Love's Dog
Edexcel GCSE English Literature revision on Love's Dog. Aligned to the Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1ET0 specification. This bank has 15 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 15)
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Question 1
Who is the speaker of the line: 'I am the dog that bites the hand that feeds me'?
- A) The poet
- B) The beloved
- C) A stray animal
- D) A cynical observer
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Answer: The poet
The speaker uses the first-person 'I' throughout the poem to explore their own conflicting emotions. The speaker is the persona adopted by the poet to express the self-destructive nature of their relationship.
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Question 2
What literary technique is used in the line: 'I am the dog that bites the hand that feeds me'?
- A) Metaphor
- B) Simile
- C) Pathetic fallacy
- D) Hyperbole
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Answer: Metaphor
The poet equates their own actions to those of a dog biting its owner. It is a metaphor because it does not use 'like' or 'as', but rather states the speaker *is* the dog.
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Question 3
What does the line 'I am the dog that runs from the stick that beats me' reveal about the speaker's internal conflict?
- A) They are physically abused by a pet owner
- B) They recognise their own self-destructive patterns
- C) They enjoy the thrill of a chase
- D) They are afraid of animals
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Answer: They recognise their own self-destructive patterns
By comparing themselves to a dog running from a stick, the speaker highlights their awareness of the pain within the relationship. It characterises the speaker as someone who is struggling with the push-pull dynamics of love.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
12 more questions on Love's Dog — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole English Literature spec.