Fear No More

Fear No More

In this poem, Shakespeare reminds us that death is a natural and inevitable part of life. No matter how powerful, beautiful, or accomplished we may be, everyone eventually “comes to dust.” He uses vivid natural imagery—the heat of the sun, the fury of winter, the flash of lightning—to illustrate that, just as nature follows its cycles, so too do our lives end. This message of equality in death suggests that all human distinctions and worldly achievements lose their importance when faced with mortality, offering a quiet consolation that death, rather than being feared, is a universal and natural conclusion.

Fear no more the heat o' the sun. 

Nor the furious winter's rages; 

Thou thy worldly task hast done, 

Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages: 

Golden lads and girls all must, 

As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o' the great, 

Thou art past the tyrant's stroke: 

Care no more to clothe and eat: 

To thee the reed is as the oak: 

The sceptre, learning, physic, must All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash. 

Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone: 

Fear not slander, censure rash; 

Thou hast finished joy and moan: 

All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

1. What is the central theme of the poem?

• A. The inevitability and natural cycle of death
• B. The triumph of youth over age
• C. The power of human ambition
• D. The beauty of nature’s seasons

Correct Answer: A. The inevitability and natural cycle of death

2. In the phrase “come to dust,” what does “dust” most nearly symbolize?

• A. Wealth and prosperity
• B. Decay and the end of life
• C. Purity and renewal
• D. The essence of beauty

Correct Answer: B. Decay and the end of life

3. The comparison of “golden lads and girls” to “chimney-sweepers” implies that:

• A. Only the poor face death
• B. Death levels all social distinctions
• C. Children are especially vulnerable
• D. Hard work is unrewarded

Correct Answer: B. Death levels all social distinctions

4. What does the line “Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke” suggest?

• A. The person has escaped worldly oppression
• B. The person has been physically injured
• C. The person has defied a cruel ruler
• D. The person is too old to feel pain

Correct Answer: A. The person has escaped worldly oppression

5. The expression “the reed is as the oak” most likely means that:

• A. Weakness is superior to strength
• B. In death, physical differences or strengths are irrelevant
• C. Nature always wins over man
• D. Learning and wisdom are fragile

Correct Answer: B. In death, physical differences or strengths are irrelevant

6. Which literary device is most evident in the repeated phrase “come to dust”?

• A. Simile
• B. Metaphor
• C. Alliteration
• D. Irony

Correct Answer: B. Metaphor

7. How is death portrayed in the poem?

• A. As a fearful and punishing force
• B. As a natural, even consoling part of life
• C. As an unpredictable accident
• D. As a temporary state before rebirth

Correct Answer: B. As a natural, even consoling part of life

8. The reference to “the sceptre, learning, physic” represents:

• A. The different aspects of power and knowledge in life
• B. A criticism of the education system
• C. A call for scientific advancement
• D. A dismissal of traditional values

Correct Answer: A. The different aspects of power and knowledge in life

9. What tone best describes the overall mood of the poem?

• A. Jubilant and celebratory
• B. Somber yet consoling
• C. Angry and rebellious
• D. Mysterious and elusive

Correct Answer: B. Somber yet consoling

10. Which of the following best captures the poem’s message about human achievements?

• A. They grant eternal life
• B. They are ultimately transient
• C. They create lasting legacies
• D. They define one’s identity forever

Correct Answer: B. They are ultimately transient

11. In the context of the poem, “fear no more” is used to encourage the reader to:

• A. Embrace life’s pleasures without worry
• B. Accept the natural end of life without dread
• C. Avoid conflict and criticism
• D. Strive for eternal fame

Correct Answer: B. Accept the natural end of life without dread

12. Which social commentary is subtly woven into the poem?

• A. A call for social reform and justice
• B. An assertion that death is the great equalizer
• C. A critique of economic inequality
• D. An endorsement of aristocratic values

Correct Answer: B. An assertion that death is the great equalizer

13. The mention of natural elements such as “heat o’ the sun” and “furious winter’s rages” serves to:

• A. Contrast the comfort of life with the brutality of nature
• B. Highlight the unpredictable nature of weather
• C. Symbolize the various challenges faced in life before death
• D. Emphasize the inevitability of nature’s cycle, paralleling life and death

Correct Answer: D. Emphasize the inevitability of nature’s cycle, paralleling life and death

14. How does Shakespeare use imagery in the poem?

• A. To paint a vivid picture of a celebratory afterlife
• B. To illustrate the harsh realities of nature and mortality
• C. To distract the reader from the sorrow of death
• D. To describe the beauty of a particular season

Correct Answer: B. To illustrate the harsh realities of nature and mortality

15. Which statement is NOT supported by the poem’s content?

• A. Death is a universal fate that spares no one
• B. Human achievements and power are ultimately insignificant
• C. Life’s struggles are eternal and everlasting
• D. All individuals, regardless of status, face the same end

Correct Answer: C. Life’s struggles are eternal and everlasting