Let’s dive into the 40+ MCQs on Robert Browning’s The Last Ride Together:
A Brief Introduction to the Poem:
The Last Ride Together by Robert Browning is one of the finest examples of the dramatic monologue, wherein a rejected lover asks for one final ride with his beloved. Through this simple request, the poem explores deep themes like human ambition, unfulfilled desires, the meaning of success and failure, and the beauty of living in the moment.
These multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are designed to test your understanding of the poem’s content, structure, themes, characters, literary devices, and philosophical ideas. They will help you reinforce key points from the poem and prepare effectively for exams or discussions.
-
What type of poem is “The Last Ride Together”?
A) Sonnet
B) Dramatic monologue
C) Elegy
D) Ode -
Who is the speaker addressing?
A) Himself
B) His beloved
C) A friend
D) A stranger -
What request does the speaker make?
A) To marry her
B) To go for a last ride together
C) To never see her again
D) To forgive him -
How many stanzas does the poem have?
A) 8
B) 10
C) 12
D) 14 -
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
A) ABAB
B) AABB
C) AABBCDDEE EC
D) ABBA -
What is the meter of the poem?
A) Trochaic tetrameter
B) Iambic pentameter
C) Dactylic hexameter
D) Anapestic dimeter -
How does the speaker view failure?
A) As disgraceful
B) As common to all human effort
C) As avoidable
D) As meaningless -
Which human ambitions does the speaker compare his love to?
A) War, art, politics
B) Religion, nature, science
C) Wealth, fame, health
D) Knowledge, invention, discovery -
What feeling does the speaker choose over sorrow?
A) Anger
B) Bitterness
C) Acceptance
D) Revenge -
What does the speaker imagine at the end?
A) Eternal punishment
B) Eternal ride beyond death
C) Eternal solitude
D) Eternal weeping -
What attitude does the speaker show toward his beloved’s rejection?
A) Hatred
B) Indifference
C) Graceful acceptance
D) Sarcasm -
What does the ride symbolize?
A) Escape from life
B) A journey into despair
C) The final union of two lovers
D) Social rebellion -
What season or setting is emphasized in the poem?
A) Winter
B) Spring
C) Sunset
D) Midnight -
What does the speaker suggest about success in war?
A) It’s permanent
B) It’s easily gained
C) It’s short-lived and often incomplete
D) It’s the greatest achievement -
What human quality does the speaker value most?
A) Wealth
B) Artistic skill
C) Hope and effort
D) Ambition -
Which poetic device is heavily used in the poem?
A) Hyperbole
B) Dramatic irony
C) Onomatopoeia
D) Pun -
What does the speaker compare himself to in art?
A) A poet
B) A painter
C) A sculptor
D) A playwright -
Why does the speaker admire the sculptor?
A) For his fame
B) For capturing eternity in art
C) For his wealth
D) For his speed -
Which of the following best describes the speaker’s tone?
A) Bitter and resentful
B) Reflective and resigned
C) Cheerful and playful
D) Sad and hopeless -
What does the speaker suggest about human striving?
A) It is futile
B) It guarantees success
C) It is part of human dignity
D) It leads only to misery -
Which word best describes the beloved’s role?
A) Silent
B) Active
C) Argumentative
D) Dominant -
What philosophical outlook does the speaker adopt?
A) Fatalism
B) Determinism
C) Stoicism
D) Romanticism -
Which poet is famous for developing the dramatic monologue?
A) John Keats
B) William Wordsworth
C) Robert Browning
D) Alfred Tennyson -
In what century was “The Last Ride Together” written?
A) 18th
B) 19th
C) 20th
D) 21st -
What is the speaker’s attitude toward ambition?
A) Critical
B) Mocking
C) Understanding
D) Superior -
Why does the speaker reflect on historical figures like soldiers and poets?
A) To criticize them
B) To show they all face failure
C) To praise them
D) To compare his wealth -
What moment does the speaker want to prolong?
A) The moment of rejection
B) The last ride together
C) His past success
D) His sadness -
What is the beloved’s answer to the speaker’s request?
A) We don’t know
B) She says yes
C) She says no
D) She leaves -
What does the ride allow the speaker to escape?
A) Death
B) Society
C) His sorrow
D) War -
Which emotion is central in the poem?
A) Anger
B) Jealousy
C) Acceptance
D) Regret -
What kind of ending does the speaker imagine?
A) Eternal separation
B) Eternal punishment
C) Eternal ride in heaven
D) Eternal silence -
How does the speaker view time?
A) As an enemy
B) As a friend
C) As fleeting but precious
D) As irrelevant -
Which literary movement is Browning associated with?
A) Romanticism
B) Victorian
C) Modernism
D) Realism -
What is the speaker’s view on life’s outcomes?
A) They should always succeed
B) They are all subject to fate
C) They are under human control
D) They are random -
What is the tone of the poem’s conclusion?
A) Bitter
B) Hopeful
C) Desperate
D) Fearful -
What does the speaker want to freeze in time?
A) His suffering
B) His love’s rejection
C) The perfect moment of their ride
D) His ambition -
What technique does Browning use to reveal the speaker’s thoughts?
A) Dialogue
B) Flashback
C) Monologue
D) Narrative -
How does the speaker view human effort?
A) As always rewarded
B) As usually wasted
C) As noble, even when failing
D) As pointless -
What makes the poem a dramatic monologue?
A) A conversation between two people
B) A long narrative story
C) A single speaker revealing his thoughts to a silent listener
D) A series of dramatic scenes -
What ultimate hope does the speaker hold onto?
A) To win his beloved back
B) To never feel pain again
C) To continue riding together beyond life
D) To forget everything