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MCQOPTIONS
This section includes 196 Mcqs, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your English Literature knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.
| 1. |
Which of the following statements regarding the success and importance of the oral tradition of literature is true ? |
| A. | Monks memorized many passages of scripture, preserving scriptures. |
| B. | Scops recited poems to noble audiences, preserving the stories and poetic tradition. |
| C. | Thegns were nobles who liked literature, and their patronage made poets popular. |
| D. | Anchoresses recited poems to occupy their time alone in their cells. |
| Answer» C. Thegns were nobles who liked literature, and their patronage made poets popular. | |
| 2. |
Which of the following texts are associated with the alliterative revival ? |
| A. | “The Dream of the Rood” |
| B. | “The Wanderer” |
| C. | “The Seafarer” |
| D. | “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” |
| Answer» E. | |
| 3. |
Which of the following texts provides the best example of the comitatus ethic ? |
| A. | Caedmon’s Hymn |
| B. | The Battle of Maldon |
| C. | The Canterbury Tales |
| D. | The Dream of the Rood |
| Answer» C. The Canterbury Tales | |
| 4. |
Which of the following texts provides the best example of medieval estates satire ? |
| A. | “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” |
| B. | “Piers Plowman” |
| C. | “The Canterbury Tales” |
| D. | “The Book of Margery Kempe” |
| Answer» D. “The Book of Margery Kempe” | |
| 5. |
Which of the following texts was inspired by Historia Regum Britanniae ? |
| A. | Bede’s Ecclesiastical History |
| B. | Caedmon’s Hymn |
| C. | Chretien de Troyes Yvain, or le Chevalier au Lion |
| D. | Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales |
| Answer» D. Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales | |
| 6. |
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» E. | |
| 7. |
Which of the following themes do both Julian of Norwich and Catherine of Siena explore ? |
| A. | the idea that community is essential to salvation |
| B. | the concept of dualism of body and soul |
| C. | the concept of a sensual God |
| D. | the idea that God is separate from the human experience of love |
| Answer» D. the idea that God is separate from the human experience of love | |
| 8. |
Which of the following themes is not explored in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” ? |
| A. | The knightly ideal |
| B. | Conversion to Christianity |
| C. | Sexual purity |
| D. | Feudal loyalty |
| Answer» C. Sexual purity | |
| 9. |
Which of the following themes/motifs was/were often found in literature of “courtly love” ? |
| A. | nobility |
| B. | adultery |
| C. | chastity |
| D. | All of the Above |
| Answer» E. | |
| 10. |
Which of the following typify the oralformulaic ? |
| A. | The repetition of words |
| B. | The use of epithets with character’s names |
| C. | An episodic structure |
| D. | All of the Above |
| Answer» E. | |
| 11. |
Which of the following was a result of Charlemange’s decree on the production of books ? |
| A. | it ended the Church’s role in the creation of books |
| B. | it led to a sudden increase of women as scholars and authors |
| C. | it declared that books should be produced by men |
| D. | it opened up new opportunities for women to learn |
| Answer» D. it opened up new opportunities for women to learn | |
| 12. |
Which of the following was the most copied book of the Middle Ages ? |
| A. | The Romance of the Rose |
| B. | “Book of Hours” |
| C. | The Bible |
| D. | The Art of Courtly Love |
| Answer» D. The Art of Courtly Love | |
| 13. |
Which of the following women is most closely associated with monastic life ? |
| A. | Marie de France |
| B. | Hildegard of Bingen |
| C. | Christine de Pizan |
| D. | The Wife of Bath |
| Answer» C. Christine de Pizan | |
| 14. |
Which of the following women is widely considered the first feminist ? |
| A. | Margery Kempe |
| B. | Catherine of Siena |
| C. | Thecla |
| D. | Christine de Pizan |
| Answer» E. | |
| 15. |
Which of the following would most likely be the theme of a medieval romance ? |
| A. | The story of an English village’s conversion to Christianity |
| B. | A first-person story of the Norman invasion |
| C. | The adventure of a knight who rescues a maiden |
| D. | A poem that features courtly love but denounces supernaturalism |
| Answer» D. A poem that features courtly love but denounces supernaturalism | |
| 16. |
Which of these female writers is most closely associated with tears ? |
| A. | Julian of Norwich |
| B. | Margery Kempe |
| C. | Catherine of Siena |
| D. | Catherine de Pizan |
| Answer» C. Catherine of Siena | |
| 17. |
Which of these female writers was least likely to have been literate ? |
| A. | Julian of Norwich |
| B. | Margery Kempe |
| C. | Catherine de Pizan |
| D. | Heloise |
| Answer» C. Catherine de Pizan | |
| 18. |
Which provides the best example of a medieval allegory ? |
| A. | The Book of Margery Kempe |
| B. | “The Wooing of Our Lord” |
| C. | “An Orison to Almighty God” |
| D. | The Romance of the Rose |
| Answer» E. | |
| 19. |
Which speaker said that “God is more nearer to us than our own soul ?” |
| A. | Julian of Norwich |
| B. | Margery Kempe |
| C. | Catherine of Siena |
| D. | Catherine de Pizan |
| Answer» B. Margery Kempe | |
| 20. |
Which text is an example of a poem structured as a vision to convey the theme of salvation ? |
| A. | The Battle of Maldon |
| B. | The Seafarer |
| C. | The Wanderer |
| D. | The Dream of the Rood |
| Answer» E. | |
| 21. |
Which text(s) is/are associated with mysticism ? |
| A. | The Canterbury Tales |
| B. | “Revelations of Divine Love” |
| C. | “Book of Hours” |
| D. | The Romance of the Rose |
| Answer» C. “Book of Hours” | |
| 22. |
Which topic(s) is/are explored in The Lais of Marie de France ? |
| A. | superstition |
| B. | adultery |
| C. | jealous fathers |
| D. | All of the Above |
| Answer» E. | |
| 23. |
Which writer(s) is/are associated with mysticism ? |
| A. | Richard Rolle |
| B. | Walter Hilton |
| C. | Julian of Norwich |
| D. | All of the Above |
| Answer» E. | |
| 24. |
Who were lay mystics ? |
| A. | people who attempt to found their own religious orders |
| B. | people who reject asceticism and contemplation |
| C. | people who attempted to contact God without the intervention of an established religious order |
| D. | people who were formally tied to religious orders |
| Answer» D. people who were formally tied to religious orders | |
| 25. |
Who were the troubadours ? |
| A. | poets from France and Italy |
| B. | men who wrote only in the mystical tradition |
| C. | the authors of conduct books |
| D. | heretics persecuted by the Church |
| Answer» B. men who wrote only in the mystical tradition | |
| 26. |
Who wrote The Rules of Courtly Love ? |
| A. | Christine de Pizan |
| B. | Catherine of Sienna |
| C. | Andreas Capellanus |
| D. | Chretien de Troye |
| Answer» E. | |
| 27. |
Why did Catherine of Siena refuse to marry a husband ? |
| A. | she said that the institution was too flawed |
| B. | she claimed she was already married to God |
| C. | she wanted to make a political statement against the Church |
| D. | she was concerned about loss of property |
| Answer» C. she wanted to make a political statement against the Church | |
| 28. |
Why do most critics also refer to the Middle Ages as the Dark Ages ? |
| A. | it was a period of surging Roman institutions |
| B. | the production of historical records increased |
| C. | there are few primary sources that reconstruct the history of the time |
| D. | the lack of technology made it literally dark |
| Answer» D. the lack of technology made it literally dark | |
| 29. |
Why do most historians think monasticism appealed to medieval women ? |
| A. | it provided women with the opportunity to protect their own property |
| B. | it provided women with a place to nourish their intellectual growth |
| C. | it allowed women to exercise political authority in their communities |
| D. | All of the Above |
| Answer» E. | |
| 30. |
Why is Caedmon’s Hymn important in the history of Old English literature ? |
| A. | The poem could be easily sung in all churches and was widely accepted. |
| B. | The poem’s theme of alienation becomes familiar to Anglo-Saxon poetry. |
| C. | The poem illustrates Caedmon’s erudition and scholarship. |
| D. | The poem is widely believed to be the first written poem in Old English. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 31. |
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» E. | |
| 32. |
Why is the concept of feudalism important in medieval literature ? |
| A. | Feudalism represents the world ofscholars who studied the ancient texts of the past. |
| B. | The feudal world is one of glamor and beauty. |
| C. | Feudalism represents an economic hierarchy, the upper levels of which created and consumed literature. |
| D. | Feudalism represents interesting family quarrels that make for good stories. |
| Answer» D. Feudalism represents interesting family quarrels that make for good stories. | |
| 33. |
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» B. The comitatus ethic is evidence of a period in which behavior was guided by Christian ethics. | |
| 34. |
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» E. | |
| 35. |
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» E. | |
| 36. |
With which genre is “The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity” most closely associated ? |
| A. | medieval lay |
| B. | courtly love |
| C. | hagiography |
| D. | romance |
| Answer» D. romance | |
| 37. |
With which literary form is Ancrene Wisse most closely related ? |
| A. | estate satire |
| B. | medieval lays |
| C. | conduct books |
| D. | medieval allegory |
| Answer» D. medieval allegory | |
| 38. |
With which of the following genres is The Romance of the Rose most closely associated ? |
| A. | medieval lay |
| B. | hagiography |
| C. | mysticism |
| D. | dream vision |
| Answer» E. | |
| 39. |
With which text is the theme of “Christ as mother” most closely associated ? |
| A. | “Revelations of Divine Love” |
| B. | “The Book of Margery Kempe” |
| C. | “An Orison to Almighty God” |
| D. | “The Wooing of Our Lord |
| Answer» B. “The Book of Margery Kempe” | |
| 40. |
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» E. | |
| 41. |
Which of the following most accurately explains the Bretons influence on medieval literature ? |
| A. | The Bretons roots were in the Celtic cultural tradition. |
| B. | Breton literature had a profound effect on medieval literature in England. |
| C. | The Bretons represented prominent forces in the Norman invasion. |
| D. | All of these answers |
| Answer» E. | |
| 42. |
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» D. “I left my lands to come where you are/To find you I have come so far!” | |
| 43. |
Which of the following is the best example of a mystery play ? |
| A. | “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” |
| B. | “The Second Shepherds’ Play” |
| C. | “The Knight’s Tale” |
| D. | “The Dream of the Rood” |
| Answer» C. “The Knight’s Tale” | |
| 44. |
Which of the following is the best example of a morality play ? |
| A. | “The Seafarer” |
| B. | “Everyman” |
| C. | “The Second Shepherds’ Play” |
| D. | “The Dream of the Rood” |
| Answer» C. “The Second Shepherds’ Play” | |
| 45. |
Which of the following is not related to the term medievalism ? |
| A. | Enlightenment |
| B. | Feudalism |
| C. | Guildhouses |
| D. | Monasticism |
| Answer» B. Feudalism | |
| 46. |
Which of the following is not an example of Arthurian legend ? |
| A. | Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae |
| B. | Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love |
| C. | Marie de France’s Lanval |
| D. | Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte Darthur |
| Answer» C. Marie de France’s Lanval | |
| 47. |
Which of the following is not an example of a lai ? |
| A. | Sir Launfal |
| B. | Chaucer’s The Wife of Bath |
| C. | Chaucer’s Franklin’s Tale |
| D. | Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love |
| Answer» E. | |
| 48. |
Which of the following is not a theme in Chretien de Troyes Yvain, le Chevalier au Lion ? |
| A. | The relationships between knights and ladies |
| B. | The feudal system |
| C. | The knight’s lack of loyalty to his lord |
| D. | The conduct of wars and tournaments |
| Answer» D. The conduct of wars and tournaments | |
| 49. |
Which of the following is not a major category of the romance genre ? |
| A. | The Matter of Germany |
| B. | The Matter of Rome |
| C. | The Matter of Britain |
| D. | The Matter of England |
| Answer» B. The Matter of Rome | |
| 50. |
Which of the following is not a characteristic of Old English ? |
| A. | Alliteration |
| B. | Personification |
| C. | Caesura |
| D. | Romance |
| Answer» E. | |