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WorksheetsPoison Tree - William Blake
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 45mins
When was William Blake born?
1757
1658
1996
1827
William Blake was born in…
(a)
William Blake attended school long enough to learn to read and write, then he was sent to drawing school and later trained as an (a) . He practised this craft unitl he died. He was also a painter and an illustrator.
In a simple picture, illustrate the theme behind this poem
Which literary device does the poem not utilize?
Allusion
Simile
Metaphor
Rhyme
What line comes next to complete the couplet?
"And I water’d it in fears,"
Blake claimed to be…
Religious but not spiritual
Spiritual but not religious
Happy but not content
Content but not happy
'And I water'd it in fears./ Night andmorning with my tears'
How can this be interpreted?
Metaphor - anger is presented as a creature that can grow and be a part of your life. Active voice and personal pronoun 'I' suggest the narrator is responsible for cultivating this active wrath despite its dire consequences. Night and Morning shows how consuming his anger is, controlling his every move.
Repeated references to night and day. "Bright" and "shine" used at the end of the stanza draw attention to these adjectives mirroring their tempting nature in the narrator's eyes in regards to the Apple, painting anger as not only controlling but deceitful. Religious connotations.
The word 'stole' presents the complex morality of the situation as we don't know whether to sympathise with the negatively presented narrator or the equally bad foe as he has committed an illegal act. Who is the victim? This shows how anger is pointless and conversation isn't
Making a reference to the pole star - starts typically connoting the heavens, the word veiled suggest the absence of morality and the escape from the truth
Which stanza best represents the poem as a whole?
The poem generally uses a(n) (a) rhyme scheme
Mark the rhyme scheme for the poem
Explain in 30-50 words your personal interpretation of the poem
Choose one stanza of the poem, and translate the stanza into more modern English using your interpretation of the poem and it’s meaning
The use of the term “poison tree” inherently conveys feelings of…
Joy
Uneasiness
Uncertainty
Love
Blake considered the following to be the “two contraries of the human soul”
Experience and innocence
Pain and joy
Love and hate
Theism and athiesm
Mark 3 literary devices found in the poem
Name at least one more possible theme to the poem other than anger
In 50-70 words, summarize the most important ideas portrayed in this poem
What was Blake’s view on God?
That He should be a guide, but not in control
That He is in control of all things
That He chose Blake specially to be His prophet
That God chose to speak directly to him frequently
In 50-100 words, compare the writings of William Blake, specifically “Poison Tree,” to another well known writing in history. Explain why they are similar and also point out the differences
