The Ultimate Poetry Quiz

From the history of the great poets to modern day poetry. Think traditional Poets, Poems and Poetic Technique for inspiration to ace our free poetry quiz. You’ll find 50 questions divided into 5 rounds, so gather round for some poetic quizzing.

Round 1 – Ancient Poetry

1 – What is the oldest epic poem?

2 – Who wrote the Aeneid?

3 – The Iliad tells the story of which ancient war?

4 – Who were the Greek goddesses of poetry?

5 – In the Odyssey, who is Odysseus’ wife?

6 – Which Roman wrote the Satires?

7 – What is the oldest collection of Chinese poetry?

8 – What is the longest surviving Old English poem?

9 – Who was the most famous female ancient Greek poet?

10 – Who wrote the Metamorphoses?

Round 2 – British Poetry

1 – Which Irish poet wrote the Ballad of Reading Gaol?

2 – Which English playwright is also famous for his sonnets?

3 – Whose poem Auld Lang Syne is often sung on New Year’s Eve?

4 – Who wrote Dulce et Decorum Est?

5 – Who wrote Paradise Lost?

6 – Whose poem contains the line “Beauty is truth, truth beauty”?

7 – The Tam o Shanter bonnet is named after a poem – True or false?

8 – Who wrote the Charge of the Light Brigade?

9 – Which church contains Poets’ Corner?

10 – Who wrote the Canterbury Tales?

Round 3 – American Poetry

1 – Who wrote The Raven?

2 – Which poet famously uses a lot of dashes?

3 – Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection by which writer?

4 – Who wrote Walden?

5 – Whose poetry often does not use capital letters?

6 – Who wrote The Weary Blues?

7 – Which Allen Ginsberg poem caused an obscenity trial?

8 – Which poet also wrote the novel On the Road?

9 – Who wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings?

10 – Which poet spoke at President Biden’s inauguration?

Round 4 – Poetic Technique

1 – How many lines are in a sonnet?

2 – How many lines are in a limerick?

3 – How many lines is a haiku in English?

4 – What is the term for words that imitate sounds?

5 – What’s the name for a poem that doesn’t rhyme?

6 – Metre is how a poem rhymes – True or false?

7 – What is the poetic technique of repeating similar vowel sounds?

8 – An almanac is a form of poetry – True or false?

9 – What is the term for a stanza of exactly four lines?

10 – The octave is the first part of many sonnets – True or false?

Round 5 – World Poetry

1 – Which German poet wrote Faust?

2 – Where did the haiku originate as a form?

3 – Which Italian poet wrote about a journey through Hell?

4 – Which French poet wrote a novel inspiring a popular musical?

5 – Russian poet Pushkin died in a duel – True or false?

6 – Which Spanish poet also wrote the plays Blood Wedding and Yerma?

7 – What Arabic form, translating as ode, often maintains a single meter and rhyme throughout?

8 – Which Chinese poet is one of the Three Wonders?

9 – Which Mexican poet won the 1990 Nobel Prize for literature?

10 – Which Turkish poet wrote the famous anti-war poem The Girl Child?

 

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If you liked this poetry quiz, have any quiz requests, spotted a mistake, or would like to let us know how you got on, please let us know in the comments below…

Claire Roach is a professional quizzer, gamer and developer who turned her passion for knowledge into a hub for FREE quizzes!

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