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

Stephen Hill

Wilfred

Martha Ray's baby
3 Why didn't Martha and Stephen get married?
Stephen left Martha for another woman

Stephen moved away

Their families disapproved of the union

Martha moved away
4 "Cuts like a scythe" is an example of:
personification

a metaphor

onomatopoeia

a simile
5 The thorn is described as:
old

poor

grey

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

God

Wilfred

Martha Ray's father
7 The description of Martha as "mad" refers to:
her insanity

neither her anger nor her insanity

her anger

both her anger and insanity
8 When Martha is pregnant, her baby seems to:
bring her senses back again

cause her to have bad dreams

make her upset

make her feel sick
9 Wilfred of the glen is most likely:
Stephen's friend

Martha's brother

Martha's former lover

an older local man
10 "A melancholy crop" is an example of:
personification

simile

allusion

metaphor
11 What does the color red most likely represent in the poem?
neither blood nor adultery

adultery

both blood and adultery

blood
12 What is one of the poem's prominent themes?
Beauty and ugliness coexist both in physical nature and in human nature

Human beings are happier when they grow up and join society

Love is the most powerful feeling in the world

When one is in despair, family and friends are always there for support
13 What happened to Martha Ray's baby?
The baby was stillborn

The baby was murdered

The baby was miscarried

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

a wild animal

a bush

a tree
15 The speaker conveys the tone and style of a ballad through his use of:
repetition and imagery

metonymy and synecdoche

onomatopoeia and allusion

simile and metaphor
16 The overall tone of the poem may be described as:
confused and afraid

angry and frustrated

somber and mysterious

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 soil surrounding the pond is being replanted

The spirit of Martha's baby is disturbed
18 Which of the following is not a theory proposed in the poem regarding Martha's baby?
Martha drowned her baby in the pond

Martha gave her baby up for adoption

Martha hanged her baby on the tree

The baby was stillborn
19 When is Martha found by her child's supposed grave?
Late at night

During the summer

Night and day

In the early morning
20 "Sober sad" is an example of:
assonance

metonymy

onomatopoeia

alliteration
21 "Thirsty suns and parching air" is an example of:
simile

metaphor

personification

synecdoche
22 The moss is compared to:
The styled hair of a child

A neglected shrub

The handwoven work of a lady

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.
Gothic

Renaissance

Modern

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

Very worried about Martha

Scared of Martha

Vengeful and belligerent

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…