Examining structure and language in 'The Listeners' by Walter de la Mare | Exit Quiz | Oak National Academy

Which adjective would best describe the poem, 'The Listeners'?

• happy

• joyous

• unsettling

• ordinary

• resolved

Answer explanation

'The Listeners' invites readers into a mysterious and eerie world, creating a sense of disquiet and leaving room for interpretation and contemplation.

Match the following keywords to their definition.

• enjambment

• techniques enhancing expression, rhythm or meaning in poetry

• rhyme scheme

• when a line continues onto the next line without pause

• rhyme

• deliberate repeated use of words, imagery or structure

• repetition

• the pattern of rhyming words or sounds in a poem, e.g. AABA

• poetic devices

• similar sounds between the ending syllables of words

Answer explanation

Walter de la Mare's use of repetition in 'The Listeners' serves both visual and thematic purposes, contributing to the poem's unique structure and enhancing its mysterious and atmospheric qualities.

Which is a suitable definition of rhyming couplets?

• Pairs of consecutive lines in a poem that end with words that rhyme.

• Pairs of lines in a poem that lack a rhyme scheme.

• The same letter or sound at the beginning of a word.

• The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human.

Answer explanation

Rhyming couplets can be separated across a verse. While traditional rhyming couplets consist of two consecutive lines with end rhymes, poets sometimes use poetic devices to split a rhyming couplet across multiple lines.

Which of the following are examples of a slant rhyme?

• then, men

• door, floor

• hall, call

• stone, gone

Answer explanation

The slant rhyme in 'The Listeners' adds a sense of unresolved tension, echoing the theme of the poem where the mysterious Traveller encounters silent, ghostly listeners.

What is the rhyme scheme of 'The Listeners'?

• AABB

• ABBA

• ABCB

• ABCD

Answer explanation

Rhyme schemes are a way to visually represent the pattern of end rhymes in a poem and provide a concise way of communicating the structure of the poem.

Which of the following is an example of alliteration in the poem, 'The Listeners'?

• "That dwelt in the lone house"

• "By the lonely Traveller’s call"

• "For he suddenly smote on the door"

• "Tell them I came, and no one answered"

• "Never the least stir made the listeners"

Answer explanation

Alliteration is used in the poem to create a rhythmic and musical quality, contributing to the overall poetic effect.