint

Vesuvio

Etna

Stromboli

Vulcano

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Question 7 of 10

7. "Operette morali" are the most important prose works written by Leopardi. Which is the best-known "operetta"? Hint

Dialogo di un gallo islandese e della natura (= Dialogue of an Icelandic cock and nature)

Dialogo di un gallo e di un islandese (= Dialogue of a cock and an Icelander)

Dialogo della natura e di un islandese (= Dialogue of nature and of an Icelander)

Dialogo della natura e di un gallo (= Dialogue of nature and a cock)

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Question 8 of 10

8. Leopardi had a troubled relationship with an important publisher. What was his name? Hint

Luna

Marte

Giove

Stella

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Question 9 of 10

9. One of his most famous poems is about a small bird; Leopardi labels him "a lonely bird". Which bird is it? Hint

Merlo (=blackbird)

Passero (= sparrow)

Usignolo (=nightingale)

Tordo (=thrush)

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Question 10 of 10

10. "Canto di un pastore errante dell'Asia" is one of Leopardi's most poignant poems. He took inspiration from an article about a man who went on a journey to where? Hint

Samarkand

Bukhara

Merv

Lahore

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Giacomo Leopardi is famous as a pessimist. His thought passed through three phases: historic pessimism, cosmic pessimism and...?

Answer: Titanism

The highest point of his "titanism" is the poem "La ginestra".

Answer: Roses and violets

Roses and violets are a symbol of youth and joy.

3. "L'infinito" (= the infinite) is probably the most famous poem written by Giacomo Leopardi. Do you remember the last words? "E il naufragare m'� dolce in questo..." (= It's sweet to drown in this...)

Answer: ...mare (=sea)

In Leopardi's poems the sea is a symbol of infinity.

4. "Le ricordanze" is another well known poem by Leopardi. What's the name of the girl he writes about?

Answer: Nerina

Giacomo was secretly in love with Nerina. She's the symbol of pure youth, the youth Giacomo always strove to catch.

5. "A Silvia" is, of course, dedicated to the memory of Silvia. Like Nerina, her name comes from an older piece of Italian literature. What work is it?

Answer: "Aminta" by Torquato Tasso

"Aminta" is a play written by T. Tasso in 1573. Aminta is a shepherd, he's in love with Silvia, a nymph, who can't requite his love, because she's devoted to the goddess Diana.

6. When Leopardi wrote the poem "La ginestra" (= The Broom) he got inspiration from an Italian volcano. Which one?

Answer: Vesuvio

Giacomo spent his last years in Naples and the landscape around the Vesuvio, surrounded by lots of broom, inspired him.

7. "Operette morali" are the most important prose works written by Leopardi. Which is the best-known "operetta"?

Answer: Dialogo della natura e di un islandese (= Dialogue of nature and of an Icelander)

"Dialogo della natura e di un islandese" is a great example of Leopardi's cosmic pessimism: Nature is evil and it creates people in order to hurt them.

8. Leopardi had a troubled relationship with an important publisher. What was his name?

Answer: Stella

Stella proposed Leopardi work on a complete edition of Cicero's works. Leopardi eventually refused because he couldn't stand to live and work in Milan.

9. One of his most famous poems is about a small bird; Leopardi labels him "a lonely bird". Which bird is it?

Answer: Passero (= sparrow)

The sparrow is lonely and doesn't like being among its fellow creatures. Leopardi compares himself to this bird: he's lonesome and isn't able to relate to other people.

10. "Canto di un pastore errante dell'Asia" is one of Leopardi's most poignant poems. He took inspiration from an article about a man who went on a journey to where?

Answer: Bukhara

The article was about lonely shepherds who spent their nights talking with the moon about the meaning of life.

Source: Author SteGallagher

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