“The Listeners” – Walter de la Mare

What is the overall mood established in the poem’s opening stanza?

• Joyful and lively

• Mysterious and uneasy

• Hopeful and nostalgic

• Angry and intense

Which poetic device most contributes to the ambiguous tone of the poem?

• Hyperbole

• Alliteration

• Personification

• Repetition

The “phantom listeners” are best described as:

• People who are hiding from the Traveller

• A metaphor for memory or absence

• Physical ghosts trying to scare the Traveller

• Forest animals drawn to the sound

Why is it significant that “no head from the leaf-fringed sill / Leaned over and looked”?

• It proves the house is abandoned

• It emphasizes nature reclaiming the house

• It heightens the sense of eerie stillness and anticipation

• It shifts the perspective to someone inside

Which of the following best describes the tone of the line: “Tell them I came, and no one answered”?

• Sarcastic

• Defiant

• Resigned

• Joyful

What does the moonlit setting most likely symbolize?

• Truth and clarity

• Chaos and fear

• Mystery and the unknown

• Time and patience

Which of the following is a reasonable symbolic interpretation of the listeners?

• A secret government agency

• Guilt, regret, or emotional echoes

• The Traveller’s past lovers

• Animals living in the house

What literary technique is present in the line: “The silence surged softly backward”?

• Onomatopoeia

• Sibilance

• Hyperbole

• Enjambment

Which of the following adds most to the poem’s ambiguous ending?

• The phantom listeners speak at last

• The Traveller’s message is explained

• The Traveller leaves without a reply

• The setting changes from forest to city

Why might the Traveller’s repeated question—“Is there anybody there?”—be interpreted symbolically?

• It’s just a casual greeting

• It reflects a physical need for assistance

• It represents a deeper search for meaning, connection, or recognition

• It is used to frighten away animals