The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd: 75 MCQs for

PGTRB Exam
Plot and Character Questions
1. Don Andrea’s fate: Before the play begins, what happened to Don Andrea, whose ghost opens The
Spanish Tragedy?
A) He was killed in battle by Balthazar (the Viceroy of Portugal’s son).
B) He was betrayed and executed by Lorenzo.
C) He died of illness on his return from war.
D) He married Bel-Imperia but later went missing.
2. Ghost’s companion: In The Spanish Tragedy, Don Andrea’s ghost remains onstage throughout,
accompanied by which allegorical figure serving as a chorus?
A) Revenge (the personification of vengeance)
B) Justice
C) Fate
D) War
3. Warring countries: The events of The Spanish Tragedy are set in the aftermath of a war between
which two nations?
A) Spain and Portugal
B) Spain and England
C) Portugal and Italy
D) Spain and France
4. Battle outcome: What is the outcome of the battle that precedes the play’s action?
A) The Spanish defeat the Portuguese; Prince Balthazar is captured after he slew Don Andrea in
combat.
B) The Spanish king is captured by Portugal.
C) Spain and Portugal reach a truce with no clear victor.
D) Don Andrea rescues Balthazar, ending the war.
5. Hero of the battle: Who is primarily responsible for defeating and capturing Prince Balthazar during
the war?
A) Horatio (Hieronimo’s son)
B) Lorenzo (the Duke of Castile’s son)
C) Don Andrea
D) The General of the Spanish army
6. Rivalry over credit: Why do Horatio and Lorenzo quarrel soon after the battle?
A) They both claim credit for Balthazar’s capture and the honors of victory.
B) They are rivals for Bel-Imperia’s love.
C) Horatio accuses Lorenzo of treason.
D) Lorenzo accuses Horatio of cowardice in battle.
7. King’s decision: How does the King of Spain resolve the dispute between Lorenzo and Horatio
regarding Balthazar?
A) He splits the reward and ransom: Horatio and Lorenzo share the honors, and Balthazar is
entrusted to Lorenzo’s custody.
B) He declares Horatio the sole hero and jails Lorenzo.
C) He gives all credit to Lorenzo due to his rank.
D) He ignores both and frees Balthazar without ransom.
8. Bel-Imperia’s new love: After Don Andrea’s death, whom does Bel-Imperia fall in love with?
A) Horatio
B) Balthazar
C) Lorenzo
D) Pedringano
9. Bel-Imperia’s motive: Bel-Imperia admits part of her reason for loving Horatio is to avenge
Andrea’s death. Whom is she seeking to torment through this choice?
A) Balthazar, who killed Don Andrea
B) Lorenzo, who also loved her
C) Hieronimo
D) The King of Spain
10. Family ties: Bel-Imperia is the daughter of ___ and the sister of ___.
A) the Duke of Castile (her father) … Lorenzo
B) the King of Spain … Horatio
C) Hieronimo … Balthazar
D) the Viceroy of Portugal … Andrea
11. Proposed marriage: What political marriage does the King of Spain propose to ensure peace
between Spain and Portugal?
A) He suggests Prince Balthazar marry Bel-Imperia to unite the two families.
B) He proposes Horatio marry a Portuguese princess.
C) He offers his own daughter in marriage to Balthazar.
D) He suggests Lorenzo marry the Viceroy’s daughter.
12. The traitorous servant: Which character betrays Bel-Imperia’s secret affair with Horatio by
informing Lorenzo of their nightly meetings?
A) Pedringano (Bel-Imperia’s servant, bribed by Lorenzo)
B) Serberine (Balthazar’s servant)
C) Isabella (Horatio’s mother)
D) Bazulto (the old man at court)
13. Tryst in the arbor: Where do Horatio and Bel-Imperia meet in secret at midnight, leading to
Horatio’s ambush?
A) In Hieronimo’s garden arbor (a secluded bower on his property)
B) In Bel-Imperia’s chamber in the Duke’s castle
C) In a forest outside the city
D) In the royal palace hall
14. Murder of Horatio: How is Horatio killed?
A) He is ambushed by Lorenzo and Balthazar, who stab him and hang him from a tree in the arbor.
B) He is poisoned during a banquet.
C) He dies dueling Balthazar in single combat.
D) He is mistakenly executed by the King.
15. Culprits of the crime: Which two principal conspirators carry out the murder of Horatio?
A) Lorenzo and Balthazar
B) Balthazar and Pedringano
C) Lorenzo and Serberine
D) The Viceroy of Portugal and Lorenzo
16. Gruesome discovery: Who discovers the body of Horatio after he is murdered?
A) Hieronimo and Isabella, who come upon their son’s corpse
B) Bel-Imperia, who escapes and finds Horatio
C) The King and the Duke of Castile
D) A group of watchmen on patrol
17. Isabella’s grief: What is Isabella’s reaction to the murder of her son Horatio?
A) She goes mad with grief and eventually commits suicide out of despair.
B) She coldly urges Hieronimo to seek royal justice.
C) She plots revenge against the King.
D) She immediately suspects Bel-Imperia and confronts her.
18. Hieronimo’s position: What is Hieronimo’s official role in the Spanish court?
A) Knight Marshal of Spain (a senior judge responsible for justice)
B) Duke of Castile
C) Lord Chamberlain
D) General of the Spanish Army
19. Justice or revenge: Why doesn’t Hieronimo take immediate private revenge for Horatio’s murder?
A) As Marshal and a judge, he initially tries to pursue legal justice through the King rather than
personal vengeance.
B) He does not yet know who the killers are.
C) He forgives the murderers due to his faith.
D) He fears Bel-Imperia’s reputation would suffer.
20. Thwarted plea: What prevents Hieronimo from immediately seeking justice from the King?
A) Lorenzo intercepts Hieronimo and claims the King is too busy to hear him.
B) The King is biased in favor of Lorenzo.
C) Hieronimo loses his ability to speak after the shock.
D) Bel-Imperia persuades him not to tell anyone.
21. Lorenzo’s cover-up: What lie does Lorenzo tell to excuse Hieronimo’s strange behavior and thus
divert suspicion from Horatio’s murder?
A) He spreads word that Hieronimo has gone insane because Horatio came into sudden wealth (the
ransom for Balthazar).
B) He claims Hieronimo is mentally ill from old age.
C) He says Hieronimo is grieving a nonexistent daughter.
D) He reports that Hieronimo has been conspiring with Portugal.
22. Bel-Imperia imprisoned: After Horatio’s murder, what does Lorenzo do with Bel-Imperia?
A) He imprisons her in a secret location to prevent her from revealing the truth.
B) He forces her to write a letter exonerating him.
C) He sends her to live with their uncle the King for safekeeping.
D) He allows her to go free, trusting she will remain silent.
23. Bel-Imperia’s letter: How does Bel-Imperia manage to inform Hieronimo about the identities of
Horatio’s murderers while she is imprisoned?
A) She writes a note in her own blood naming Lorenzo and Balthazar, and has it thrown from her
window to reach Hieronimo.
B) She bribes a guard to deliver a message.
C) She convinces the Viceroy to tell Hieronimo.
D) She carves initials in a tree that Hieronimo later notices.
24. Written in blood: What is unusual about the letter Hieronimo receives from Bel-Imperia?
A) It is written with Bel-Imperia’s blood as ink.
B) It is written in Portuguese to disguise the message.
C) It is hidden inside Horatio’s coffin.
D) It is composed as a sonnet in Latin.
25. Revelation of guilt: What information does Bel-Imperia’s secret letter give to Hieronimo?
A) It reveals that Lorenzo and Balthazar are the ones who murdered Horatio.
B) It falsely accuses Pedringano to mislead Hieronimo.
C) It claims Horatio is still alive in hiding.
D) It blames Hieronimo himself for neglecting his son.
26. The Portuguese subplot: In a subplot at the Portuguese court, which two nobles are involved in a
false accusation concerning Prince Balthazar’s disappearance?
A) Villuppo and Alexandro (Villuppo deceitfully implicates Alexandro)
B) Don Pedro and Don Bazulto
C) Lorenzo and Serberine
D) Alexandro and Horatio
27. Villuppo’s lie: What story does Villuppo fabricate to the Viceroy of Portugal after the battle?
A) He claims that Alexandro secretly killed Balthazar on the battlefield to win favor with Spain.
B) He reports that Balthazar fled with Bel-Imperia.
C) He accuses Alexandro of plotting to usurp the Portuguese throne.
D) He says that Horatio betrayed Balthazar.
28. Alexandro’s fate: What happens to Alexandro as a result of Villuppo’s false testimony?
A) He is nearly executed to avenge Balthazar, but is saved at the last moment when Balthazar is
found alive, exposing Villuppo’s lie.
B) He is executed before the truth comes out.
 C) He escapes prison and seeks asylum in Spain.
D) He joins Lorenzo in plotting against the Viceroy.
29. Silencing a witness: After Horatio’s murder, why does Lorenzo arrange the death of Balthazar’s
servant, Serberine?
A) Lorenzo fears Serberine might inform someone about their role in Horatio’s murder, so he has
Pedringano assassinate Serberine.
B) Serberine helped Horatio, and Lorenzo wants revenge.
C) Serberine refused to obey Lorenzo’s orders.
D) Lorenzo wants to frame Pedringano for a crime.
30. Pedringano’s end: What ultimately happens to Pedringano, the servant who carried out Lorenzo’s
order to kill Serberine?
A) He is arrested and hanged, all the while expecting a pardon from Lorenzo that never arrives
(Lorenzo deceives him into thinking he’ll be saved).
B) He escapes punishment and flees Spain.
C) Hieronimo himself kills Pedringano in revenge.
D) The King pardons Pedringano for revealing the plot.
31. The old man Bazulto: Who is Bazulto in the play, and why is his encounter with Hieronimo
significant?
A) Bazulto is an elderly man petitioning for justice for his own murdered son, mirroring Hieronimo’s
grief and intensifying Hieronimo’s resolve.
B) He is a priest who counsels Hieronimo to forgive.
C) Bazulto is Hieronimo’s brother in disguise, testing his loyalty.
D) He is a messenger from the Viceroy with news of Horatio.
32. Hieronimo’s mistake: During Hieronimo’s distraught interaction with Bazulto, what token of
Horatio does Hieronimo accidentally give the old man?
A) Horatio’s blood-stained handkerchief (scarf) from the murder scene
B) The dagger used to kill Horatio
C) A copy of the play “Soliman and Perseda”
D) A bag of gold intended as a bribe
33. Isabella’s vengeance on the tree: Overcome by madness and grief, what “revenge” does Isabella
enact before taking her own life?
A) She curses the garden and cuts down the very tree (arbor) from which Horatio was hanged, then
stabs herself to death beneath it.
B) She burns Horatio’s possessions and attacks the King.
C) She poisons Lorenzo and is executed.
D) She publicly accuses the court of injustice, then retires to a convent.
34. Hieronimo’s plan: Unable to obtain justice openly, what plan does Hieronimo devise to exact
revenge on Horatio’s murderers?
A) He pretends to reconcile and proposes they all perform in a play he will write, planning to kill
them during the performance under the guise of acting.
B) He hires assassins from Portugal to kill Lorenzo and Balthazar.
C) He challenges Lorenzo and Balthazar to trial by combat before the King.
D) He kidnaps Lorenzo and Balthazar and tortures them in secret.
35. Play-within-the-play title: What is the title of the play Hieronimo stages for the royal court in The
Spanish Tragedy?
A) Soliman and Perseda
B) The Murder of Gonzago
C) The Spanish Comedy
D) Pyramus and Thisbe
36. Unwitting actors: Who joins Hieronimo in acting out the tragedy Soliman and Perseda at court?
A) Bel-Imperia, Lorenzo, and Balthazar all take roles in the play (alongside Hieronimo).
B) Only professional actors hired by Hieronimo.
C) Bel-Imperia and Isabella, while the real perpetrators watch.
D) The Ghost of Andrea and Revenge, as silent actors.
 37. Roles in the show: In the play-within-the-play, which character plays the role of “Soliman,” the
Turkish Sultan?
A) Balthazar
B) Lorenzo
C) Hieronimo
D) The King of Spain
38. Deadly props: How does Hieronimo ensure that Lorenzo and Balthazar will die during the
performance of Soliman and Perseda?
A) He uses real daggers and swords instead of props, so the stabbings on stage are fatal and not
acting.
B) He poisons the wine cup used in the play.
C) He has hidden crossbowmen shoot them at the climax.
D) He rigged a trapdoor and spikes on stage.
39. Bel-Imperia’s final act: What does Bel-Imperia do during the play-within-the-play to carry out her
own revenge?
A) She stabs and kills Balthazar (the man who killed her lovers) and then immediately kills herself
on stage.
B) She cannot bring herself to go through with the plan and spares Balthazar.
C) She reveals the murder plot to the audience instead of killing anyone.
D) She mistakenly attacks Lorenzo instead of Balthazar.
40. Hieronimo’s reveal: After the onstage murders are committed, what does Hieronimo do when the
enraged King and Viceroy demand an explanation?
A) He boldly reveals the truth of his son’s murder and the reason for his revenge, then bites off his
own tongue so he cannot be forced (under torture) to say more than he intends.
B) He remains silent and allows Bel-Imperia to speak for him.
C) He kills the King in the chaos.
D) He blames the whole affair on a misunderstanding.
41. Further violence: Whom does Hieronimo stab to death after the play-within-a-play, once his plot is
exposed?
A) The Duke of Castile, Lorenzo’s father (Hieronimo stabs the Duke in fury before killing himself).
B) The King of Spain.
C) The Viceroy of Portugal.
D) No one; he only harms himself.
42. Hieronimo’s fate: What is the ultimate fate of Hieronimo at the end of the play?
A) He dies by suicide – he kills himself after taking his revenge.
B) He is arrested and executed by the King.
C) He survives and becomes a monk.
D) He flees to Portugal to live in exile.
43. Survivors: Which characters are still alive at the conclusion of The Spanish Tragedy?
A) The King of Spain and the Viceroy of Portugal (most others are dead by the end)
B) Hieronimo and Bel-Imperia
C) Lorenzo and Balthazar
D) None of the above – all main characters die.
44. Ghostly resolution: In the final scene, what do the Ghost of Andrea and the spirit of Revenge do?
A) They declare their satisfaction and promise to deliver eternal punishments to the guilty (Lorenzo,
Balthazar, etc.) and rewards to the loyal in the underworld.
B) They resurrect the dead for a moment of reconciliation.
C) They drag Hieronimo to Hell for taking revenge.
D) They simply vanish without speaking, leaving the stage in silence.

Themes, Symbols, and Critical Interpretations

45. Major themes: All of the following are important themes in The Spanish Tragedy EXCEPT:
A) Revenge versus justice (the moral implications of seeking personal vengeance)
B) Madness brought on by grief and trauma
 C) Social hierarchy and its impact on justice (power vs. the law)
D) Colonial exploration of the New World and overseas conquest
46. Class and justice: Which aspect of social hierarchy affects the course of justice in the play?
A) Hieronimo’s lower status (as a commoner knight) limits his power against higher-ranking nobles
like Lorenzo, highlighting class inequality in pursuing justice.
B) The King’s foreign origin makes him indifferent to Spanish subjects.
C) Bel-Imperia cannot testify because of her gender.
D) Lorenzo’s status has no effect—law is applied equally to all.
47. Classical inspiration: The Spanish Tragedy was heavily influenced by the works of which classical
dramatist?
A) Seneca (the Roman tragedian known for revenge themes and ghosts)
B) Aristotle
C) Plautus
D) Ovid
48. Senecan elements: Which element in The Spanish Tragedy reflects Seneca’s influence on Kyd?
A) The presence of a vengeful ghost and a personified figure of Revenge acting as a chorus.
B) The use of a clown character for comic relief amidst tragedy.
C) The setting in ancient Rome with mythological characters.
D) The complete absence of on-stage violence.
49. Allegory of Revenge: The character “Revenge” in the play is an example of what literary device?
A) Personification – Revenge is the abstract concept of vengeance in human form.
B) Foreshadowing – it predicts future events.
C) Metaphor – it is purely symbolic and never interacts with others.
D) Irony – Revenge actually preaches forgiveness.
50. Chorus-like figures: The Ghost of Andrea and Revenge, who remain present throughout the play
commenting on the action, parallel which dramatic convention?
A) The Chorus in classical Greek and Roman tragedy (commentators on the events)
B) The clowns of Elizabethan comedy
C) The use of soliloquy in Renaissance drama
D) The medieval Morality play’s Good and Bad Angels
51. Meta-theater: What theatrical device used by Kyd in the final act of The Spanish Tragedy was later
famously employed by Shakespeare in Hamlet?
A) A play-within-a-play to expose a murderer’s guilt
B) A ghost seeking revenge for his own death
C) A heroine who goes mad and dies (like Ophelia)
D) Comic gravediggers discussing the hero’s fate
52. Bloody token: Which of the following objects is a significant symbol associated with Horatio’s
murder?
A) The blood-soaked scarf/handkerchief of Horatio (a tangible reminder of the crime)
B) A skull that Hieronimo carries (Yorick’s skull, which is actually from Hamlet)
C) A poisoned cup (appears in Hamlet, not in Kyd’s play)
D) A jeweled crown stained with blood
53. The cursed tree: What does the tree (arbor) in Hieronimo’s garden come to symbolize in the play?
A) The site of irredeemable loss and injustice – Isabella even curses and destroys the tree that bore
Horatio’s hanging body.
B) The family lineage of Hieronimo, like a family tree.
C) Spain’s strength, which is “cut down” by war.
D) Secret knowledge – letters are hidden in the tree.
54. Bel-Imperia’s agency: Which statement best describes Bel-Imperia’s role as a female character in
the play?
A) She is strong-willed and autonomous, defying her family to love whom she chooses and actively
conspiring to avenge her lovers’ deaths.
B) She is a passive victim who submits to her brother’s will at every turn.
C) She represents pure innocence and forgiveness in contrast to Hieronimo.
D) She inadvertently causes all the tragedy by encouraging duels between men.
 55. Justice theme: What does The Spanish Tragedy suggest about official justice versus personal
revenge?
A) The play portrays the official legal system as ineffective or corrupt (failing Hieronimo), thereby
driving a good man to take justice into his own hands, with morally ambiguous results.
B) It shows that patience and faith in the King’s justice are ultimately rewarded.
C) It argues that revenge is always wrong and is punished by the King.
D) It depicts the King swiftly punishing the guilty through law, without need for revenge.
56. Madness motif: How is the theme of madness presented in the play?
A) Both Hieronimo and Isabella descend into madness due to grief: Isabella’s madness is genuine
despair, while Hieronimo at times feigns insanity (and arguably experiences real madness) as he
plots revenge.
B) Lorenzo goes mad with guilt and confesses.
C) Bel-Imperia’s madness leads her to kill herself for no reason.
D) The play does not include any theme of madness.
57. Language and learning: Hieronimo frequently utters Latin phrases (e.g. Vindicta mihi) and alludes
to classical mythology and literature. What does this signify?
A) It shows Hieronimo’s educated background and Kyd’s humanist influences, linking the revenge
in the play to classical concepts (e.g. Biblical “vengeance is mine” and Seneca’s ideas).
B) It is meant as comic relief, mocking scholarly characters.
C) It indicates Hieronimo has secretly studied to be a priest.
D) It was included to flatter Queen Elizabeth, who knew Latin.
58. Influence on later works: The Spanish Tragedy helped inaugurate the Elizabethan revenge tragedy
genre. Which later works did it strongly influence?
A) Shakespeare’s Hamlet and other revenge tragedies (such as The Revenger’s Tragedy) were
directly inspired by Kyd’s innovations.
B) Marlowe’s comedies were based on it.
C) It had no influence beyond its own decade.
D) Only translations in Europe, not English plays.
59. Alternate title: By what name was The Spanish Tragedy often known among Elizabethan audiences,
referencing its protagonist?
A) “Hieronimo” – many contemporaries referred to the play by the name of its main character
(Hieronimo).
B) “Bel-Imperia’s Revenge”
C) “The Tragedy of Lorenzo”
D) “The Madrid Revenge”

Thomas Kyd and Historical Context

60. Literary period: Thomas Kyd was an English playwright of which era?
A) The Elizabethan era (late 16th century)
B) The Medieval period
C) The Restoration period
D) The Victorian era
61. Other works: Which of the following plays was written or translated by Thomas Kyd?
A) Cornelia – a tragedy Kyd translated from French in 1594
B) Volpone – a comedy by Ben Jonson
C) Doctor Faustus – a tragedy by Christopher Marlowe
D) Gorboduc – an early English tragedy by Norton and Sackville
62. Mysterious “Ur-Hamlet”: What is the Ur-Hamlet and how is it connected to Thomas Kyd?
A) It’s a now-lost early version of the Hamlet story, believed by many scholars to have been written
by Kyd in the late 1580s.
B) It’s a manuscript of Hamlet in Kyd’s handwriting.
C) It’s another name for Kyd’s play Cornelia.
D) It refers to Kyd’s source material, a Spanish tale called Hamlet.
63. Arrest and torture (1593): What happened to Thomas Kyd in 1593 that greatly affected his life and
career?
 A) He was arrested and tortured on suspicion of heresy/atheism when controversial papers were
found in his lodging.
B) He fought a duel with Christopher Marlowe and was wounded.
C) He was tried for treason for his play’s content.
D) He eloped with a noblewoman and fled England.
64. Marlowe connection: After his arrest, whom did Kyd name as the owner of the heretical papers
found among his possessions?
A) Christopher Marlowe – Kyd claimed the documents belonged to Marlowe, his former
roommate, accusing Marlowe of blasphemy.
B) William Shakespeare
C) Ben Jonson
D) Sir Walter Raleigh
65. Innovator of genre: Thomas Kyd is considered a pioneer of which dramatic genre in English
literature?
A) The Elizabethan revenge tragedy (his work set the template for later revenge plays)
B) Pastoral comedy
C) Romantic farce
D) Medieval mystery play
66. Henslowe’s diary (1602): According to Philip Henslowe’s diary, which playwright was paid in
1601–1602 to write additions to The Spanish Tragedy?
A) Ben Jonson – Henslowe recorded payments to Jonson for writing new scenes
B) William Shakespeare
C) Thomas Kyd
D) John Webster
67. Additional passages authorship: Modern scholars have speculated that the 320 lines of additions
(added in the 1602 quarto of The Spanish Tragedy) may have been written by whom?
A) William Shakespeare – stylistic evidence has led many to favor Shakespeare as the likely author
of the additions
B) Ben Jonson
C) Thomas Dekker
D) Christopher Marlowe
68. Anonymous sequel: Which play, published anonymously in 1604–1605, is a presumed prequel or
companion to The Spanish Tragedy, featuring Hieronimo earlier in his life?
A) The First Part of Hieronimo (also known as The Spanish Comedy)
B) Hieronimo is Mad Again
C) The Revenge of Balthazar
D) Don Andrea’s Ghost
69. Education: Where was Thomas Kyd educated as a boy, which likely contributed to his knowledge
of the classics?
A) At the Merchant Taylors’ School in London, under headmaster Richard Mulcaster (where he
studied Latin and literature alongside Edmund Spenser)
B) He was tutored at Queen Elizabeth’s court.
C) At Cambridge University (St. John’s College).
D) He had no formal education.
70. Depiction of rulers: How is the King of Spain depicted in The Spanish Tragedy in contrast to the
play’s corrupt nobles?
A) As a just and honorable monarch – for example, he treats Balthazar, the enemy prince, with
respect and fairness as a prisoner.
B) As a cruel tyrant who orders unjust executions.
C) As a weak king manipulated entirely by Lorenzo.
D) As a fanatical Catholic determined to persecute Protestants.
71. Viceroy of Portugal: What is the Viceroy of Portugal’s reaction when he (wrongly) believes
Balthazar has been killed in battle?
A) He is grief-stricken and swears revenge, even to the point of unjustly ordering the execution of
the innocent Alexandro based on Villuppo’s false report.
 B) He rejoices, secretly glad to be rid of his son.
C) He immediately abdicates his position out of sorrow.
D) He sends an embassy to Spain to apologize.
72. Famous lament: Which character in the play delivers the famous lines: “O eyes, no eyes, but
fountains fraught with tears; / O life, no life, but lively form of death!” in a passionate soliloquy?
A) Hieronimo (mourning his son)
B) Isabella
C) Bel-Imperia
D) Lorenzo
73. Popularity in its time: What evidence do we have that The Spanish Tragedy was a hugely popular
play in its time?
A) Contemporary records (like Henslowe’s diary) show it was performed repeatedly – e.g. 16 times
in 1592–93 – and many other writers of the era refer to it in their works.
B) It was banned for causing too much excitement.
C) It was the only play performed for a year in London.
D) Queen Elizabeth I personally annotated a copy of the play.
74. Legacy and influence: Which of the following is TRUE regarding the legacy of The Spanish
Tragedy?
A) It had a profound influence on later Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, establishing conventions
(ghosts, revenge plots, play-within-play) that authors like Shakespeare and Webster would adopt.
B) It was quickly forgotten and had little to no influence on other works.
C) Its influence was mostly on Spanish literature, not English.
D) It is the only surviving play written by Thomas Kyd.
75. Critical interpretation: Some modern critics view Hieronimo’s quest for vengeance as a
commentary on the society of the time. According to one view, what drives Hieronimo to revenge?
A) The corrupt Spanish court leaves Hieronimo no acceptable route to justice, implying that the
society’s failure forces him into revenge.
B) An innate evil in Hieronimo’s character drives him to it.
C) Bel-Imperia’s manipulation is primarily responsible.
D) The ghost of Andrea supernaturally compels him against his will.

MCQs: Edmund Spenser – Prothalamion,

Epithalamion, and Biography
Prothalamion by Edmund Spenser (MCQs)
1. Who is the author of the poem Prothalamion?
A. Sir Philip Sidney
B. Edmund Spenser
C. Geoffrey Chaucer
D. William Shakespeare
Answer: B
2. In which year was Spenser’s Prothalamion first published?
A. 1590
B. 1595
C. 1596
D. 1601
Answer: C
3. What is the meaning of the term “Prothalamion”?
A. A funeral elegy
B. A sonnet sequence about love
C. A song or poem celebrating a marriage (before the wedding)
D. A political satire in verse
Answer: C
4. Prothalamion was written to celebrate which occasion?
A. Edmund Spenser’s own wedding
B. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth I
C. The victory over the Spanish Armada
D. The double marriage of two noble sisters
Answer: D
5. The two brides honored in Prothalamion are Lady Elizabeth and Lady Katherine Somerset.
Who was their father?
A. The Earl of Leicester
B. The Duke of Somerset
C. The 4th Earl of Worcester (Edward Somerset)
D. Sir Walter Raleigh
Answer: C
6. Where did the double wedding celebrated in Prothalamion take place?
A. Westminster Abbey
B. Essex House in London
C. St. Paul’s Cathedral
D. Edinburgh Castle
Answer: B
7. Which river serves as the primary setting and backdrop in Spenser’s Prothalamion?
A. The Avon
B. The Severn
C. The Thames
D. The Cam
Answer: C
8. In Prothalamion, Spenser also mentions a secondary river alongside the Thames. Which river
is it?
A. The Nile
B. The Lee (Lea)
C. The Rhine
D. The Avon
Answer: B
9. What refrain is repeated at the end of each stanza in Prothalamion?
A. “Long live the Queen in splendor and song.”
B. “Sweet Thames, run softly, till I end my song.”
C. “Sing, ye muses, of a joyous day.”
D. “Awake, my heart, and sing of love.”
Answer: B
10. The refrain “Sweet Thames, run softly, till I end my song” in Prothalamion is best understood
as:
A. A request for the river to remain peaceful until the poem is finished
B. A plea for the Queen’s favor
C. A call for the muses to sing along
D. An invocation of the wind god to play music
Answer: A
11. What classical myth does Spenser reference by describing two beautiful swans on the Thames
in Prothalamion?
A. Apollo chasing Daphne
B. Zeus (Jove) and Leda (the swan myth)
C. Cupid and Psyche
D. Orpheus and Eurydice
Answer: B
12. In the context of Prothalamion, the two white swans gliding on the river most likely symbolize:
A. The purity and chastity of the two brides
B. The poet and his beloved
 C. Angels watching over the wedding
D. The calm of the Thames River itself
Answer: A
13. Who are depicted gathering flowers to make garlands for the brides in Prothalamion?
A. The bridesmaids from the court
B. Nymphs (mythical maidens of the river)
C. Shepherds and shepherdesses
D. The poet’s own family members
Answer: B
14. Which gentle wind does Spenser mention in the opening lines of Prothalamion, creating a calm
atmosphere?
A. Boreas (North Wind)
B. Zephyrus (West Wind)
C. Eurus (East Wind)
D. Notus (South Wind)
Answer: B
15. What tone does the poet establish at the very beginning of Prothalamion (“Calm was the
day...”) before the wedding festivities are described?
A. Frustration and despair at his misfortunes
B. Peaceful calm with a hint of personal discontent
C. Joyous celebration from the first line
D. Dark and ominous foreboding
Answer: B
16. In the opening stanza of Prothalamion, the poet reflects on “my long fruitless stay in princes’
court, and expectation vain.” What does this indicate about Spenser’s feelings?
A. He is bitter about his lack of advancement at court
B. He regrets ever becoming a poet
C. He is nervous about the upcoming wedding
D. He feels joyful and fulfilled in royal service
Answer: A
17. Prothalamion is best described as which type of poem?
A. A pastoral elegy mourning a death
B. A nuptial song celebrating a marriage
C. A satire mocking courtly life
D. An epic narrative poem
Answer: B
18. Which literary tradition or genre does Spenser draw upon in Prothalamion?
A. Pastoral poetry (celebration of nature and rustic imagery)
B. Gothic romance
C. Epic tragedy
D. Medieval morality play
Answer: A
19. What is a major theme depicted in Spenser’s Prothalamion?
A. The harmony between nature and celebratory marriage rituals
B. The futility of war and conflict
C. Religious repentance and salvation
D. The downfall of corrupt nobility
Answer: A
20. How does Prothalamion connect to Spenser’s poem Epithalamion?
A. Both are wedding songs; Prothalamion celebrates others’ marriage, while Epithalamion
celebrates Spenser’s own marriage
B. Prothalamion is an elegy and Epithalamion is a satire – they are unrelated in theme
C. Epithalamion is a sequel to Prothalamion continuing the same story
D. Spenser wrote Prothalamion as a direct response criticizing Epithalamion
Answer: A
21. Which of the following does not appear as a figure or reference in Prothalamion?
A. Nymphs from classical mythology
B. Jove (Jupiter) in the form of a swan
C. The goddess Venus explicitly blessing the marriage
D. The River Thames personified
Answer: C
22. Critically, Spenser’s Prothalamion has a dual focus. Which two elements are intertwined in the
poem?
A. Personal reflection and public celebration
B. Political commentary and scientific inquiry
C. Religious sermon and mythical fable
D. Tragic mourning and comic relief
Answer: A
23. Which statement best summarizes Prothalamion’s conclusion?
A. The poem ends with a joyful wish for the brides’ happiness and the gentle Thames still flowing
softly.
B. The poem concludes with the poet’s rage at being unrecognized by the Queen.
C. It finishes with an invocation to Mars to bless the marriages with strength in war.
D. It ends in despair as the wedding is called off abruptly.
Answer: A
24. During the Elizabethan era, a “prothalamion” (as in Spenser’s poem) would specifically be a:
A. Song performed at a funeral
B. Poem celebrating impending weddings (a bridal song)
C. Soliloquy in a stage drama
D. Letter of petition to the monarch
Answer: B
25. What inspired Spenser to write Prothalamion during his visit to London in 1596?
A. The peaceful scenery of the English countryside in spring
B. The double wedding of the Somerset sisters, hosted by the Earl of Essex
C. A direct commission from Queen Elizabeth I
D. A competition among poets to write the best marriage song
Answer: B
26. Which of the following lines is from Spenser’s Prothalamion?
A. “Ye learned sisters, which have oft inspired my tongue...”
B. “Sweet Thames, run softly, till I end my song.”
C. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”
D. “Busy old fool, unruly Sun, why dost thou thus?”
Answer: B
27. In Prothalamion, Spenser incorporates a mythological setting. Mount Pindus is mentioned in
the poem as:
A. The dwelling place of the Muses (a mountain in Greek mythology)
B. The home of the bride’s family
C. A fictional kingdom ruled by Thames
D. The site of the wedding feast
Answer: A
28. Which goddess of poetry is indirectly referenced in Prothalamion through the presence of her
devotees, the Muses?
A. Calliope (one of the Muses)
B. Athena
C. Hestia
D. Hera
Answer: A
(Explanation: Calliope is one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology; the Muses collectively can be
seen as goddesses of the arts and poetry, invoked at the poem’s start.)
 29. Dr. Samuel Johnson later commented on poets using extensive historical allusions. In the
context of Spenser’s style, what criticism is Johnson known for?
A. That too many classical and historical references can lessen a poem’s enjoyment
B. That Spenser’s language was too simple for his era
C. That Spenser should have written more about contemporary politics
D. That Spenser lacked imaginative imagery
Answer: A
30. Prothalamion is often acclaimed as an example of non-dramatic Renaissance poetry. Which of
the following best describes its literary significance?
A. It is considered an epitome of Elizabethan nuptial verse, blending graceful language with classical
imagery
B. It was the first English poem to use blank verse consistently
C. It introduced the Spenserian stanza form to English poetry
D. It was completely ignored in its time and rediscovered only in the 20th century
Answer: A

Epithalamion by Edmund Spenser (MCQs)

1. What real-life event does Spenser’s Epithalamion commemorate?
A. The defeat of the Spanish Armada
B. Spenser’s own marriage to Elizabeth Boyle
C. The wedding of two noble sisters in London
D. The coronation of James I
Answer: B
2. In what year was Epithalamion first published (as part of Amoretti and Epithalamion)?
A. 1580
B. 1595
C. 1596
D. 1609
Answer: B
3. Epithalamion was published alongside a collection of Spenser’s love sonnets. What is the title of
that sonnet collection?
A. Astrophel and Stella
B. Amoretti
C. Sonnets from the Portuguese
D. The Shepheardes Calender
Answer: B
4. What does the word “Epithalamion” literally mean or refer to?
A. A song or poem in honor of a bride and groom (a wedding hymn)
B. A lament for the dead
C. A heroic epic about knights
D. A political pamphlet
Answer: A
5. Epithalamion is composed of 24 stanzas. What do these 24 stanzas symbolically represent?
A. The 24 books of the planned Faerie Queene
B. The 24 hours of the wedding day (from pre-dawn to late night)
C. The 24 years of Spenser’s courtship
D. The 24 letters of the Greek alphabet
Answer: B
6. Approximately how many lines are in Epithalamion, and what is the significance of this
number?
A. 108 lines, symbolizing the number of suitors for the bride
B. 365 lines, roughly corresponding to each day of the year
C. 52 lines, for each week in a year
 D. 433 lines, with no particular symbolism
Answer: B
7. The temporal setting of Epithalamion spans:
A. A full year of married life, season by season
B. A single day – from the bridegroom’s anxious pre-dawn waiting to the consummation night
C. Seven days of wedding festivities
D. A few hours during the wedding ceremony only
Answer: B
8. Which figure or group does Spenser invoke at the very beginning of Epithalamion (“Ye learned
sisters…”)?
A. The Nine Muses of poetry
B. His ancestors
C. The Graces
D. The bride’s parents
Answer: A
9. In Epithalamion, what task does Spenser ask of the Muses at the poem’s opening?
A. To inspire him and help wake his bride on the wedding day with their song
B. To grant him wealth and fame through his poem
C. To distract the guests during the ceremony
D. To curse those who oppose his marriage
Answer: A
10. Which mythological figure representing marriage is invoked and celebrated during the
wedding ceremony in Epithalamion?
A. Hymen (the god of marriage)
B. Cupid (god of love)
C. Zeus (Jupiter)
D. Mars (god of war)
Answer: A
11. Spenser’s Epithalamion references various classical deities. Which goddess of the moon does
the poet address in the evening, asking her not to be jealous of the bride?
A. Aurora
B. Venus
C. Cynthia (Artemis/Diana)
D. Juno
Answer: C
12. Which Roman goddess of marriage does Spenser call upon to bless the union in the later
stanzas of Epithalamion (e.g. patroness of weddings and childbirth)?
A. Minerva
B. Juno
C. Diana
D. Ceres
Answer: B
13. As Epithalamion progresses into the night, how does the tone or focus of the poem shift?
A. It becomes more solemn and prayerful, focusing on the hope for fertility and future happiness
B. It grows increasingly humorous and light-hearted as the feast goes on
C. It turns into a tragic lament for those who cannot marry
D. It shifts to a political commentary hidden within the wedding scene
Answer: A
14. What final wish does Spenser express at the end of Epithalamion?
A. That his poetry will make him immortal
B. That his wife will prove fertile and they will have many children
C. That the Queen will reward him for this poem
D. That night will never end so the celebration continues
Answer: B
15. Which of the following is a notable structural or symbolic feature of Epithalamion?
A. It mirrors the hours of Midsummer Day in its stanza count and the days of a year in its total lines
B. It is written entirely in Chaucerian Middle English to evoke antiquity
C. It uses blank verse without any classical references, focusing only on Christian imagery
D. It was intended to be set to music as a church hymn
Answer: A
16. Which of these statements about Spenser’s Epithalamion is NOT true?
A. It is an ode written to celebrate Spenser’s marriage to Elizabeth Boyle.
B. It contains many allusions to classical mythology (Muses, gods, etc.).
C. It is composed of only 12 stanzas.
D. It was first published in 1595 in a volume with Spenser’s sonnets.
Answer: C
17. Spenser’s sonnet sequence Amoretti and Epithalamion are connected because:
A. Amoretti depicts Spenser’s courtship of Elizabeth Boyle, and Epithalamion celebrates their
wedding.
B. Amoretti is written about a different woman and has no relation to Epithalamion.
C. Epithalamion is actually the final sonnet of Amoretti extended into an ode.
D. Spenser wrote Epithalamion first and then composed Amoretti as a prequel.
Answer: A
18. What genre of poem is Spenser’s Epithalamion?
A. A wedding hymn or marriage ode (epithalamium)
B. A pastoral elegy
C. A blank-verse tragedy
D. A narrative epic
Answer: A
19. Where does the wedding of Spenser and Elizabeth Boyle (celebrated in Epithalamion) take
place within the poem?
A. In a pagan temple in the forest with only mythological figures present
B. At a Christian church altar, blending classical invocations with a real church ceremony
C. In Queen Elizabeth’s court before nobles and deities
D. At Spenser’s home with no religious context given
Answer: B
20. Which natural elements are vividly described in Epithalamion to mark the passage of the
wedding day?
A. The sunrise, daylight, and the coming of night with the appearance of stars and the moon
B. Changing weather through the seasons of a year
C. The tides of the ocean rising and falling
D. The growth of a tree from morning to evening
Answer: A
21. During the course of Epithalamion, what do the singing and dancing maidens (or bridesmaids)
call for as part of the celebration?
A. They repeatedly cry out for “Hymen,” the god of marriage, to bless the bride and groom
B. They gossip about the bridegroom’s past adventures
C. They invoke a curse on anyone who does not celebrate
D. They ask the sun to stop shining
Answer: A
22. Spenser carefully integrates both pagan and Christian elements in Epithalamion. Which of the
following illustrates that integration?
A. The poem invokes gods like Hymen and Juno, but the marriage itself takes place in a church with
a priest.
B. The poem avoids all mythological references and focuses on a Biblical story.
C. Spenser uses a rigid biblical psalm structure for the poem’s form.
D. The poem is divided into Old Testament and New Testament sections.
Answer: A
23. Which heavenly bodies does Spenser personify or address in Epithalamion to control the
passage of time on his wedding day?
A. The Sun (day) and the Moon (night) – he asks the sun to shine fair and the moon (Cynthia) to be
kind
B. Mercury and Venus – he blames the planets for any misfortune
C. Comets – he fears they are bad omens
D. The North Star – to guide the couple’s future
Answer: A
24. What is the significance of Midsummer Day (the summer solstice) in relation to Epithalamion’s
structure?
A. The poem’s 24 hours timeline corresponds to Midsummer Day, the longest day of the year,
symbolizing the fullness of joy
B. The poem was actually written on Midsummer Day as an offering to the fairy folk
C. Midsummer Day was Queen Elizabeth’s wedding day, which Spenser allegorically describes
D. There is no connection; Midsummer is not relevant to the poem
Answer: A
25. Which classical poet’s wedding odes likely influenced Spenser’s Epithalamion (through the
epithalamium tradition)?
A. Catullus (ancient Roman poet known for wedding songs)
B. Homer
C. Dante Alighieri
D. Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Answer: A
26. Halfway through Epithalamion, as the marriage is solemnized, Spenser’s language shifts. What
change occurs?
A. He moves from invoking Greek deities to using Christian imagery and prayerful tone during the
actual ceremony
B. He switches from English to Latin to imitate a church Mass
C. He stops the poem abruptly and inserts one of his sonnets
D. He turns to a mournful elegiac meter signaling the end of joy
Answer: A
27. In Epithalamion, Spenser addresses the nymphs of which locale to assist in his wedding day?
A. Nymphs of the River Mulla (near his home in Ireland) to bring blessings
B. Sea nymphs of the Atlantic to calm the tides
C. Woodland nymphs of Mount Ida to decorate the grove
D. He does not address nymphs in this poem at all
Answer: A
(Explanation: Spenser lived in Ireland and the River Mulla is referenced in his works; he calls on
local nymphs—an example of blending his personal context with classical imagery.)
28. What time of day is depicted as the happiest and most festive in Epithalamion?
A. High noon, when the wedding ceremony is conducted and bells ring
B. Dawn, when the groom eagerly awaits and the day is full of promise
C. Midnight, when the consummation happens in privacy
D. The pre-dawn hours, which Spenser describes as dark and fearful
Answer: A
29. By the end of Epithalamion, how does Spenser propose to immortalize the joy of his wedding
day?
A. By writing this poetic ode, ensuring the memory of the day lives on through literature
B. By commissioning a grand painting of the wedding
C. By erecting a monument at the church
D. By naming his first child after the day
Answer: A
30. Considering Epithalamion’s content and style, which of the following best describes Spenser’s
achievement in this poem?
A. He blends rich classical allusions with personal emotion to create an elaborate, harmonious
 marriage hymn.
B. He provides a straightforward narrative of a wedding with no mythic elements, unusual for his
time.
C. He writes in complete isolation from tradition, inventing an entirely new poetic form.
D. He focuses on satire, using the wedding as a backdrop to mock Elizabethan society.
Answer: A

Edmund Spenser’s Life and Major Works (MCQs)

1. Which English essayist famously called Edmund Spenser “the poet’s poet” for his profound
influence on other writers?
A. Samuel Johnson
B. Charles Lamb
C. T. S. Eliot
D. John Dryden
Answer: B
2. Edmund Spenser was a prominent poet of which period in English literature?
A. The Medieval period
B. The Elizabethan era (Renaissance)
C. The Romantic era
D. The Victorian era
Answer: B
3. What was Spenser’s first major poetic work, published in 1579, that established him as a
notable poet?
A. The Faerie Queene
B. The Shepheardes Calender
C. Amoretti
D. Astrophel
Answer: B
4. The Shepheardes Calender is a series of pastoral eclogues by Spenser. How many eclogues (one
for each month) does it contain?
A. 4
B. 6
C. 12
D. 24
Answer: C
5. Which work is considered Edmund Spenser’s magnum opus, an epic allegorical poem praising
Queen Elizabeth I?
A. Paradise Lost
B. The Faerie Queene
C. The Rape of the Lock
D. The Canterbury Tales
Answer: B
6. To whom did Spenser dedicate The Faerie Queene, and who is glorified through its allegory as
the Faerie Queene (Gloriana)?
A. The Virgin Mary
B. Queen Elizabeth I
C. Anne Boleyn
D. Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary)
Answer: B
7. Spenser originally planned The Faerie Queene to consist of 12 books (each centering on a
knight and a virtue). How many books of The Faerie Queene did he actually complete and
publish?
A. 12 books
B. 6 books (with a fragment of a 7th published posthumously)
 C. 3 books
D. Only 1 book
Answer: B
8. What verse form did Edmund Spenser devise for The Faerie Queene, later named after him?
A. The Spenserian stanza (8 lines of iambic pentameter followed by an alexandrine)
B. Blank verse unrhymed iambic pentameter
C. The heroic couplet
D. Ottava rima
Answer: A
9. Which collection of poems by Spenser consists of 89 sonnets documenting his courtship of
Elizabeth Boyle?
A. Amoretti
B. Sonnets from the Portuguese
C. Astrophel and Stella
D. Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Answer: A
10. The sonnet sequence Amoretti and the ode Epithalamion by Spenser are both dedicated to or
written about which person?
A. Queen Elizabeth I
B. Spenser’s wife, Elizabeth Boyle
C. His friend Sir Philip Sidney
D. A mysterious “Dark Lady”
Answer: B
11. Spenser wrote an elegy titled Astrophel. Whom does this poem commemorate?
A. Sir Philip Sidney, honoring him after his death
B. Queen Elizabeth I, praising her reign
C. His mentor at Cambridge University
D. A fictional shepherd character
Answer: A
12. Which notable courtier and explorer befriended Spenser and helped him gain an introduction
to Queen Elizabeth, leading to royal patronage for The Faerie Queene?
A. Sir Walter Raleigh
B. Sir Francis Bacon
C. Sir Philip Sidney
D. Lord Byron
Answer: A
13. In 1580, Spenser went to Ireland as secretary to the new Lord Deputy. Who was Spenser’s
employer and patron in Ireland, known for his harsh policies there?
A. Lord Arthur Grey de Wilton
B. Sir Walter Raleigh
C. The Earl of Leicester
D. Lord Burghley (William Cecil)
Answer: A
14. What is the title of the prose treatise Edmund Spenser wrote about the governance of Ireland?
A. A View of the Present State of Ireland
B. Utopia
C. The Irish Question
D. Observations on the Irish People
Answer: A
15. Which 1598 uprising in Ireland forced Spenser to flee his estate at Kilcolman Castle?
A. The Peasants’ Revolt
B. The Gunpowder Plot
C. Tyrone’s Rebellion (Nine Years’ War)
D. The Glorious Revolution
Answer: C
 16. What unfortunate fate befell Spenser’s home in Ireland during the rebellion of 1598?
A. It was burned down by rebel forces, causing him to lose his manuscripts
B. It was flooded by an unexpected storm
C. It was seized by the Crown for debts
D. Nothing; Spenser lived safely in Ireland until his natural death
Answer: A
17. In what year did Edmund Spenser die, and where was he laid to rest?
A. 1580, buried at sea during a voyage
B. 1599, buried in Westminster Abbey’s Poets’ Corner in London
C. 1616, buried in Stratford-upon-Avon
D. 1559, buried in Canterbury Cathedral
Answer: B
18. Which of the following writers was NOT directly influenced by Spenser’s poetry?
A. John Milton (who admired Spenser’s verse)
B. John Keats (who modeled some poems on Spenserian style)
C. Edmund Burke (who was a political philosopher, not a poet influenced by Spenser)
D. Alfred Tennyson (who referenced Spenser’s imagery in his own work)
Answer: C
19. Spenser often employed archaic language in his poetry. This was primarily to emulate and pay
homage to which earlier English poet?
A. Geoffrey Chaucer
B. John Donne
C. William Langland
D. Thomas Wyatt
Answer: A
20. What lasting honor was bestowed upon Spenser for his contributions to literature?
A. He was granted a lifetime appointment as Poet Laureate by Queen Elizabeth (informally through a
pension).
B. He received an annual pension from Queen Elizabeth I (50 pounds), recognizing The Faerie
Queene.
C. He was immediately knighted upon publication of The Faerie Queene.
D. A statue was erected in his likeness in his hometown during his life.
Answer: B
21. Which statement best characterizes Edmund Spenser’s legacy in English literature?
A. He is remembered as a master of allegory and narrative poetry, bridging medieval romance and
Renaissance humanism in works like The Faerie Queene.
B. He was a minor poet with little influence on later writers.
C. His work was popular in his time but completely forgotten until the 20th century.
D. He wrote only in Latin, with no significant English works.
Answer: A

The Book of the Duchess – PGTRB Exam Practice MCQs

Chaucer’s Life and Career

1. In which year did Geoffrey Chaucer die? (A) 1400 (B) 1386 (C) 1422 (D) 1391

2. Chaucer is often called the “father of English literature” for promoting which language in his writings? (A)
Old English (B) Anglo-Norman French (C) Middle English (D) Latin

3. Which public office did Chaucer hold in 1386? (A) Member of Parliament (shire knight for Kent) (B)
Archbishop of Canterbury (C) Lord High Treasurer (D) Lord Chancellor
 4. Chaucer’s wife, Philippa, had what maiden name? (A) de Roet (B) de Vere (C) d’Aubigny (D) Mortimer

5. What was the original title Chaucer gave to The Book of the Duchess? (A) The Dreame of Chaucer (B) The
Death of Blanche (C) The Knight’s Tale (D) The Complaint of Love

6. Which of the following is not a work by Geoffrey Chaucer? (A) The Parliament of Fowls (B) Troilus and
Criseyde (C) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (D) The House of Fame

7. Chaucer wrote a famous prose treatise for his son Lewis. What was its subject? (A) The astrolabe
(astronomical instrument) (B) Playing chess (C) Courtly love poetry (D) Law and justice

8. By mid-1367, Chaucer held which position in King Edward III’s household? (A) Valet de chambre (esquire of
the body) (B) Archbishop’s chaplain (C) Chancellor of the Exchequer (D) Captain of the Guard

Chaucer’s Major Works and Literary Contributions

9. Troilus and Criseyde is Chaucer’s romance set during which legendary siege? (A) The Siege of Troy (B) The
Siege of Antioch (C) The Siege of Thebes (D) The Siege of London

10. In Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowls, who gathers to debate in the garden? (A) Birds (fowls) (B) Poets (C)
Knights (D) Peasants

11. The House of Fame is an example of which poetic genre? (A) Dream vision (B) Lyric ballad (C) Moral fable
(D) Historical chronicle

12. The Canterbury Tales is Chaucer’s best-known work. What narrative frame does it use? (A) Pilgrims telling
stories on the way to Canterbury (B) A debate in a lord’s court (C) An allegory of animals in a forest (D) A
diary of the narrator’s daily life

13. In which of his works did Chaucer first use rhyme royal (seven-line stanzas)? (A) The Book of the Duchess
(B) The Canterbury Tales (C) Anelida and Arcite (D) The Romaunt of the Rose

14. Chaucer’s An ABC and his incomplete Romaunt of the Rose precede which major poem? (A) The Book of the
Duchess (B) Troilus and Criseyde (C) The House of Fame (D) The Parliament of Fowls

15. Which poetic form did Chaucer pioneer in English? (A) Iambic pentameter verse (B) Blank verse (C) Heroic
couplets (D) Free verse

Historical Background of The Book of the Duchess

16. The “Duchess” mourning in The Book of the Duchess is allegorically the death of whom? (A) Blanche of
Lancaster (B) Anne of Bohemia (C) Philippa of Hainault (D) Catherine Swynford

17. John of Gaunt, Chaucer’s patron, held which ducal title? (A) Duke of Lancaster (B) Duke of York (C) Duke of
Cornwall (D) Duke of Exeter

18. In what year did Blanche of Lancaster die, as commemorated by the poem? (A) 1368 (B) 1369 (C) 1370 (D)
1372

19. John of Gaunt remarried in 1372. Who became his second wife? (A) Constance of Castile (B) Joan of Kent
(C) Anne of Bohemia (D) Elizabeth Woodville
 20. Chaucer’s poem was written to console which patron after a personal loss? (A) John of Gaunt (B) King
Richard II (C) Geoffrey Chaucer himself (D) William de la Pole

Plot of The Book of the Duchess

21. At the poem’s beginning, how long has the narrator been unable to sleep? (A) 8 years (B) 1 year (C) 3 months
(D) Since childhood

22. What story is the narrator reading before falling asleep? (A) Ceyx and Alcyone (B) Orpheus and Eurydice (C)
Pyramus and Thisbe (D) Perseus and Andromeda

23. In that story, which goddess does Alcyone pray to for a dream vision? (A) Juno (B) Venus (C) Minerva (D)
Diana

24. Which god carries out the goddess’s command by summoning Ceyx in a dream? (A) Morpheus (B) Mercury
(C) Apollo (D) Bacchus

25. In the dream chamber, the stained glass windows depict scenes from which ancient tale? (A) The fall of Troy
(B) The adventures of Hercules (C) The life of King Arthur (D) The story of Cleopatra

26. On the walls of the chamber, what allegorical poem is painted? (A) The Romance of the Rose (B) The Divine
Comedy (C) The Iliad (D) The Lay of the Last Minstrel

27. After leaving the chamber, the narrator hears a hunt. Whose hunt is it? (A) Octavian’s (B) King Arthur’s (C)
Henry V’s (D) Theseus’s

28. What animal follows the narrator out into the forest? (A) A small dog (B) A hawk (C) A stallion (D) A deer

29. The knight the narrator finds is dressed in which color? (A) Black (B) White (C) Red (D) Green

30. The black knight says he lost which piece in a game of chess? (A) His queen (B) His king (C) His rook (D)
His pawn

31. What is the name of the knight’s deceased lady? (A) White (B) Red (C) Grey (D) Green

32. How does the knight describe his service in life? (A) He served Love all his life (B) He served Fortune all his
life (C) He served God all his life (D) He served War all his life

33. How does the narrator react when the knight mentions losing at chess? (A) He does not understand and tries to
console him (B) He laughs at the knight’s sorrow (C) He challenges the knight to another game (D) He runs
away in fear

34. Which revelation finally makes the narrator understand the knight’s grief? (A) The knight explicitly says,
“White is dead.” (B) The knight wakes him up from the dream (C) A vision of Blanche appears (D) The
narrator remembers his own sorrow

35. At what point does the narrator awaken from his dream? (A) As the hunt ends (B) At midnight (C) At the
break of dawn (D) When the knight falls asleep

36. What does the narrator decide to do with the wonderful dream he has experienced? (A) Put it into verse
(poetry) (B) Tell no one of it (C) Burn his manuscript (D) Seek a remedy for insomnia
 37. Which personification appears in the conversation, depicted as playing chess with the knight? (A) Fortune (B)
Death (C) Cupid (D) Time

38. The dream vision genre in which Chaucer writes typically uses what narrative technique? (A) A framed first-
person dream narrative (B) Stream of consciousness (C) Unreliable narrator (D) Epistolary format

39. Which repeated symbol in the poem is a play on the name of the lady Blanche? (A) The color white (B) The
moon (C) The rose (D) The lion

40. At the end of the poem, the narrator swears by which saint, hinting at the patron’s identity? (A) St. John (B)
St. Peter (C) St. Mary (D) St. Paul

Themes and Literary Devices

41. What is the primary theme of The Book of the Duchess? (A) Mourning and consolation (B) Heroic adventure
(C) Religious piety (D) Courtly satire

42. The motif of sleep and dreams in the poem chiefly explores the boundary between what? (A) Reality and the
subconscious (B) Heaven and Earth (C) Morning and night (D) Good and evil

43. The chess game metaphor in the poem symbolizes which concept? (A) The unpredictability of fate in love (B)
The importance of skill (C) The rules of society (D) The knight’s strategic mind

44. In The Book of the Duchess, the color black primarily symbolizes mourning. What does the color white
symbolize? (A) Purity and the memory of the lost lady (B) Wealth (C) Danger (D) Guilt

45. Which theme offers hope to the grieving knight by the end of the poem? (A) The possibility of reunion in the
afterlife (B) Revenge against Fortune (C) Finding a new love (D) Achieving worldly success

46. The inclusion of the Ceyx and Alcyone myth at the beginning emphasizes what theme? (A) Love’s endurance
beyond death (B) The folly of trusting gods (C) The power of poetry (D) The importance of family honor

47. Chaucer’s poem follows the Boethian tradition. In literary terms, this means it focuses on what? (A)
Consolation of grief through philosophical reflection (B) Epic battles (C) Light romantic comedy (D) Satirical
commentary on court life

48. What stanza form does The Book of the Duchess employ? (A) Seven-line stanza (B) Four-line quatrains (C)
Three-line tercets (D) Eight-line octave

49. Which literary device is most prominent in the poem’s structure (dream narrative, allegorical characters)? (A)
Allegory (B) Comedy (C) Epic simile (D) Paradox

50. Chaucer personifies abstract concepts such as Fortune and Love. What is this an example of? (A)
Personification (B) Metonymy (C) Oxymoron (D) Alliteration

51. The poem begins with an invocation to follow in the steps of great poets (Virgil, Ovid, etc.). What literary
convention is this an example of? (A) Invocation of classical authority (B) Meter shift (C) Epic catalog (D)
Mock epic mode

52. In literary terms, The Book of the Duchess is classified as a “dream vision.” What feature is characteristic of
this genre in the poem? (A) A frame narrative in which a dream is recounted (B) A riddle dialogue (C) A
sermon by a friar (D) A legal trial
 53. Chaucer uses a pun on the lady’s name by calling her “White.” What literary device does this represent? (A)
Pun/wordplay (B) Hyperbole (C) Irony (D) Metaphor

Symbolism and Allusion

54. The color symbolism of The Book of the Duchess aligns with which of the following interpretations? (A)
Black = grief, White = the noble lady (B) Black = evil, White = heroism (C) Black = night, White = day (D)
Black = death, White = peace

55. The mention of a “long castel” in the poem alludes to the house of which family? (A) Lancaster (B) York (C)
Tudor (D) Neville

56. The reference to a “ryche hil” alludes to which title held by John of Gaunt? (A) Earl of Richmond (B) Duke of
Normandy (C) Earl of Oxford (D) Duke of Burgundy

57. The name “White” for the lady directly alludes to her actual name in French, which is Blanche (meaning
white). This is an example of what symbolism? (A) A color pun signifying identity (B) A heraldic emblem (C)
A seasonal symbol (D) A mythological reference

58. The knight’s mourning in black is a traditional symbol of what cultural practice? (A) Wearing black for
mourning the dead (B) A knightly tournament (C) Festival attire (D) Harvest rituals

59. The poem’s dream includes mythological figures (Juno, Morpheus). This intertextuality serves to invoke what
broader theme? (A) The influence of classical mythology on human life (B) The irrelevance of gods (C)
Christian theology (D) Medieval urban life

Important Quotations and References

60. In the poem, the line “White was his fairest, his hearteghte blis” would refer to what? (A) The name of the
knight’s lady (B) The name of the narrator (C) The color of the castle (D) The name of the storyteller

61. A modern edition title, The Deeth of Blaunche the Duchesse, shows Chaucer’s spelling. What does this
alternate title mean? (A) The Death of Blanche the Duchess (B) The Dream of the Duchess (C) The Blessing
of the Duchess (D) The Victory of the Duchess

62. Chaucer invokes several classical poets in his prologue (Virgil, Ovid, Homer, Lucan, Statius). This list
underscores his reverence for what tradition? (A) Classical literary heritage (B) English folklore (C) Boethian
thought (D) Biblical exegesis

63. The narrator repeatedly swears by “Our Lordes moder seint Mary” and “Seynt Johan.” What does this indicate
about Chaucer’s identity? (A) He is Christian (B) He is pagan (C) He is Jewish (D) He is atheistic

64. The poem alludes to characters and places (e.g. Blanche, Lancaster, Richmond). Which literary technique is
Chaucer using by making these references? (A) Allegory tied to historical allusion (B) Pure fantasy (C)
Autobiographical confession (D) Pastoral depiction

65. The knight says “I have layed me longe asleepe.” In the context of the poem, what does this imply about his
state? (A) He has lain dormant in grief for a long time (B) He literally slept for years (C) He was imprisoned
(D) He was dead
Critical Interpretation

66. Chaucer’s use of the dream vision in The Book of the Duchess most directly serves which purpose? (A) To
explore personal sorrow in a symbolic form (B) To satirise courtly life (C) To teach arithmetic (D) To depict
actual historical events

67. The chess allegory in the poem is often interpreted as an example of what broader concept? (A) Life’s
unpredictable fortunes (B) Courtly entertainment (C) The futility of games (D) A Christian sacrament

68. The lady “White” can be interpreted not only as Blanche of Lancaster but also as what idealized concept? (A)
Pure Love or Beauty (B) Religious faith (C) Temporal power (D) Military valor

69. Chaucer’s Book of the Duchess shares structural similarities with which classical work? (A) Boethius’s
Consolation of Philosophy (B) Virgil’s Aeneid (C) Ovid’s Metamorphoses (D) Plato’s Republic

70. Critics note that The Book of the Duchess was written early in Chaucer’s career. Which later work similarly
deals with Chaucer’s own grief and loss? (A) The Legend of Good Women (written after the death of another
patron’s wife) (B) The Canterbury Tales (C) Troilus and Criseyde (D) House of Fame

71. In scholarly discussion, Chaucer’s reference to playing chess with Love and Fortune is best understood as a
commentary on what? (A) The role of Chance in human affairs (B) The popularity of chess in medieval times
(C) A secret cryptographic message (D) A digression with no meaning

Absolutely! Here’s your paper-saving, compact version of the 75 MCQs on Doctor Faustus with side-by-
side options, grouped by sections, minimal spacing, and answer key at the end — perfect for photocopying.

DOCTOR FAUSTUS – PGTRB ENGLISH MCQs (Paper-Saving Format)

Detailed Plot Events (1–20)

1. Dr. Faustus’s profession? (A) Lawyer (B) Philosopher (C) Scholar of divinity (D)
Astrologer

2. Faustus’s desire through magic? (A) Immortality (B) Riches (C) Knowledge &
power (D) Escape plague

3. Who teaches necromancy? (A) Mephistophilis (B) Valdes & Cornelius (C) Lucifer
(D) Wagner

4. Language used to summon Mephistophilis? (A) English (B) Latin (C) German (D)
Greek

5. Years of service to Lucifer? (A) 10 (B) 20 (C) 24 (D) 30

6. Written on contract? (A) My soul to Lucifer (B) Homo fuge (C) Veni vidi vici (D)
Fiat voluntas tua

7. Trick on the Pope? (A) Water into wine (B) Invisible & mocks him (C) Raise the
dead (D) Earthquake
 8. Gift to Duchess of Vanholt? (A) Book (B) Goblet (C) Grapes (D) Ring

9. Who does Faustus summon for Emperor? (A) Alexander the Great (B) Julius
Caesar (C) King Arthur (D) Charlemagne

10. Wagner’s role? (A) Brave (B) Comic relief (C) Rival (D) Nobleman

11. Who worries for Faustus’s soul? (A) French scholars (B) English scholars (C)
Colleagues (D) Deans

12. Faustus’s fate at the end? (A) Forgiven (B) Escapes (C) Torn by devils (D)
Suicide

13. Who urges Faustus to sign? (A) Good Angel (B) Valdes & Cornelius (C)
Mephistophilis (D) Wagner

14. Comic pair with conjuring book? (A) Rafe & Robin (B) Dick & Tom (C)
Valdes & Cornelius (D) Horse-courser & clown

15. What does Faustus sell? (A) Fake jewel (B) Horse turns straw in water (C)
Magic potion (D) Shoes

16. Chorus reveals? (A) Faustus ascended (B) His downfall as warning (C)
Escaped to France (D) Mephistophilis turned human

17. How does Faustus seal the deal? (A) Signs blood (B) Handshake (C) Killing
(D) Burns Bible

18. Closing lines by? (A) Faustus (B) Wagner (C) Chorus (D) Lucifer

19. Visitor Faustus mocks? (A) Horse-courser (B) Old Man (C) Pope (D) Knight

20. Mephistophilis on hell? (A) Distant place (B) Fiery pit (C) Where God is not
(D) Paradise lost

Themes, Symbols, Motifs (21–35)

21. Dominant theme? (A) Corruption (B) Humanism & ambition (C) Love (D) Science
22. Blood symbolizes? (A) Life (B) Knowledge (C) Sin & damnation (D) Magic
23. Good & Evil Angel? (A) Magic & science (B) Hope & despair (C) Moral conflict (D) Knowledge &
ignorance
24. Necromancy represents? (A) Salvation (B) Forbidden knowledge (C) Wisdom (D) Enlightenment
25. Demi-god desire shows? (A) Pagan beliefs (B) Hubris (C) Devotion (D) Education
26. Old Man symbolizes? (A) Faustus’s future (B) Temptation (C) Repentance (D) Knowledge
27. Homo fuge warns? (A) Enjoy life (B) Flee sin (C) Sign quickly (D) Learn spells
28. Seven deadly sins? (A) Reward (B) Virtues (C) Temptations (D) Corruption
29. Contract means? (A) Baptism (B) Marriage (C) Damnation (D) Magic oath
30. Comic scenes’ purpose? (A) Relief (B) New themes (C) Suspense (D) Satire
31. Knowledge vs. wisdom shown in? (A) Wagner (B) Opening soliloquy (C) Horse-courser (D) Lucifer
32. Faustus’s tragic flaw? (A) Cowardice (B) Greed (C) Ambition (D) Ignorance
33. NOT Faustus’s ambition? (A) Move between poles (B) Immortal men (C) Raise dead (D) Marry duchess
34. Angel appearances show? (A) Lack of faith (B) Sin/redemption conflict (C) Loyalty (D) Paganism
35. “Hell nor am I out of it” implies? (A) Physical torment (B) Hell = absence of God (C) Earthly hell (D)
Death

Here’s your second set (36–75) fully converted into a paper-saving compact format for easy printing or
photocopying:

Important Quotations (36–45)

36. “Was this the face…”? (A) Mephistophilis (B) Faustus (C) Lucifer (D) Old Man
37. “Rend not my heart…”? (A) Good Angel (B) Wagner (C) Mephistophilis (D) Faustus
38. “Hell hath no limits…”? (A) Heaven infinite (B) Hell omnipresent (C) Magic beauty
(D) Emperor’s court
39. “Sweet Helen…” suggests? (A) Love (B) Union (C) Lust for salvation (D) Marriage
40. “Cut is the branch…”? (A) Faustus (B) Mephistophilis (C) Chorus (D) Lucifer
41. “O lente…” means? (A) Faster horses (B) Time quick (C) Slow time (D) Devils call
Faustus
42. “We must die an everlasting death”? (A) Warning (B) Prophecy (C) Fear of
damnation (D) Joke
43. “Think’st thou that Faustus…”? (A) Lucifer (B) Evil Angel (C) Mephistophilis (D)
Faustus
44. “O soul, be changed…” shows? (A) Rebirth (B) Escape death (C) Baptism (D) Magic
spell
45. “Mountains, fall on me”? (A) Revenge (B) Shelter (C) Death avoid damnation (D)
Power plea

Characters (46–60)
46. Wagner is? (A) Rival (B) Servant (C) Necromancer (D) Scholar
47. Mephistophilis serves? (A) Beelzebub (B) Faustus (C) Lucifer (D) Pope
48. Who dissuades Faustus? (A) Mephistophilis (B) Good Angel & Old Man (C) Lucifer (D) Valdes
49. Concern for Faustus? (A) Wagner (B) Valdes (C) Good Angel (D) Cornelius
50. Symbol of salvation? (A) Knight (B) Pope (C) Old Man (D) Lucifer
51. Who torments Faustus? (A) Angels (B) Devils (C) Scholars (D) Emperor
52. Seven sins shown as? (A) Ideas (B) Personified demons (C) History figures (D) Illusions
53. Comic necromancer? (A) Rafe (B) Robin (C) Horse-courser (D) Clown
54. Emperor impressed by? (A) Henry VIII (B) Charles V (C) Richard III (D) Louis XIV
55. Knight criticizes Faustus? (A) Spirits (B) Religion mockery (C) Arrogance (D) Scholarship
56. Calls Faustus “short-lived”? (A) Mephistophilis (B) Wagner (C) Knight (D) Pope
57. Robin & Rafe’s role? (A) Ambition (B) Commentary (C) Comic relief (D) Support Faustus
58. Helen represents? (A) Love (B) Wisdom (C) Lust/temptation (D) Salvation
59. Who claims Faustus’s soul? (A) Lucifer (B) Mephistophilis (C) Seven sins (D) Old Man
60. Wagner at the end? (A) Summons soul (B) Moral lesson (C) Disappears (D) Prays

Christopher Marlowe (Author-Based) (61–75)

61. Marlowe born? (A) 1564 (B) 1560 (C) 1558 (D) 1572
62. Death in? (A) Tavern fight (B) Duel (C) Prison (D) Illness
63. Contemporary playwright? (A) Donne (B) Jonson (C) Kyd (D) Milton
64. Faustus based on? (A) Greek myth (B) German folklore (C) English ballad (D) Roman history
65. Marlowe’s period? (A) Restoration (B) Romantic (C) Elizabethan (D) Victorian
66. Other work? (A) Jew of Malta (B) Hamlet (C) Duchess of Malfi (D) King Lear
67. Style? (A) Prose (B) Blank verse & tragic heroes (C) Couplets (D) Allegory
68. Suspected of? (A) Priesthood (B) Atheism & spy (C) Soldier (D) Nobleman
69. Contribution to drama? (A) Sonnets (B) Blank verse & tragic heroes (C) Pastoral poetry (D) Allegory
70. NOT Marlowe’s work? (A) Edward II (B) Tamburlaine (C) Spanish Tragedy (D) Massacre at Paris
71. “Marlovian overreacher”? (A) Politician (B) Overambitious hero (C) Poetic form (D) Court lover
72. Full name? (A) Christopher John Marlowe (B) Christopher William Marlowe (C) Christopher Marlowe
(D) Christopher Edward Marlowe
73. Blank verse called? (A) Free verse (B) Mighty line (C) Heroic couplet (D) Sonnet rhythm
74. Career cut short by? (A) Illness (B) Exile (C) Murder before 30 (D) Debt
75. “Infinite riches…” from? (A) Faustus (B) Tamburlaine (C) Jew of Malta (D) Edward II

Absolutely! Here’s your 75 MCQs on An Apology for Poetry by Philip Sidney in paper-saving compact format with
inline options and the answer key at the end (single line), designed for easy photocopying.

An Apology for Poetry – Practice MCQs for

PGTRB
Sir Philip Sidney: Life, Works and Significance
1. Sir Philip Sidney was born in which year? A) 1554 B) 1564 C) 1574 D) 1584

2. Sidney died in 1586 as a result of a wound received in battle. Where did he sustain this fatal injury?
A) Zutphen in the Netherlands B) The Spanish Armada C) The Scottish Border D) The Siege of
Flensburg

3. Which of the following works is a sonnet sequence by Sidney? A) Astrophil and Stella B) Lycidas C)
Amoretti D) The Phoenix and the Turtle

4. Sidney’s well-known pastoral romance is titled what? A) The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia B)
The Faerie Queene C) Utopia D) Galatea

5. An Apology for Poetry is also commonly referred to as what alternative title? A) The Defence of
Poesy B) Sidney’s Treatise C) The Art of Verse D) The Poet’s Manifesto

6. Which of the following best describes Sidney’s role in Elizabethan society? A) Courtier, scholar,
soldier, and poet B) King of England C) Catholic archbishop D) French ambassador

7. Sidney is often regarded as the epitome of what ideal in the Elizabethan age? A) The ideal gentleman
B) The ideal merchant C) The ideal sailor D) The ideal hermit

8. Who among the following was Philip Sidney’s godfather? A) King Philip II of Spain B) Queen
Elizabeth I C) Emperor Charles V D) King Francis I

9. Sidney’s sonnet cycle Astrophil and Stella was influenced by which Italian poet? A) Petrarch B)
Dante C) Ariosto D) Boccaccio
 10. Sidney received part of his education at which institution? A) Christ Church, Oxford B) Cambridge
University C) Paris University D) Trinity College Dublin

11. What honorific title did Philip Sidney hold? A) Sir B) Lord C) Earl D) Duke

12. In 1585 Sidney was appointed governor of which town in the Netherlands? A) Flushing (Vlissingen)
B) Antwerp C) Utrecht D) Leiden

Historical and Literary Context

1. Sidney’s Apology was partially motivated by a 1579 attack on poetry and drama. That attack, The
School of Abuse, was written by which former playwright? A) Stephen Gosson B) John Lyly C)
Christopher Marlowe D) Philip Sidney himself

2. Prior to becoming a critic of the stage, Stephen Gosson is described by Sidney as what? A) A former
playwright B) A soldier C) A clergyman D) A schoolmaster

3. Although composed around 1580–1581, An Apology for Poetry was first published in which year?
A) 1595 B) 1581 C) 1603 D) 1579

4. Sidney’s Apology primarily defends which art form? A) Poetry and imaginative literature B)
Sculpting C) Dance D) Mathematics

5. Sidney wrote that poetry combines the “liveliness of history” with the “ethical focus of philosophy”
in order to do what? A) Inspire virtue in readers B) Confuse the masses C) Depict accurate historical
fact D) Satirize politics

6. Sidney’s essay offers notable commentary on which contemporary poet and his work? A) Edmund
Spenser, author of The Faerie Queene B) William Shakespeare C) Ben Jonson D) Thomas Kyd

Structure and Rhetorical Method of An Apology for Poetry

1. In An Apology for Poetry, Sidney adopts the form of what type of discourse? A) A judicial oration
(defense speech) B) A lyrical poem C) A philosophical dialogue D) A historical chronicle

2. Sidney uses the metaphor of horsemanship throughout the Apology. This allusion connects to the
meaning of his own name (Philip), which is Greek for what? A) “Lover of horses” B) “Singer of
songs” C) “Wise counselor” D) “Servant of God”

3. As part of his strategy against censorship, Sidney structures his argument using which classical
rhetorical elements? A) Exordium (introduction) and peroratio (conclusion) B) Epic similes C) Blank
verse narrative D) Cartesian method

4. Sidney’s Apology presents poetry as creating a separate reality. Which of the following best
describes this idea? A) Poetry, while imitating nature, can invent and improve upon nature to create
new forms B) Poetry should always be an exact historical record C) Poetry is purely fanciful with no
basis in truth D) Poetry undermines reality by its falsehoods

Central Arguments in An Apology for Poetry

1. Sidney argues that poetry can educate and move readers because it employs what combination that
neither philosophy nor history alone can provide? A) Both precept (teaching) and example B) Ritual
and ceremony C) Prophecy and myth D) Mathematics and symmetry

2. Sidney describes the poet as “the right popular philosopher.” What reason does he give for this title?
A) The poet teaches all people by presenting virtues and vices, not just the educated few B) The poet
excels at logical argument C) The poet rules the state D) The poet predicts the future

3. According to Sidney, poetry deals with the universal (what might be) rather than the particular (what
is). Which example from ancient literature does he use to illustrate that even philosophers use poetic
elements? A) Plato’s dialogues, which use narrative and setting like poetry B) Aristotle’s Poetics C)
Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War D) Euclid’s Elements

4. Sidney famously calls poetry the “first light-giver to ignorance.” What claim is he making? A)
Poetry was humanity’s earliest source of knowledge and enlightenment B) Poetry should be banned
to prevent ignorance C) Poetry teaches ignorance D) Poetry was the first printed book

5. Sidney notes that certain revered texts were actually poetical in nature. Which pair does he
specifically mention? A) The Psalms of David and the Dialogues of Plato B) The Gospels and Julius
Caesar’s Commentaries C) Beowulf and Canterbury Tales D) The Iliad and The Odyssey

6. Sidney asserts that good poetry can do what to human knowledge? A) Present it in pleasurable form,
making scientific, moral, and political truths accessible B) Destroy all other knowledge C) Replace
religion D) Create chaos

7. Refuting the charge that “poets are the authors of lies,” Sidney argues that a poet can never truly lie
because: A) The poet never claims his imaginative stories are factual B) The poet has mystical
powers C) The poet speaks only in code D) The poet always cites historians

8. Sidney adopts Aristotle’s definition of poetry as “an art of imitation... a speaking picture with the end
of ____.” Fill in the blank from Sidney’s words. A) teaching and delight B) profit and power C)
sleep and forgetfulness D) chaos and confusion

9. In Apology, Sidney refers to poetry as an “architectonic (chief) science.” What does this suggest
about poetry’s status? A) Poetry is the foundational art that incorporates and unifies all knowledge
B) Poetry is only concerned with architecture C) Poetry is the lowest form of learning D) Poetry
cannot stand on its own

10. Sidney classifies three kinds of poetry. Which of these is described as the “chief” kind that imitates
the excellencies of God? A) Religious poetry B) Epic poetry C) Tragic poetry D) Comic poetry

11. Sidney states that the best poets’ works do what to their audience? A) Teach and delight them
simultaneously B) Preach without entertainment C) Confuse them on purpose D) Neither educate nor
amuse

12. Sidney claims that all art has nature as its principal object. What does this imply about poetry? A)
Poetry uses the materials of nature but transcends them through the poet’s imagination B) Poetry is
confined to literal nature descriptions only C) Poetry corrupts nature D) Poetry is unrelated to nature

13. Sidney’s concept of “fore-conceit” in poetry means what? A) The poet must conceive the whole
work in his mind before he writes it B) The poet foretells future events C) The poet forgets childhood
D) The poet studies astronomy first
Sidney’s Defense Against Critics
1. One accusation Sidney refutes is that poetry is a waste of time. How does he answer this charge? A)
By stating that poetry is the earliest and most fruitful form of learning, and that no knowledge both
teaches and moves to virtue as poetry does B) By agreeing and condemning poetry C) By saying
poetry is only for children D) By ignoring the objection

2. Another charge is that poetry is “the mother of lies.” Sidney’s reply is that poets: A) Never assert
their stories as factual, so they cannot be “liars” in the same sense as historians B) Always tell the
truth about kings C) Only write about animals, so no one believes them D) Must be punished if they
lie

3. Sidney addresses the claim that poetry corrupts morals (“the nurse of abuse”). What is his main
argument? A) Poetry itself is noble; it’s only bad poets (or bad readers) who abuse poetry. “Poetry
does not abuse man’s wit; it is man’s wit that abuseth poetry.” B) Poetry should be censored C) All
love poetry is sinful D) Only comedy is dangerous, not poetry

4. Critics point out that Plato banished poets from his Republic. Sidney responds by saying Plato’s
banishment targeted what specifically? A) Inferior or abusive poets, not poetry in general B) All
poets everywhere C) Only poets of tragic plays D) Only foreign poets, not Greek poets

5. Sidney summarizes four common charges against poetry. Which of the following is not one of them?
A) That poetry reveals state secrets B) That poetry is a waste of time C) That poetry is the mother of
lies D) That poetry leads to moral corruption

Key Themes and Concepts

1. Sidney defends fictional statements in poetry by arguing that, since the poet does not claim literal
truth, these fictional statements: A) Can be considered as true as any other human expression B) Are
inherently false C) Are irrelevant D) Must be ignored

2. Sidney notes that poetry, besides teaching virtue, has an affinity with what human capacity, making
it an effective teacher? A) Memory B) Strength C) Sight D) Smell

3. Sidney observes that no nation, however primitive, has been without poets or failed to receive what
from them? A) Delight and instruction B) Iron and steel C) Laws of mathematics D) Naval power

4. Which Renaissance critic does Sidney explicitly follow in calling poetry “the first light-giver to
ignorance”? A) Antonio Minturno B) Horace C) Dante D) Chaucer

5. Sidney’s portrayal of the poet as one who bridges two worlds corresponds to which philosophical
doctrine? A) Neoplatonic emanation (the poet channels transcendent forms into reality) B)
Epicureanism C) Stoicism D) Utilitarianism

Influence and Legacy of Sidney’s Apology

1. Sidney’s Defence of Poesy helped introduce Renaissance literary theory to England. According to
Britannica, Sidney’s work did what? A) Introduced critical ideas of Renaissance theorists to England
B) Established new political schools C) Conquered France D) Converted people to Catholicism
2. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s essay A Defence of Poetry echoes Sidney’s arguments. According to Shelley
(as cited), poetry has the power to do what? A) Awaken and enlarge the mind by presenting a
thousand new combinations of thought B) Teach arithmetic C) Cure diseases D) Provide military
strategy

3. Sidney’s view of poetry as creating “another nature” influenced which poetic movement? A)
Romanticism, with its emphasis on imagination and returning to nature B) Neoclassicism C)
Modernism D) Realism

4. William Wordsworth’s poetry, which emphasizes nature and individual perception, is said to
resonate with Sidney’s idea that the poet should be what? A) Independent and not tied to society’s
conventions B) An agent of the monarchy C) A public schoolteacher D) A silent monk

5. Sidney claims that “no art delivered to mankind hath not the works of nature for his principal
object.” What does this mean regarding poetry? A) Poetry uses nature’s materials but transcends
them through the poet’s imagination B) Poetry is identical to nature C) Poetry is a branch of natural
science D) Poetry excludes nature entirely

6. Sidney contemplates the ethical purpose of poetry. He famously states: “No learning is so good as
that which ______, and none can both teach and move as much as poetry.” What phrase fills the
blank? A) reacheth and moveth to virtue B) leads to knowledge C) enchants the soul D) entertains
the mind

7. Sidney uses Aesop’s fables as an example in defending poetry. Why does he say Aesop cannot be
called a liar? A) Aesop never claimed his fables were factual, so no truth was being told or denied B)
Aesop lived in ancient Greece C) Aesop was a king D) Aesop wrote in code

8. Sidney compares naming characters in a poem to what common practice? A) Naming chess pieces
(king, queen, etc.), illustrating that giving fictional names does not make a story false. B) Naming
streets C) Naming products D) Naming months

9. According to Sidney, who is the “least liar of all” among historians, scientists, and poets? A) The
poet, because unlike historians or scientists, the poet does not claim authority for his statements. B)
The historian C) The scientist D) They are all equally untruthful

10. Sidney claims that poetry often operates as a “right popular philosophy.” Which author does he cite
for that phrase? A) Plutarch B) Aristotle C) Horace D) Plato

11. In Sidney’s view, what is the relationship between poetry and philosophy? A) Poetry is more broadly
educative, teaching everyone virtue, whereas philosophy reaches only the learned B) Poetry is
inferior and frivolous C) Poetry and philosophy are the same D) Poetry rejects morality

12. How does Sidney distinguish the ends of poetry from those of philosophy and history? A) Poetry
uses pleasure to teach virtue (teaches and moves), whereas philosophy teaches abstract precepts and
history records facts B) Poetry has no purpose C) Poetry teaches vice D) Poetry only entertains

13. Sidney frequently mentions imitation. In his view, poetry’s imitation of nature is ____. A) Deliberate
and guided by the poet’s imagination to show ideals B) Always one-to-one exact C) Always
exaggerated lies D) Forbidden by Plato
14. According to Sidney, what is an essential prerequisite for knowledge? A) Pleasure in learning, which
poetry provides better than any other form of art B) Painful study C) Memorization of facts D) Fear
of authority

15. Sidney quotes Aristotle stating that poetry is “a speaking picture.” Which of the following reflects
Sidney’s addition to Aristotle’s definition? A) Poetry can reach the noblest truths through
imaginative fiction B) Poetry must rhyme C) Poetry is always factual D) Poetry is like a mirror

16. Sidney remarks that in ancient education, poetry was ____? A) The main source of instruction in
virtue and civic life B) Banned from universities C) Only read by women D) Considered trivial

17. What does Sidney suggest is the proper reaction to “unworthy” or “base” poetry? A) Criticize the
abuse of poetry, not the art of poetry itself B) Ban all poetry C) Endorse all poetry equally D)
Rewrite it as a tragedy

18. Sidney claims that even Plato, who banished poets, benefitted from poetic form. How so? A) Plato’s
own dialogues are written in an essentially poetical, dialogic style B) Plato wrote odes to the gods C)
Plato secretly read Homer D) Plato ignored poetry

19. Which statement aligns with Sidney’s concept of the poet as a “maker” of reality? A) The poet uses
nature’s raw materials and shapes them into ideal forms, effectively becoming a creator B) The poet
only copies the world exactly C) The poet has no creative power D) The poet’s world is always
fictional

20. Sidney engages with contemporary critics who valued fact over fiction. How does he justify the
value of fiction? A) Fiction teaches moral truths without the constraints of factual history, and the
poet never claims actual truth, so his creations can be as instructive as factual statements B) Fiction
should be ignored C) Fiction is harmful D) Fiction is indistinguishable from fact

21. How did Sidney’s Apology treat the concept of “censoring” creative works? A) He argues for the
respect and freedom of poetry, implying that art should not be unduly censored because the poet does
not lie B) He claims poetry should be strictly censored C) He avoids the topic D) He says all fiction
should be banned

22. Which later English writer is directly influenced by Sidney’s Apology, as an early example of literary
criticism? A) Percy Bysshe Shelley (in his Defence of Poetry) B) John Milton C) William Faulkner
D) Christopher Hitchens

23. Sidney’s Apology situates poetry above other forms of learning. Which phrase from the text
encapsulates poetry’s dual power to both instruct and delight? A) “There is no learning so good as
that which reacheth and moveth to virtue... and none can both teach and move as much as poetry.” B)
“Poetry is a mere fancy” C) “Only mathematics teaches truth” D) “History always prevails”

24. Sidney’s approach in Apology is sometimes seen as a precursor to which Romantic ideal about art?
A) That the poet’s imagination can create a new world and elevate mankind’s understanding (as in
Wordsworth and Shelley) B) That art must be realistic C) That art is irrelevant D) That art is
propaganda

25. Sidney claims that the “purpose” of poetry is to ____? A) Instruct and delight, thus teaching virtue
without dullness B) Provoke authority C) Destroy tradition D) Reveal secrets
 26. How does Sidney use the term “works of nature” in relation to poetry? A) He says all art, including
poetry, has nature as its material, and the poet’s imagination transforms it B) He says poetry opposes
nature C) He says poetry creates nature D) He says poetry replaces nature

27. According to Sidney, why are poets “the least liar of all”? A) Because they do not pretend to factual
accuracy – they write what should be, not what is B) Because poets always cite sources C) Because
poets are controlled by truth D) Because poets never change their stories

28. Sidney draws an analogy between poetry and horsemanship. What is he ultimately asserting with this
comparison? A) Just as a skilled rider guides a horse, a skilled poet guides the mind of the reader
toward virtue (a subtly persuasive form of instruction) B) Poetry should rhyme like a horse’s gait C)
Only horseback riders can understand poetry D) Poetry is a sport

29. Which statement best summarizes Sidney’s thesis in An Apology for Poetry? A) Poetry, through
imitation and imagination, has a divine origin and uniquely motivates moral improvement B) Poetry
is a frivolous waste C) Poetry should imitate science D) Poetry is dangerous

30. Sidney’s Apology had a lasting influence on English criticism. One key legacy is the idea that the
poet is what to society? A) An “unacknowledged legislator” – an unseen teacher shaping moral
values (a phrase later used by Shelley) B) A rebel C) A mere entertainer D) A political figure

Francis Bacon – Biography and Essays (PGTRB

Exam MCQs)
1. Francis Bacon, the English philosopher and statesman, lived during which of these years? A) 1545–
1612 B) 1561–1626 C) 1590–1660 D) 1500–1560

2. Bacon served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1618 to 1621 under which monarch? A) Elizabeth
I B) James I C) Charles I D) Henry VIII

3. Bacon is often called the “father of empiricism.” Empiricism emphasizes gaining knowledge through
what means? A) Faith and revelation B) Pure reasoning C) Sensory experience and observation D)
Tradition

4. In what year was Bacon created Viscount St Alban (after having been made Baron Verulam in
1618)? A) 1619 B) 1621 C) 1623 D) 1625

5. The first edition of Bacon’s Essays (1597) contained how many essays? A) 8 B) 10 C) 12 D) 14

6. Which of the following is a notable work by Francis Bacon? A) Utopia B) Novum Organum C)
Leviathan D) Pilgrim’s Progress

7. Bacon is known for advocating which method in scientific inquiry? A) Inductive reasoning B)
Deductive reasoning C) Pure intuition D) Cynical skepticism

8. Bacon categorized all learning into three main divisions. Which of the following is NOT one of his
divisions? A) History B) Poetry C) Philosophy D) Science
9. In which year was Bacon appointed Queen’s Counsel by Elizabeth I? A) 1585 B) 1597 C) 1603 D)
1612

10. How many essays were included in the final 1625 edition of Bacon’s Essays? A) 50 B) 58 C) 60 D)
68

11. “Of Studies” opens with “Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.” What is meant by
“ability” here? A) Judgment in business B) Artistic skill C) Physical strength D) Humble service

12. According to Bacon in Of Studies, spending too much time on studies leads to A) Sloth B)
Innovation C) Enlightenment D) Glory

13. Bacon says “to use them too much for ornament is affectation.” What does “ornament” refer to in
this context? A) A decorative or showy use of learning B) A display of wealth C) Religious
ceremony D) Legal argument

14. What does Bacon mean by “Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted”?
A) Read to impress others B) Read critically to weigh and consider C) Read for entertainment D)
Read only ancient texts

15. Which group of people “contemn studies” according to Bacon? A) Crafty men B) Simple men C)
Wise men D) Scholars

16. In Of Studies, Bacon claims that “crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise
men use them.” What does this imply about wise men? A) They make practical use of study B) They
avoid studying C) They depend on others for learning D) They only learn from nature

17. According to Bacon, if one “write little,” what ability must he have? A) Great memory B) Excellent
writing skill C) Strong intuition D) High intelligence

18. “Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.” Which of these is
true according to Bacon? A) Reading broadens knowledge B) Conference confuses thoughts C)
Writing makes one talkative D) Debate is better than study

19. “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”
What does “chewed and digested” mean? A) To read thoroughly and carefully B) To tear apart C) To
dislike D) To ignore

20. Bacon compares certain books to “distilled waters” and describes them as “flashy things.” What does
he mean? A) Some books are insubstantial and unimpressive B) Some books are nourishing C) All
books are valuable D) Some books are only for scholars

21. Bacon suggests that some books may be read “by deputy” for less important subjects. What is
implied by this? A) Important books require personal study B) Less important books can be read
second-hand C) Librarians should read books aloud D) All books need close reading

22. Bacon writes “Abeunt studia in mores.” What does this Latin phrase mean? A) Studies pass into
morals (character) B) Life is uncertain C) Truth is hard to find D) Knowledge is fleeting
23. Bacon says “studies are perfected by experience.” What does this suggest about the relationship
between study and experience? A) Study and experience complement each other B) Experience
hinders study C) Only study matters D) Experience is irrelevant

24. Which of the following is NOT one of the subjects Bacon praises in Of Studies for a particular
quality? A) History makes men wise B) Poets make men witty C) Mathematics make men subtle D)
Astronomy makes men patient

25. In the analogy of cures, Bacon suggests that a man with a wandering wit should study which subject?
A) Mathematics B) Philosophy C) Law D) Music

26. In Of Truth, Bacon quotes “What is truth? said jesting Pilate.” What is the significance of this
reference? A) Pilate’s skepticism B) Pilate’s faith C) Pilate’s courage D) Pilate’s ignorance

27. Bacon describes truth as “naked and open daylight.” What does he contrast it with? A) Candlelight
with variety (lies) B) Moonlight C) Darkness of ignorance D) Sunlight

28. According to Bacon, why do people favor lies over truth? A) Lies bring pleasure and soften blows,
whereas truth is plain B) Truth is illegal C) Truth is seldom known D) Lies are always rewarded

29. Bacon calls poetry “vinum daemonum.” Why? A) Because it fires the imagination (like a shadow of
a lie) B) Because it is intoxicating C) Because it is demonic D) Because it is false

30. “It is heaven upon earth to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the
poles of truth.” What attitude does Bacon recommend when contemplating truth? A) Pity rather than
pride, and faith B) Anger C) Indifference D) Arrogance

31. What does Bacon call a mixture of falsehoods in one’s dealings? A) Alloy in gold B) Poison in wine
C) Arrows in the dark D) A broken mirror

32. Which of these statements from Bacon’s essay Of Truth refers to integrity in public life? A) “There
is no vice that covers a man with shame like being false and perfidious” B) “Knowledge is power”
C) “Truth is a naked daylight” D) “To err is human”

33. “The love of truth… is the sovereign good of human nature.” What is the “sovereign good”
according to Bacon? A) The pursuit and enjoyment of truth B) Wealth C) Friendship D) Political
power

34. In Of Truth, Bacon implies that clear and fair dealing in civil business is A) The honor of man’s
nature B) Unnecessary C) Harmful D) A sign of weakness

35. Bacon states that to call someone a liar is to say he is “brave toward God, and a coward towards
men.” What does this imply about lying? A) It is essentially a cowardly act against people B) It is
noble to deceive C) It is indifferent D) It is a legal right

36. Bacon writes: “A crowd is not company; faces are but a gallery of pictures; talk but a tinkling
cymbal.” What point is he making? A) One can be lonely even in a crowd without true friends B) Art
galleries are valuable C) Silence is golden D) City life is pleasant
37. The Latin proverb “Magna civitas, magna solitudo” appears in Bacon’s essay. What does it mean?
A) Great city, great solitude B) Many friends, much joy C) Knowledge is vast D) Fame brings
isolation

38. Bacon says that to lack true friends is to live in a _____. A) Wilderness B) Golden age C) Castle D)
Paradise

39. What is “a principal fruit of friendship” according to Bacon? A) The ease and discharge of the
fullness of the heart B) Wealth and prosperity C) Political power D) Endless discourse

40. Bacon compares having a true friend to having what effect on the body’s ailments? A) A medicine
that opens the heart B) A fast-acting pill C) A poisonous dose D) A placebo

41. Why do great princes often risk their own safety to gain friendship, according to Bacon? A) Because
it helps bridge the distance between their fortune and that of their subjects B) Because they desire to
overthrow their enemies C) Because they love drama D) Because they are naive

42. Bacon explains that the Latin term “participes curarum” (sharers of cares) was the original idea
behind which modern term? A) Favorites B) Taxes C) Peers D) Priests

43. According to Bacon, if a person is unfit for friendship, they “taketh it of the beast, and not from
humanity.” What is implied by this statement? A) They are more like wild animals than human
beings B) They are divine C) They are wise D) They are fortunate

44. In the context of friendship, Bacon uses the metaphor of “civil shrift or confession.” What does he
imply by this? A) A true friend allows one to unburden the heart, much like confession relieves the
conscience B) Friendship is a religious sacrament C) Friends should keep secrets like confession D)
Friendship is restrictive

45. Bacon opens Of Revenge with “Revenge is a kind of wild justice.” He adds that the more human
nature inclines to revenge, the more what should intervene? A) Law should weed it out B) Mercy
should increase C) Violence should increase D) God should punish

46. When a man takes revenge, Bacon says he is ______ with his enemy, but when he forgives, he is
______. A) Even; superior B) Superior; even C) Lower; higher D) Equal; defeated

47. Which biblical figure does Bacon quote to emphasize that forgiving an offense brings glory? A)
Solomon B) David C) Moses D) Job

48. According to Bacon, people do wrong not for its own sake but to gain something. Which of these is
NOT one of the gains he mentions? A) Profit B) Honor C) Pleasure D) Altruism

49. Bacon says “The most tolerable sort of revenge is for those wrongs for which there is no law to
remedy.” What caution does he give about even this kind of revenge? A) It must be such that law
cannot punish it either B) It should be publicized C) It should be extreme D) It should be secret

50. Bacon suggests that a person who plots revenge keeps his wounds what? A) Green B) Healed C)
Open D) Hidden

51. Which of these has Bacon NOT listed as a “fortunate” public revenge in his essay? A) Death of
Caesar B) Death of Pertinax C) Death of Henry III of France D) Death of Alexander the Great
52. Bacon warns that vindictive people “live the life of witches.” What does he mean by this metaphor?
A) They become miserable and unlucky like witches B) They gain supernatural powers C) They are
feared and revered D) They should be burned at the stake

53. Bacon references Job’s attitude, saying one should accept both good and evil from God. How does
he phrase this? A) “Take good at God’s hands, and not be content to take evil also.” B) “Blessed are
the meek.” C) “As you sow, so shall you reap.” D) “Out of the eater came meat.”

54. Bacon begins Of Ambition by likening ambition to which humor? A) Blood B) Phlegm C) Choler D)
Melancholy

55. According to Bacon, if ambition is unrestrained and blocked, it becomes what? A) Malign and
venomous B) Joyful and peaceful C) Dull and lazy D) Noble and generous

56. Why does Bacon say not to appoint ambitious people to certain positions unless necessary? A)
Because if they do not rise, they will cause the position to fall B) Because they always lack
competence C) Because they dislike power D) Because they are immoral

57. Which role, according to Bacon, requires ambition because “to take a soldier without ambition is to
pull off his spurs”? A) Military commander B) School teacher C) Farmer D) Merchant

58. How can ambitious servants be useful to a prince, Bacon argues? A) As screens to absorb danger and
envy B) As financial officers C) As personal spies D) As family members

59. According to Bacon, what is the best remedy against ambitious nobles? A) Having a favorite to
manage their fate B) Exiling them C) Giving them land D) Educating them

60. Which example does Bacon give of an ambitious person being used to overthrow a greater one? A)
Tiberius using Marco against Sejanus B) Caesar using Brutus C) Alexander vs Darius D) Napoleon
vs Robespierre

61. What does Bacon suggest as a way to keep ambitious people uncertain and off-balance? A)
Interchange of favors and disgraces B) Constant promotion C) Ignoring them D) Public honors

62. Bacon says that it is less harmful for an ambitious person to do great things than to appear great in
everything, because the latter “breeds confusion and mars business.” Why might he say this? A)
Trying to seem great everywhere distracts from real achievements B) Being great in small things is
better C) Great ambitions always fail D) Confusion is good

63. Bacon suggests that ambitious people of ____ birth are less dangerous than those of noble birth. A)
mean (common) B) foreign C) royal D) obscure

64. According to Bacon, the virtue of adversity is ______, in contrast to the virtue of prosperity being
temperance. A) Fortitude B) Humility C) Caution D) Piety

65. Bacon notes that in the Bible, prosperity is a blessing of the Old Testament, whereas adversity is a
blessing of the New Testament. Why does he consider adversity a greater blessing? A) It brings a
clearer revelation of God’s favor B) It guarantees material wealth C) It leads to immediate success
D) It eliminates suffering
 66. Bacon mentions King David’s harp to illustrate his point. What contrast does he draw using Old
Testament examples? A) David’s mourning songs vs Solomon’s merry songs B) Moses’s command
vs Joshua’s obeying C) Jacob’s struggle vs Esau’s fortune D) Noah’s boat vs Lot’s wife

67. “Virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed.” What does Bacon
mean by this? A) Virtue shines forth most under adversity or persecution B) Virtue diminishes under
pressure C) Only the strong survive D) Adversity corrupts virtue

68. Which analogy does Bacon use to show that adversity can enhance perception of good? A) Bright
flowers on a dark ground B) Gold in daylight C) Music in silence D) Birds in flight

69. Which is better at revealing a man’s true character, according to Bacon? A) Adversity B) Prosperity
C) Fame D) Wealth

70. Bacon recounts the tale of Hercules sailing in a pitcher. What quality does he liken to Hercules’
journey? A) Christian resolution despite human frailty B) Divine power over nature C) Foolishness
of man D) Recklessness

71. In the context of adversity, Bacon uses an embroidery analogy. What lesson does he draw? A) A
bright embroidery on a dark ground pleases more than a dark one on a bright ground, implying
adversity can make joy more vivid B) Embroidery should be simple C) Art is superior to nature D)
Only monochrome designs are pleasing

72. According to Bacon, adversity belongs to which Testament’s blessings? A) New Testament B) Old
Testament C) Apocrypha D) Both

73. “‘Bona rerum secundarum optabilia; adversarum mirabilia.’” From Seneca, this phrase suggests what
about prosperity vs adversity? A) Prosperity’s goods are desirable, adversity’s are admirable B) Both
are undesirable C) Prosperity is trivial, adversity is feared D) Neither has good qualities

74. In Of Adversity, Bacon asks the reader to “judge therefore of the pleasure of the heart, by the
pleasure of the eye.” He uses needlework as an example. According to him, which scene is more
pleasing? A) Lively work on a solemn ground (dark background) B) Dark work on a lightsome
ground C) Lively work on a bright ground D) Dark work on a dark ground

75. Bacon concludes that “prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.”
What does this mean? A) Prosperity highlights one’s faults, while adversity reveals one’s true virtues
B) Prosperity reveals virtue, adversity reveals vice C) Prosperity and adversity are equally revealing
D) Only one’s wealth is revealing

Every Man in His Humour – PGTRB Exam MCQs

Plot and Characters
1. Every Man in His Humour belongs to the subgenre of “humours comedy,” meaning each character is
dominated by: (A) a witty dialogue style (B) one overriding humour or trait (C) noble lineage (D)
supernatural fate.
2. In which city is Every Man in His Humour primarily set? (A) Paris (B) London (C) Venice (D)
Florence.

3. When Brainworm first meets Old Knowell disguised as a soldier, what name does he give? (A)
Fitzsword (B) Fitzwarren (C) Roger (D) Stephen.

4. Mr. Kitely’s actions throughout the play are driven by his belief that: (A) his business will fail, (B)
his wife is unfaithful, (C) his friend Wellbred betrayed him, (D) the city is plotting against him.

5. After complaining about Captain Bobadil’s tobacco smoke, Cob asks Justice Clement for: (A) a duel,
(B) a pardon, (C) an arrest warrant for Bobadil, (D) legal advice.

6. Which character easily disarms the boastful Captain Bobadil in combat? (A) Master Stephen (B)
Downright (C) Master Matthew (D) Roger Formal.

7. Disguised as “Fitzsword,” Brainworm falsely tells Old Knowell that Edward is: (A) plotting his
father’s murder, (B) cavorting with married city women, (C) arranging a kidnapping, (D) secretly
plotting war.

8. What is revealed about the sword that Stephen buys from Fitzsword (Brainworm)? (A) It’s a genuine
Toledo blade, (B) It’s too large to wield, (C) It’s a cheap knock-off, (D) It’s enchanted.

9. In Act IV, Kitely rushes off to Justice Clement’s house because: (A) he fears being arrested for debt,
(B) he hears a rumor that justice is being served, (C) he is consumed by jealousy and believes his
wife has been unfaithful, (D) he has lost his cloak and needs protection.

10. Captain Bobadil can best be described as: (A) generous and wise, (B) a boastful braggart soldier, (C)
a timid scholar, (D) a cunning merchant.

11. Brainworm’s role in the plot is primarily that of a: (A) master of disguise and trickery, (B) rival
gallant, (C) love interest, (D) legal authority.

12. In Act I, Old Knowell accuses his son Edward of indulging in what? (A) Secret gambling (B) Idle
poetry and literature (C) Military affairs (D) Witchcraft.

13. Master Stephen is described as a “country gull,” which means he is: (A) a cunning city gallant, (B) a
foolish country youth, (C) a wealthy merchant, (D) a scholarly monk.

14. After Captain Bobadil lights his pipe at Kitely’s house, the conflict that arises is: (A) Cob is offended
by the smoke and is beaten by Bobadil, (B) Justice Clement arrives and arrests everyone, (C) Edward
fights with Stephen, (D) Dame Kitely leaves in anger.

15. Justice Clement is portrayed as: (A) an absent-minded nobleman, (B) a strict but fair judge who
resolves the play’s conflicts, (C) a drunken reveler, (D) a foreign dignitary.

16. Which two characters turn out to be half-brothers? (A) Kitely and Wellbred, (B) Downright and
Wellbred, (C) Edward and Stephen, (D) Matthew and Cash.

17. Master Stephen’s relationship to Old Knowell is that he is Old Knowell’s: (A) son, (B) nephew, (C)
brother, (D) cousin.
 18. Mistress Bridget is: (A) Kitely’s daughter, (B) Kitely’s sister who attracts suitors, (C) Old Knowell’s
niece, (D) Dame Kitely’s cousin.

19. Dame Kitely is: (A) Kitely’s sister, (B) Kitely’s wife, (C) Justice Clement’s niece, (D) Cob’s
daughter.

20. In the play, Cash is: (A) Master Stephen’s servant, (B) Kitely’s business assistant and messenger, (C)
a local poet, (D) an apothecary.

21. Tib is related to Cob as his: (A) sister, (B) daughter, (C) wife, (D) mother.

22. Who wrongly accuses Tib of being a bawd, prompting Cob to beat her? (A) Justice Clement, (B)
Master Matthew, (C) Wellbred, (D) Dame Kitely.

Themes and Literary Devices

23. A central theme of the play is the satire of: (A) heroic ideals, (B) humanity’s follies and foibles, (C)
religious dogma, (D) foreign enemies.

24. The play’s conclusion (weddings and reconciliations) primarily underscores: (A) the importance of
revenge, (B) the restoration of social harmony, (C) the triumph of greed, (D) the inevitability of fate.

25. The generational conflict between Old Knowell and his son illustrates the theme of: (A) Youth vs.
Old Age and parenthood, (B) Fate vs. Free Will, (C) Crime vs. Punishment, (D) Sin vs. Virtue.

26. Old Knowell’s suspicion of the London gallant Wellbred highlights which theme? (A) City vs.
Country life, (B) Nobility vs. Peasantry, (C) Science vs. Ignorance, (D) East vs. West.

27. The prologue’s invitation to laugh at “our popular errors” indicates the play encourages: (A)
sympathy for villains, (B) ridicule of human errors, (C) fear of punishment, (D) worship of tradition.

28. Justice Clement’s character and name emphasize the theme of: (A) mercy and clemency, (B)
vengeance, (C) secrecy, (D) madness.

29. The wedding resolution signals that Jonson ultimately values: (A) perpetual conflict, (B) harmony
and balance, (C) strict hierarchy, (D) melancholic fate.

30. The use of the four “humours” in the play symbolizes: (A) political parties, (B) exaggerated
personality traits, (C) climate change, (D) astrological signs.

31. The prominence of swords and duels in the play symbolizes: (A) divine right, (B) masculine
aggression and status, (C) romantic love, (D) artistic creativity.

32. Poetry in the play often symbolizes: (A) intellectual arrogance and vanity, (B) scientific truth, (C) the
influence of the church, (D) noble virtue.

33. The humor arising from situations where the audience knows more than the characters is an example
of: (A) dramatic irony, (B) hyperbole, (C) onomatopoeia, (D) alliteration.
 34. Jonson’s use of exaggerated characters to expose social types is an example of: (A) realism, (B)
farce, (C) allegory, (D) satire.

35. In Renaissance terminology, the word “humour” in the title refers to: (A) comedic wit, (B) bodily
fluids affecting temperament, (C) biblical prophecy, (D) weather conditions.

Historical Context and Ben Jonson

36. Every Man in His Humour was first performed in: (A) 1580, (B) 1598, (C) 1605, (D) 1616.

37. The original production likely took place at which London theater? (A) Globe Theatre, (B) Curtain
Theatre, (C) Blackfriars Theatre, (D) Rose Theatre.

38. Which acting company first performed Every Man in His Humour? (A) Queen’s Men, (B) Admiral’s
Men, (C) Lord Chamberlain’s Men, (D) King’s Men.

39. Tradition holds that which playwright advocated for this play’s production? (A) Christopher
Marlowe, (B) Thomas Kyd, (C) William Shakespeare, (D) Ben Jonson himself.

40. Ben Jonson is regarded as the second most important English dramatist after: (A) Christopher
Marlowe, (B) William Shakespeare, (C) Thomas Kyd, (D) John Webster.

41. Ben Jonson’s major comedies were written under the reign of: (A) Elizabeth I, (B) James I, (C)
Charles I, (D) Henry VIII.

42. Ben Jonson was born around: (A) 1566, (B) 1572, (C) 1580, (D) 1590.

43. Which of the following is NOT a play by Ben Jonson? (A) Volpone, (B) The Alchemist, (C) Hamlet,
(D) Bartholomew Fair.

44. Which work was written by Ben Jonson? (A) The Comedy of Errors, (B) Every Man out of His
Humour, (C) Macbeth, (D) The Merchant of Venice.

45. Ben Jonson served as a soldier fighting the forces of which country? (A) France, (B) Spain (in the
Netherlands), (C) Scotland, (D) Sweden.

46. Before writing plays, Ben Jonson was trained in which trade? (A) Tailoring, (B) Bricklaying, (C)
Carpentry, (D) Metalworking.

47. Which of these plays was written by Jonson? (A) The Tempest, (B) Twelfth Night, (C) The Alchemist,
(D) A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

48. The prologue declares that Jonson’s play will “sport with human follies, not with ____.” The missing
word is: (A) crimes, (B) virtues, (C) secrets, (D) dreams.

49. At the end, Justice Clement famously takes Matthew’s pilfered poems and: (A) Reads them aloud,
(B) Burns them, (C) Steals them, (D) Publishes them.

50. Who orchestrates the wedding feast and pardons at the play’s conclusion? (A) Old Knowell, (B)
Justice Clement, (C) Wellbred, (D) Kitely.
51. According to the prologue, Jonson wants the audience to “like men” by laughing at: (A) villains, (B)
popular errors, (C) tragedies, (D) saints.

52. Jonson explicitly omits which element of Greek theater, as mentioned in the prologue? (A) Tragedy,
(B) Chorus, (C) Comedy, (D) Heroism.

53. John Barrose, mentioned in the text, was a Burgundian: (A) diplomat, (B) fencer, (C) playwright, (D)
nobleman.

54. The feud between Bobadil and Downright ultimately mocks the futility of: (A) commerce, (B) empty
bragging, (C) romantic rivalry, (D) the law.

55. Old Knowell suggests restraining a young man is like training a greyhound; he concludes that the
better method is: (A) strict punishment, (B) enforced training, (C) encouragement and example, (D)
magical potions.

56. Who ultimately marries Mistress Bridget? (A) Master Matthew, (B) Edward Knowell, (C) Captain
Bobadil, (D) Master Stephen.

57. Justice Clement reveals that Kitely and Dame Kitely were both misled by gossip from: (A)
Brainworm, (B) Wellbred, (C) Justice Clement, (D) Mistress Bridget.

58. How does Justice Clement react to Brainworm’s deception by the play’s end? (A) He is furious and
punishes him, (B) He is impressed and pardons him, (C) He is indifferent, (D) He exiles him.

59. Kitely’s primary emotional driver throughout the play is: (A) ambition, (B) jealousy, (C) greed, (D)
naiveté.

60. Ben Jonson’s comedic style in Every Man in His Humour can be described as: (A) Romantic
idealism, (B) Satirical realism, (C) Mythological allegory, (D) Lyrical pastoral.

61. Which character mocks Matthew’s poetic pretensions at the end? (A) Old Knowell, (B) Dame Kitely,
(C) Justice Clement, (D) Roger Formal.

62. The “horns” in Kitely’s jealous fantasies refer to: (A) actual animal horns, (B) the idea of cuckoldry
(infidelity), (C) debt he owes, (D) battle helmets.

63. Ultimately, the play celebrates: (A) true love and merriment over bitterness, (B) greedy ambition, (C)
unwavering pride, (D) tragic solitude.

64. By the play’s conclusion, Brainworm is: (A) exiled, (B) pardoned and praised, (C) executed, (D)
imprisoned.

65. Which of Jonson’s works is a sequel to Every Man in His Humour? (A) Volpone, (B) Every Man out
of His Humour, (C) The Alchemist, (D) Bartholomew Fair.

66. The character Wellbred’s role in the plot is to: (A) bring legal cases, (B) sow misunderstanding and
comic mischief, (C) deliver prophets, (D) act as a wise counselor.
 67. Edward Knowell’s main interest in the play is: (A) sword-fighting, (B) poetry and learning, (C)
alchemy, (D) travel.

68. Dame Kitely’s jealousy is primarily instigated by: (A) Wellbred’s insinuations about Tib, (B) Cob’s
accusations, (C) Justice Clement’s edicts, (D) Edward’s letters.

69. In the context of English Renaissance beliefs, a character being “cuckolded” means: (A) his wife is
unfaithful (B) he is bewitched, (C) he loses his fortune, (D) he wins a duel.

70. The prologue asserts the play will use “deeds and language, such as men do use” to present: (A) a
fantasy world, (B) an accurate portrait of London life, (C) supernatural events, (D) religious
miracles.

71. Which character’s narrative is revealed through the use of dramatic irony in the play? (A) Captain
Bobadil, (B) Edward Knowell, (C) Justice Clement, (D) Dame Kitely.

72. Jonson’s style in Every Man in His Humour relies on: (A) epic poetry, (B) sharp satire of social
types, (C) romantic conventions, (D) religious allegory.

73. How does Mistress Bridget react when Edward declares his love? (A) She rejects him, (B) She is
pleased and accepts, (C) She laughs at him, (D) She reports him to her brother.

74. Which character briefly impersonates Justice Clement’s assistant to obtain a warrant? (A)
Brainworm, (B) Master Matthew, (C) Captain Bobadil, (D) Edward Knowell.

75. Wellbred’s character is primarily used to: (A) resolve conflicts, (B) provoke jealousy and confusion,
(C) deliver divine wisdom, (D) represent the supernatural.

The Book of Job – PGTRB Practice MCQs

The Book of Job is one of the Wisdom books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, dealing with profound
questions of suffering and divine justice. Its authorship is unknown and scholars date its composition to the
late pre-exilic or post-exilic period. The narrative is set in the land of Uz (often identified with Edom) and is
divided into a prose prologue and epilogue framing poetic dialogues. In Job 38–41, God speaks to Job out of
a whirlwind, using storm imagery to assert divine power and cosmic order – a motif symbolized by the
lightning bolt above. Below are 75 MCQs covering authorship, context, structure, major speeches, themes,
and the resolution of Job.

Authorship and Background

1. The authorship of the Book of Job is traditionally considered: (A) Moses (B) Solomon (C)
Unknown/Anonymous (D) Isaiah

2. The likely period of composition for the Book of Job is: (A) during the Exodus (B) King David’s
reign (C) late pre-exilic or post-exilic times (D) the 1st century AD
 3. The Book of Job belongs to which section of the Bible? (A) Pentateuch (Law) (B) Historical Books
(C) Wisdom Literature (Ketuvim) (D) Major Prophets

4. Job is associated with which ancient region according to the Bible? (A) Philistia (B) Edom (C) Egypt
(D) Mesopotamia

5. The land of Uz (Job’s homeland) is identified in Lamentations 4:21 with which region? (A) Moab
(B) Edom (C) Canaan (D) Babylon

6. Which ancient Near Eastern text has a theme similar to the Book of Job? (A) The Epic of Gilgamesh
(B) The Code of Hammurabi (C) The Babylonian Theodicy (Ludlul Bēl Nēmeqi) (D) The Enuma
Elish

7. The Book of Job is written primarily in: (A) Aramaic (B) Hebrew (C) Greek (D) Akkadian

8. The dialogues between Job and his friends in the Book of Job are composed in: (A) Hebrew poetry
(B) Aramaic poetry (C) Prose narrative (D) Greek verse

9. Job is an example of what type of biblical literature? (A) Law (Torah) (B) Prophecy (C) Wisdom
Literature (D) Gospel

10. At the start of the book, Job is called “blameless and upright.” This implies he is: (A) Wicked (B)
Righteous (C) Poor (D) Fearful

Structure and Literary Features

11. How many chapters does the Book of Job have? (A) 31 (B) 42 (C) 50 (D) 60

12. What is the basic structure of the Book of Job? (A) A continuous prophetic oracle (B) A narrative
frame with poetic dialogues and an epilogue (C) A collection of sermons (D) A list of genealogies

13. The sections describing Job’s trials in chapters 1–2 and the restoration in chapter 42 are called the:
(A) Genesis and Exodus (B) Prologue and Epilogue (C) Introduction and Conclusion (D) Fall and
Redemption

14. Job first speaks after his trials in which chapter? (A) Chapter 1 (B) Chapter 2 (C) Chapter 3 (D)
Chapter 28

15. How many cycles of debate occur between Job and his three friends? (A) One (B) Two (C) Three
(D) Four

16. In the third cycle of dialogues, which of Job’s friends does NOT speak? (A) Eliphaz (B) Bildad (C)
Zophar (D) Job’s wife

17. Chapter 28 of Job is a poetic interlude focused on: (A) Wealth (B) Wisdom (C) Lamentation (D)
Prophecy

18. Elihu’s speeches occur in which chapters of Job? (A) 4–14 (B) 15–21 (C) 22–27 (D) 32–37

19. God’s first speech (answering Job) begins in which chapter? (A) 30 (B) 37 (C) 38 (D) 42
 20. The Book of Job concludes with God’s rebuke of the friends and the narrative epilogue in which
chapter? (A) 39 (B) 40 (C) 41 (D) 42

Characters and Dialogues

21. The genre of the Book of Job is often described as: (A) Historical narrative (B) Wisdom drama or
poetic dialogue (C) Prophetic vision (D) Genealogical record

22. How many “friends” (comforters) come to visit Job during his suffering? (A) Two (B) Three (C)
Four (D) Seven

23. Which of the following characters is NOT one of Job’s three friends? (A) Eliphaz (B) Bildad (C)
Zophar (D) Elihu

24. Which of Job’s friends speaks first in the series of dialogues after Job’s lament? (A) Eliphaz (B)
Bildad (C) Zophar (D) Elihu

25. Which friend’s first speech suggests that Job’s suffering must be evidence of sin? (A) Eliphaz (B)
Bildad (C) Zophar (D) Job’s wife

26. Which friend emphasizes that God does not allow a truly innocent person to suffer, implying Job is
at fault? (A) Eliphaz (B) Bildad (C) Zophar (D) Elihu

27. Which of Job’s friends later accuses Job of specific great sins (e.g., oppression of widows)? (A)
Eliphaz (B) Bildad (C) Zophar (D) Elihu

28. The question “How long will you speak these things?” is asked by: (A) Eliphaz (B) Bildad (C)
Zophar (D) Elihu

29. Zophar the Naamathite argues that Job’s suffering is: (A) A test of his faith (B) God’s punishment
for hidden sin (C) A random misfortune (D) A trial sent by Job’s friends

30. What conclusion do Job’s three friends ultimately reach about his condition? (A) Job is secretly
righteous (B) Job must have done some evil (C) Job is the victim of cosmic injustice (D) Job will be
vindicated

31. Job calls his friends “miserable comforters” because: (A) They did not bring food (B) They were
weeping loudly (C) They criticized him rather than comforted (D) They abandoned him

32. Which statement is made by Eliphaz the Temanite? (A) "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."
(B) "Blessed is the one whom God corrects; do not despise His discipline." (C) "I know that my
Redeemer lives." (D) "Curse God and die."

33. Eliphaz often appeals to which source of insight in his speeches? (A) A divine vision or revelation he
received (B) Job’s own confession (C) The words of Moses (D) A proverb of King Solomon

34. A major theme of the Book of Job is: (A) The importance of rituals (B) Divine justice and the
problem of evil (C) Israel’s national destiny (D) The kingship of David
35. The Book of Job primarily addresses which fundamental question? (A) How Israel should conquer
nations (B) Why the righteous sometimes suffer misfortune (C) When the Messiah will come (D)
How to build the Temple

36. Job’s initial reaction to his losses (before speaking to God) is to: (A) Curse God (B) Praise God and
worship Him (C) Lament silently (D) Flee the scene

37. After losing his children and property, Job declares: (A) "Curse God and die!" (B) "I will not
worship." (C) "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
(D) "I have sinned."

38. Job’s friends maintain that suffering is always: (A) Random chance (B) Divine punishment for sin
(C) A test by Satan alone (D) A sign of God’s love

39. According to Job’s friends, Job suffers because: (A) He is innocent (B) He must have sinned (C) God
is testing someone else (D) It is Satan’s whim

40. Job’s own speeches repeatedly emphasize: (A) His great wealth (B) His unfaithfulness (C) His
innocence and desire for justice (D) His joy

41. A central motif in the dialogues is the contrast between: (A) Fire and water (B) Day and night (C)
Human suffering and divine justice (D) Kingship and prophecy

42. Which theme is NOT central to the Book of Job? (A) The inscrutability of God’s wisdom (B)
Faithfulness under trial (C) Literal resurrection from the dead (D) The question of innocent suffering

43. The Book of Job suggests that evil and disaster: (A) Are always punishments and nothing more (B)
Can be allowed by God even for the righteous (C) Must be caused by magic (D) Indicate that God is
weak

44. The conversations in Job highlight that: (A) Human wisdom is equal to divine wisdom (B) God’s
wisdom and power far exceed human understanding (C) Only Job is wise (D) The friends are more
righteous

45. God’s speech to Job (from the whirlwind) uses the imagery of: (A) The Exodus plagues (B) The
natural world and cosmos (C) King Solomon’s temple (D) The fall of Jerusalem

46. The line "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" spoken by Job (13:15) demonstrates: (A) His
despairing fury (B) His unshaken faith in God (C) His call to curse God (D) His abandonment of
hope

47. After God’s speeches, the implied lesson for Job (and the reader) is: (A) Insist on knowing God’s
reasons (B) Trust in God even when understanding is lacking (C) God always explains His actions
(D) God only rewards the best people

48. The role of suffering in Job’s life is ultimately portrayed as: (A) Meaningless and senseless (B) A
test or refinement that God allows (C) Purely random with no divine oversight (D) A sign that Job is
damned
49. How does the Book of Job say Job’s suffering ends? (A) He flees his homeland (B) His faith breaks
down (C) God restores his fortunes and blesses him more than before (D) He curses God and is
struck down

50. Who is the figure in the heavenly council who challenges Job’s righteousness? (A) Gabriel (B) Satan
(the Accuser) (C) Leviathan (D) Job’s wife

51. In the prologue, God describes Job as: (A) Wicked and deceitful (B) Blameless, upright, and God-
fearing (C) Poor and sinful (D) A king of a foreign nation

52. Which chapter contains Job’s first speech where he laments his birth? (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4

53. Which of the following statements is NOT spoken by Job? (A) "The LORD gave, and the LORD has
taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (B) "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him."
(C) "Curse God and die!" (D) "I know that my Redeemer lives."

54. In response to his wife’s advice, Job says: (A) "You are talking like a foolish woman." (B) "You are
right, I will curse Him." (C) "Die by your own hand." (D) "Go away from me."

55. Job’s wife advises him to: (A) Offer more sacrifices (B) Remain silent in faith (C) Curse God and die
(D) Seek another god

56. The phrase "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" is an example of Job’s: (A) Anger (B)
Compassion (C) Enduring faith (D) Defeat

57. When Job says "I know that my Redeemer lives" (19:25), he expresses: (A) Hopelessness (B)
Confidence in a living deliverer or vindicator (C) Fear of death (D) Memory loss

58. At the end of the book, God says that Job has spoken about Him: (A) With greater understanding
than his friends did (B) With envy and jealousy (C) Boldly and foolishly (D) Without faith

59. After God’s rebuke of Job’s friends, they: (A) Are forgiven without consequence (B) Are struck by
lightning (C) Offer burnt offerings as instructed (D) Become prophets

60. By the end of the Book of Job, how have Job’s wealth and family changed? (A) He has lost
everything again (B) He has double the wealth and new children (C) He refuses any blessings (D)
Nothing has changed

61. In the epilogue, which figures perform sacrifices? (A) Job alone (B) Job’s friends at God’s command
(C) Job’s wife (D) The city elders

62. After his restoration, Job is said to have _____ sons and _____ daughters. (A) Seven sons and three
daughters (B) Ten sons and no daughters (C) Three sons and seven daughters (D) One son and one
daughter

63. Job lives ____ more years after his trials, according to the final chapter. (A) 10 (B) 20 (C) 140 (D)
280

64. Job’s three daughters born after his trials were named: (A) Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel (B) Jemimah,
Keziah, Keren-happuch (C) Leah, Hannah, Ruth (D) Mary, Martha, Miriam
65. Throughout the dialogues, Job earnestly appeals to whom for answers? (A) His friends (B) The king
(C) God (D) The priests

66. In God’s first speech (chapters 38–39), He primarily speaks of: (A) The history of Israel (B) The
laws of the Temple (C) The creation of the world and natural order (D) The fate of Babylon

67. The Book of Job is often cited in discussions of: (A) Theodicy (the problem of evil) (B) Anointing of
kings (C) Dietary laws (D) End-time prophecy

68. Job is famous for the "patience of Job," which refers to: (A) His long lifespan (B) His endurance
through suffering without cursing God (C) His procrastination (D) His immunity to fire

69. Who says, "Shall we accept good from God, and not adversity"? (A) Job (B) Job’s wife (C) Eliphaz
(D) Elihu

70. Job’s three daughters after his trials are noted for: (A) Their prophetic gifts (B) Their special wisdom
(C) Their beauty (D) Their wealth

71. In his final response (Job 42:3–6), Job acknowledges he spoke of things he did not: (A) Feel (B)
Understand (C) See (D) Desire

72. What is notable about Elihu in the dialogues? (A) He is the oldest friend (B) He is a younger man
who speaks late (C) He is Job’s son (D) He speaks before the other friends

73. Job’s trials ultimately leave him: (A) Faithless and broken (B) With his faith intact and later
prosperous (C) Dead (D) Banished

74. In the heavenly council, the figure called “Satan” acts as: (A) God’s accuser or adversary (B) Job’s
protector (C) A fallen angel sent to purify (D) A pagan idol

75. By the end of the Book of Job, Job’s life is characterized by: (A) Continued suffering (B) Wealth and
longevity restored beyond what he had (C) Emigration from his homeland (D) Total loss of faith
The Spanish Tragedy

1.A 2.A 3.A 4.A 5.A 6.A 7.A 8.A 9.A 10.A 11.A 12.A 13.A 14.A 15.A 16.A 17.A 18.A 19.A 20.A 21.A
22.A 23.A 24.A 25.A 26.A 27.A 28.A 29.A 30.A 31.A 32.A 33.A 34.A 35.A 36.A 37.A 38.A 39.A 40.A
41.A 42.A 43.A 44.A 45.D 46.A 47.A 48.A 49.A 50.A 51.A 52.A 53.A 54.A 55.A 56.A 57.A 58.A 59.A
60.A 61.A 62.A 63.A 64.A 65.A 66.A 67.A 68.A 69.A 70.A 71.A 72.A 73.A 74.A 75.A

Prothalamian and Epithalamion

1.B 2.C 3.C 4.D 5.C 6.B 7.C 8.B 9.B 10.A 11.B 12.A 13.B 14.B 15.B 16.A 17.B 18.A 19.A 20.A 21.C
22.A 23.A 24.B 25.B 26.B 27.A 28.A 29.A 30.A 31.B 32.B 33.B 34.A 35.B 36.B 37.B 38.A 39.A 40.A
41.C 42.B 43.A 44.B 45.A 46.C 47.A 48.A 49.B 50.A 51.A 52.A 53.A 54.A 55.A 56.A 57.A 58.A 59.A
60.A 61.B 62.B 63.B 64.C 65.B 66.B 67.B 68.A 69.A 70.B 71.A 72.A 73.A 74.A 75.C

Remembrance

1.C 2.B 3.B 4.B 5.B 6.C 7.C 8.A 9.B 10.B 11.D 12.C 13.C 14.B 15.C 16.B 17.C 18.C 19.B 20.B 21.B
22.D 23.C 24.C 25.B 26.C 27.B 28.C 29.C 30.C 31.B 32.B 33.C 34.C 35.B 36.B 37.C 38.B 39.B 40.B
41.B 42.A 43.B 44.C 45.C 46.B 47.B 48.A 49.D 50.C
The book of Duchess

Answers: 1. A, 2. C, 3. A, 4. A, 5. A, 6. C, 7. A, 8. A, 9. A, 10. A, 11. A, 12. A, 13. A, 14. A, 15. A, 16.

A, 17. A, 18. B, 19. A, 20. A, 21. A, 22. A, 23. A, 24. A, 25. A, 26. A, 27. A, 28. A, 29. A, 30. A, 31. A,
32. A, 33. A, 34. A, 35. A, 36. A, 37. A, 38. A, 39. A, 40. A, 41. A, 42. A, 43. A, 44. A, 45. A, 46. A, 47.
A, 48. A, 49. A, 50. A, 51. A, 52. A, 53. A, 54. A, 55. A, 56. A, 57. A, 58. A, 59. A, 60. A, 61. A, 62. A,
63. A, 64. A, 65. A, 66. A, 67. A, 68. A, 69. A, 70. A, 71. A

[Link]

1.C 2.C 3.B 4.B 5.C 6.B 7.B 8.C 9.A 10.B 11.C 12.C 13.C 14.A 15.B 16.B 17.A 18.C 19.D 20.C 21.B
22.C 23.C 24.B 25.B 26.C 27.B 28.C 29.C 30.A 31.B 32.C 33.D 34.B 35.B 36.B 37.D 38.B 39.C 40.C
41.C 42.C 43.D 44.B 45.C 46.B 47.C 48.B 49.C 50.C 51.B 52.B 53.B 54.B 55.C 56.C 57.C 58.C 59.B
60.C 61.A 62.A 63.C 64.B 65.C 66.A 67.B 68.B 69.B 70.C 71.B 72.C 73.B 74.C 75.C

Apologies for Poetrie

1.A 2.A 3.A 4.A 5.A 6.C 7.A 8.A 9.A 10.A 11.A 12.A 13.A 14.A 15.A 16.A 17.A 18.A 19.A 20.A 21.A
22.A 23.A 24.A 25.A 26.A 27.A 28.A 29.A 30.A 31.A 32.A 33.A 34.A 35.A 36.A 37.A 38.A 39.A 40.D
41.A 42.A 43.A 44.A 45.A 46.A 47.A 48.A 49.A 50.A 51.A 52.A 53.A 54.A 55.A 56.A 57.A 58.A 59.A
60.A 61.A 62.A 63.A 64.A 65.A 66.A 67.A 68.A 69.A 70.A 71.A 72.A 73.A 74.A 75.A

Francis Bacon

Answer Key: 1.B 2.B 3.C 4.B 5.B 6.B 7.A 8.D 9.B 10.B 11.A 12.A 13.A 14.B 15.A 16.A 17.A 18.A
19.A 20.A 21.B 22.A 23.A 24.D 25.A 26.A 27.A 28.A 29.A 30.A 31.A 32.A 33.A 34.A 35.A 36.A 37.A
38.A 39.A 40.A 41.A 42.A 43.A 44.A 45.A 46.A 47.A 48.D 49.A 50.A 51.D 52.A 53.A 54.C 55.A 56.A
57.A 58.A 59.A 60.A 61.A 62.A 63.A 64.A 65.A 66.A 67.A 68.A 69.A 70.A 71.A 72.A 73.A 74.A 75.A

Every man in his Humour

Answers: 1.B 2.B 3.A 4.B 5.C 6.B 7.B 8.C 9.C 10.B 11.A 12.A 13.B 14.A 15.B 16.B 17.B 18.B 19.B
20.B 21.C 22.B 23.B 24.B 25.A 26.A 27.B 28.A 29.B 30.B 31.B 32.B 33.A 34.D 35.B 36.B 37.B 38.C
39.C 40.B 41.B 42.B 43.C 44.B 45.B 46.B 47.C 48.A 49.B 50.B 51.B 52.B 53.B 54.B 55.C 56.B 57.B
58.B 59.B 60.B 61.C 62.B 63.A 64.B 65.B 66.B 67.B 68.C 69.A 70.B 71.A 72.B 73.B 74.A 75.B.

The book of Job

Answer Key: 1.C 2.C 3.C 4.B 5.B 6.C 7.B 8.A 9.C 10.B 11.B 12.B 13.B 14.C 15.C 16.C 17.B 18.D 19.C
20.D 21.B 22.B 23.D 24.A 25.A 26.B 27.A 28.B 29.B 30.B 31.C 32.B 33.A 34.B 35.B 36.B 37.C 38.B
39.B 40.C 41.C 42.C 43.B 44.B 45.B 46.B 47.B 48.B 49.C 50.B 51.B 52.C 53.C 54.A 55.C 56.C 57.B
58.B 59.C 60.B 61.B 62.A 63.C 64.B 65.C 66.C 67.A 68.B 69.A 70.C 71.B 72.B 73.B 74.A 75.B