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Quiz — Storgy

PESSIMOPTIMISM.

by James Russell Lowell.

Ten questions on craft, meaning, and form. Untimed. Answer every question to submit.

Q01of 10

What is the form of 'Pessimoptimism'?

Q02of 10

In the octave, how does the speaker say humans understand 'Good'?

Q03of 10

The phrase 'whose corner-stone is propt on artifice' most directly suggests that civilization is founded on

Q04of 10

What does the image of 'scratching on a bone' represent in the sestet?

Q05of 10

Who is 'Cleon' most likely an allusion to in line 12?

Q06of 10

The compound title 'Pessimoptimism' signals which central tension in the poem?

Q07of 10

The tone of the sestet, compared to the octave, is best described as

Q08of 10

The image 'wade the drain-drenched shoals of daily print' most likely refers to

Q09of 10

Which literary technique is most prominent in the line 'Whose joy is shorter-lived than woman's kiss'?

Q10of 10

According to the poem, what happens to human wisdom once it is accumulated?

0 / 10 answered

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