Half Hanged Mary by Margaret Atwood

What is the primary theme of "Half Hanged Mary" by Margaret Atwood?

• a) The power of forgiveness

• b) The resilience of the mind

• c) The cruelty of society to the vulnerable

• d) The inevitability of suffering

In the poem, "Half Hanged Mary" alludes to which historical event or situation?

• a) The Salem Witch Trials

• b) The American Civil War

• c) The Great Depression

• d) The Industrial Revolution

How does the speaker describe the men's reaction to Mary's ordeal?

• a) They express sympathy and support.

• b) They are indifferent and uninvolved.

• c) They celebrate her innocence.

• d) They find perverse joy in her suffering.

What does the poem suggest about the impact of Mary's experience on her sense of self and identity?

• a) Mary loses her sense of self entirely.

• b) Mary's sense of self remains unchanged.

• c) Mary's sense of self is strengthened.

• d) Mary's sense of self becomes fragmented.

The overall tone of the poem "Half Hanged Mary" can best be described as:

• a) Joyful and celebratory

• b) Resigned and defeated

• c) Mysterious and ambiguous

• d) Defiant and determined

What is the significance of the title "Half Hanged Mary"?

• a) Mary was only partly responsible for her situation.

• b) Mary's punishment was not as severe as it could have been.

• c) Mary was only partially believed to be a witch.

• d) Mary survived a hanging but remains scarred.

"Half Hanged Mary" reflects the themes of power, resilience, and survival by:

• a) Demonstrating the power of compassion over the individual.

• b) Illustrating Mary's ability to exact revenge on her accusers.

• c) Highlighting how Mary's resilience enables her to overcome her suffering physically if not mentally.

• d) Depicting a society where the powerful never triumph over the powerless.

In the section 8pm, first stanza, what is the effect of the word "improvisation" in the phrase "The rope was an improvisation" on the tone and mood of the passage?

• a) It creates a sense of chaos and uncertainty.

• b) It conveys a feeling of careful planning.

• c) It suggests a feeling of preparedness.

• d) It evokes a sense of celebration.

In the section 10pm, first stanza, the line "with maybe some time to kill" suggests that the speaker:

• a) Is hopeful and optimistic

• b) Is resigned to her fate

• c) Has a sense of humor and irony

• d) Is determined to escape

In section 10 pm, third stanza, the reference to "three dead angels falling like meteors" in the passage serves as a simile for the decline of:

• a) The speaker's physical condition

• b) Hope, faith, and charity

• c) The stars in the night sky

• d) The power of prayer