The Rise of Literary Criticism: A Comprehensive Guide for 18th-Century Literature

Question 1

Who is widely acknowledged as the 'Father of English Literary Criticism'?

Accepted Answer

Samuel Johnson

Answer

Edmund Burke

Answer

William Hazlitt

Answer

Alexander Pope

Question 2

Which of the following principles is central to Samuel Johnson's literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Emphasis on reason and objectivity

Answer

Importance of imagination and emotion

Answer

Focus on historical context

Answer

Rejection of established literary conventions

Question 3

Edmund Burke's concept of the 'sublime' is characterized by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Awe-inspiring grandeur and terror

Answer

Clarity and logical reasoning

Answer

Sentimentalism and emotional appeal

Answer

Wit and satire

Question 4

William Hazlitt's critical method primarily emphasized:

Accepted Answer

Subjective and personal responses to texts

Answer

Formal analysis of literary structure

Answer

Biographical approach to understanding authors

Answer

Historical and social context of literature

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of 18th-century literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Adherence to rigid classical rules and conventions

Answer

Influenced by Enlightenment principles

Answer

Focus on aesthetics and taste

Answer

Emphasis on historical and contextual analysis

Question 6

Identify the literary device used in the following line from Pope's 'An Essay on Criticism': 'True wit is nature to advantage dressed.'

Accepted Answer

Metaphor

Answer

Simile

Answer

Personification

Answer

Paradox

Question 7

A common criticism of Samuel Johnson's 'Lives of the English Poets' is its:

Accepted Answer

Lack of objectivity and personal bias

Answer

Insufficient attention to literary form

Answer

Bias towards contemporary poets

Answer

Over-reliance on historical research

Question 8

Identify the primary purpose of Edmund Burke's 'A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful'.

Accepted Answer

To explore the psychological and physiological responses to beauty and sublimity

Answer

To establish aesthetic principles for classifying literature

Answer

To promote the education of the reading public

Answer

To defend the importance of classical models

Question 9

Who among the following is widely recognized as the father of modern literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Samuel Johnson

Answer

Edmund Burke

Answer

William Hazlitt

Answer

Alexander Pope

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT explicitly stated as a principle of Samuel Johnson's literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Unreliability of emotional response

Answer

Value of reason and judgment

Answer

Importance of historical context

Answer

Primacy of didactic moralism

Question 11

According to Edmund Burke, the primary purpose of literature is to:

Accepted Answer

Elevate and inspire

Answer

Educate and inform

Answer

Entertain and delight

Answer

Provoke and challenge

Question 12

Which of the following had a profound influence on the development of literary criticism in the 18th century?

Accepted Answer

Classical rhetorical principles

Answer

Romantic philosophical ideas

Answer

Victorian realist aesthetics

Answer

Modernist experimental techniques

Question 13

William Hazlitt's critical approach is characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Personal response and subjectivity

Answer

Objective analysis and detachment

Answer

Technical formalism and close reading

Answer

Marxist ideology and class struggle

Question 14

In what way did Samuel Johnson's critical approach differ from that of his contemporaries?

Accepted Answer

Emphasis on morality and instructive lessons

Answer

Rejection of classical influences

Answer

Exclusive focus on aesthetic qualities

Answer

Promotion of sentimentalism

Question 15

Which of the following concepts is NOT part of Edmund Burke's theory of the sublime?

Accepted Answer

Beauty and harmony

Answer

Awe and trembling

Answer

Boundless vastness

Answer

Ambiguous obscurity

Question 16

How did William Hazlitt's literary criticism contribute to the emergence of Romanticism?

Accepted Answer

It highlighted emotion, imagination, and individual experience

Answer

It deconstructed traditional literary forms

Answer

It prioritized historical and cultural contexts

Answer

It upheld a didactic approach to literature

Question 17

What is the lasting impact of 18th-century literary criticism on the development of English literature?

Accepted Answer

It laid the groundwork for modern literary analysis

Answer

It resulted in a decline in literary quality

Answer

It had no significant lasting influence

Answer

It rigidly enforced classical rules

Question 18

In the 18th century, how did Enlightenment ideals and perspectives shape the evolution of literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Prioritizing logic and reason in literary analysis

Answer

Encouraging the study of ancient Greek and Roman literature

Answer

Promoting sentimentalism in literary criticism

Answer

Advocating for imagination and creativity in literature

Question 19

Which of the following was a key principle of Samuel Johnson's literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

The focus on common sense and experience

Answer

The importance of following classical rules

Answer

The emphasis on imagination and creativity

Answer

The rejection of didacticism

Question 20

According to Edmund Burke, what is the primary source of aesthetic pleasure?

Accepted Answer

Sublimity

Answer

Beautiful forms

Answer

The association of ideas

Answer

The imitation of nature

Question 21

Which critic emphasized the importance of personal taste and intuition in literary evaluation?

Accepted Answer

William Hazlitt

Answer

Samuel Johnson

Answer

Joseph Addison

Answer

Alexander Pope

Question 22

What is the central idea behind William Hazlitt's famous essay, 'On the Pleasure of Hating'?

Accepted Answer

That hating is a legitimate and enjoyable human emotion

Answer

That we should suppress our negative feelings towards others

Answer

That hating is a destructive force that should be avoided

Answer

That hatred is a necessary evil in society

Question 23

Which of the following terms was coined by Edmund Burke to describe a feeling of awe and terror?

Accepted Answer

The sublime

Answer

The beautiful

Answer

The picturesque

Answer

The grotesque

Question 24

What is the main purpose of Samuel Johnson's 'Preface to Shakespeare'?

Accepted Answer

To defend Shakespeare from his critics

Answer

To provide a detailed analysis of Shakespeare's plays

Answer

To establish a set of rules for writing tragedy

Answer

To evaluate and rank the works of Shakespeare