FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about WWI Poetry
Quiz about WWI Poetry

WWI Poetry Trivia Quiz


Do you remember the works of those who suffered due to the Great War of 1914-1918? (Focusing mainly on British poets.)

A multiple-choice quiz by Rachel xx. Estimated time: 5 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Literature Trivia
  6. »
  7. Poetry
  8. »
  9. War Poetry

Author
Rachel xx
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
340,119
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
294
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Which poem begins with the line "'Lads, you're wanted, go and help'"? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. 'Joining the Colours' was written by a female poet.


Question 3 of 10
3. In which of these poems does the writer wonder whether psychological or physical pain is worse? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In which poem are the soldiers described as being like "wrongs hushed-up"? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Who wrote 'Spring Offensive'?

Answer: (Two Words (or just surname))
Question 6 of 10
6. What is the name of Ivor Gurney's poem about soldiers who would not conform? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Which poem ends with the line "Such men have lost all patriotic feeling"? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. 'The Deserter' by Winifred M. Letts names a man who tried to escape from the war.


Question 9 of 10
9. In which poem by Siegfried Sassoon are there three characters - Jack, the Brother Officer and the Mother? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Which word correctly completes the title of Margaret Postgate Cole's poem 'The Falling ______'? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Mar 09 2024 : Dagny1: 7/10
Feb 16 2024 : spanishliz: 6/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which poem begins with the line "'Lads, you're wanted, go and help'"?

Answer: 'Recruiting' by E. A. Mackintosh

E. A. (Ewart Alan) Mackintosh's poem is extremely bitter, critical and angry about the hypocricy of the civilians at the time of the war. This is because the "fat civilians" did not appreciate the brave and honest soldiers out fighting in France and Belgium - they would change their tune completely if they were young enough to fight.

Mackintosh's language is very clear and blunt and no imagery such as similes or metaphors are used. This reflects the harsh reality of war and the inevitable death that will come to many soldiers. Furthermore, the regular rhyme and rhythm of the poem reflects this, and the sound of the soldiers marching.
2. 'Joining the Colours' was written by a female poet.

Answer: True

This 16-line poem was written by Katherine Tynan Hinkson. It is about the departure of the "foolish and young" boys who left to become soldiers at the start of the war. Written from the perspective of a civilian, it enables us to see how they saw war.

The poem is sad and reflective, with a slow rhythm reflecting this. There are similes and metaphors used, such as the reference to war being a monster, and the soldiers being "food".
3. In which of these poems does the writer wonder whether psychological or physical pain is worse?

Answer: 'The Target' by Ivor Gurney

'The Target' is a poem about having to kill another man. It is written in the first person and in clear, simplistic language, which suggests the 'voice' of the poem is that of an ordinary tommy. However, the problem was faced by many soldiers, regardless of rank or nationality - the guilt caused by shooting the enemy can be horrific.
4. In which poem are the soldiers described as being like "wrongs hushed-up"?

Answer: 'The Send-Off' by Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen's poem suggests that no-one cares about the soldiers, as there were no crowds to watch them go and "we never heard to which front these were sent". This poem is sad, as it says that not enough soldiers will return from war when it ends. It also contains mixed, contradictory feelings, represented by oxymorons.
5. Who wrote 'Spring Offensive'?

Answer: Wilfred Owen

Wilfred Owen (1893 - 1918) wrote many war poems, such as 'The Send Off' and 'The Parable of the Old Man and the Young'. In this poem, he focuses on the horrors of war during battle. The 46-line poem is split into three parts: before the battle, during the battle, and the aftermath.

It is very descriptive, especially the first part, which is the longest, in order to reflect the long time waiting before the battle.
6. What is the name of Ivor Gurney's poem about soldiers who would not conform?

Answer: The Bohemians

'The Bohemians' is about soldiers who refuse to "clean their buttons" etc, as they did not want to conform. This title is extremely ironic as, in the end, they all had to conform in death and they were put in the same graves as everyone else. The tone of the poem is fairly bitter, but ambivalent towards the bohemians - neither totally praising them nor criticising them.
7. Which poem ends with the line "Such men have lost all patriotic feeling"?

Answer: 'Lamentations' by Siegfried Sassoon

'Lamentations' is about loss and grief during the war. The narrator of the poem finds a sobbing man in the guard-room, filled with grief at his brother's death. Due to the fact that it is in first person, it can be assumed that it is based upon Sassoon's own experiences, although the whole poem might be a metaphor for the emotions in everyone's heads.
8. 'The Deserter' by Winifred M. Letts names a man who tried to escape from the war.

Answer: False

'The Deserter' begins with the line: "There was a man, - don't mind his name". This is because it relates to thousands of soldiers and so many can empathise. Letts' poem is very sad, as the men who tried to desert must have experienced so many terrible things and felt so much fear.
9. In which poem by Siegfried Sassoon are there three characters - Jack, the Brother Officer and the Mother?

Answer: The Hero

'The Hero' is about Jack, a soldier who "panicked down the trench that night the mine || Went up at Wicked Corner; how he'd tried || To get sent home, and how, at last, he died". The title is ambiguous, with many possible reasons, including: the irony that he is not a typical hero, that Sassoon thought he was a hero (as he tried to survive war) and that Jack's mother thinks that he is a hero.
10. Which word correctly completes the title of Margaret Postgate Cole's poem 'The Falling ______'?

Answer: Leaves

Margaret Postgate Cole uses nature to convey her thoughts about war, using the concept of both leaves and snowflakes falling. Her poem is quite eerie, as seen in the quotation "But thickly, and silently, || They fell, like snowflakes, wiping out the noon", where the metaphor refers to soldiers dying.
Source: Author Rachel xx

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
Related Quizzes
1. Poetry and War Tough
2. War and Remembrance Average
3. War and Remembrance Average
4. Poems On War And Death Tough
5. War Poetry through the Ages Tough
6. The Poetry of War Tough
7. More WWI Poetry Tough
8. Poet's Potpourri Average
9. Pure Poetry Too Difficult
10. A Poetry Calendar Tough
11. Poets - 10 different ones Tough
12. Poetry Potpourri Easier

3/29/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us