Batter My Heart MCQ Quiz : 20 Questions

By Girdhari Lal Suthar

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Batter My Heart MCQ Quiz

Batter My Heart MCQ Quiz : John Donne’s “Batter My Heart, Three-Person’d God” is one of the finest examples of metaphysical poetry, expressing the poet’s intense spiritual struggle. Written in the form of a holy sonnet, this poem reveals Donne’s deep desire for divine grace and his conflict between sin and salvation. It combines passion, intellect, and religion in a unique way that is both emotional and argumentative.

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The poem begins with a powerful plea to God. Donne does not want a gentle blessing but asks God to attack and remake him completely — “Batter my heart, three-person’d God.” The phrase refers to the Holy Trinity — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The poet feels that his heart has become hard and sinful; therefore, he wants God to strike, break, and rebuild him spiritually. This violent imagery represents Donne’s belief that spiritual renewal requires divine intervention and even destruction of the old self.

Donne presents his relationship with God in a series of metaphysical conceits — bold and surprising comparisons. He imagines himself as a besieged town captured by sin and wants God to rescue him like a conqueror. He also compares himself to a woman betrothed to God but married to His enemy (Satan). Through these paradoxes, Donne expresses the deep tension between body and soul, faith and temptation.

The language of the poem is full of energy and urgency. The poet’s tone shifts from helplessness to passionate surrender. The violent verbs — “break, blow, burn” — show his longing for purification. Donne’s religious experience is not peaceful but stormy; he wants to feel the presence of God through struggle and suffering.

In conclusion, Batter My Heart is a remarkable poem that explores the human desire for spiritual transformation. Donne combines physical and emotional intensity with theological depth, making this sonnet a perfect reflection of the metaphysical spirit. It shows how faith, love, and repentance can coexist within the same soul, yearning for divine redemption.

Read full article here : Batter My Heart, Three-Person’d God : Summary and Analysis


Batter My Heart MCQ Quiz

Welcome to your Batter My Heart Quiz

1. Which set of violent verbs represents the forceful action the speaker asks God to take, in contrast to God's previous gentle efforts?

2. To what physical entity does the speaker compare his soul when he says, 'I, like an usurp'd town, to another due'?

3. The poem is an example of a Metaphysical Conceit, which is best defined as:

4. What is the identity of the 'three-person'd God' to whom the speaker addresses his fervent plea?

5. In the line, 'Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,' which literary device is being used on the word 'Reason'?

6. The speaker describes himself as being 'betroth'd unto your enemy.' Who is the enemy that has claimed the speaker's soul?

7. The poem ends with a striking paradox: 'Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.' What is the underlying meaning of this statement?

8. The rhyme scheme of 'Batter my heart' (ABBAABBACDCDEE in some readings) indicates that the poem is primarily structured as a(n):

9. Donne's use of military, civic, and highly erotic/marital language in a single devotional poem is characteristic of what major trait of his poetry?

10. In the line, 'That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me,' the speaker uses a paradox to suggest:

11. The speaker explicitly states that God has previously tried to 'knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend' him. What does the speaker imply by calling these efforts insufficient?

12. What is the primary spiritual problem the speaker is struggling with throughout the poem?

13. In the comparison of the speaker's soul to an 'usurp'd town,' who or what does the 'viceroy' represent?

14. The second four lines of the sonnet (lines 5-8) shift to the military conceit of the 'usurp'd town.' What is the primary function of this section in the poem?

15. In the final four lines, the speaker asks God to 'Divorce me, untie or break that knot again.' What is the 'knot' he is asking God to break?

16. The phrase 'batter my heart' is an example of an imperative sentence. What does this grammatical choice emphasize about the speaker's attitude toward God?

17. The verbs 'break, blow, burn' in the fourth line create a prominent sound device through the repetition of the 'B' consonant sound. What is this device called?

18. What is the main theme introduced by the startling final paradox: 'Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, / Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me'?

19. As a Metaphysical poet, John Donne often wrote with a personal and dramatic tone. How is this tone best demonstrated in 'Batter my heart'?

20. The three gentle verbs that God has used but which the speaker finds ineffective are 'knock, breathe, shine.' What Christian concept is 'shine' most likely referencing?

 

Girdhari Lal Suthar

Girdhari Lal Suthar is a dedicated Senior Teacher in English and the founder of Gyankundli.com. With 1.9 years of blogging experience, he shares valuable content on English Grammar, Literature, Language, and Educational updates, helping aspirants, students and teachers stay informed and prepared.

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