The English Renaissance Prose Test

_____ What war marked the beginning of the Tudor reign in England? (p. 120)

A. English Civil War

B. War of the Roses

C. Battle of Hastings

D. War of York

B

_____ During the Renaissance, what event most significantly explained the number and classes of readers?  (p. 120)

 

A.     the Great Vowel Shift

B.     the Tudors’ arrival to the monarchy

C.    the arrival of the printing press

D.    the discovery of ancient Roman and Greek texts

C

How did the exploratory nature of humanism during the Renaissance affect language in English culture? (p. 127)…

 

A.     Exploration did not affect language in the English culture.

B.     Explorations encouraged the English to protect their language from other outside influences.

C.    Explorations encouraged creativity within the English language but not borrowings from other languages.

D.    Explorations encouraged creativity within the English language and borrowings from other languages.

D…

Who was the most beloved Tudor monarch? (p. 121)

A.     Henry VIII

B.     Mary

C.    Edward VI

D.    Elizabeth

D

Who assumed the throne after Elizabeth’s death? (p. 126)

A.     Edward VI                          

B.     Henry VIII                                                  

C.    James

D.    Mary

C.

allusion (p. 129)

A reference within a work of literature to something outside it, usually history or another artistic work

analogy (p. 140)

A detailed comparison between one thing to another dissimilar thing

aphorism (p. 147)

A short, pithy statement to express a serious truth

deductive reasoning (p. 147)

Reasoning from a general truth to a specific conclusion.

essay (p. 147)

A non-fiction prose composition that explores a subject or argues for a thesis but its intended to address a subject in it’s entirety 

ethos (p. 140)

See rhetorical appeal- an appeal in argumentative and persuasive writing to logic, emotion, or credible authorities/reputation

extended metaphor (p. 151)

A metaphor developed beyond a single sentence or comparison 

figurative language (p. 129)

An artful deviation form literal speech or normal word order

inductive reasoning (p. 147)

Reasoning from specific evidence to general principles

literary criticism (p. 140)

The practice of establishing, criteria for and engaging in the analysis, interpretation and evaluation of works of literature

logos (p. 140)

See rhetorical appeal: an appeal in argumentative and persuasive writing to logic, emotion, or credible authorities 

metaphor (p. 151)

An imaginative comparison consisting of the stated or implied equivalence of two dissimilar things

paradox (pp. 88, 131)

A statement that seems contradictory yet makes sense when understood in the right context

parallelism (p. 140)

Similarity in the structure of two or more phrases, clauses, or sentences

pathos (p. 140)

See rhetorical appeal → An appeal in argumentative and persuasive writing to logic, emotion, or credible authorities??

pathos (p. 140)

See rhetorical appeal → an appeal in argumentative and persuasive writing to logic, emotion, or credible authorities..

rhetorical appeal (p. 129)

An appeal in argumentative and persuasive writing to logic, emotion, or credible authorities ie Logos, pathos, ethos)

rhetorical device (p. 129)

A deviation from the standard use of language- mainly in syntactical arrangement

social satire (p. 131)

Writing that mocks societal flaws to promote change or reflection.

tricolon (p. 147)

A series of three parallel phrases, or clauses of equal length within a sentence, often building with emphasis

utopian literature (p. 131)

Writing that imagines an ideal or perfect society, often as critique.

In Utopia, what material adorned slaves? Why was this material used? (pp. 136-38)

Gold and silver are used because they devalued it

_____ What kind of rhetorical appeal is the following excerpt from An Apology for Poetry?

And with a tale, forsooth, he cometh unto you, with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner. (pp. 140, 142)

A. logos

C. ethos

B. pathos

B..

Why does Sidney argue that a poet is best equipped to teach, compared to the philosopher and the historian? What did fiction provide that these other areas of study did not? (pp. 141-42)

Sidney argues that poets teach more effectively than philosophers or historians because poetry combines moral truth (like philosophy) with vivid examples (like history). Fiction inspires virtue by moving both the heart and the mind.

_____ The following excerpt from Bacon’s “Of Studies” illustrates his effective use of repetition with what specific tool? (pp. 147-48)

Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.

A. tricolon C. allusion

B. metaphor D. paradox

A..

_____ Bacon makes use of what tool of wit and compression in the following excerpt from his “Of Studies”? (pp. 147-48)

Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.

A. analogy C. antithesis

B. anaphora. D. aphorism

D

______ In his speech in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Cranmer surprisingly declares that his true faith is (p. 162) ..

A. staunchly Roman Catholic.

B. early Presbyterian.

C. biblical Christianity.

D. totally dead.

C..

What body part did Cranmer submit to the fire first to be executed? Why? (pp. 162-63)

His hand because he wrote contrary to his heart and/or it had once signed a false recantation of his faith.

_____ What literary element is evident in the following excerpt from the 1611 Authorized Version of Scripture? (pp. 165, 167)

Blessed are the poore in spirit: for theirs is the kingdome of heaven.

A. paradox

B. allegory

C. tricolon

D. extended metaphor

A,,

_____ What kind of rhetorical device does the 1611 KJV feature in the following excerpt?

Blessed are the poore in spirit… Blessed are they that mourne…. Blessed are the meeke. (pp. 165, 167)

A. antithesis

B. anaphora

C. aphorism

D. analogy

B

Explain the following conceit from John Donne’s “Meditation XVII”:

“No man is an island.” (handout)

No man is alone and that no person is completely independent; every human being is connected to others, and the suffering or loss of one affects all. Humanity is spiritually and socially unified.

_____ Which character in The Faerie Queene represents reason? (pp. 170-71) ..

A. the Red Cross Knight

B. Una

C. the dwarf

D. the donkey

C..

Book 1 of The Faerie Queene uses the journey of the Red Cross Knight to address the maturing of what character quality? (p. 171)

A. holiness

B. temperance

C. chastity

D. friendship

A.,

Who was the author of The Faerie Queene? (p. 169)

A. Edmund Spenser

B. Christopher Marlowe

C. Sir Thomas Moore

D. John Fox

A

Who was the inspiration for Glorianna, the Faerie Queene? (p. 171)

A. Mary

B. Constance

C. Anne

D. Elizabeth

D..

Red Cross’s female companion, Una, is an allegorical character for which virtue?

A. truthfulness

B. holiness

C. temperance

D. compassion

A

What is the name of the terrible snake-like creature Red Cross faced? (p. 174)

A. Deceit

B. Error

C. Mistake

D. Hypocrite

B.,.

What stylistic feature of an epic is illustrated in The Faerie Queene by listing various kinds of trees and their descriptions? (pp. 170, 173-74)

(epic) Catalog →that lists things in detail to elevate the grandeur of the poem.

In The Faerie Queene, what does the cannibalism of Error’s offspring represent? (p. 178)

The self-destruction caused by lies and falsehood — sin consumes itself.

True/False: Determine if these statements are true or false

• More’s Utopia serves as a satire of English society. (p. 131)

True

True/False: Determine if these statement are true or false

• More’s Utopia reveals critical attitudes toward greed, unfair division of labor, and values of gold and silver in European society. (pp. 134-35, 138) …

True …

True/False: Determine if these statement are true or false

• 1 Corinthians 13 is devoid of textual organization. (pp. 165, 168)

False

True/False: Determine if these statement are true or false

• The Faerie Queene is a romance, an allegory, and a literary epic. (p. 170)

True..

True/False: Determine if these statement are true or false

• The construction of the Red Cross Knight as a character similar to St. George illustrates Spenser’s use of allegory in The Faerie Queene. (p. 170)

True 

Essay: For the test, choose one of the following prompts.  You must answer in 1-2 paragraphs.

A.) Describe one of the topics More critiques in Utopia. Evaluate whether his stance on the topic conforms to a biblical worldview. (pp. 132-39)

B.) In the Faerie Queene excerpt, Spenser uses allegory to flesh out his view of how a person progresses toward moral growth. Explain at least one of these allegories. (pp. 171-78)

A.) More’s Utopia – Suggested Summary:

More critiques greed and materialism by showing how the Utopians value equality and reject private wealth. From a biblical perspective, his rejection of greed aligns with Christian teaching (e.g., 1 Timothy 6:10), but his idea of communal property conflicts with biblical individual stewardship.

B.) The Faerie Queene – Suggested Summary:

Spenser uses allegory to show spiritual growth: the Red Cross Knight’s fight with Error represents the believer’s struggle with sin. Through trials, he learns holiness and dependence on God’s truth, showing the moral and spiritual journey of a Christian toward virtue.