John Keats - "When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be"

1. What is the speaker of the poem thinking about? (lines 1-4)

• The speaker is afraid of the library running out of books.

• The speaker is worried he or she will die before he or she can write all of their ideas down in books.

• The speaker is happy that his or her miserable life will soon end.

• The speaker is concerned he or she does not understand the character in a book.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

2. What is the speaker of the poem considering? (lines 5-8)

• The speaker is in awe of the magic that he or she sees in nature.

• The speaker thinks he or she sees the outline of a former lover in the clouds.

• The speaker hopes that he or she will die before being heartbroken.

• The speaker is upset that he or she might never be able to experience romance.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

3. What is the speaker of the poem thinking about? (lines 9-12)

• The speaker is concerned he or she will not be able to see someone they love again.

• The speaker is upset that he or she only has one more hour to live.

• The speaker is confused that he or she cannot look at their former lover anymore.

• The speaker does not want to experience unreflecting love.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

4. Which of the following phrases best describes the speaker’s attitude?

• furious and upset
• shocked and confused
• depressed and unfulfilled
• joyful and excited

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CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

5. Which of the following best describes a theme of the poem?

• lost love
• fear of the unknown
• never achieving one’s desires
• brevity of life

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CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

6. Which of the following statements best describes the conclusion Keats makes? (lines 12-14)

• He concludes that all effort is for naught.

• He concludes that everything will fade in death anyway.

• His conclusion is that these fears make him an island onto himself.

• He concludes that his worries over love and fame are essentially without worth.

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

7. Which of the following statements best describes how the structure reflects the poem?

• The end rhyme and meter contribute a lyricism to the poem, creating a humorous and amused tone.
• The first three quatrains reflect the speaker’s three greatest fears in life, and the final couplet reveals the speaker’s belief that he will ultimately find relief from these fears in death.
• The sonnet form reflects the Romantic ideals of sensual imagery and love.
• The first three quatrains reflect the speaker’s desires in life, and the final couplet represents the “turn” in the poem in which the speaker admits the inevitability of his ultimate failure.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.13

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

What type of poem is this?

• a sonnet

• a haiku

• a villanelle

• an acrostic

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CCSS.RL.11-12.7

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9