Summary:
“Darkness” is a gothic and apocalyptic poem written by Lord Byron in 1816, a year famously known as the “Year Without a Summer” due to the eruption of Mount Tambora, which caused widespread climate abnormalities. The poem presents a grim and dystopian vision of the end of the world, where the sun ceases to shine, life deteriorates, and humanity descends into chaos.
The poem describes a world consumed by darkness, where people burn cities for warmth, turn against each other for survival, and eventually perish, leaving Earth as a lifeless void. The themes of destruction, isolation, and existential despair dominate the poem, reflecting Byron’s deep pessimism about human nature.
Written in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), the poem lacks a structured rhyme scheme, enhancing its chaotic and unsettling atmosphere. The tone is dark, hopeless, and apocalyptic, making it one of Byron’s most unique and haunting works.
MCQs:
- What is the main theme of Darkness?
A) Romantic love
B) Apocalyptic destruction and human despair
C) The beauty of nature
D) Adventure and heroism
Answer: B) Apocalyptic destruction and human despair - Who wrote Darkness?
A) John Keats
B) William Wordsworth
C) Lord Byron
D) Percy Bysshe Shelley
Answer: C) Lord Byron - In which year was Darkness written?
A) 1812
B) 1816
C) 1821
D) 1830
Answer: B) 1816
Darkness - What historical event influenced Darkness?
A) The French Revolution
B) The Napoleonic Wars
C) The eruption of Mount Tambora
D) The Industrial Revolution
Answer: C) The eruption of Mount Tambora - Which literary technique is most prominent in the poem?
A) Simile
B) Personification
C) Alliteration
D) Hyperbole
Answer: B) Personification - What happens to the sun in Darkness?
A) It becomes brighter
B) It is swallowed by the Earth
C) It ceases to shine
D) It turns red
Answer: C) It ceases to shine - What do people do in response to the darkness?
A) Celebrate the event
B) Set cities on fire for warmth
C) Travel to the sun
D) Build new civilizations underground
Answer: B) Set cities on fire for warmth - How does the poem end?
A) Humanity is saved by a divine force
B) The Earth becomes a paradise
C) Everything, including the universe, is engulfed in total darkness
D) A new civilization rises
Answer: C) Everything, including the universe, is engulfed in total darkness - What poetic form is Darkness written in?
A) Sonnet
B) Blank verse
C) Free verse
D) Limerick
Answer: B) Blank verse - What is the tone of the poem?
A) Optimistic and hopeful
B) Romantic and passionate
C) Dark, hopeless, and apocalyptic
D) Humorous and lighthearted
Answer: C) Dark, hopeless, and apocalyptic
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | Darkness |
| Author | Lord Byron |
| Year Written | 1816 |
| Historical Influence | The eruption of Mount Tambora (1815) |
| Poem Type | Gothic, Apocalyptic Poetry |
| Poetic Structure | Blank Verse (Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter) |
| Main Themes | Death, Destruction, Human Despair |
| Tone | Hopeless, Grim, Apocalyptic |
| Literary Devices | Personification, Imagery, Symbolism |
| Significance | Reflects Byron’s pessimism and a dystopian vision of the world |