American Romanticism—1800 – 1860



American Romanticism Test: Part I

PART I – ROMANTICISM NOTES: For each of the following, choose the best answer.

1. Which of the following is not a trait of the American Romantic Hero?

A. Youthful

B. Innocent

C. Lonely

D. Intuitive

E. All of the above

2. Which of the following is a main trait of the Romantic period?

A. Poetry is the highest expression of imagination

B. Feeling, emotion, and intuition are valued over reason

C. Distrusts scientific progress; looks to past for wisdom

D. Nature’s path leads to spiritual enlightenment

E. All of the above

3. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the American Romantic style?

A. Uses reason

B. Emotional

C. Exotic Locations

D. Youthful

E. None of the above

4. What are the dates of the first part of the American Romanticism movement that we’ve studied thus far?

A. 1800 – 1860

B. 1800 – 1900

C. 1840 – 1860

D. 1800 – 1840

E. None of the above

5. American Romantic writers rejected rationalism because they believed that

A. Logical thought was not possible

B. Scientific thinking had not yet been well developed

C. Imagination was able to apprehend truths that the rational mind could not reach.

D. The rationalist tradition had produced no worthwhile writers

E. None of the above

6. The journey in American Romantic literature can best be summarized as

A. Highlighting the “fantastic” elements of the human experience

B. Artificialness of civilization was shunned

C. Rejecting traditional novels and inventing new forms

D. Takes one through supernatural or imaginative settings

E. All of the above

7. American Romantic writers believed that poetry was

A. A good form for describing momentous historical events

B. An art that had been ignored by European writers

C. An effective way to bring about social change

D. The greatest witness to the power of imagination

E. None of the above

8. The typical American Romantic hero was

A. Interested in the future and in the growth of industry

B. Deeply intuitive and ruled by superior principles

C. Determined to conquer and subdue the natural world

D. Sophisticated and knowledgeable about worldly matters

E. None of the above

9. The Industrial Revolution was beneficial to Americans because

A. It destroyed jobs that were not producing income

B. Allowed more expensive homes to develop

C. Living conditions were greatly improved

D. Immigration was decreased

E. None of the above

10. However, some the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution are that

A. A greater respect toward nature was given

B. Childhood labor resulted in a shortened lifespan

C. People began valuing imagination and intuition

D. Working conditions were cleaner than ever before

E. All of the above

PART II – AUTHOR MATCHING: Match each author to his appropriate work.

A. Oliver Wendell Holmes

B. John Greenleaf Whittier

C. William Cullen Bryant

D. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

E. Washington Irving

11. “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls” 14. “The Ropewalk” 17. “Old Ironsides”

12. “Snow-Bound” 15. “Thanatopsis” 18. “The Devil and Tom Walker”

13. “Rip Vann Winkle” 16. “Cross of Snow” 19. “The Chambered Nautilus”

PART III – QUOTES: Match the following list of works to their corresponding quotes listed below.

A. “Rip Vann Winkle” AB. “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls”

B. “The Devil and Tom Walker” AC. “Snow-Bound”

C. “Thanatopsis” BC. “The Chambered Nautilus”

D. “The Ropewalk” BD. “Old Ironsides”

E. “Cross of Snow”

20. “No more shall feel the victor’s tread,/ or know conquered knee/ The harpies of the shore shall pluck/ The eagle of the sea!”

21. “As the spinners to the end/ Downward go and reascend,/ Gleam the long threads in the sun;/ While within this brain of mine/ Cobwebs brighter and more fine/ By the busy wheel are spun.”

22. “By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave,/ Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch/ About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.”

23. “’You’re come for,” said the black fellow, gruffly. He had left his little Bible at the bottom of his coat pocket, and his big Bible on the desk buried under the mortgage he was about to foreclose; never was a sinner taken more unawares. The black man whisked him like a child into the saddle, gave the horse the lash, and away he galloped.”

24. “For such a world and such a night/ Most fitting that unwarming light,/ Which only seemed where’er it fell/ To make the coldness visible.”

25. “He now hurried forth and hasted to his old resort, the village inn – but it too was gone. A large, rickety wooden building stood in its place, with great gaping window, some of them broken, and mended with old hats and petticoats, and over the door was printed “The Union Hotel, by Jonathon Doolittle.”

26. “Here in this room she died; and soul more white/ Never through martyrdom of fire was led/ To its repose; nor can in books be read/ The legend of a life more benedight (blessed).”

27. “The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;/ Along the sea sands damp and brown/ The traveler hastens toward the town.”

28. “Year after year beheld the silent toil/ That spread his lustrous coil;/ Still, as the spiral grew,/ He left his past dwelling for the new,/ Stole with soft step its shining archway through,/ Built up its idle door,/ Stretched in his last-found home, and knew the old no more.”

PART IV – SHORT STORIES: For each of the following, choose the best answer.

“Rip Van Winkle”

29. The most momentous historical event that takes place during Rip’s long sleep

A. is the death of his wife

B. the election of a new president

C. the growth of the town and its population

D. the American Revolution

30. Rip Van Winkle is characteristic of the American Romantic hero in that he

A. discovers great truths through intuition

B. finds solace and comfort in the wilderness rather than in town

C. has profound insights into the limits of science

D. meets supernatural beings in the forest

31. Rip Van Winkle finds all of the following changed in his hometown EXCEPT

A. His wife

B. The mountains and hills

C. His house

D. His political leadership

32. What are two symbols of the newly created U.S.A. that Rip does not recognize?

A. the British flag and a portrait of King George

B. his gun and beard

C. the American flag and portrait of George Washington

D. the unfamiliar children and new homes in town

33. What distinguishes this piece from the Rationalist or Colonial literature?

A. It’s love of nature and rejection of civilization

B. It’s love of religion and education

C. It’s love of politics and government

D. It’s hatred for change

“The Devil and Tom Walker”

34. What negative trait to both Tom and his wife share?

A. they are poor

B. they are backstabbers

C. they are thieves

D. they are miserly

35. What is the meaning of prominent people’s names carved into trees, some of which have been chopped down and are ready to burn?

A. they represent the souls of people who have made a “deal” with the devil

B. they represent the destruction of nature because of the Industrial Revolution

C. they represent the “cutting down” of rationalism and burning away of its ideas

D. they represent the devil’s idea of good, old fashioned fun

36. Why does Tom’s religious conversion to Christianity do nothing to save his soul?

A. he never prays hard enough or loud enough

B. he’s embarrassed to show his neighbors around him that he’s now a Christian

C. the reader is told that he never really believes

D. he’s hypocritical because even though he may seem to now read the Bible, his lifestyle doesn’t change at all

37. In what ways is this story distinctly representative of the Romantic period?

A. closely portrays nature

B. shows the uses of the imagination

C. has mystical or exotic settings

D. inspired by myths, legends, or folklore

E. all of the above

PART V – THE FIRESIDE POETS (Including Bryant): For each of the following, choose the best answer.

38. In “Thanatopsis,” nature urges the poet to find comfort in the

A. fact that he is young and death is far off

B. knowledge that death will join us with all others

C. promise of resurrection after death

D. idea that he will be famous after he dies

39. Which statement best summarizes the cycle described in “Thanatopsis”?

A. The dead are replaced by the living, who will also have their eventual time to die.

B. The natural world is constantly changing.

C. We move from cheerfulness to sorrow and back again.

D. Nature speaks to us gently, then harshly

40. Which facet of “Thanatopsis” makes it a good example of Romantic poetry?

A. The natural environment has provoked deep emotions and insights in the speaker.

B. The poem is written in unrhymed lines and focuses on the supernatural.

C. The poet is absorbed in thoughts of dying.

D. The poet applies logic and rational thinking to human concerns about life and death.

41. In “The Ropewalk,” what does the author say hard, physical labor can do to man over time?

A. it makes him tired of his job

B. it forces him to live in poor housing conditions

C. it dehumanizes them

D. it produces a wealthier working class

42. In “The Ropewalk,” what does the author say is the symbolic difference between “sunshine and shadow”?

A. “shadow” is everywhere, but people must be careful not to go seeking it

B. “sunshine” and “shadow” represent two opposite shades of viewing each of life’s moments

C. “shadow” can often be found in people’s physical surroundings, but the “sunshine” in one’s imagination can overcome this

D. I like tacos

43. Why is “The Ropewalk” an important and influential Romantic poem?

A. it demonstrates how people became dehumanized through the grueling jobs of the Industrial Revolution

B. it shows how the jobs of Americans strengthened the economy and made the U.S. a better nation

C. it reveals that hard work can result in one getting to enjoy the benefits gained from it

D. all of the above

44. Why does the speaker in “Snow-Bound” make multiple shifts from fantasy to reality?

A. he cannot decide if the snow is part of his real world

B. he recollecting childhood memories, so naturally he’s going to remember things as a child would

C. he doesn’t enjoy the storm, so he continually creates a fake world in his head

D. he never shifts back and forth between fantasy and reality

45. In “Snow-Bound,” why does the speaker describe the brook as a person?

A. to simply personify the brook

B. because he has grown up playing in the brook, and its like a friend to him

C. because it’s a trend throughout the poem; several things are given human qualities

D. it’s presence and sound is there everyday; to suddenly lose it is like losing a friend

46. The speaker mentions an intense isolation in “Snow-Bound.” What makes this isolation a positive experience?

A. The speaker has learned a great deal about himself during the storm.

B. The emergency has helped the family to settle old quarrels.

C. A storm-battered visitor has arrived to entertain the family.

D. The snowbound family has been forced to grow closer to each other because they are all stuck inside.

47. In “The Chambered Nautilus,” the speaker implies that the chambers in the nautilus’ shell are comparable to…

A. the stages of a race

B. the stages of one’s life

C. the parts that make up the whole

D. something you’d see in a science fiction film

48. In “The Chambered Nautilus,” the poet develops an extended metaphor comparing

the empty shell to

A. the lack of meaning in his own life

B. a body that once housed a soul

C. a new building that will soon be occupied

D. an estate that has been recently robbed

49. The speaker finds the chambered nautilus remarkable because it is… (HINT: This inspires him to write the poem!)

A. a rare shell seldom found on beaches

B. broken and abandoned by its tenant

C. evidence of how a living thing develops over time

D. able to move through the water like a boat

50. In “Old Ironsides,” the metaphor of harpies plucking at an eagle refers to

A. land birds attacking seabirds

B. scavengers destroying something noble

C. a story from Greek mythology

D. the defeat of the British in 1812

51. In “Old Ironsides,” the words she and her help to develop the metaphor comparing the ship to

A. a valiant human being who has served gallantly in a war

B. an old woman who has outlived her children

C. a human being who has traveled throughout the world

D. a mermaid who wants to return to the sea

52. The speaker in “Old Ironsides” wants to save the ship because it

A. represents the emotion of past glory

B. is valuable as an educational tool

C. still functions as a seagoing vessel

D. is beautiful and well crafted

53. In “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls,” what is the effect of the refrain or repeated line in the poem upon the reader?

A. it lets the reader know constantly what the title of the poem is

B. it tells us that regardless of the path of a person’s life, nature will still take its course

C. the item is repeated to remind the reader of the setting

D. this allows the author to give his poem a framework

54. What do the following lines signify has happened to the traveler in “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls”?

“But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls:/ The little waves with their soft, white hands,/ Efface the footprints in the sands”

A. he never returns to the beach

B. his sins are washed away

C. he is forgotten about

D. he dies

55. In “Cross of Snow,” what is the author trying to say about his deceased wife in the following lines?

“A gentle face – the face of one long dead - /Looks at me from the wall, where round its head/ The night lamp casts a halo of pale light.”

A. he remembers his wife’s natural glow

B. he sees her as a pure or angelic soul

C. he is haunted by her image every night

D. he cannot think about her without great pain

56. In “Cross of Snow,” what does the author’s cross that he wears around his neck symbolize?

A. his love for Jesus

B. his undying religious devotion, even long after his wife’s death

C. both his love for his wife and his grief for her death

D. a sign to keep away vampires

PART V – POETIC DEVICES: For each of the following, choose the best answer.

57. Which line below contains an example of alliteration?

A. “For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore”

B. “Two fair maidens in a swing, like white doves upon the wing”

C. “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain”

D. “The harpies of the shore shall pluck the eagle of the sea!”

58. Which line below contains an example of assonance?

A. “For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore”

B. “Two fair maidens in a swing, like white doves upon the wing”

C. “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain”

D. “The harpies of the shore shall pluck the eagle of the sea!”

59. Which line below contains an example of a metaphor?

A. “For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore”

B. “Two fair maidens in a swing, like white doves upon the wing”

C. “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain”

D. “The harpies of the shore shall pluck the eagle of the sea!”

60. Which line below contains an example of a simile?

A. “For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore”

B. “Two fair maidens in a swing, like white doves upon the wing”

C. “And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain”

D. “The harpies of the shore shall pluck the eagle of the sea!”

61. Which line below contains an example of imagery?

A. “The wind danced merrily up its roaring draft, and the great throat of the chimney laughed.”

B. “The apples simmered sizzling in the pie, and their smell was so thick you could taste it.”

C. “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year…”

D. “The bird perched upon the bust of Pallas Athena, just above my chamber door…”

E. “The hammer boomed down hard, and wood crunched as the nail went through.”

62. Which line below contains an example of personification?

A. “The wind danced merrily up its roaring draft, and the great throat of the chimney laughed.”

B. “The apples simmered sizzling in the pie, and their smell was so thick you could taste it.”

C. “During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year…”

D. “The bird perched upon the bust of Pallas Athena, just above my chamber door…”

E. “The hammer boomed down hard, and wood crunched as the nail went through.”

Romanticism Bonus ?’s

1. Which of the Fireside Poets gained national recognition and fame during his lifetime and became a household name?

2. Which Fireside Poet’s main profession was as a doctor?

3. Which of the Fireside Poets received no formal education growing up?

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