Quiz: Wild Swans at Coole - Themes, Language and Analysis

What is the main theme that Yeats explores in 'Wild Swans at Coole'?

• The beauty of nature
• The passage of time and aging
• The migration patterns of swans
• The history of Coole Park

How many years had passed since the poet first saw the swans?

• Nine years
• Fifteen years
• Nineteen years
• Twenty-five years

Which word does the poet use to describe the swans' bodies?

• Tired
• Weathered
• Strong
• Unwearied

What season is mentioned in the poem?

• Spring
• Summer
• Autumn
• Winter

What do the swans symbolize in the poem?

• Death and decay
• Something eternal and unchanging
• The poet's youth
• The changing seasons

How does the poet's walking style differ from his younger days?

• He now has a lighter tread
• He now walks more quickly
• He no longer has a lighter tread
• He now skips while walking

What poetic technique is used in 'cold companionable'?

• Metaphor
• Simile
• Alliteration
• Personification

What does the autumn setting symbolize in the poem?

• New beginnings
• The mortal world prone to decay
• Happiness and joy
• The swans' migration

Which sound pattern is present in 'now my heart is sore'?

• Alliteration
• Assonance
• Consonance
• Onomatopoeia

How does the poet contrast himself with the swans?

• He is young while they are old
• He changes while they remain unchanged
• He can fly while they swim
• He is happy while they are sad