Will It Be So Again

Question 1

Poem title and author

Answer 1

“Will it be so again”, Louis MacNiece

Question 2

Central theme 1

Answer 2

Cyclical nature of existence & reputation of human patterns (good and bad)

Question 3

Central theme 2

Answer 3

Uncertainty and questioning about the future of humanity’s ability to learn from the past

Question 4

Central theme 3

Answer 4

The power of indifference in nature vs human transient concerns

Question 5

Central theme 2

Answer 5

Uncertainty and questioning about the future of humanity’s ability to learn from the past

Question 6

Poetic structure

Answer 6

Free verse but with consistent tercet (3 line stanza)

Question 7

Rhyme scheme

Answer 7

No consistent rhyme, contributes to poems contemplative and natural flow

Question 8

Stanza structure

Answer 8

Consistent tercets (3 line stanzas), providing a measured pace for the philosophical questions

Question 9

POV

Answer 9

Speaker is questioning, reflective voice, contemplating human history and the future

Question 10

Literary device (repetition)

Answer 10

Rhetorical question (“will it be so again?”) highlights a doubt and a yearning for understanding

Question 11

Literary device (imagery of nature)

Answer 11

“the turning world,” “The birds come out of the East,” “wind” – natural imagery that represents ongoing cycles beyond human control.

Question 12

Literary Device: Metaphor (Future)

Answer 12

“the dark drops of the future” – implying that the future is unseen, potentially ominous, and unfolds incrementally.

Question 13

Literary Device: Alliteration

Answer 13

“the turning world” (stanza 1) – contributes to the musicality and emphasis of the constant movement.

Question 14

Tone of the Poem

Answer 14

Contemplative, questioning, reflective, and slightly anxious due to the uncertainty it expresses.

Question 15

Significance of “the turning world”

Answer 15

Represents the passage of time and the continuous, unceasing movement of existence.

Question 16

Tone of the Poem

Answer 16

Contemplative, questioning, reflective, and slightly anxious due to the uncertainty it expresses.

Question 17

The “voices” the speaker addresses

Answer 17

Could represent collective human experience, wisdom, or even abstract forces that have witnessed history.

Question 18

Who is the “Answerer”?

Answer 18

An abstract entity or force that possesses knowledge of the future, but remains silent or elusive.

Question 19

Interpretation of “Nothing is built on nothing”

Answer 19

Suggests that everything has a cause or consequence, and current events are rooted in past actions or conditions.

Question 20

Significance of “The world is on the move”

Answer 20

Reinforces the idea of constant change and progression, but without necessarily implying improvement.

Question 21

The “human heart” in the poem

Answer 21

Represents human emotions, desires, and the consistent (and often unchanging) nature of human reactions to events.

Question 22

The “wind” as a symbol

Answer 22

Represents change, unpredictability, and the forces beyond human control that sweep through history.

Question 23

Ambiguity in the poem

Answer 23

The lack of a definitive answer to the central question creates a sense of open-endedness and perpetual uncertainty.

Question 24

Overall message about certainty/uncertainty

Answer 24

The poem suggests that while patterns repeat, the future remains fundamentally uncertain, and humanity perpetually faces the same dilemmas.

Question 25

The effect of ending with a question mark

Answer 25

Leaves the reader to ponder the question and consider their own perspective on humanity's cycles and the future.

Question 26

Connection to philosophical ideas (e.g., determinism/existentialism)

Answer 26

Touches on determinism (will things always repeat?) and existentialism (the burden of free will and responsibility in an uncertain world).