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The Waste Land Trivia Quiz

One of the most brilliant and seminal poems of the 20th century.

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

Author
akatwasborn

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
176,902

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
956

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The poem is dedicated to which poet and friend of TS Eliot?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 2 of 10

2. The opening line of the poem, "April is the cruellest month", is an allusion to a quote from which English poet? Hint

William Shakespeare

John Milton

Philip Sidney

Geoffrey Chaucer

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Question 3 of 10

3. The passage in "What The Thunder Said" that begins "Who is the third who walks always beside you?" was inspired by which event, according to Eliot in his notes? Hint

A recurring nightmare that Eliot had

An account of an explorer's expedition in Antarctica

The religious concept of the Holy Trinity

A hallucination Eliot's wife had during childbirth

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Question 4 of 10

4. There are a lot of Shakespearean allusions in the poem, including the line, "Good night ladies, good night sweet ladies". Which Shakespearean play is this taken from? Hint

Antony And Cleopatra

Othello

Hamlet

The Taming of The Shrew

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Question 5 of 10

5. There are also lots of classical allusions in the poem. What is the name of the character who is both male and female? Hint

Philomel

Tiresias

Phlebas

Hieronymo

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which mythological character, referred to in the poem, became a nightingale when she was raped and her tongue cut out? Hint

Phlebas

Tiresias

Hieronymo

Philomel

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Question 7 of 10

7. Eliot mentions a Queen of England and her lover, Leicester, in "The Fire Sermon". Which Queen is this? Hint

Elizabeth I

Mary I

Victoria

Elizabeth II

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Question 8 of 10

8. The section of the poem "The Fire Sermon" takes its name from an important text in which religion? Hint

Buddhism

Judaism

Christianity

Islam

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Question 9 of 10

9. In "The Burial Of The Dead" one of the characters is a tarot card reader. Which card is picked first? Hint

The Wheel

The Hanged Man

The Drowned Sailor

The Lady Of The Rocks

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Question 10 of 10

10. In "What The Thunder Said" a fragment of a children's rhyme is mentioned. Which rhyme? Hint

Ring-A-Ring Of Roses

Frere Jacques

London Bridge Is Falling Down

Pease Pudding Hot

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The poem is dedicated to which poet and friend of TS Eliot?

Answer: Ezra Pound

He also helped with the writing of the poem.

2. The opening line of the poem, "April is the cruellest month", is an allusion to a quote from which English poet?

Answer: Geoffrey Chaucer

It is from "The Canterbury Tales".

3. The passage in "What The Thunder Said" that begins "Who is the third who walks always beside you?" was inspired by which event, according to Eliot in his notes?

Answer: An account of an explorer's expedition in Antarctica

It was an account written by the explorer, Shackleton.

4. There are a lot of Shakespearean allusions in the poem, including the line, "Good night ladies, good night sweet ladies". Which Shakespearean play is this taken from?

Answer: Hamlet

It is spoken by Ophelia in her madness.

5. There are also lots of classical allusions in the poem. What is the name of the character who is both male and female?

Answer: Tiresias

All these characters are mentioned in the poem. Tiresias is the blind prophet who knows everyhing because he is both male and female. He crops up throughout ancient Greek myth. I remember he was in "Oedipus" and probably many more.

6. Which mythological character, referred to in the poem, became a nightingale when she was raped and her tongue cut out?

Answer: Philomel

Strange occurrences in these Greek Myths. She pops up in "A Game Of Chess" here.

7. Eliot mentions a Queen of England and her lover, Leicester, in "The Fire Sermon". Which Queen is this?

Answer: Elizabeth I

They are sailing down the river - it is unlikely any of the others would have had a lover!

8. The section of the poem "The Fire Sermon" takes its name from an important text in which religion?

Answer: Buddhism

Buddhism is an important theme running throughout the poem, as Eliot was very interested in Eastern mythologies as well as European.

9. In "The Burial Of The Dead" one of the characters is a tarot card reader. Which card is picked first?

Answer: The Drowned Sailor

The Drowned Sailor appears later in the poem in "Death By Water". Eliot apparently just made up names for the tarot cards because he didn't know any real ones.

10. In "What The Thunder Said" a fragment of a children's rhyme is mentioned. Which rhyme?

Answer: London Bridge Is Falling Down

As the poem is set in London it makes sense!

Source: Author akatwasborn

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