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MCQOPTIONS
This section includes 99 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 terms is most closely related to the phrase “the explained supernatural” ? |
| A. | The uncanny |
| B. | The fallen world |
| C. | The “Other” |
| D. | The sublime |
| Answer» B. The fallen world | |
| 2. |
Which of the following terms is traditionally associated with the male Gothic ? |
| A. | Body transformation |
| B. | Horror |
| C. | Terror |
| D. | The uncanny |
| Answer» C. Terror | |
| 3. |
Which one of the following events inspired the trend of body transformation in Gothic novels ? |
| A. | The decline in animal dissections |
| B. | The increase in scientific experimentation |
| C. | The end of absolute monarchy |
| D. | The end of the Vitalist Controversy |
| Answer» C. The end of absolute monarchy | |
| 4. |
Which psychological issue is NOT typical of the Gothic novel ? |
| A. | Daydreams |
| B. | Aberrant mental states |
| C. | Violence |
| D. | Sexual rapacity |
| Answer» B. Aberrant mental states | |
| 5. |
Which statement best summarizes the parallel between Frankenstein and Prometheus ? |
| A. | Both were successful because they followed the laws of nature. |
| B. | Both refused to use science to do innovative work. |
| C. | Both worked collaboratively. |
| D. | Both suffered for their attempt to do divine work. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 6. |
Which term is most closely affiliated with the female Gothic ? |
| A. | Terror |
| B. | Sentimentalism |
| C. | Horror |
| D. | Ghosts |
| Answer» B. Sentimentalism | |
| 7. |
Who does NOT represent the “new woman” ? |
| A. | Antonia |
| B. | Charlotte Perkins Gilman |
| C. | Jane Eyre |
| D. | Mina Murray Harker |
| Answer» B. Charlotte Perkins Gilman | |
| 8. |
Who should NOT be viewed as Prometheus in Shelley’s “Frankenstein” ? |
| A. | Frankenstein’s monster |
| B. | Mary Shelley |
| C. | Robert Walton |
| D. | Frankenstein |
| Answer» B. Mary Shelley | |
| 9. |
Why do critics see Frankenstein’s monster as equivalent to the Biblical Adam ? |
| A. | His habitat is equivalent to the Garden of Eden. |
| B. | He is a mistake. |
| C. | He is the first of his kind. |
| D. | He is responsible for the burden of original sin. |
| Answer» D. He is responsible for the burden of original sin. | |
| 10. |
Why do most scholars assume that Radcliffe favored “explained supernaturalism” ? |
| A. | Her sense of morality and decorum |
| B. | Her defiance of contemporary culture |
| C. | Her lack of imagination |
| D. | Her full embrace of the Gothic vision of Walpole, Beckford, and Lewis |
| Answer» B. Her defiance of contemporary culture | |
| 11. |
Why do scholars consider the first wave of the English Gothic novel an aspect of Romanticism ? |
| A. | The use of poetic prose in the Gothic novel |
| B. | The Gothic novel’s interest in the apocalyptic prophecies found in Hebrew and Christian Scriptures |
| C. | The ascendency of human reason in the Gothic novel |
| D. | The representation of contemporary life in the Gothic novel |
| Answer» C. The ascendency of human reason in the Gothic novel | |
| 12. |
Why does Horace Walpole make use of elaborate machines in “The Castle of Otranto” ? |
| A. | To encourage rational evaluation rather than arouse emotional reactions |
| B. | To emphasize the importance of character development over action |
| C. | To assist with the flight and pursuit of villains and their prey |
| D. | To support the growth and development of machinery in the 18th century |
| Answer» D. To support the growth and development of machinery in the 18th century | |
| 13. |
Why does one scholar suggest that “The Monk” represents literary transvestism ? |
| A. | The habited nuns |
| B. | Ambrosio’s rape and murder of his sister |
| C. | Lewis’s use of a female pseudonym in the original edition |
| D. | Lewis’s choiceof a feminine literary genre |
| Answer» B. Ambrosio’s rape and murder of his sister | |
| 14. |
Why does Radcliffe favor the term “romance” as the subtitle to “The Mysteries of Udolpho” ? |
| A. | Radcliffe wants to emphasize the happy ending of the marriage of Emily and Valancourt. |
| B. | It frees Radcliffe from a strict adherence to common life, allowing her to place Emily in challenging situations. |
| C. | Radcliffe considers her work a continuation of the sentimental novel of the 18th century. |
| D. | It acknowledges the lack of supernatural plot tricks. |
| Answer» C. Radcliffe considers her work a continuation of the sentimental novel of the 18th century. | |
| 15. |
Why has Bertha been characterized as the “madwoman in the attic” by literary scholars ? |
| A. | To represent the expansion of Gothic literary spaces from only subterranean spaces to attics as well |
| B. | To represent the shift from the male Gothic villain to the female Gothic villain in the Victorian Gothic novel |
| C. | To make reference to the rise of personal responsibility in Victorian England for the care of the sick and insane |
| D. | To make an ironic statement about the point of view and marginalization of the “Other” in Victorian England |
| Answer» E. | |
| 16. |
Why is it significant that Dracula is from Transylvania ? |
| A. | Transylvania is England’s economic rival. |
| B. | Transylvania and England had been at war in the 1860s. |
| C. | Transylvania represents a vaguely known and, therefore, suspicious country. |
| D. | Transylvania and England were once part of the Holy Roman Empire. |
| Answer» D. Transylvania and England were once part of the Holy Roman Empire. | |
| 17. |
Why is “The Castle of Otranto” often considered a reaction against the Enlightenment ? |
| A. | It shows the possible dangers of science. |
| B. | It exposes the deep flaws in medieval ways of thinking about the world. |
| C. | It marks a return to more primitive ways of pre-Enlightenment thought and expression. |
| D. | It suggests that reason is more important than emotion. |
| Answer» D. It suggests that reason is more important than emotion. | |
| 18. |
Why is the concept of the sublime important in Gothic literature ? |
| A. | It leads the reader to overlook the beauty of nature. |
| B. | It reminds readers of their civic duties. |
| C. | It causes an experience of elestasis, or transport. |
| D. | It creates a sense of contentment. |
| Answer» D. It creates a sense of contentment. | |
| 19. |
Which of the following is NOT a theme of “The Castle of Otranto” ? |
| A. | Unnatural forces overwhelming human endeavor |
| B. | The rupture of the everyday by acts of violence |
| C. | The destruction of humanity through scientific experimentation |
| D. | The return of the past to the present |
| Answer» D. The return of the past to the present | |
| 20. |
Which of the following best explains the treatment of the heroine in “The Mysteries of Udolpho” ? |
| A. | The heroine’s fantasies about the castle are combined with her fear of violation. |
| B. | She is excluded from the novel’s violent disturbances. |
| C. | She is excluded from the general sense of isolation in the novel. |
| D. | The heroine is robbed of psychological complexity by focusing only on horror. |
| Answer» B. She is excluded from the novel’s violent disturbances. | |
| 21. |
Which of the following best describes how the novel “Frankenstein” is understood by critics ? |
| A. | As a commentary on Victorian England |
| B. | As an apolitical horror story |
| C. | As a novel ghostwritten by Perce Shelley |
| D. | As an exploration on the effects of science on humanity |
| Answer» E. | |
| 22. |
Which cultural theme is NOT referenced in Stoker’s “Dracula” ? |
| A. | Imperialism |
| B. | The Woman Question |
| C. | Labor unions |
| D. | Theories of Darwinian evolution |
| Answer» D. Theories of Darwinian evolution | |
| 23. |
Which character best represents the concept of terror versus that of horror in Lewis’s “The Monk” ? |
| A. | Agnes |
| B. | Ambrosio |
| C. | Baptiste |
| D. | Matilda |
| Answer» E. | |
| 24. |
When Mary Shelley writes about ghosts, what is her concern ? |
| A. | People are foolishly superstitious. |
| B. | A world devoid of supernatural phenomena is a better world. |
| C. | A belief in ghosts is a belief in imagination. |
| D. | The personification of nature is regressive. |
| Answer» D. The personification of nature is regressive. | |
| 25. |
What role does Rosario play in the Gothic atmosphere of “The Monk” ? |
| A. | Queer provocateur |
| B. | Heroine in distress |
| C. | Angel in the house |
| D. | Pursued protagonist |
| Answer» B. Heroine in distress | |
| 26. |
What quality does the Gothic novel of the 18th and early 19th centuries share with the majority of English novels of the same time period ? |
| A. | Realism |
| B. | An epistolary format |
| C. | A focus on the individual |
| D. | An English setting |
| Answer» D. An English setting | |
| 27. |
What literary purpose does Emily’s stay with the nuns at the convent NOT serve ? |
| A. | Emily is confronted with the duality of the human mind, at once rational and then mad. |
| B. | Emily is tested regarding the guilt and ghosts of sins past. |
| C. | Emily comes to understand the benefits of a cloistered life. |
| D. | Emily learns the story of Sister Agnes’s past. |
| Answer» D. Emily learns the story of Sister Agnes’s past. | |
| 28. |
What literary convention is used pervasively in “The Mysteries of Udolpho” ? |
| A. | Satire |
| B. | First-person narration |
| C. | Realism |
| D. | The uncanny doubling of characters |
| Answer» E. | |
| 29. |
What is the significance of the “wandering Jew” motif ? |
| A. | Religious upheaval |
| B. | The presence of omens |
| C. | The curse of immorality |
| D. | Insanity |
| Answer» D. Insanity | |
| 30. |
What is the significance of “the Other” in Gothic novels ? |
| A. | They are almost always the subjects of omens and curses. |
| B. | They are typically heroes. |
| C. | They always express deviant sexual tendencies. |
| D. | They are perceived as dangerous because they are unknown. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 31. |
What is the significance of the “bloody bedchamber” in Gothic fiction ? |
| A. | It represents male sexuality. |
| B. | It suggests female complicity in sexual deviance. |
| C. | It refers to the location of murder in Gothic novels. |
| D. | It symbolizes the forced sequestration of women both before and after marriage. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 32. |
What is the origin of the vampire myth ? |
| A. | Stoker’s “Dracula” |
| B. | Beckford’s “Vathek” |
| C. | Ancient civilizations worldwide |
| D. | Walpole’s “The Castle of Otranto” |
| Answer» D. Walpole’s “The Castle of Otranto” | |
| 33. |
What is the original meaning of the word “Gothic” ? |
| A. | Of or relating to anything Medieval |
| B. | Of or relating to anything rude, uncivilized, or ignorant; devoid of culture and taste |
| C. | Of or relating to the Germanic tribes that invaded and established kingdoms in Europe in the first millennium |
| D. | Of or relating to a particular style of architecture |
| Answer» D. Of or relating to a particular style of architecture | |
| 34. |
What is Strawberry Hill ? |
| A. | The ancestral home of Ann Radcliffe |
| B. | The ancestral home of HoraceWalpole |
| C. | One of the settings in “The Mysteries of Udolpho” |
| D. | The inspiration for “The Castle of Otranto” |
| Answer» E. | |
| 35. |
What is NOT Gothic about the room to which the female protagonist of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is confined ? |
| A. | It has bars on the window. |
| B. | It is removed from the main area of the house. |
| C. | It is locked. |
| D. | It is sunny. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 36. |
What is Gothic about the narrative structure of “Frankenstein” ? |
| A. | The erratic movement of time and place |
| B. | The readers’ unwavering empathy for Frankenstein |
| C. | The reliable narrator |
| D. | The mix of language in terms of voice, diction, and rhythm |
| Answer» B. The readers’ unwavering empathy for Frankenstein | |
| 37. |
What is distinctive about Emily’s bedchamber at Udolpho ? |
| A. | It is lavishly furnished. |
| B. | It is haunted. |
| C. | It contains a secret passageway. |
| D. | It does not lock from the inside. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 38. |
What is a Satanic Hero ? |
| A. | A hero who is known for being aristocratic, moody, and secretive |
| B. | A character who is essentially kind but performs a horrible act by accident |
| C. | A hero-villain who defies the laws of God’s universe |
| D. | A hero who is usually defined by his fatal attraction to women |
| Answer» D. A hero who is usually defined by his fatal attraction to women | |
| 39. |
What have literary critics read into the vampirism in Stoker’s “Dracula” ? |
| A. | The novel presents the vampire count as a father-figure of great power. |
| B. | The vampire represents a beloved father who seeks to gather together all the women and young men (sons). |
| C. | The vampire represents sexual impotence. |
| D. | The vampire represents the future. |
| Answer» B. The vampire represents a beloved father who seeks to gather together all the women and young men (sons). | |
| 40. |
What Gothic literary convention did NOT originate with Horace Walpole’s “The Castle of Otranto” ? |
| A. | The ancestral castle |
| B. | Psychological terror |
| C. | The supernatural |
| D. | Physical violence |
| Answer» C. The supernatural | |
| 41. |
What does the term “angel in the house” signify ? |
| A. | The idea that women should advise men |
| B. | The idea that the Victorian woman represents “the new woman” |
| C. | The idea that women are pure and morally superior to men |
| D. | The idea that confinement in the home may induce madness |
| Answer» D. The idea that confinement in the home may induce madness | |
| 42. |
What does the character Dracula symbolize in the novel ? |
| A. | Modern science |
| B. | The consciousness |
| C. | Theories of evolution |
| D. | Ancient evil |
| Answer» E. | |
| 43. |
What do scholars Michael O’Rourke and David Collings argue about “Queer Romanticism” ? |
| A. | Romantic literary criticism has been stubbornly limited with regard to queer readings. |
| B. | Deviant sexuality, including homosexuality, has historically been associated with Romantic literature. |
| C. | The sexual lives of Romantic-era authors are not relevant to our understanding of queer Romanticism. |
| D. | The “Queer Gothic” is understudied. |
| Answer» B. Deviant sexuality, including homosexuality, has historically been associated with Romantic literature. | |
| 44. |
What did the novelists of the first wave of Gothic literature think of religion ? |
| A. | Roman Catholicism was wrongfully dismantled in England by Henry VIII in the 16th century. |
| B. | Jews represent sympathetic literary heroes. |
| C. | Religion is race-neutral. |
| D. | The Spanish Inquisition and the legend of the wandering Jew confirm the superiority of England. |
| Answer» E. | |
| 45. |
What constitutes a “monstrous Other” in “The Yellow Wallpaper” ? |
| A. | Cousin Henry and Julia |
| B. | Reading |
| C. | Writing |
| D. | John |
| Answer» E. | |
| 46. |
To whom is the concept of the uncanny attributed ? |
| A. | Sigmund Freud |
| B. | Edmund Lewis |
| C. | Edmund Burke |
| D. | Mary Shelley |
| Answer» B. Edmund Lewis | |
| 47. |
The vampire myth is NOT associated with which of the following ? |
| A. | Incest |
| B. | Life rituals with blood |
| C. | The fear of dying |
| D. | The fear of being buried alive |
| Answer» B. Life rituals with blood | |
| 48. |
The popularity of which Gothic novelist is parodied in Austen’s “Northanger Abbey” ? |
| A. | Horace Walpole |
| B. | Ann Radcliffe |
| C. | Matthew Lewis |
| D. | Mary Shelley |
| Answer» C. Matthew Lewis | |
| 49. |
The Gothic novel was intended to have which of the following effects on the reader ? |
| A. | To create a sense of mystery, gloom, and suspense |
| B. | To make the reader dislike modern society |
| C. | To make the reader feel distaste for supernatural themes |
| D. | To generate feelings of intense pleasure |
| Answer» B. To make the reader dislike modern society | |
| 50. |
“It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer.” How does this opening sentence of Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” NOT immediately suggest the Gothic ? |
| A. | The reference to ancestral halls |
| B. | The uncommon nature of the event |
| C. | The first-person narrator |
| D. | The dichotomy between the concepts of ordinary and estate |
| Answer» D. The dichotomy between the concepts of ordinary and estate | |