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Quiz about Dylan Song by Song Jokerman
Quiz about Dylan Song by Song Jokerman

Dylan Song by Song: "Jokerman" Quiz


Quesitons about the lyrics and meaning of Bob Dylan's song "Jokerman."

A multiple-choice quiz by skylarb. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
skylarb
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
145,539
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
595
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. The Jokerman dances to the tune of what bird? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The Joker in a deck of Tarot cards is most often associated with what? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Jokerman is a "friend to the martyr" and also a friend to whom? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In the beginning of the song, we see the Jokerman "Standing on the waters casting [his] bread." In what book of the Bible is it written: "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days"? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. What are Jokerman's only teachers? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Jokerman is described as being "born with a snake in both of [his] fists while a hurricane was blowing." What mythological Greek figure, when he was born, had two snakes placed in his crib? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In "Jokerman," a harlot gives birth to a prince. Who will the prince put in his pocket? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. The Jokerman "look[s] into the fiery furnace, see[s] the rich man without any name." To what Biblical parable might Dylan be alluding in this line? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. From what book does the final stanza of Jokerman draw much of its imagery? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Dylan says of the Jokerman, "Michelangelo indeed could have carved out your features." Michelangelo carved the features of what King of Israel? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The Jokerman dances to the tune of what bird?

Answer: Nightingale

"Jokerman dance to the nightingale tune, / Bird fly high by the light of the moon, /Oh, oh, oh, Jokerman."
2. The Joker in a deck of Tarot cards is most often associated with what?

Answer: The Creator

John Henry points this out in his 1999 article "Links of Jokerman and Scripture" (http://web.utk.edu/~wparr/henryjokerman.html). Henry notes that in the Tarot deck, "[t]he Joker is generally portrayed [ . . .] with a small dog nipping at his leg." Dylan portrays his Jokerman with "a small dog licking [his] face." This, along with certain Biblical allusions, has lead some to hypothesize that the Jokerman represents Christ, while others see him as Anti-Christ, and still others as Israel or Dylan himself.

The Biblical allusions are so jumbled that is possible for people to argue for multiple interpretations.
3. Jokerman is a "friend to the martyr" and also a friend to whom?

Answer: The woman of shame

"Friend to the martyr, a friend to the woman of shame, / You look into the fiery furnace, see the rich man without any name."
4. In the beginning of the song, we see the Jokerman "Standing on the waters casting [his] bread." In what book of the Bible is it written: "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days"?

Answer: Ecclesiastes

But while the Jokerman is casting his bread and hoping for a good return, we are presented with the ominous picture of "[d]istant ships" which are "sailing into the mist."
5. What are Jokerman's only teachers?

Answer: All of these

"Well the Book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, /The law of the jungle and the sea are your only teachers."
Leviticus and Deuteronomy are books of the law found in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
6. Jokerman is described as being "born with a snake in both of [his] fists while a hurricane was blowing." What mythological Greek figure, when he was born, had two snakes placed in his crib?

Answer: Hercules

"Hera put two great snakes in [his] crib, hoping they would crush him to death. But the child used his superhuman strength and strangled the snakes." (Wilkinson, Philip. DK Illustrated Dictionary of Mythology. New York: DK Publishing, 1998) In Christian literature, Hercules is often associated with Christ. Lary Yudelson, however, interprets this to refer to Dylan himself: "Microphones in his fists, the emblems of Dylan's power as a central figure in American culture in the generation following the war -- the hurricane -- the Holocaust -- which raged at his birth." (http://www.well.com/user/yudel/Jokerman.html)
7. In "Jokerman," a harlot gives birth to a prince. Who will the prince put in his pocket?

Answer: The priest

"A woman just gave birth to a prince today and dressed him in scarlet. / He'll put the priest in his pocket, put the blade to the heat, / Take the motherless children off the street / and place them at the feet of a harlot."
8. The Jokerman "look[s] into the fiery furnace, see[s] the rich man without any name." To what Biblical parable might Dylan be alluding in this line?

Answer: Lazarus the Beggar

In the parable of Lazurus the beggar, the rich man, who is sent to the fiery furnace of hell, has no name. (John Henry points this out in his article, "Links of Jokerman and Scripture.")
9. From what book does the final stanza of Jokerman draw much of its imagery?

Answer: Revelation

"A woman just gave birth to a prince today," sings Dylan, "and dressed him in scarlet." The prince, says, Dylan, will "take the motherless children off the street / And place them at the feet of a harlot." The "mother of harlots" described in Revelation sits "upon a scarlet coloured beast" and is "arrayed in [ . . . ] scarlet colour" (17:3-5). John Henry points to this connection in his article, "Links of Jokerman and Scripture."
10. Dylan says of the Jokerman, "Michelangelo indeed could have carved out your features." Michelangelo carved the features of what King of Israel?

Answer: David

Larry Yudelson points out that David also slept under the stars while fleeing Saul and that David's descendant, the Messiah, was expected to enter Jerusalem on a milk-white donkey. Cross reference Dylan's lyrics: "In the smoke of the twilight on a milk-white steed / Michelangelo indeed could have carved out your features / Resting in the field far from turbulent space / Fast asleep 'neath the stars with a small dog licking your face."
Source: Author skylarb

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