English Literature MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) - Schoolingaxis.com

English Literature MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)

 Que- What was historically significant about Chretien de Troyes Yvain, le Chevalier au Lion ? 

a. He recast the history of Arthur into the romance genre.  

b. He was the first to discuss the Knights of the Round Table.  

c. He separated Arthurian legend from tales of courtly love.  

d. He dropped the supernatural theme found in Arthurian legend. 


Answer- He recast the history of Arthur into the romance genre.


Que- What is the primary focus of Bede's Ecclesiastical History ? 

a. The life of everyday people in the 5th and 6th centuries  

b. The conversion of Britain to Christianity  

c. The history of Christianity before it reached Britain  

d. The spread of Christianity after the Norman Conquest 


Answer- The conversion of Britain to Christianity


Que- What is the primary purpose of Chetien de Troye's medieval romances ? 

a. To convert readers to Christianity through positive examples  

b. To inform illiterate readers about Arthurian legend  

c. To reconcile the hero's responsibilities in love and wars  

d. To sway audiences away from reading tales of courtly love 


Answer- To reconcile the hero's responsibilities in love and wars


Que- What is the significance of the dreamer in The Dream of the Rood ? 

a. The dreamer functions as an example of the comitatus ethic.  

b. The dreamer has a special hope for salvation.  

c. The dreamer is a relic from before the Christian conversion.  

d. The dreamer is an example of the superstition of paganism. 


Answer- The dreamer has a special hope for salvation.


Que- Which of the following is not a characteristic of Old English ? 

a. Alliteration  

b. Personification  

c. Caesura  

d. Romance 


Answer- Romance


Que- What is the significance of the title of "Everyman" ? 

a. The title suggests a long history of conflict between the government and the individual.  

b. The title is part of the morality play's attempt to make Christian struggles universal.  

c. The title alludes to other plays in the same cycle.  

d. The title suggests that faith-based issues are individual to each Christian. 


Answer- The title is part of the morality play's attempt to make Christian struggles universal.


Que- Why is the Battle of Hastings relevant to the development of Middle English ? 

a. English as a language of the king's court was replaced by Norman French.  

b. Eventually English was reestablished, deeply influenced by Norman French.  

c. For a time, England became a country with two languages.  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- Why is the presence of the comitatus ethic in Beowulf significant ? 

a. The comitatus ethic represents the shift from a nomadic to a more organized social structure.  

b. The comitatus ethic is evidence of a period in which behavior was guided by Christian ethics.  

c. The comitatus ethic shows a historical return to older types of political organization.  

d. The comitatus ethic represents a culture in which rulers had no responsibilities to their citizens. 


Answer- The comitatus ethic represents the shift from a nomadic to a more organized social structure.


Que- Chaucer and Langland were contemporaries, but there were several differences between their writing styles. Which of the following best describes these differences ? 

a. Langland wrote only about aristocratic characters that were similar to Arthurian legends, whereas Chaucer wrote about lower social classes.  

b. Chaucer and Langland wrote in different dialects.  

c. Chaucer copied French and Italian style, whereas Langland did not.  

d. Most of Chaucer's poetry was for a secular court audience, whereas Langland's was didactic, teaching a moral lesson. 


Answer- Chaucer copied French and Italian style, whereas Langland did not.


Que- Chaucer's pilgrims are a representative section of late medieval society. Which of the following economic situations is evident among this group ? 

a. Landlords had growing problems with their tenants.  

b. The lack of guilds led to a decline in available civic services.  

c. A modern social hierarchy developed.  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- What is problematic about calling Beowulf part of Old English literature ? 

a. There is no firm concept of when English literature began.  

b. The epic poem is written in a language that is unrecognizable to many English speakers.  

c. Danish and German scholars first claimed the poem.  

d. There are no English characters in the poem. 


Answer- There are no English characters in the poem.


Que- Which of the following best defines Middle English ? 

a. An early form spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons  

b. A filed-down Old English with heavy French influence  

c. A unique form of English spoken in Germany  

d. A form brought to England by the Scandinavians 


Answer- A filed-down Old English with heavy French influence


Que- Which of the following factors helped create a solidified British political identity ? 

a. The shift away from individual petty kingdoms to central rule under King Alfred  

b. Efforts to revive learning  

c. The translation of Latin religious and historical works in vernacular traditions  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- Which of the following advice is offered to women in Acrene Wisse ? 

a. Anchoresses should live in a dwelling attached to a church.  

b. Anchoresses should avoid gossip.  

c. Anchoresses should avoid men.  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- What is the significance of the line: Fate is established! in The Wanderer ? 

a. The line describes the optimistic attitude of the speaker.  

b. The line suggests that the speaker is comfortably settled.  

c. The Wanderer is a poem about fatal endings.  

d. The line suggests that fate plays an irrevocable role in human affairs 


Answer- The line suggests that fate plays an irrevocable role in human affairs


Que- Which of the following is not related to the term medievalism ? 

a. Enlightenment  

b. Feudalism  

c. Guildhouses  

d. Monasticism 


Answer- Enlightenment


Que- What is a lai ? 

a. A poem with courtly love as its central theme  

b. A short lyrical poem  

c. A poem that is usually in octosyllabic couplets  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- The turbulent years of the 14th century witnessed a blending of language and culture that led to the rise of Middle English. Which of the following events led to the nickname "the era of catastrophes" ? 

a. The Hundred Years War  

b. The Great Schism  

c. The Black Plague  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- How is the lai similar to a medieval romance ? 

a. Both include stacked tales in a single sequential narrative.  

b. Both have courtly love as their central theme.  

c. Both are designed in an episodic manner.  

d. Both are usually intended to be sung as hymns. 


Answer- Both have courtly love as their central theme.


Que- How did French become the dominant language of England ? 

a. King Alfred wanted all educated people to speak French.  

b. Many English nobles preferred French because of the culture's superior poetry.  

c. Edward the Confessor's wife was French, and she had great influence at court.  

d. After the successful invasion of England, the language of William of Normandy became the language of the elite. 


Answer- After the successful invasion of England, the language of William of Normandy became the language of the elite.


Que- Which of the following themes appears in "The Miller's Tale" ? 

a. The misuse of scripture  

b. The contrast between vulgar love and courtly love  

c. The misdirected kiss  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- What was the function of the Anglo- Saxon Chronicle ? 

a. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the history of the continuity and persistence of Anglo-Saxon culture in Old English.  

b. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle offers a lay person's perspective on Anglo-Saxon history.  

c. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle focuses on the courtly adventures of Anglo-Saxon English.  

d. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle presents an accurate description of the Second and Third Crusades. 


Answer- The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the history of the continuity and persistence of Anglo-Saxon culture in Old English.


Que- In Chaucer's "The Miller's Tale," why would the miller's determination to speak following the knight appear unsettling to the 14th century audience ? 

a. The knight had not finished his tale.  

b. The miller did not ask politely.  

c. A member of the clergy should have spoken next.  

d. The miller was far beneath the knight in social order, so the miller should have deferred to the person who ranked above him. 


Answer- The miller was far beneath the knight in social order, so the miller should have deferred to the person who ranked above him.


Que- What literary term is suggested by thequote steadfast companions will stand by him from Beowulf ? 

a. The golden torque  

b. Hurnting  

c. Comitatus ethic  

d. Kenning 


Answer- Comitatus ethic


Que- In Lanval, how does Marie de France represent King Arthur ? 

a. As a historical figure with whom her audience is largely unfamiliar  

b. As a warrior king  

c. As someone who broken the tradition of offering lavish gifts to his supporters  

d. As a modest ruler who defended his own borders 


Answer- As a modest ruler who defended his own borders


Que- What is the verse form of Marie de France's Lanval ? 

a. Dactylic pentameter  

b. Octosyllabic couplets  

c. Heroic couplets  

d. Clerihew 


Answer- Octosyllabic couplets


Que- In The Wanderer, what is the speaker's primary conflict ? 

a. The desire to travel in search of wisdom with the social conventions  

b. The folly of earthly things with the wisdom of heaven  

c. The speaker's spiritual regression with the increasing trend of Christian conversions  

d. The desire for a more advanced world with stagnant social progress 


Answer- The folly of earthly things with the wisdom of heaven


Que- The Battle of Maldon describes which historical event ? 

a. The defeat of the English at the hands of the Vikings in 991  

b. The First Crusade in the 11th-century  

c. The Second Crusade in the 12thcentury  

d. The Norman Conquest in 1066 


Answer- The defeat of the English at the hands of the Vikings in 991


Que- Which of the following statements best characterizes the work of early monks in shaping future medieval church life ? 

a. They were extremely charismatic.  

b. They wanted to move from the basics of Christian faith to a full Christian life.  

c. They were promoters of the monastic life.  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- Beowulf introduces the reader to the life of a thegn. Which of the following best describes the role of the thegn ? 

a. The thegn is a warrior who has sworn his loyalty to an Anglo-Saxon lord.  

b. The thegn is a class of protocapitalism opposed to the guild system.  

c. The thegn is a warrior who pays money in exchange for exemption from military service.  

d. The thegn is an Anglo-Saxon lord who partakes in the comitatus ethic. 


Answer- The thegn is a warrior who has sworn his loyalty to an Anglo-Saxon lord.


Que- Arthur, the good King of Britain…held a rich and royal court ? 

a. This line suggests that Britain was the most important place in the medieval world.  

b. This line suggests that good kings are rewarded by God.  

c. This line suggests that Arthur was beloved by the English, because he was good.  

d. This line suggests the elegance necessary for the feudal king to display being at the top of the economic hierarchy. 


Answer- This line suggests the elegance necessary for the feudal king to display being at the top of the economic hierarchy.


Que- What is the significance of Sutton Hoo ? 

a. Sutton Hoo provides architectural evidence from a virtually unexplored period of history.  

b. Sutton Hoo gives more information about the society that created Beowulf.  

c. Sutton Hoo provides insight into the conversion from paganism to Christianity.  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- Which of the following lines provides an example of alliterative verse ? 

a. The knight took a step toward/The maiden she called him forward  

b. her biginneth the earste boc of ures ant ureisuns the gode beoth to seggen  

c. doughty in theire doings and dredde ay schame  

d. I left my lands to come where you are/To find you I have come so far! 


Answer- doughty in theire doings and dredde ay schame


Que- Which of the following best describes how Bede was a typical Christian of his time ? 

a. He combined zealous Christianity with English patriotism.  

b. He did not believe that Christianity was an essential part of English culture.  

c. He thought that England was a pagan wilderness.  

d. He believed that English Christians needed to move to a New Israel. 


Answer- He combined zealous Christianity with English patriotism.


Que- In Beowulf, what is the significance of the term wyrd ? 

a. Wyrd has to do with reparational payments exacted from people guilty of homicide.  

b. Wyrd is related to the folly of earthly possessions.  

c. Wyrd suggests the idea of fate.  

d. Wyrd is an allusion to the impending conversion to Christianity 


Answer- Wyrd is an allusion to the impending conversion to Christianity


Que- The home of Chaucer's royal patron and friend, John of Gaunt, was burned duringthe Peasants' Revolt of 138. What events led to this revolt ? 

a. Government policies were incorrectly based on the idea that the rich would help the poor survive.  

b. The high rates of the poll tax were considered unfair.  

c. Peasants were jointly united against the pattern of upper-class harassments  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- Which of the following best defines mysticism ? 

a. The dream connection between the two sexes  

b. A literary genre written mainly in the Anglo-Saxon era  

c. The human soul's tendency towards intimate union with the divine  

d. The separation between humanity and divinity 


Answer- A literary genre written mainly in the Anglo-Saxon era


Que- In the first decades after the Norman Conquest, which of the following best describes the use of language in England ? 

a. The conquered English quickly studied French.  

b. The French conquerors learned English in order to be able to govern well.  

c. Latin became a common language for interaction between the two groups.  

d. Most of the English population went on speaking English with French used mostly among the upper-ruling class. 


Answer- Most of the English population went on speaking English with French used mostly among the upper-ruling class.


Que- In Acrene Wisse, the mission of the anchorite was justified through what purpose ? 

a. To serve the church  

b. To withdraw and meditate upon God  

c. To pray  

d. To preach 


Answer- To withdraw and meditate upon God


Que- In Yvain, le Chevalier au Lion, what is the significance of trouthe ? 

a. Trouthe represents the supernatural aspects of the medieval romance.  

b. Trouthe alludes to the British conversion from paganism to Christianity.  

c. Trouthe emphasizes the positive side of feudalism.  

d. Trouthe suggests the imminent return to a pre-feudal social organization. 


Answer- Trouthe emphasizes the positive side of feudalism.


Que- Complete the following statement. Chaucer wrote his elegiac poem, "The Book of the Duchess," to praise the young Duchess of Lancaster who tragically died of___________________? 

a. the Black Plague.  

b. unrequited love for John of Gaunt.  

c. drowning in the Thames.  

d. childbirth. 


Answer- the Black Plague.


Que- What was the focus of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae ? 

a. The life and poems of Caedmon  

b. The conversion of Britain from paganism  

c. The early years of William the Conqueror  

d. The tales of King Arthur 


Answer- The tales of King Arthur


Que- Which of the following best defines wergild ? 

a. Giving inanimate objects human qualities  

b. A metaphorical compound  

c. A reparational payment demanded of a person guilty of homicide  

d. The image used to share qualities in a metaphor or simile 


Answer- A reparational payment demanded of a person guilty of homicide


Que- Which of the following characteristics are not essential to knightly chivalry as described by Chretien de Troyes ? 

a. The knight is religious.  

b. The knight is submissive to his lad.  

c. The knight is dedicated to his feudal lord.  

d. The knight is blond, tall, and elegant. 


Answer- The knight is blond, tall, and elegant.


Que- Why was the alliterative revival associated with nationalism and nostalgia ? 

a. The stories of King Arthur made all English people nostalgic.  

b. Metrical poetry simply got boring.  

c. Alliterative poetry was much easier to write.  

d. Alliterative poetry was associated with a world before the French influence, a world before the Conquest 


Answer- Alliterative poetry was associated with a world before the French influence, a world before the Conquest


Que- Why was Acrene Wisse written in the vernacular language ? 

a. English was a more commonly used language in the Church.  

b. The audience was likely unable to read French.  

c. Women were more educated, so they knew more languages.  

d. The audience was partially lay-women with little knowledge of Latin. 


Answer- The audience was partially lay-women with little knowledge of Latin.


Que- In Beowulf, what does the representation of Hrothgar suggest about rulers ? 

a. Kings often used generous gifts to recruit their followers.  

b. It was necessary for kings to fight in order to keep their power.  

c. The ability to attract fellow warriors was a necessary attribute of power.  

d. All of these answers 


Answer- All of these answers


Que- How does The Cross, as speaker, portray Jesus in The Dream of the Rood ? 

a. As the suffering Christ  

b. As the ransom God demands for the sins of humanity  

c. As a special Jewish teacher  

d. As the heroic noble warrior 


Answer- As the heroic noble warrior


Que- What was the primary function of The Rule of Saint Benedict ? 

a. The Rule of Saint Benedict standardized monasticism.  

b. The Rule of Saint Benedict was the first example of poetry written in the vernacular language.  

c. The Rule of Saint Benedict explained the new architectural style.  

d. The Rule of Saint Benedict offered an early example of dream poetry. 


Answer- The Rule of Saint Benedict standardized monasticism.


Que- Which of the following best defines alliterative verse ? 

a. A traditional form with repeated consonant sounds  

b. An Anglo-Saxon form written in iambic pentameter with traditional rhymes  

c. A popular form in the 9th and 10th centuries  

d. A form brought to England in the years during the Norman invasion 


Answer- A traditional form with repeated consonant sounds

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