Poetry Trivia Questions
In case you missed them, here are the past five Columbia Granger's World of Poetry trivia questions of the day.
November 15
Question:
What work was at the center of what has been called the world's first literary quarrel, which took place in 1401 and 1402?
Answer
The Querelle du Roman de la Rose (Quarrel of the Romance of the Rose) was over whether Jean de Meun's allegorical poem "Roman de la Rose" merited the literary attention it received. Written, most likely, at the end of the thirteenth century, Jean de Meun had added nearly 19,000 lines to Guillaume de Lorris's earlier version. The work was accused of being vulgar and unfair in its satirical treatment of women.
November 14
Question:
Who has been identified as Europe's first professional female writer? And in what century was she writing?
Answer
Christine de Pisan developed her reputation as a writer from 1399 to 1430. Born in Venice, she worked for the king of France as an astrologer, physician and alchemist. Aphra Behn is considered one of the first English women to be a professional writer.
November 13
Question:
It is generally believed that Shakespeare died on the same day that he was born, April 23rd. What poet from more recent times died on the same day he was born, also in April?
Answer
C. P. Cavafy was born on April 29th, 1863, and died on April 29th, 1933
November 12
Question:
What nineteenth century American poet was sent $170 by his classmates at the United States Military Academy at West Point to fund the publication of his poetry?
Answer
Edgar Allan Poe. He was known at West Point for writing satires, but when the book came out it instead contained some of the first examples of the gothic verse for which he would later become famous.
November 11
Question:
At what poet's funeral were a prime minister and the leader of the opposition pallbearers, as well as leading literary lights?
Answer
Thomas Hardy's. The pallbearers were Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, Ramsay MacDonald, James Barrie, George Bernard Shaw, John Galsworthy, Edmond Gosse, AE Housman, and Rudyard Kipling.
