The Thorn Quizzes

The Thorn Quiz

1 The speaker of the poem may be identified as:
a gossip

an old sea captain

an unreliable narrator

all of the above
2 Who is supposedly buried beneath the mossy hill?
Martha Ray's baby

Stephen Hill

Wilfred

Martha Ray
3 Why didn't Martha and Stephen get married?
Their families disapproved of the union

Stephen moved away

Martha moved away

Stephen left Martha for another woman
4 "Cuts like a scythe" is an example of:
personification

onomatopoeia

a simile

a metaphor
5 The thorn is described as:
poor

old

grey

all of the above
6 "O guilty father" most likely refers to:
Wilfred

God

Martha Ray's father

Stephen Hill
7 The description of Martha as "mad" refers to:
her anger

her insanity

neither her anger nor her insanity

both her anger and insanity
8 When Martha is pregnant, her baby seems to:
make her upset

make her feel sick

bring her senses back again

cause her to have bad dreams
9 Wilfred of the glen is most likely:
Martha's brother

Martha's former lover

an older local man

Stephen's friend
10 "A melancholy crop" is an example of:
personification

allusion

metaphor

simile
11 What does the color red most likely represent in the poem?
blood

adultery

neither blood nor adultery

both blood and adultery
12 What is one of the poem's prominent themes?
When one is in despair, family and friends are always there for support

Beauty and ugliness coexist both in physical nature and in human nature

Love is the most powerful feeling in the world

Human beings are happier when they grow up and join society
13 What happened to Martha Ray's baby?
The baby was murdered

The baby was stillborn

The baby was miscarried

No one knows for certain
14 The speaker mistook Martha for:
a tree

a wild animal

a bush

a jutting crag
15 The speaker conveys the tone and style of a ballad through his use of:
simile and metaphor

repetition and imagery

onomatopoeia and allusion

metonymy and synecdoche
16 The overall tone of the poem may be described as:
somber and mysterious

angry and frustrated

confused and afraid

joyful and hopeful
17 Which of the following is not a likely reason why the little pond stirs suddenly?
The locals are imagining the event to avoid any action toward Martha

Nature shudders at the idea of torturing Martha any further

The spirit of Martha's baby is disturbed

The soil surrounding the pond is being replanted
18 Which of the following is not a theory proposed in the poem regarding Martha's baby?
Martha gave her baby up for adoption

Martha drowned her baby in the pond

Martha hanged her baby on the tree

The baby was stillborn
19 When is Martha found by her child's supposed grave?
Night and day

During the summer

In the early morning

Late at night
20 "Sober sad" is an example of:
alliteration

metonymy

onomatopoeia

assonance
21 "Thirsty suns and parching air" is an example of:
synecdoche

metaphor

personification

simile
22 The moss is compared to:
A neglected shrub

The handwoven work of a lady

The styled hair of a child

A muddy swamp
23 "A fire was kindled in her breast" is an example of:
allusion

simile

metaphor

personification
24 While the poem is from the Romantic period, it also has the macabre and superstitious elements found in ________works.
Modern

Pre-Raphaelite

Renaissance

Gothic
25 How might the speaker and the locals best be described?
Mildly sympathetic but mostly gossipy

Very worried about Martha

Vengeful and belligerent

Scared of Martha

The Thorn Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Thorn is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for The Thorn

The Thorn study guide contains a biography of William Wordsworth, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for The Thorn…

Wikipedia Entries for The Thorn

Introduction

View Wikipedia Entries for The Thorn…