English Literature MCQ – Change your future

931. The Primary Narrator for Books Eleven and Twelve of "Paradise Lost, " who relates future events is which of the following?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) Michael

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: In "Paradise Lost," the narrator changes in Books XI and XII to Michael, who prophesies the future to Adam.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing Michael with other characters like Raphael or Adam, who have different roles in the narrative.

Explanations: Michael is the primary narrator in Books XI and XII, where he relates future events to Adam. This is a specific narrative choice by Milton to convey the prophetic nature of these books.

Option Analysis:

Option A: The Son is a central character but does not narrate these books.
Option B: Raphael is an angel who visits Adam earlier in the poem but is not the narrator here.
Option C: Michael is the correct narrator for these books, as he prophesies to Adam.
Option D: Adam is the recipient of the prophecy but does not narrate the events.

Mnemonic: Michael's Might Predicts Man's Fate

932. Against which of the following principles did Jonathan Swift inveigh?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: D) A, b, and c.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Jonathan Swift criticized theoretical science, metaphysics, and abstract logical deductions for being impractical and speculative.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding Swift's specific criticisms or conflating them with other intellectual movements.

Explanations: Swift opposed theoretical science, metaphysics, and abstract logical deductions, viewing them as disconnected from practical life and leading to harmful ideas.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Swift criticized theoretical science for being impractical.
Option B: He opposed metaphysics as speculative.
Option C: Abstract logical deductions were seen as disconnected from reality.
Option D: Correctly combines all three criticisms.

Mnemonic: Swift Disliked Abstract Metaphysics and Theoretical Science (SDAMTS)

933. The character named Comus is often seen by critics as a prototype of what character Milton later portrayed?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) Satan.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature, AQA English Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Comus from Milton's early work shares traits with Satan in "Paradise Lost," such as rebellion and persuasive rhetoric.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding the connection between Milton's early and later works.

Explanations: Comus is a seductive and cunning character in Milton's "Comus." Critics see similarities between Comus and Satan in "Paradise Lost," particularly in their rebellious and persuasive nature. Both characters embody a sense of defiance and use rhetoric to influence others.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Jesus is a figure of redemption, opposite to Comus's character.
Option B: Samson is a tragic hero, not resembling Comus's traits.
Option C: Satan shares Comus's rebellious and persuasive nature.
Option D: Adam represents innocence, unlike Comus's deliberate seduction.

Mnemonic: Comus to Satan: Rebel and Rhetoric.

934. Which of the following is not indebted to the Gothic genre?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) Tobias Smollett's Roderick Randsom

Exam Relevance: AQA A-Level English Literature, Cambridge Pre-U Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Gothic literature is characterized by elements such as supernatural occurrences, gloomy settings, and themes of horror and romance.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing picaresque novels with Gothic literature, as both may involve adventure but lack the supernatural elements.

Explanations: Roderick Randsom is a picaresque novel focusing on adventures and moral lessons without typical Gothic elements. Other options are classic Gothic works.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Vathek is a Gothic novel with supernatural elements.
Option B: The Monk is a Gothic work with supernatural themes.
Option C: Roderick Randsom is a picaresque novel, not Gothic.
Option D: The Italian is a Gothic novel with suspense and romance.

935. What is the original meaning of the term Hamartia?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) To miss the mark.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Hamartia refers to a tragic flaw or error in judgment leading to a character's downfall, originating from the Greek meaning "to miss the mark."

Common Mistakes: Confusing Hamartia with sin or a general flaw rather than a specific error in judgment.

Explanations: Hamartia's original meaning is rooted in the Greek term for missing a target, which metaphorically represents a character's mistake leading to tragedy.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct, as it reflects the Greek origin of the term.
Option B: Incorrect, as Hamartia is not equivalent to sin.
Option C: Incorrect, though related, it is not the original meaning.
Option D: Incorrect, as it is too broad.

Mnemonic: Hamartia: Missing the Mark, Leading to Tragedy.

936. Which of the following is a rule of semiotics?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) All linguistic and social phenomena are texts, and the object of studying these texts is to reveal the underlying codes that make them meaningful.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Semiotics is the study of signs and their meanings. It posits that all forms of communication can be analyzed as texts to uncover underlying codes.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding semiotics as solely historical or tied to class struggle.

Explanations: Semiotics examines how signs and codes create meaning in texts, including language and social interactions. It emphasizes context and interpretation.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect; semiotics is not limited to historical responses.
Option B: Correct; aligns with semiotic principles of analyzing texts for underlying codes.
Option C: Incorrect; ties linguistics to class struggle, not a general semiotic rule.
Option D: Incorrect; limits meaning to historical context, ignoring semiotic codes.

Mnemonic: Semiotics: Signs, Codes, and Contexts

937. Which work of Dr. Johnson is a biographical-cum-critical account of fifty-two poets?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) Lives of the Poets.

Exam Relevance: GRE Subject Test in Literature, SAT Subject Test in Literature.

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Samuel Johnson's "Lives of the Poets" is a biographical and critical work that profiles fifty-two poets.

Common Mistakes: Confusing "Lives of the Poets" with Johnson's other works like "The Rambler" or "Rasselas."

Explanations: "Lives of the Poets" is a biographical-cum-critical work by Samuel Johnson that provides detailed accounts of fifty-two poets, combining their biographies with critical analyses of their works.

Option Analysis:

Option A: "The Rambler" is a series of essays, not a biographical work on poets.
Option B: "Lives of the Poets" is the correct answer as it is a biographical-cum-critical work on poets.
Option C: "Rasselas" is a novel, unrelated to biographies of poets.
Option D: Incorrect, as "Lives of the Poets" is the correct answer.

Mnemonic: Lives for Poets, Johnson's Biographies.

938. 'Nature never did betray the heart that loved her' is a quotation.

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) William Wordsworth.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature.

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The quotation is from William Wordsworth's poem "The Tables Turned," reflecting his Romantic view of nature.

Common Mistakes: Confusion with other Romantic poets like Shelley or Keats.

Explanations: William Wordsworth wrote the line in "The Tables Turned," expressing nature's fidelity to those who love it.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct, as the line is from Wordsworth's poem.
Option B: Incorrect; B. J. Baryon is not a known literary figure.
Option C: Incorrect; P. B. Shelley did not write this line.
Option D: Incorrect; J. Keats did not author this line.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

939. Mr. Rochester is the major character of:

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) Jane Eyre.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The question tests knowledge of major characters in English literature.

Common Mistakes: Confusing Mr. Rochester with other authors' characters.

Explanations: Mr. Rochester is the male protagonist in "Jane Eyre," known for his complex personality and relationship with Jane. The other options are unrelated to him.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Silas Marner is a novel by George Eliot, featuring Silas Marner as the main character, not Mr. Rochester.
Option B: Jane Eyre is the correct novel where Mr. Rochester is the major character.
Option C: Jude the Obscure is a novel by Thomas Hardy, with Jude Fawley as the main character.
Option D: Adam Bede is a novel by George Eliot, with Adam Bede as the main character.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

940. In Ulysses, to what does Bloom often compare life?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) A stream.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Easy

Concept notes: Leopold Bloom in *Ulysses* often reflects on life as a flowing stream, symbolizing its continuous and dynamic nature.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding Bloom's metaphors or confusing them with other characters' perspectives.

Explanations: Bloom compares life to a stream to emphasize its ever-changing and flowing quality, reflecting his contemplative and philosophical nature.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Incorrect; Bloom does not compare life to a newspaper.
Option B: Correct; Bloom's metaphor for life is a stream.
Option C: Incorrect; Bloom does not associate life with a law.
Option D: Incorrect; While Bloom is intellectual, he does not use a book as a metaphor for life.

Mnemonic: "Bloom's Stream of Life"

941. Jonson's importance does not of course depend on his theory of comedy, but upon his success as a.....

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) Comic dramatist.

Exam Relevance: GRE Subject Test in Literature

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Ben Jonson's significance in English literature is primarily due to his achievements as a comic dramatist.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding Jonson's primary contribution as a critic or novelist rather than a dramatist.

Explanations: Ben Jonson is renowned for his comic plays, which are central to his literary importance. His success as a comic dramatist is evident in works like "Volpone" and "The Alchemist," which are celebrated for their wit and satirical elements. His role as a critic or novelist does not hold the same prominence in his literary legacy.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. Jonson's importance stems from his success in writing comedies.
Option B: Incorrect. While Jonson did write some critical works, his primary significance is not as a critic.
Option C: Incorrect. Jonson is not primarily known for his novels.
Option D: Incorrect. The correct answer is explicitly provided in Option A.

Mnemonic: Comic Jonson, Dramatic Success.

942. Shakespeareâ€™s "Sonnet 153" is what kind of poem?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: B) A poem about love.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Easy

Concept notes: Shakespeare's "Sonnet 153" is a love sonnet that explores themes of affection and the impact of love.

Common Mistakes: Misreading the sonnet's theme or confusing it with other Shakespearean sonnets.

Explanations: "Sonnet 153" focuses on love, describing its transformative and enduring nature. The poem does not address death, poetry writing, or Shakespeare's personal life.

Option Analysis:

Option A: The sonnet does not discuss death.
Option B: The poem's central theme is love.
Option C: It is not about writing poetry.
Option D: The poem does not mention Shakespeare's father.

Mnemonic: Love's Light in Sonnet 153

943. "The Trumpet of prophecy! O wind. If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" Who is the poet of these lines?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: A) P.B. Shelley.

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, AP English Literature and Composition

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The question tests recognition of a famous literary excerpt and its author.

Common Mistakes: A common mistake might be confusing Shelley with other Romantic poets like Keats or Wordsworth.

Explanations: The lines are from Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind," a well-known poem in English literature. The other options are poets from the same era but are not associated with these lines.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Correct. The lines are from Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind."
Option B: Incorrect. William Wordsworth is known for "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," not these lines.
Option C: Incorrect. John Keats wrote "Ode to a Nightingale," not these lines.
Option D: Incorrect. Robert Browning is known for dramatic monologues like "My Last Duchess," not these lines.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

944. Who wrote 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty'?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) John Keats

Exam Relevance: GCSE English Literature, A-Level English Literature

Difficulty: Very Easy

Concept notes: The quote "Beauty is truth, truth beauty" is a well-known line from John Keats' poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn."

Common Mistakes: A common mistake is confusing the quote with other Romantic poets like Wordsworth or Shakespeare.

Explanations: John Keats wrote the line "Beauty is truth, truth beauty" in his poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn." This line reflects Keats' belief in the interconnectedness of beauty and truth. Shakespeare is known for his plays and sonnets, not this specific quote. Wordsworth focused on nature and emotion in his poetry, and Eliot is associated with modernist works, neither of which include this line.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Shakespeare did not write this quote; it is from Keats' poetry.
Option B: Wordsworth's work does not include this specific line.
Option C: John Keats wrote the line in "Ode on a Grecian Urn."
Option D: Eliot's poetry does not contain this quote.

Mnemonic: No mnemonic.

945. What statement below best sums up the literary significance of Thoreau?

Correct Answer: Correct answer is: C) Self-reliance.

Exam Relevance: AP English Literature Exam

Difficulty: Moderate

Concept notes: Henry David Thoreau is renowned for his philosophy of self-reliance, which advocates for individualism and independence from societal constraints.

Common Mistakes: Misunderstanding Thoreau's contributions, such as confusing him with other literary figures or movements.

Explanations: Thoreau's work, especially "Walden," promotes self-reliance as a means to achieve personal freedom and authenticity. This philosophy is a cornerstone of his literary significance.

Option Analysis:

Option A: Thoreau is not known as the father of free verse; this is more associated with poets like Walt Whitman.
Option B: Thoreau is not recognized as the father of American poetry; this title is often attributed to figures like Philip Freneau.
Option C: Correct. Thoreau's philosophy of self-reliance is central to his literary significance.
Option D: Thoreau is not referred to as the father of American literature; this title is often given to writers like William Bradford or John Smith.

Mnemonic: Self-Reliance: Thoreau's Signature

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10 thoughts on “English Literature MCQ - Set 63”

Mani January 4, 2020

You’re might me mistaken For this which poet called himself ” I awake one morning and found myself famous” The Answer is Shelley.

I think u might me mistaken
Anwar Ahmad January 4, 2020

Nice efforts
Anwar Ahmad January 6, 2020

Good practice method
Narinder Singh March 26, 2020

I need objective type questions
Anonymous June 3, 2020

Good practise method
Anonymous September 19, 2020

Lord Byron
Susil October 17, 2020

Great information. I like it.
Anonymous February 2, 2021

Byron
Anonymous September 12, 2021

Lord byron
Lucky November 19, 2022

very nice . its very usefull for us

10 thoughts on “English Literature MCQ - Set 63”

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