MH Master of Humanities 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes 'primary sources' from 'secondary sources' in humanities research?
- Primary sources are more reliable; secondary sources are unverified
- Primary sources are original materials from the period studied; secondary sources analyze or interpret primary sources (Correct answer)
- Primary sources are published; secondary sources are unpublished
- Primary sources are written; secondary sources are oral
Correct answer: Primary sources are original materials from the period studied; secondary sources analyze or interpret primary sources
Primary sources are first-hand documents or artifacts from the time under study, while secondary sources offer analysis, interpretation, or commentary on primary sources.
Question 2: Which concept in narratology describes the sequence in which events are presented in a story, as opposed to their chronological order?
- Focalization
- Discourse
- Plot (Correct answer)
- Fabula
Correct answer: Plot
In narratology, 'plot' (or 'sjuzhet') refers to the order in which events are arranged in the narrative, which may differ from the chronological story order (fabula).
Question 3: What is the significance of the 'New Criticism' movement in literary studies?
- It emphasized reading literature in its original language
- It promoted close reading of the text itself, independent of authorial biography or historical context (Correct answer)
- It focused exclusively on contemporary literature
- It advocated for reader-response theory over textual analysis
Correct answer: It promoted close reading of the text itself, independent of authorial biography or historical context
New Criticism, dominant in mid-20th century academia, insisted on analyzing the text as a self-contained artifact through close reading, rejecting biographical and historical context.
Question 4: Which ancient Greek term refers to the emotional purification or relief experienced by audiences of tragedy?
- Hubris
- Anagnorisis
- Catharsis (Correct answer)
- Hamartia
Correct answer: Catharsis
Catharsis, as described by Aristotle in the Poetics, is the purging or clarification of emotions—particularly pity and fear—experienced by audiences watching tragedy.
Question 5: In the study of ethics, which framework judges the morality of an action solely by its outcomes or consequences?
- Deontology
- Virtue Ethics
- Divine Command Theory
- Consequentialism (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Consequentialism
Consequentialism evaluates actions based on their results; the most well-known form, utilitarianism, holds that the right action maximizes overall well-being.
Question 6: What is the concept of 'zeitgeist' and how is it used in humanities scholarship?
- A German word for an individual's defining life philosophy
- The defining spirit or mood of a particular historical period, reflected in its culture and ideas (Correct answer)
- A method of dating historical artifacts based on cultural context
- A literary device that compresses historical time within a narrative
Correct answer: The defining spirit or mood of a particular historical period, reflected in its culture and ideas
Zeitgeist, German for 'spirit of the age,' refers to the intellectual, cultural, and moral climate that characterizes a particular era.
Question 7: Which critical approach examines literature through the lens of gender, arguing that texts reflect and reinforce patriarchal power structures?
- Marxist Criticism
- Psychoanalytic Criticism
- Feminist Criticism (Correct answer)
- Ecocriticism
Correct answer: Feminist Criticism
Feminist criticism analyzes how literature portrays gender roles and power dynamics, challenging male-centered perspectives in both texts and literary history.
MH Master of Humanities 5
What distinguishes 'primary sources' from 'secondary sources' in humanities research?