The Glove and the Lions

1. What is the setting of the poem?

1. • A medieval battlefield
2. • A royal court with a lion pit
3. • A gladiator arena
4. • A jousting tournament

Answer: A royal court with a lion pit

2. What prompts the lady to drop her glove into the lion pit?

1. • A dare from the king
2. • A desire to test her lover's courage
3. • An accident
4. • A playful prank

Answer: A desire to test her lover's courage

3. How does the Count de Lorge react to the lady's action?

1. • He refuses to retrieve the glove.
2. • He hesitates but eventually retrieves it.
3. • He bravely retrieves the glove and returns it to her.
4. • He retrieves the glove and throws it back in her face.

Answer: He retrieves the glove and throws it back in her face.

4. What is King Francis's reaction to the Count's actions?

1. • He is angry and condemns the Count's behavior.
2. • He is amused and praises the Count's bravery.
3. • He is indifferent and doesn't comment.
4. • He is impressed and rewards the Count.

Answer: He is amused and praises the Count's bravery.

5. What is the main theme of the poem?

1. • The dangers of pride and vanity
2. • The importance of true love and courage
3. • The power of royalty and the court
4. • The brutality of animal entertainment

Answer: The importance of true love and courage

6. What literary device is used in the line 'gave blows like beams'?

1. • Simile
2. • Metaphor
3. • Personification
4. • Hyperbole

Answer: Simile

7. What does the phrase 'the occasion is divine' suggest about the lady's perspective?

1. • She is deeply religious.
2. • She sees this as an opportunity for personal gain.
3. • She believes in fate and destiny.
4. • She is genuinely concerned for the Count's safety

Answer: She believes in fate and destiny.

8. What is the Count's motivation for throwing the glove back in the lady's face?

1. • Anger at her reckless behavior
2. • Disappointment in her lack of true love
3. • A desire to humiliate her in public
4. • A playful gesture to match her prank

Answer: Anger at her reckless behavior

Question: What does the last line of the poem mean?

Answer: The last line, 'No love,' quoth he, 'but vanity, sets love a task like that,' encapsulates the King's judgment on the situation. It means that the lady's act of dropping her glove was not motivated by genuine love for the Count, but rather by her own vanity and desire for attention and admiration. True love, the King implies, wouldn't put someone in unnecessary danger for such a frivolous reason.

Question: What action led to the final lines?

Answer: The King's final pronouncement, 'No love,' quoth he, 'but vanity, sets love a task like that,' serves as a concise commentary on the events that transpired. It underscores that the lady's actions were driven not by genuine affection for the Count, but rather by her own self-centered desire for attention and admiration. True love, as the King astutely observes, would never recklessly endanger another's life for such a trivial and ego-driven pursuit.

Question: What is the setting of the poem?

Answer: The setting of the poem is a royal court where a spectacle involving lions is taking place. The presence of King Francis, nobles, and ladies indicates a grand and formal environment.

Question: What is the main theme of the poem?

Answer: The main theme of the poem is the critique of vanity and the exploration of true love versus superficial displays of affection. It highlights how pride and the desire for admiration can lead to reckless and inconsiderate actions, contrasting this with the selflessness and genuine concern characteristic of true love.