Eng 11—Opdahl/Stanley/Reed/Vannoy
Read Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “El Dorado” and answer the following questions.
(look up the word “bedight” to understand the first line)
1. What does “El Dorado” mean in Spanish? (look this up—choose the proper
name)
Cityu of gold
2. What historical event relating to gold took place in 1849, the same year the
poem was written? (look this up) California gold rush
3. What is the "gallant knight’s quest? To find eldorado
4. What is some imagery of the first stanza (give at least 2) and what does it
suggest about the knight's pursuit? Singing a song
Sunshine and shadow
5. What is the mood of the opening stanza of “Eldorado?”
a. Gloomy
b. Happy
c. Tragic
d. Sarcastic
6. Stanza 2: There are at least 2 instances of alliteration (repeated beginning
sound of words)
Felt, found
Looked, liked
7. What happens to the knight in stanza 2?
He gets old and still hasn’t found the city of gold
8. What happens in the 2nd half of the poem?
A. Who is the “pilgrim shadow” in line 15? death
B. Who is the “shade” in line 23? Grim reaper
C. The allusion “Down the Valley of the Shadow” is an allusion to _valley of
shadows of death_________________________________.
D. What happens to the knight? ______he
dies__________________________________________
9. Write out the rhyme scheme below. Is it important to the poem? Why or why
not?
AABCCB
10.The theme of “Eldorado” can be best described as the
a. The pursuit of thrilling adventure
b. Death comes to us all
c. The pursuit of an unattainable goal
d. The pursuit and love of money
