The Chimney Sweeper MCQs and Summary

Summary:

“The Chimney Sweeper” is a powerful and emotional poem written by William Blake. There are two versions of this poem—one from Songs of Innocence (1789) and another from Songs of Experience (1794).

1. Version from Songs of Innocence:
   • The poem is told from the perspective of a young chimney sweeper who was sold into labor by his father.
   • The boy comforts his friend Tom Dacre, who has his head shaved. Tom has a dream of an angel setting chimney sweepers free, giving them hope for a better afterlife.
   • The message of this version is hope despite suffering and innocence in the face of oppression.
2. Version from Songs of Experience:
   • This version is darker and more critical of society.
   • The speaker denounces religious hypocrisy, pointing out how churches and parents ignore child labor and suffering.
   • The tone here is angry and bitter, showing how experience and reality destroy innocence.
   • It criticizes institutions like the Church and monarchy for ignoring the struggles of the poor.

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MCQs:

1. Who wrote The Chimney Sweeper?
   A) William Wordsworth
   B) William Blake
   C) John Keats
   D) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
   Answer: B) William Blake
2. In which poetry collection does The Chimney Sweeper appear?
   A) Songs of Innocence
   B) Songs of Experience
   C) Both A & B
   D) Lyrical Ballads
   Answer: C) Both A & B
3. What is the central theme of The Chimney Sweeper?
   A) The beauty of nature
   B) The innocence of childhood
   C) Child labor and societal oppression
   D) Romantic love
   Answer: C) Child labor and societal oppression

   

4. What does the angel promise Tom Dacre in his dream (Songs of Innocence)?
   A) A new job
   B) Freedom in heaven
   C) A better home
   D) More money
   Answer: B) Freedom in heaven
5. How does the Songs of Experience version differ from Songs of Innocence?
   A) It is more hopeful
   B) It criticizes religious hypocrisy
   C) It celebrates childhood
   D) It praises chimney sweeping
   Answer: B) It criticizes religious hypocrisy
6. What happens to Tom Dacre in the poem?
   A) He becomes rich
   B) He dies
   C) He has a dream of an angel freeing him
   D) He runs away
   Answer: C) He has a dream of an angel freeing him
7. What is the significance of “So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm” in Songs of Innocence?
   A) It shows the child’s blind faith in religion
   B) It shows rebellion against society
   C) It criticizes child labor laws
   D) It praises the monarchy
   Answer: A) It shows the child’s blind faith in religion
8. What literary device is used in “black coffins” in Tom’s dream?
   A) Metaphor
   B) Simile
   C) Alliteration
   D) Personification
   Answer: A) Metaphor
9. Which institution is criticized in the Songs of Experience version?
   A) The Church
   B) The monarchy
   C) The government
   D) All of the above
   Answer: D) All of the above
10. What does Blake criticize in The Chimney Sweeper?
    A) Child labor and social injustice
    B) The beauty of the countryside
    C) The joy of hard work
    D) The innocence of animals
    Answer: A) Child labor and social injustice