Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die'

In our fourth lesson on the poem 'If We Must Die', we will look at the sonnet form and see what Claude McKay has in common with William Shakespeare. We will look at how McKay uses and plays with a tradition of poetry which stretches back over 800 years.

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Quiz:

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Before we start this lesson, let’s see what you can remember from this topic. Here’s a quick quiz!

Q1.What is imagery?

A picture which you see next to the poemThe five senses: sight, sound, taste, smell and touchLanguage which draws on the five senses to build pictures in your mindIt is your imagination

1/8

Q2.What is a metaphor?

A word or phrase used to describe something by comparing it to something else using ‘like’ or ‘as’.A word or a phrase used to describe something as if it were something elseA word or phrase which sounds like the sound that it makesA word or phrase which draws on the five senses to build pictures

2/8

Q3.Which of these is a simile to describe the treatment of the oppressed in the poem?

Like monstersLike dogsLike precious bloodLike hogs

3/8

Q4.Which quotation includes brutal bestial imagery?

'thousand blows''like hogs''mad and hungry dogs''If We Must Die'

4/8

Q5.What does it mean to be dignified?

Acting like animalsNoble, honourable and calmNervous and scaredOppressed

5/8

Q6.What can we call these letters: t, k, p d, g, and b?

PlosivesSpittersExplosivesPlurals

6/8

Q7.Which of these words from the poem contains plosives?

BarkVainLiesMen

7/8

Q8.Why does McKay use plosives in 'If We Must Die'?

To create a beautiful imageTo make the poem explodeTo create harsh, violent but also inspiring soundsTo use figurative language

8/8

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >

Quiz:

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Before we start this lesson, let’s see what you can remember from this topic. Here’s a quick quiz!

Q1.What is imagery?

A picture which you see next to the poemThe five senses: sight, sound, taste, smell and touchLanguage which draws on the five senses to build pictures in your mindIt is your imagination

1/8

Q2.What is a metaphor?

2/8

Q3.Which of these is a simile to describe the treatment of the oppressed in the poem?

Like monstersLike dogsLike precious bloodLike hogs

3/8

Q4.Which quotation includes brutal bestial imagery?

'thousand blows''like hogs''mad and hungry dogs''If We Must Die'

4/8

Q5.What does it mean to be dignified?

Acting like animalsNoble, honourable and calmNervous and scaredOppressed

5/8

Q6.What can we call these letters: t, k, p d, g, and b?

PlosivesSpittersExplosivesPlurals

6/8

Q7.Which of these words from the poem contains plosives?

BarkVainLiesMen

7/8

Q8.Why does McKay use plosives in 'If We Must Die'?

To create a beautiful imageTo make the poem explodeTo create harsh, violent but also inspiring soundsTo use figurative language

8/8

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This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

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Quiz:

Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die' - Quiz

Use these questions to test your knowledge of Lesson 4: Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die'. Good luck!

Q1.What does a sonnet contain?

Oppression and dangerous language14 lines, iambic pentameter, a tight rhyme scheme and a voltaLove, tradition and conflictRhyming couplets, a loose metre and a cyclical structure

1/8

Q2.Why did Claude McKay use the sonnet form for 'If We Must Die'?

Because he loved ShakespeareBecause he did not know any other forms of poetryBecause he was writing traditionally about loveBecause he wanted the poem to be a dignified response to oppression

2/8

Q3.What is iambic pentameter?

A metre which has 5 pairs of syllables following the pattern: stressed, unstressedA metre which is a heartbeatA metre which was invented by ShakespeareA metre which has 5 syllables in each line

3/8

Q4.Why might McKay use iambic pentameter?

To sound really frightened and worriedSo that he doesn't get told off about using the wrong metreTo deliver a controlled but inspiring response to the violenceTo sound like a heartbeat which is a pulse

4/8

Q5.What is the rhyme scheme of 'If We Must Die'?

ABBA ABBA CDCDCDABAB CDCD EFEF GHGHAABB CCDD EEFF GGABAB CDCD EFED FF GG

5/8

Q6.Why does McKay use the rhyme pairs 'die-defy', 'brave-grave' and 'back-pack'?

To show that his community will fight back against the threat of deathTo show that he is a good poet who can rhymeBecause these are the rhymes of the sonnet formBecause he wanted to emphasise the sadness of death

6/8

Q7.What is a volta?

A time to turn back on yourselfA type of pole used in gymnasticsA turn of thought or argumentA form of poetry

7/8

Q8.Which of these lines is the volta in the poem 'If We Must Die'?

'While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs''Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack''O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!''So that our precious blood may not be shed'

8/8

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >

Quiz:

Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die' - Quiz

Use these questions to test your knowledge of Lesson 4: Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die'. Good luck!

Q1.What does a sonnet contain?

Oppression and dangerous language14 lines, iambic pentameter, a tight rhyme scheme and a voltaLove, tradition and conflictRhyming couplets, a loose metre and a cyclical structure

1/8

Q2.Why did Claude McKay use the sonnet form for 'If We Must Die'?

Because he loved ShakespeareBecause he did not know any other forms of poetryBecause he was writing traditionally about loveBecause he wanted the poem to be a dignified response to oppression

2/8

Q3.What is iambic pentameter?

A metre which has 5 pairs of syllables following the pattern: stressed, unstressedA metre which is a heartbeatA metre which was invented by ShakespeareA metre which has 5 syllables in each line

3/8

Q4.Why might McKay use iambic pentameter?

4/8

Q5.What is the rhyme scheme of 'If We Must Die'?

ABBA ABBA CDCDCDABAB CDCD EFEF GHGHAABB CCDD EEFF GGABAB CDCD EFED FF GG

5/8

Q6.Why does McKay use the rhyme pairs 'die-defy', 'brave-grave' and 'back-pack'?

6/8

Q7.What is a volta?

A time to turn back on yourselfA type of pole used in gymnasticsA turn of thought or argumentA form of poetry

7/8

Q8.Which of these lines is the volta in the poem 'If We Must Die'?

'While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs''Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack''O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!''So that our precious blood may not be shed'

8/8

Lesson summary: Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die'

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Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die'

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Video

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die' - Quiz

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die' - Quiz

Lesson summary: Form and Structure in 'If We Must Die'

It looks like you have not completed one of the quizzes.

Time to move!

The next lesson in: The sonnet through time: 'If we must die', Claude McKay is: Writing about 'If We Must Die'

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The next lesson in:
The sonnet through time: 'If we must die', Claude McKay
is:
Writing about 'If We Must Die'