MA English Literature 3

Question 1

What is 'dramatic irony'?

Accepted Answer

When the audience knows information that a character does not

Answer

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience possesses knowledge that one or more characters lack, creating tension or dark humor.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of a frame narrative?

Accepted Answer

A story within a story, where an outer narrative contains an inner tale

Answer

A frame narrative (or frame story) is a narrative technique where a main story is used to organize and contain one or more other stories.

Question 3

The literary concept of 'catharsis' associated with Aristotle refers to:

Accepted Answer

The emotional purging experienced by an audience at the end of a tragedy

Answer

Catharsis, as described in Aristotle's Poetics, is the emotional purification and release — particularly of pity and fear — that audiences experience at a tragedy's conclusion.

Question 4

Which American poet is known for the collection Leaves of Grass and poems celebrating democracy and the individual?

Accepted Answer

Walt Whitman

Answer

Walt Whitman self-published Leaves of Grass in 1855, a collection he revised throughout his life, celebrating democracy, nature, love, and the individual.

Question 5

What narrative perspective does a 'second-person' narrator use?

Accepted Answer

You

Answer

A second-person narrator addresses the reader or another character directly as 'you,' drawing the reader into the story as if they are the protagonist.

MA - Master of Arts Practice Test

MA - Master of Arts Practice Test

MA English Literature 3