Summary:
This sonnet, also known as Sonnet 60, explores the relentless passage of time. Shakespeare compares the movement of waves towards the shore to the steady, unstoppable march of time, emphasizing how each moment replaces the one before it. The poem reflects on human life, aging, and the inevitable decay that comes with time. However, the poet suggests that poetry itself can defy time, allowing memories and emotions to live on.
MCQs:
- Who is the poet of “Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore”?
- A) John Donne
- B) William Wordsworth
- C) William Shakespeare
- D) Robert Browning
- Answer: C) William Shakespeare
- What does the movement of waves towards the shore symbolize in the poem?
- A) The power of nature
- B) The passage of time and human aging
- C) The unpredictability of the sea
- D) The strength of love
- Answer: B) The passage of time and human aging
- What theme is primarily explored in the poem?
- A) Nature’s beauty
- B) The effects of war
- C) The fleeting nature of time and life
- D) The eternity of love
- Answer: C) The fleeting nature of time and life
Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore
- What poetic form is used in this poem?
- A) Haiku
- B) Free verse
- C) Shakespearean Sonnet
- D) Limerick
- Answer: C) Shakespearean Sonnet
- What does the poet compare human life to?
- A) A tree
- B) A flowing river
- C) The continuous motion of waves
- D) A burning fire
- Answer: C) The continuous motion of waves
- What does the phrase “each changing place with that which goes before” imply?
- A) The constant shift and cycle of life
- B) The unpredictability of the sea
- C) The need to embrace change
- D) The importance of nature
- Answer: A) The constant shift and cycle of life
- How does the poet describe time in the poem?
- A) As a kind and nurturing force
- B) As a destructive and relentless force
- C) As something that brings stability
- D) As a romantic ideal
- Answer: B) As a destructive and relentless force
- Which literary device is prominent in the line “Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore”?
- A) Simile
- B) Metaphor
- C) Alliteration
- D) Hyperbole
- Answer: A) Simile
- What does the poet suggest is inevitable for all living things?
- A) Growth and wisdom
- B) Change and transformation
- C) Decay and death
- D) Eternal life
- Answer: C) Decay and death
- What is the rhyme scheme of this sonnet?
- A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
- B) AABB CCDD EEFF GG
- C) ABC ABC DEF DEF
- D) AAB CDD EFF GG
- Answer: A) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
| Question | Answer |
| Poem Name | Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore |
| Poet | William Shakespeare |
| Year Written | Early 1600s |
| Year Published | 1609 |
| Poem Type | Shakespearean Sonnet |
| Themes | Passage of Time, Aging, Mortality, Legacy |
| Rhyme Scheme | ABAB CDCD EFEF GG |
| Literary Devices | Simile, Metaphor, Imagery, Personification |
| Main Idea | Time is relentless, but poetry can offer immortality. |