A Poison Tree
Edexcel GCSE English Literature revision on A Poison Tree. Aligned to the Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1ET0 specification. This bank has 15 practice questions on this topic.
About this topic
Sample questions (3 of 15)
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Question 1
Who says: 'I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end.'?
- A) The speaker
- B) The friend
- C) The foe
- D) The garden owner
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Answer: The speaker
The speaker is the narrator of the poem who describes their emotional evolution. The use of 'I' throughout the poem confirms the speaker is the primary voice reflecting on their internal state.
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Question 2
What literary technique does the writer use in: 'And it grew both day and night'?
- A) Metaphor
- B) Personification
- C) Alliteration
- D) Oxymoron
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Answer: Metaphor
Blake uses the growing tree as a metaphor for the speaker's internal resentment. By describing it growing day and night, he illustrates how anger becomes an all-consuming, tangible entity.
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Question 3
What does this line reveal about the speaker: 'And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles'?
- A) They are honest
- B) They are duplicitous
- C) They are regretful
- D) They are fearful
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Answer: They are duplicitous
The use of 'wiles' and 'deceitful' clearly demonstrates that the speaker is acting in a manipulative and dishonest manner. This reveals a calculated, malicious intent to cultivate their hatred.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
12 more questions on A Poison Tree — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole English Literature spec.