Danse Russe Quizzes

Danse Russe Quiz

1 When was the poem published?

1962

1921

1916

1912
2 What is the tone of the poem?

Lighthearted and joyous

Angry and satirical

Somber and reflective

Comic and bitter
3 When does the poem take place?

At midnight

At dusk

At sunset

At sunrise
4 Who is NOT asleep as the poem begins?

The speaker

The speaker's baby

The speaker's nanny

The speaker's wife
5 What literary movement was Williams associated with?

Imagism

Dadaism

Futurism

Romanticism
6 What is the nanny's name in the poem?

Flossie

Katrina

Cassie

Kathleen
7 What is the speaker dancing in front of?

His window

His dresser

His mirror

His nightstand
8 Which composer wrote the music for the ballet referenced in the poem's title?

Debussy

Stravinsky

Britten

Tchaikovsky
9 What is the poem's main theme?

Marriage

Self-reflection

Ballet

Grief
10 How many stanzas are in the poem?

Fourteen

Seven

Two

Four
11 Which ballet is referenced in the title of the poem?

Orpheus

Swan Lake

The Nutcracker

Rite of Spring
12 What type of stanza is the poem's final section?

An octave

A monostitch

A sestet

A couplet
13 What figure is Williams comparing the speaker to with the allusion in the title?

The Nutcracker

The Mouse King

Clara

A Russian villager
14 Which of the following lines contains alliteration?

"and singing softly to myself:"

"waving my shirt round my head"

"and the sun is a flame-white disc"

"against the yellow drawn shades,—"
15 What is the setting of the poem?

A suburban house

A doctor's office

A marina

A cabin in the woods
16 What is the form of the poem?

Villanelle

Free verse

Haiku

Sonnet
17 Why is the speaker in such a state of elation?

Because he is unencumbered by his domestic responsibilities

Because he just came into a large fortune

Because he loves to dance

Because he enjoys sunrises
18 What is the speaker wearing?

A plaid shirt

Nothing

A jumpsuit

A tuxedo
19 What sweets do the Russians bring with them in The Nutcracker?

Chocolate

Turkish delight

Candy canes

Coffee
20 What does the speaker describe himself as at the end of the poem?

A brilliant comedian

A happy genius

A witty conversationalist

A jovial intelligence
21 Which of the following lines does NOT contain alliteration?

"and the sun is a flame-white disc"

"before my mirror"

"Who shall say I am not"

"and singing softly to myself"
22 What is the genre of the poem?

War poetry

Imagist poetry

Pastoral poetry

Victorian poetry
23 What is the speaker NOT doing?

Singing

Waving his shirt around his head

Breaking his window

Dancing
24 What does the word "silken" mean in the poem?

Harsh

Relating to moths

Wispy

Soft or delicate
25 What poet had a lasting impact on Williams?

Elizabeth Lowell

Walt Whitman

Emily Dickinson

Tony Hoagland

Danse Russe Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Danse Russe is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for Danse Russe

Danse Russe study guide contains a biography of William Carlos Williams, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for Danse Russe…