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Quizzes > Literature & Language > Books & Literature

T.S. Eliot Quiz: Prove Your Knowledge of His Poetry

Think you can ace this T.S. Eliot poems quiz? Dive into Eliot trivia now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
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Calling all poetry enthusiasts! Take our free t.s. eliot quiz to explore the enigmatic genius of T.S. Eliot. You'll dive into his life, decode his most memorable passages, and discover surprising insights along the way. Test your mettle with fascinating ts eliot trivia and sample unforgettable trivia quotes straight from Eliot's works. With our challenging t.s. eliot poems quiz, you can measure how well you know classics like The Waste Land and Four Quartets - perfect for anyone eager to test your knowledge of t.s. eliot. Get ready to sharpen your literary instincts in a friendly, motivating eliot poetry quiz. Ready to ignite your passion for verse? Jump right in now!

In what year was T.S. Eliot born?
1888
1899
1879
1901
Thomas Stearns Eliot was born on September 26, 1888, in St. Louis, Missouri, marking the beginning of a life that would greatly impact modern poetry. His birth year is well documented in numerous biographies and historical records. Knowing his birth year helps place his work in the context of early 20th-century literature. source
T.S. Eliot held citizenship of which country for most of his adult life?
British
American
French
Canadian
Although Eliot was born in the United States, he became a naturalized British subject in 1927 and spent the remainder of his life in England. This citizenship change influenced his literary career and public life. His adoption of British citizenship also coincided with his conversion to Anglicanism. source
Which poem by Eliot begins with the line “Let us go then, you and I”?
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The Waste Land
The Hollow Men
Four Quartets
“Let us go then, you and I” is the opening line of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” first published in 1915. This famous line introduces Prufrock’s introspective and hesitant voice. The poem is considered one of Eliot’s earliest masterpieces that helped define modernist poetry. source
Which of these works is by T.S. Eliot?
The Waste Land
Ulysses
Song of Myself
Paradise Lost
“The Waste Land,” published in 1922, is one of Eliot’s most famous poems and a landmark in modernist literature. The other listed works are by James Joyce, Walt Whitman, and John Milton respectively. Recognizing “The Waste Land” is key to understanding Eliot’s impact on poetry. source
Eliot won the Nobel Prize in Literature in which year?
1948
1938
1955
1965
T.S. Eliot was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948 for his outstanding, pioneering contribution to present-day poetry. This honor recognized both his poetic works and his critical writings. The Nobel Prize committee cited his originality and profound impact on literature. source
T.S. Eliot co-founded which publishing house?
Faber & Faber
Oxford University Press
Penguin Books
Random House
Eliot joined the publishing firm Faber & Gwyer in 1925, which later became Faber & Faber, and he rose to become a director. His role there allowed him to shape modern literature by publishing many key authors. He remained with Faber & Faber for the rest of his career. source
In what year was “The Waste Land” first published?
1922
1914
1930
1919
“The Waste Land” was first published in the October 1922 issue of The Criterion, a literary magazine founded by Eliot himself. Its fragmented structure and rich allusions made it a defining work of literary modernism. The poem’s impact on 20th-century poetry has remained significant since its publication. source
Which of these titles is NOT a poem by T.S. Eliot?
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Hollow Men
Ash Wednesday
Gerontion
“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a classic poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, not T.S. Eliot. Eliot’s notable poems include “The Hollow Men,” “Ash Wednesday,” and “Gerontion.” This distinction helps clarify Eliot’s original body of work. source
Which poem by Eliot famously includes the Sanskrit words “datta, dayadhvam, damyata”?
The Waste Land
Ash Wednesday
The Hollow Men
Four Quartets
The Sanskrit words “datta, dayadhvam, damyata” appear in “The Waste Land” as part of the poem’s epigraph and later in the fifth section, “What the Thunder Said.” These words mean “give, sympathize, control.” They illustrate the poem’s call for spiritual renewal. source
The epigraph of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is taken from which work?
Dante’s Inferno
The Odyssey
The Aeneid
Paradise Lost
Eliot’s epigraph for “Prufrock” is from Dante’s Inferno (Canto XXVII) and is spoken by Guido da Montefeltro. It sets a tone of confession and introspection that resonates throughout the poem. The use of Dante also underscores Eliot’s classical influences. source
“April is the cruelest month…” opens which poem?
The Waste Land
Gerontion
Burnt Norton
Ash Wednesday
The line “April is the cruelest month” famously begins “The Waste Land,” highlighting its themes of decay and rebirth. By reversing the traditional association of spring with renewal, Eliot underscores modern disillusionment. This opening line remains one of the most quoted in modern poetry. source
What is the title of Eliot’s poem sequence that includes “Burnt Norton,” “East Coker,” “The Dry Salvages,” and “Little Gidding”?
Four Quartets
Four Cantos
Four Fragments
Four Meditations
“Four Quartets” is the collective title for Eliot’s four interlinked poems published between 1936 and 1942. Each part reflects on time, spirituality, and the human experience. The sequence is considered a culminating work in Eliot’s poetic career. source
In which poem does Eliot write the lines “This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper”?
The Hollow Men
The Waste Land
Ash Wednesday
Gerontion
These famous closing lines come from “The Hollow Men,” first published in 1925. The poem reflects post–World War I disillusionment and spiritual emptiness. Its ending contrasts dramatic expectations with quiet resignation. source
T.S. Eliot’s “Ash Wednesday” was published in which year?
1930
1925
1942
1917
“Ash Wednesday” was published in 1930 and marked Eliot’s first major work after his conversion to Anglicanism. The poem explores themes of faith, doubt, and spiritual renewal. Its structure and tone differ significantly from his earlier, more fragmented works. source
What literary device is most prominent in the line “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons”?
Metaphor
Simile
Alliteration
Personification
The phrase “measured out my life with coffee spoons” is a metaphor, comparing the narrator’s mundane, repetitive life to the act of measuring. This device highlights Prufrock’s sense of triviality and ritualized existence. Metaphor is a hallmark of Eliot’s evocative style. source
T.S. Eliot converted to which religion in 1927?
Anglicanism
Roman Catholicism
Judaism
Buddhism
In 1927, Eliot was confirmed in the Church of England, adopting Anglicanism. This conversion influenced much of his later work, especially “Ash Wednesday” and “Four Quartets.” His faith became a central theme in his mature poetry. source
Which mythical figure does Eliot invoke in “The Waste Land” to symbolize regeneration?
The Fisher King
Orpheus
King Arthur
Tantalus
Eliot references the Fisher King legend in “The Waste Land,” symbolizing a wounded land awaiting renewal. This mythic dimension underpins the poem’s themes of decay and regeneration. The Fisher King appears through echoes in the poem’s structure and allusions. source
The line “In the room the women come and go talking of Michelangelo” belongs to which poem?
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The Waste Land
Ash Wednesday
The Hollow Men
This line appears in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” illustrating the social paralysis and self-consciousness of the speaker. The reference to Michelangelo contrasts high art with Prufrock’s mundane observations. Eliot’s use of cultural allusion is characteristic of his style. source
How many sections are there in “The Waste Land”?
Five
Three
Four
Six
“The Waste Land” is divided into five sections: “The Burial of the Dead,” “A Game of Chess,” “The Fire Sermon,” “Death by Water,” and “What the Thunder Said.” Each part explores different aspects of cultural and spiritual desolation. The division underscores the poem’s complex structure. source
What thematic element dominates the section “East Coker” in Four Quartets?
The cycle of life and death
Urban alienation
Romantic love
Political revolution
“East Coker” reflects on the cyclical nature of life, death, and renewal, using Eliot’s ancestral English village as a backdrop. Themes of time, continuity, and human mortality are central. The poem balances personal reflection with broader spiritual questions. source
The epigraph at the beginning of “The Waste Land” is taken from which ancient author?
Petronius
Homer
Plato
Virgil
The Waste Land opens with an epigraph from Petronius’s Satyricon, quoting the Latin: “Nam I” meaning 'For my exhortation…'. This classical reference sets the tone for the poem’s fusion of high and low cultural voices. Eliot’s use of epigraphs showcases his erudition. source
Which poem explores the aftermath of World War I and the bleakness of modern life?
The Waste Land
Ash Wednesday
East Coker
Journey of the Magi
“The Waste Land” vividly captures post–World War I disillusionment, fragmentation, and despair. Its montage of voices conveys the cultural and spiritual crisis of the era. The poem remains a defining statement of modernist poetry. source
In his essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent,” what does Eliot argue?
A poet must engage with and transform tradition
Poetry is purely a personal expression
Style is less important than emotion
Verse should always rhyme
Eliot’s essay contends that new poetic works must be understood in relation to the existing literary tradition and that this interaction alters both the new work and the tradition itself. He emphasizes impersonal talent and the historical sense in art. This essay remains foundational in literary criticism. source
Which character appears in Eliot’s unfinished play “Sweeney Agonistes”?
Sweeney
Prufrock
Gerontion
J. Alfred
“Sweeney Agonistes” features the character Sweeney, who appears in a series of unfinished dramatic fragments. Sweeney recurs in several of Eliot’s early works, symbolizing the darker side of modern life. The play’s experimental form influenced later dramatic poetry. source
Eliot’s graduate dissertation focused on the theories of which philosopher?
F.H. Bradley
Immanuel Kant
Henri Bergson
John Dewey
Eliot’s M.A. dissertation at Harvard University examined the metaphysical theories of F.H. Bradley, exploring aesthetics and philosophical ideas. Bradley’s influence helped shape Eliot’s early critical thought. Understanding this background illuminates Eliot’s intellectual development. source
Which section of “The Waste Land” ends with the refrain “HURRY UP PLEASE IT’S TIME”?
The Fire Sermon
The Burial of the Dead
Death by Water
A Game of Chess
The third section of “The Waste Land,” titled “The Fire Sermon,” concludes with a cabaret refrain: “HURRY UP PLEASE IT’S TIME.” This abrupt shift evokes the banality and urgency of modern life. The line’s irony underscores the poem’s critique of cultural decay. source
Which French Symbolist poet’s work most influenced Eliot’s fragmentary style in “The Waste Land”?
Jules Laforgue
Stéphane Mallarmé
Paul Verlaine
Arthur Rimbaud
Eliot acknowledged Jules Laforgue’s use of irony and fragmentation as a significant influence on his early style, particularly in “The Waste Land.” Laforgue’s blending of colloquial speech and literary allusion inspired Eliot’s modernist techniques. This influence highlights cross-cultural literary dialogues. source
In “Tradition and the Individual Talent,” Eliot likens the relation of a new poetic work to the existing literary tradition to which of the following?
A chemical reaction
A mirror reflecting itself
Biological evolution
An economic exchange
Eliot describes the relation between new poetry and tradition as analogous to a chemical reaction, where the new work alters the whole and is itself transformed. This metaphor emphasizes the dynamic, non-static nature of literary history. It remains a foundational concept in modern criticism. source
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Biographical Milestones -

    Recall key events in T.S. Eliot's life, from his American upbringing to his influential years in London, that shaped his poetic career.

  2. Identify Iconic Works -

    Identify Eliot's most celebrated poems and essays, recognizing their titles and publication contexts in his literary legacy.

  3. Interpret Famous Lines -

    Interpret and explain the meaning behind Eliot's most quoted lines, deepening your appreciation of his poetic style and themes.

  4. Analyze Recurring Themes -

    Analyze recurring motifs and themes - such as spiritual desolation and renewal - across Eliot's body of work.

  5. Evaluate Literary Impact -

    Evaluate how T.S. Eliot's innovations in form and language influenced modern poetry and subsequent generations of writers.

  6. Connect Quotes to Context -

    Connect memorable quotes from Eliot's poems to their broader narrative and historical contexts for a richer understanding.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Early Life and Context -

    Understanding Eliot's American roots (St. Louis, 1888) and his 1927 British naturalization gives crucial context for both his poetry and worldview (source: British Library Modern Literature Resource). A simple mnemonic - "St. Louis to London '27" - can help you ace the t.s. eliot quiz's biographical questions. This background often pops up in ts eliot trivia and helps you test your knowledge of t.s. eliot comprehensively.

  2. Major Works Chronology -

    Know the publication order: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915), "The Waste Land" (1922), and "Four Quartets" (1943), per Academy of American Poets. Use the acronym PWFQ to remember Prufrock, Waste, Four, Quartet for the eliot poetry quiz. Chronology questions are staples in t.s. eliot poems quiz formats.

  3. Iconic Lines and Themes -

    "April is the cruellest month" opens The Waste Land with rich allusions to Chaucer and seasonal rebirth (JSTOR Modernism Studies). When tackling ts eliot trivia, link "cruellest April" to cycles of death and renewal for quick recall. Recognizing these signature lines boosts confidence in the t.s. eliot quiz.

  4. Poetic Techniques -

    Familiarize yourself with Eliot's use of fragmentation, free verse, and cross-cultural allusions (American Poetry Review). A handy trick: think "FLASH" - Fragmentation, Language shifts, Allusion, Stream-of-consciousness, Hybrid forms. This formula helps you sail through questions about style in any eliot poetry quiz.

  5. Intertextual Influences -

    Trace Eliot's nods to Dante, Shakespeare, Hindu scriptures, and Buddhism, as outlined by University of Oxford's English Faculty. Remember "DSHB" (Dante, Shakespeare, Hindu-Buddhism) to link each influence quickly for your t.s. eliot poems quiz. Intertextuality is a common focus when you test your knowledge of t.s. eliot.

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