The Convergence of the Twain MCQs and Summary

Summary:

Thomas Hardy’s The Convergence of the Twain is a reflective and ironic poem about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The poem contrasts human vanity and materialism with the power of fate and nature. Hardy describes the ship, once a symbol of human achievement, now lying at the bottom of the ocean, abandoned and useless. He presents the iceberg and the Titanic as two forces destined to meet, emphasizing the idea of fate and inevitability. The poem critiques human pride and highlights the insignificance of human accomplishments in the face of natural forces. Hardy’s tone is somber and ironic, reinforcing the tragic nature of the disaster.

MCQs:

1. Who wrote The Convergence of the Twain?
   a) Alfred Lord Tennyson
   b) Robert Frost
   c) Thomas Hardy
   d) W.B. Yeats
   Answer: c) Thomas Hardy
2. What historical event inspired the poem?
   a) The Crimean War
   b) The Great Depression
   c) The sinking of the Titanic
   d) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
   Answer: c) The sinking of the Titanic
3. What is the main theme of the poem?
   a) The celebration of human progress
   b) The power of fate and nature over human pride
   c) The joy of sea exploration
   d) The heroism of the Titanic’s passengers
   Answer: b) The power of fate and nature over human pride

   

4. What literary device is heavily used in the poem?
   a) Satire
   b) Personification
   c) Metaphor
   d) Simile
   Answer: b) Personification
5. What does the iceberg symbolize in the poem?
   a) Human ambition
   b) Fate and inevitable destruction
   c) A challenge to be overcome
   d) The beauty of nature
   Answer: b) Fate and inevitable destruction
6. How does Hardy describe the Titanic after its sinking?
   a) As a place of eternal beauty
   b) As a forgotten ship with no significance
   c) As a luxurious monument under the sea
   d) As a wreck abandoned at the ocean’s bottom
   Answer: d) As a wreck abandoned at the ocean’s bottom
7. What does “convergence” in the title refer to?
   a) The meeting of the Titanic and the iceberg
   b) The unity of passengers on the ship
   c) The merging of land and sea
   d) The blending of past and future
   Answer: a) The meeting of the Titanic and the iceberg
8. What is Hardy’s tone in the poem?
   a) Celebratory and optimistic
   b) Humorous and sarcastic
   c) Somber and ironic
   d) Neutral and scientific
   Answer: c) Somber and ironic
9. What does Hardy criticize in the poem?
   a) The power of the ocean
   b) The greed and vanity of mankind
   c) The courage of sailors
   d) The design of the Titanic
   Answer: b) The greed and vanity of mankind
10. How does Hardy depict the sinking of the Titanic?
    a) As a heroic event
    b) As an act of war
    c) As an inevitable fate preordained by nature
    d) As a completely accidental occurrence
    Answer: c) As an inevitable fate preordained by nature