Test Questions of the poem

Question 1

Question:    It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
'By thy long grey beard and
glittering eye, How wherefore
stopp'st thou me?

Where are the three men going? (Stanza 1)

Answer:    The three men are the guests going to the wedding of a relative.

Question 2

Question:   It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
'By thy long grey beard and
glittering eye, How wherefore
stopp'st thou me?

Describe the Mariner. (Stanza 1)

Answer:    The Mariner is fearsome. He has a long grey beard and hypnotic eyes.

Question 3

Question:   The Bridegroom's doors are
opened wide And I am next of Kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
May'st hear the merry din.'

Why does the guest explain 'I am next of kin'? (Stanza 2)

Answer:    The guest wants the Mariner to allow him to leave for the wedding.

Question 4

Question:   The Bridegroom's doors are
opened wide And I am next of Kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
May'st hear the merry din.'

What is 'merry din'? (Stanza 2)

Answer:    A happy joyful noise or commotion (as in a wedding) is called 'merry din'.

Question 5

Question:   He holds him with his skinny hand,
'There was a ship,' quoth he. 'Hold
off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!'
Eftsoons his hand dropt he.

Who is called the 'loon'? (Stanza 3)

Answer:    The Ancient Mariner is called the 'loon'. A loon is a fox like animal. Here, it means 'lunatic'.

Question 6

Question:   He holds him with his skinny hand,
'There was a ship,' quoth he. 'Hold
off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!'
Eftsoons his hand dropt he.

Who is 'he' and who is 'him'? (Stanza 3)

Answer:    'He' is the Mariner and 'him' refers to the wedding guest.

Question 7

Question:    He holds him with his glittering eye-
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years's child.
The Mariner hath his will.

What was the Mariner's will? (Stanza 4)

Answer:    The Mariner's will was to make the wedding guest listen to his story.

Question 8

Question:   The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone;
He cannot coose but hear,
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.

What does 'he sat on a stone' signify? (Stanza 5)

Answer:    It means complete surrender by the wedding guest and a display of interest in the Mariner's story.

Question 9

Question:   The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone;
He cannot coose but hear,
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.

Give the equivalent of 'spake'. (Stanza 5)

Answer:    'Spoke' is the equivalent of 'spake'. Spake is archaic english.

Question 10

Question:    The Sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!
And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea.

Which direction are they travelling? How do you know? (Stanza 7)

Answer:    They are travelling towards south. We know this by the direction of sunrise.