Question 1

In Preface to Shakespeare, Johnson defended Shakespeare's use of _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  tragic-comedy
B)  tragedy
C)  comedy
D)  None of the above A

Question 2

Samuel Johnson was a writer of the

Accepted Answer

A)  17th Century
B)  18th Century
C)  19th Century
D)  20th Century B

Question 3

The defect or fault in Shakespeare according to Johnson is that

Accepted Answer

A)  He sacrifices virtue to convenience
B)  He is so much more careful to please than to instruct
C)  He seems to write without any moral purpose.
D)  All of the above A

Question 4

Johnson said that Shakespeare showed no regard to

Accepted Answer

A)  The unity of time and place
B)  The unity of action
C)  Characterization
D)  Poetic language

Question 5

This, therefore is the praise of Shakespeare, that his drama is the __ of life.

Accepted Answer

A)  Reflection
B)  Contemplation
C)  Mirror
D)  Study

Question 6

Regarding the observance of the three unities in a play, Dr. Johnson's view is that

Accepted Answer

A)  Only the Unity of Time should be observed
B)  Only the Unity of Action should be observed
C)  Only the Unity of Place should be observed
D)  All the three unities should be observed

Question 7

Poetic justice is:

Accepted Answer

A)  Followed by Shakespeare
B)  Not at all followed by Shakespeare
C)  Criticizes by Shakesperae
D)  Not always followed by Shakespeare

Question 8

Johnson praises Shakespeare and comments that his drama is the mirror of __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  himself
B)  nature
C)  life
D)  his family members

Question 9

Johnson said that Shakespeare often surpassed expectation or desire when he wrote

Accepted Answer

A)  Comedy
B)  tragedy
C)  Tragi-comedy
D)  All of the above

Question 10

Shakespeare had no regard to the unities of

Accepted Answer

A)  action and place
B)  time and action
C)  time and place
D)  action and theme

Question 11

Shakespeare approximates the remote, and familiarizes the

Accepted Answer

A)  Marvelous
B)  Wonderful
C)  Beautiful
D)  Magnificent

Question 12

Johnson is of the opinion that Shakespeare writes without moral purpose and is more careful to please than to ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  dictate
B)  instruct
C)  sacrifice
D)  inform

Question 13

According to Johnson what type of drama did Shakespeare write with much labour?

Accepted Answer

A)  Comedy
B)  Tragedy
C)  Tragi-comedy
D)  None of the above

Question 14

The object of all criticism according to Johnson is to make the obscure and the confused

Accepted Answer

A)  clear and understood
B)  focused and precise
C)  unobscured
D)  orderly

Question 15

Shakespeare's characters portrays

Accepted Answer

A)  humanity
B)  nature
C)  art
D)  truth

Question 16

Shakespeare's drama reflects

Accepted Answer

A)  life
B)  nature
C)  chaos
D)  order

Question 17

According to Johnson, the plays of Shakespeare were originally classified into

Accepted Answer

A)  Comedies and tragedies
B)  Comedies, tragedies and histories
C)  Comedies, tragedies and love stories
D)  None of the above

Question 18

Who is the 'father of English poetry', the well of English undefiled according to Arnold?

Accepted Answer

A)  Milton
B)  Dante
C)  Shakespeare
D)  Chaucer

Question 19

Samuel Johnson defended Shakespeare's use of the

Accepted Answer

A)  comedy
B)  tragedy
C)  tragi-comedy
D)  none of the above

Question 20

Tragedy was not in those times a poem of more general dignity or elevation than __.

Accepted Answer

A)  History
B)  Tragi-comedy
C)  Comedy
D)  Drama

Exam 1: Preface to the Plays of Shakespeare