Yeats's 'The Wild Swans at Coole' Quiz

Test your understanding of the imagery and themes in the opening stanzas of this famous poem by William Butler Yeats.

Pages: 1 Questions per page: 10

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1. Who is the author of the poem shown in the image?

William Wordsworth T.S. Eliot William Shakespeare William Butler Yeats

Explanation: The byline directly below the title explicitly names 'William Butler Yeats' as the author.

2. According to the first stanza, during what time of year is the poem set?

Spring Summer Autumn Winter

Explanation: The first stanza mentions 'autumn beauty' and 'October twilight', clearly placing the setting in autumn.

3. How many swans does the speaker observe on the water?

Nineteen Nine Fifty-nine Fifty

Explanation: The last line of the first stanza states, 'Are nine-and-fifty swans,' which is another way of saying fifty-nine.

4. For how many years has the speaker been observing the swans at this location?

One year Nine years Nineteen years Fifty-nine years

Explanation: The second stanza begins, 'The nineteenth autumn has come upon me / Since I first made my count,' indicating nineteen years have passed.

5. What sudden action do the swans take in the second stanza?

They dive under the water. They begin to sing. They mount into the air and fly. They swim to the shore.

Explanation: The lines 'All suddenly mount / And scatter wheeling in great broken rings' describe the swans taking flight.

6. How does the speaker feel in the third stanza?

Joyful and content Sore-hearted and sad Angry and frustrated Indifferent and bored

Explanation: The speaker explicitly states in the third stanza, 'And now my heart is sore.'

7. Which line from the third stanza most directly expresses the theme of change?

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures, And now my heart is sore. All's changed since I, hearing at twilight, Trod with a lighter tread.

Explanation: This line directly states that things are different from how they were when the speaker first visited.

8. What is the condition of the 'woodland paths' as described in the poem?

They are muddy They are covered in leaves They are dry They are overgrown

Explanation: The second line of the poem states, 'The woodland paths are dry.'

9. Which phrase from the poem is an example of auditory imagery (sense of hearing)?

Mirrors a still sky great broken rings brilliant creatures The bell-beat of their wings

Explanation: The phrase 'bell-beat' creates a sound image, describing the rhythmic sound of the swans' wings.

10. The line 'The water / Mirrors a still sky' contains what literary device?

Simile Metaphor Personification Alliteration

Explanation: The water is being described as a mirror without using 'like' or 'as', which is a metaphor. It directly attributes the action of a mirror to the water.