Frost at Midnight MCQs & Summary

Summary:

Frost at Midnight by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a deeply reflective poem written in 1798. The poem is set during a quiet, frosty night when the poet watches over his sleeping infant son. Coleridge expresses his thoughts on childhood, nature, and the power of imagination. He contrasts his own lonely and confined childhood in the city with the natural and free upbringing he wishes for his son.

The poem highlights the Romantic belief that nature is a divine teacher, shaping a child’s character and spirituality. Coleridge hopes that his son will grow up surrounded by nature, learning from its beauty and wisdom. The poem’s tone is calm, introspective, and filled with paternal love. It reflects themes of nature’s influence, childhood innocence, and the passage of time.

MCQs:

1. Who wrote Frost at Midnight?
   A) William Wordsworth
   B) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
   C) John Keats
   D) Lord Byron
   Answer: B) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
2. What is the setting of the poem?
   A) A busy city street
   B) A cold, quiet night inside a cottage
   C) A stormy ocean
   D) A crowded marketplace
   Answer: B) A cold, quiet night inside a cottage
3. Who is the poem addressed to?
   A) Coleridge’s wife
   B) His childhood friend
   C) His infant son, Hartley
   D) A fellow poet
   Answer: C) His infant son, Hartley

   

4. What is the main theme of the poem?
   A) The struggles of war
   B) The power of nature in shaping childhood
   C) The dangers of city life
   D) The fear of growing old
   Answer: B) The power of nature in shaping childhood
5. What does Coleridge recall about his own childhood?
   A) He spent it happily in the countryside
   B) He was often sick and weak
   C) He was lonely and confined in the city
   D) He traveled around the world
   Answer: C) He was lonely and confined in the city
6. How does Coleridge view nature in the poem?
   A) As a dangerous force
   B) As a divine teacher
   C) As something humans should conquer
   D) As an illusion
   Answer: B) As a divine teacher
7. What poetic form is Frost at Midnight written in?
   A) Sonnet
   B) Blank verse
   C) Villanelle
   D) Haiku
   Answer: B) Blank verse
8. What does the “film” on the fireplace symbolize?
   A) The passing of time and Coleridge’s wandering thoughts
   B) The warmth of family life
   C) The coldness of winter
   D) The hardships of life
   Answer: A) The passing of time and Coleridge’s wandering thoughts
9. What does Coleridge hope for his son’s future?
   A) That he will become a famous poet
   B) That he will be raised in nature and find joy in it
   C) That he will travel to foreign lands
   D) That he will grow up in the city
   Answer: B) That he will be raised in nature and find joy in it
10. What is the tone of the poem?
    A) Angry and bitter
    B) Joyful and celebratory
    C) Quiet, reflective, and affectionate
    D) Humorous and sarcastic
    Answer: C) Quiet, reflective, and affectionate