Questions based on Death Be Not Proud- CSEC English B

1. Defiance Against Death:

   • How does the speaker defy the conventional fear associated with death in the poem?
   • Do you think the speaker’s defiance is a positive or negative attitude? Why?

2. The personification of Death:

   • Why does the poet choose to personify death in the poem?
   • How does addressing death directly impact the overall tone and message of the poem?

3. Religious Themes:

   • How do religious themes, such as eternal life and resurrection, contribute to the speaker’s perspective on death?
   • In what ways does the religious imagery influence the meaning of the poem?

4. Imagery and Figurative Language:

   • Explore the use of imagery in the poem, particularly in phrases like “rest and sleep.” How does this imagery shape the reader’s understanding of death?
   • Identify examples of figurative language (metaphor, personification, etc.) in the poem and discuss their impact.

5. Attitude Toward Mortality:

   • How does the speaker portray death as a temporary state rather than a finality?
   • Discuss the idea of mortality as a sleep or rest. What emotions or thoughts does this evoke?

6. Cultural and Historical Context:

   • Consider the historical context in which John Donne wrote this poem. How might the attitudes towards death in the 17th century have influenced the poem?

7. Personal Reflections:

   • How does the poem resonate with your own views on death?
   • Do you find the speaker’s perspective comforting or challenging? Why?

8. Impact of Irony:

   • Identify instances of irony in the poem, particularly in the speaker’s language when addressing death. How does irony contribute to the overall message?

Multiple-choice questions along with their answers based on the poem “Death be not Proud” by John Donne:

1. What is the central theme of “Death be not Proud”?

   a. The fear of death

   b. The inevitability of death

   c. The defiance against death

   d. The acceptance of death

    

2. Which literary device is prominently used in the poem to address death as if it were a person?

   a. Simile

   b. Metaphor

   c. Personification

   d. Hyperbole

    

3. What does the speaker compare death to in the poem?

   a. Eternal sleep

   b. A powerful adversary

   c. Endless suffering

   d. Joyful existence

    

4. What religious concept does the poem draw upon to provide comfort in the face of death?

   a. Reincarnation

   b. Karma

   c. Eternal life and resurrection

   d. Nirvana

    

5. How does the speaker feel about death’s power?

   a. Fearful

   b. Reverent

   c. Defiant

   d. Accepting

    

   Answers: 1) c. The defiance against death/2) c. Personification/3) a. Eternal sleep/ 4) c. Eternal life and resurrection/5)c. Defiant