TRB BT Assistant - Sidney, Dryden, Johnson, Coleridge, Arnold and Eliot Online Test (MCQ Quiz)

1. In his 'Defence of Poesie', Sir Philip Sidney argues that poetry's primary function is to:

A) Provide moral instruction and delight B) Critique political institutions C) Document historical events accurately D) Explore subjective emotional states

2. Sir Philip Sidney defends poetry against charges of being a 'mother of lies' by emphasizing its:

A) Imitative nature and its ability to represent universal truths B) Allegorical interpretations and hidden meanings C) Connection to divine inspiration and prophecy D) Entertainment value and escapism

3. Which of the following is a key argument made by John Dryden in 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy'?

A) The superiority of English drama to French and classical forms B) The necessity of adhering strictly to Aristotelian unities C) The importance of rhyme in dramatic verse D) The dominance of the playwright over the actors

4. John Dryden, in 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy', defends the use of rhyme in English tragedy, arguing it:

A) Elevates the subject matter and distinguishes tragedy from comedy B) Mimics the natural flow of speech C) Is a convention easily understood by all audiences D) Is essential for conveying complex philosophical ideas

5. Samuel Johnson's 'Preface to Shakespeare' defends Shakespeare against contemporary criticisms, particularly concerning:

A) His disregard for the classical unities of time, place, and action B) His use of excessive violence and gore C) His limited vocabulary and unrefined language D) His lack of originality and reliance on classical sources

6. Samuel Johnson argues that Shakespeare's adherence to nature, rather than strict classical rules, is a strength because it allows for:

A) Greater emotional resonance and universal appeal B) More complex plot structures C) A more accurate historical representation D) A clearer moral message

7. In 'Biographia Literaria', Samuel Taylor Coleridge distinguishes between imagination and fancy, defining imagination as:

A) A creative, unifying power that dissolves and fuses B) A mechanical process of associating ideas C) A passive reception of sensory impressions D) A faculty solely concerned with aesthetic beauty

8. Coleridge's concept of the 'secondary imagination' in 'Biographia Literaria' refers to its ability to:

A) Co-exist with the conscious will and modify external nature B) Replicate external reality without alteration C) Operate solely on pre-existing ideas D) Be limited to the realm of dreams and fantasy

9. Matthew Arnold, in 'The Study of Poetry', defines poetry as:

A) A criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty B) A means of escaping from the harsh realities of the world C) A purely subjective expression of the poet's feelings D) A historical document reflecting societal values

10. Matthew Arnold advocates for the 'touchstone method' in 'The Study of Poetry' as a way to:

A) Evaluate the quality and authenticity of poetry by comparing it to great works B) Categorize poems based on their subject matter C) Analyze the historical context of poetic production D) Determine the moral impact of a poem

11. According to Matthew Arnold, the decline of religion necessitates the rise of poetry as a means to:

A) Provide moral guidance and spiritual solace B) Entertain and distract the masses C) Promote political activism D) Preserve historical narratives

12. T.S. Eliot, in 'Tradition and the Individual Talent', argues that the poet's primary goal is to:

A) Impersonally express emotion and contribute to the ongoing tradition B) Express their unique personal experiences and feelings C) Challenge established literary conventions D) Create overtly political or social commentary

13. T.S. Eliot's concept of 'tradition' in 'Tradition and the Individual Talent' implies:

A) A dynamic, continuous interaction between the past and the present, influencing both B) A static adherence to the works of past masters C) A rejection of all preceding literary works D) A focus solely on contemporary literary trends

14. In 'Tradition and the Individual Talent', T.S. Eliot asserts that 'the progress of an artist is a continual self-sacrifice, a continual extinction of personality.' This refers to:

A) The poet's need to subordinate their individual feelings to the demands of the art B) The artist's dedication to personal suffering for the sake of creation C) The inevitable decline of an artist's powers over time D) The necessity of abandoning one's personal life for art

15. Sir Philip Sidney's 'Defence of Poesie' is often considered a response to which contemporary criticism?

A) Stephen Gosson's 'The School of Abuse' B) Ben Jonson's 'Discoveries' C) George Puttenham's 'The Arte of English Poesie' D) Gabriel Harvey's 'Three Letters'

16. Sidney categorizes poetry in 'Defence of Poesie' into three main types::

A) Heroical, Lyrical, and Comical-Historical B) Tragic, Comic, and Romantic C) Epic, Lyric, and Dramatic D) Pastoral, Satirical, and Allegorical

17. What is the central debate in John Dryden's 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy'?

A) The merits of English versus French drama, and the use of rhyme B) The superiority of tragedy over comedy C) The influence of classical authors on English playwrights D) The role of the audience in theatrical production

18. Dryden's characters in 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy' engage in a debate, with Neander often seen as representing Dryden's own views. Neander supports:

A) The 'moderns' and their innovations in English drama B) The strict adherence to classical rules C) The dominance of French dramatic theory D) The supremacy of ancient Greek playwrights

19. Samuel Johnson's 'Preface to Shakespeare' defends Shakespeare's mixture of tragedy and comedy, arguing that:

A) Life itself is a mixture of joy and sorrow B) Such mixtures are a sign of artistic immaturity C) Classical tragedies always maintain a single tone D) Comedy detracts from the seriousness of tragic themes

20. Johnson praises Shakespeare's characters for being:

A) Representatives of the general human nature B) Embodiments of specific historical figures C) Idealized portraits of virtue D) Exaggerated stereotypes for comic effect

21. Coleridge's 'primary imagination' in 'Biographia Literaria' is described as:

A) The living power and prime agent of all human perception B) A secondary faculty used for artistic creation C) The ability to recall past experiences vividly D) The capacity for abstract thought and reasoning

22. Coleridge's critique of 'fancy' in 'Biographia Literaria' suggests it is:

A) A mode of memory emancipated from the order of time and space B) The engine of creation in the human mind C) The faculty that allows us to perceive universal truths D) The source of poetic genius

23. Matthew Arnold's concept of 'culture' in 'Culture and Anarchy' is presented as:

A) The best that has been known and thought in the world B) A means of social stratification C) A purely intellectual pursuit detached from practical life D) An exclusive domain of the elite

24. In 'The Study of Poetry', Arnold uses the example of Dante's lines on meeting Ulysses to illustrate:

A) The sublime power and authenticity of great poetry B) The historical context of the Divine Comedy C) The allegorical meaning of Ulysses' journey D) The limitations of medieval Italian poetry

25. T.S. Eliot's concept of the 'objective correlative' (though not explicitly named in 'Tradition and the Individual Talent') relates to the idea that:

A) Emotion is conveyed through a specific set of objects, situations, or events B) Poetry should directly express the poet's feelings C) The poet's personal experiences are paramount D) Abstract ideas are the main subject of poetry

26. What does T.S. Eliot mean by 'negative capability' in relation to the poet?

A) The ability to exist in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason B) The capacity to criticize society harshly C) The power to create entirely new poetic forms D) The skill of writing poetry that is easily understood

27. Sir Philip Sidney argues that the poet is a 'maker' or 'copier' who:

A) Creates a 'second nature' that is more perfect than the first B) Merely imitates existing reality without interpretation C) Is limited to describing factual events D) Should focus on reproducing nature exactly

28. Dryden, in 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy', discusses the 'ancients' and 'moderns' debate. He generally shows respect for the ancients but:

A) Argues that moderns have surpassed them in certain respects B) Believes the ancients are inimitable C) Considers modern literature inferior D) Advocates for a return to classical forms exclusively

29. Samuel Johnson's defense of Shakespeare's language in 'Preface to Shakespeare' focuses on its:

A) Richness, variety, and ability to convey complex human experience B) Simplicity and clarity C) Strict adherence to grammatical rules D) Obscurity and archaic nature

30. Coleridge's distinction between imagination and fancy is crucial for understanding his view of:

A) The Romantic poet as a divine creator B) The poet as a mere imitator of nature C) The importance of strict poetic rules D) The limitations of human perception

31. Matthew Arnold's emphasis on 'poetic truth and poetic beauty' in 'The Study of Poetry' suggests that poetry should:

A) Convey profound insights in an aesthetically pleasing manner B) Prioritize factual accuracy over beauty C) Be primarily didactic and moralistic D) Focus on emotional expression alone

32. T.S. Eliot's 'Tradition and the Individual Talent' advocates for a shift in focus from the individual poet's genius to:

A) The impersonal process of artistic creation and its place in literary history B) The biographical details of the poet's life C) The immediate emotional impact on the reader D) The social and political context of the poem

33. In 'Defence of Poesie', Sidney praises the 'lyric' poet for:

A) Bringing forth the soul's conceits with admirable speed and skill B) Creating elaborate, multi-plot narratives C) Focusing solely on historical accuracy D) Developing complex philosophical arguments

34. Dryden's 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy' is structured as a:

A) Dialogue between several characters B) Monologue by a single critic C) Series of historical anecdotes D) Formal treatise on dramatic theory

35. Samuel Johnson, in 'Preface to Shakespeare', argues that Shakespeare's characters are enduring because they:

A) Accurately reflect the general passions and principles of human nature B) Are derived from classical mythology C) Follow strict moral exemplars D) Represent idealized versions of humanity

36. Coleridge's concept of the 'shaping spirit of imagination' in 'Biographia Literaria' implies:

A) Imagination actively shapes and transforms perception and experience B) Imagination passively receives external stimuli C) Fancy is the primary creative force D) The mind is merely a blank slate

37. Matthew Arnold's 'The Study of Poetry' criticizes:

A) The tendency to overvalue mediocre poetry due to historical or personal connections B) The excessive complexity of poetic language C) The lack of emotional depth in modern poetry D) The rigid adherence to classical forms

38. T.S. Eliot's essay 'Hamlet and His Problems' introduces the concept of the 'objective correlative' to explain:

A) Why Hamlet's emotions seem disproportionate to the events, suggesting a failure in artistic expression B) The historical accuracy of Shakespeare's portrayal of Danish royalty C) The philosophical depth of Hamlet's soliloquies D) The influence of Elizabethan theatre conventions on the play

39. Sir Philip Sidney argues that poetry is superior to history and philosophy because it:

A) Can create moral exemplars and move the reader more effectively B) Deals with abstract truths rather than particular events C) Is more easily understood by the general populace D) Focuses on the divine rather than the human

40. In 'An Essay of Dramatic Poesy', Eugenius argues for the superiority of English drama by highlighting its:

A) Variety, flexibility, and richness of language B) Strict adherence to classical unities C) Focus on philosophical allegory D) Melancholic and tragic tone

41. Samuel Johnson's 'Preface to Shakespeare' defends Shakespeare's plots, even those that seem improbable, by stating that:

A) The ultimate goal is to represent human nature, not to contrive perfectly logical events B) His plots are entirely original and unprecedented C) He strictly followed the models of classical playwrights D) The audience's suspension of disbelief is paramount

42. Coleridge's definition of the 'secondary imagination' implies it is:

A) An echo of the primary imagination, working upon the same material B) A completely separate faculty from primary perception C) Limited to the realm of artistic imitation D) Responsible for logical deduction

43. Matthew Arnold's view of 'criticism' in 'The Function of Criticism at the Present Time' is that it should be:

A) A disinterested endeavor to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought B) A tool for promoting specific political agendas C) A means of personal expression for the critic D) Focused solely on the historical context of literature

44. T.S. Eliot's concept of the 'individual talent' suggests that a poet's significance lies in:

A) How their work relates to and modifies the existing tradition B) Their unique personal voice and emotional expression C) Their ability to break completely from the past D) Their popularity with contemporary audiences

45. Which critic is associated with the concept of the 'poetic diction' and its importance in elevating poetic language above the vernacular?

A) Samuel Johnson B) Sir Philip Sidney C) Matthew Arnold D) T.S. Eliot

46. The idea that literature should 'instruct and delight' is a central tenet associated with which critic?

A) Sir Philip Sidney B) John Dryden C) Samuel Taylor Coleridge D) T.S. Eliot

47. Which critic emphasized the 'impersonality' of the poet and the 'extinction of personality' in the creative process?

A) T.S. Eliot B) Matthew Arnold C) Samuel Johnson D) Sir Philip Sidney

48. The debate over the 'unities' of dramatic action, time, and place is a significant theme in the work of which critic?

A) John Dryden B) Samuel Taylor Coleridge C) Matthew Arnold D) T.S. Eliot

49. The concept of 'negative capability' is most famously associated with which literary figure, though discussed implicitly by others?

A) John Keats (as a concept explored by critics like Eliot) B) William Wordsworth C) Samuel Taylor Coleridge D) Percy Bysshe Shelley

50. Which critic argued for poetry as a 'criticism of life' and advocated for a 'touchstone method' to assess poetic quality?

A) Matthew Arnold B) Samuel Johnson C) John Dryden D) Sir Philip Sidney

Sidney, Dryden, Johnson, Coleridge, Arnold and Eliot - Online Test

Test Results