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Poetry - The Interrogation

This English Language quiz is called 'Poetry - The Interrogation' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at high school. Playing educational quizzes is a user-friendly way to learn if you are in the 9th or 10th grade - aged 14 to 16.

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Edwin Muir was a 20th century poet from the Orkney Islands. His early life was marked by tragedy when several members of his family, including his father and mother, died after being uprooted from rural life to move to Glasgow. This poem, 'The Interrogation', is dark and Kafkaesque in mood and was originally published in a collection entitled The Labyrinth.

Practice your skill in poetry analysis with this quiz.

The Interrogation

We could have crossed the road but hesitated,
And then came the patrol;
The leader conscientious and intent,
The men surly, indifferent.
While we stood by and waited
The interrogation began. He says the whole
Must come out now, who, what we are,
Where we have come from, with what purpose, whose
Country or camp we plot for or betray.
Question on question.
We have stood and answered through the standing day
And watched across the road beyond the hedge
The careless lovers in pairs go by,
Hand linked in hand, wandering another star,
So near we could shout to them. We cannot choose
Answer or action here,
Though still the careless lovers saunter by
And the thoughtless field is near.
We are on the very edge,
Endurance almost done,
And still the interrogation is going on.

Edwin Muir

1 .

What is taking place in this poem?

The arrest of a group of rebels, including the narrator

A kidnapping of the narrator and other civilians

The close questioning of the narrator and others

The capture of an enemy patrol by the narrator and others

The narrator and other people are being interrogated. 'Interrogation' implies questioning with a serious, suspicious, or even aggressive intent

2 .

Who wishes to do his job well?

The narrator

The leader of the patrol

One of the men in the patrol

One of the lovers

The leader is 'conscientious and intent' - he is keen to do his duty

3 .

When the patrol leader says 'the whole must come out now', he implies that he already knows what the people he is interrogating have done. Which words contradict this implied meaning?

'Who, what we are'

'Where we have come from, with what purpose'

'Whose / Country or camp we plot for or betray'

'Question on question'

The leader does not seem to know, or care, which 'country or camp' the people belong to, or whether they are working for or against their country/camp

4 .

'The careless lovers in pairs go by, / Hand linked in hand, wandering another star, / So near we could shout to them.' This is an example of...

Satire

Juxtaposition

Personification

Simile

The lovers are 'wandering another star' and 'so near we could shout to them' - this juxtaposition of ideas is embodied by the hedge, which creates a physical barrier while simultaneously emphasizing how near the lovers are to the group being interrogated

5 .

In the lines quoted in question four, what is the significance of the word 'could'?

Although it is possible to call to the lovers, the group don't

The group called to the lovers, but the lovers couldn't hear them

The lovers would be on the side of the patrol, so the group choose not to call

The group do not wish to attract the attention of the lovers

The narrator does not explain why he doesn't call out - what do you think the reason might be?

6 .

Which word best describes the group under interrogation?

Careless

Thoughtless

Rebellious

Passive

7 .

Considering the answer to question six, which words reinforce this impression?

Conscientious, intent, indifferent, purpose, interrogation

Beyond, saunter, thoughtless, careless, wandering

Surly, plot, betray, action, edge

Hesitated, stood, waited, cannot, endurance

These words are contrasted with 'wandering' and 'sauntering' (activity taken for granted by those who are free) , also 'action' and 'answer' (neither of which the interrogated group are able to do)

8 .

What does the narrator see as the cause of this everlasting interrogation?

Rebellion

Action

Hesitation

Carelessness

'We could have crossed the road but hesitated'

9 .

What might the narrator mean by 'we are on the very edge'?

They will not be able to cope with the interrogation for much longer

Change is imminent

They are on a knife-edge - within touching distance of freedom, or death

Any of the above

Poetry can inspire multiple interpretations. When analyzing a poem, you do not have to have the same interpretation as other people, but you do have to be able to justify your view. It would be possible to argue, for example, that the 'thoughtless field' represents death

10 .

Which of the following does NOT reinforce the sense of endurance?

The poem lacks any division into stanzas

The poem contains several colloquialisms

The poem contains several instances of enjambment

Repetition

Author: Sheri Smith (PhD English Literature, English Teacher & Quiz Writer)