MCQs on Philip Sidney with Answers for UGC NET / SET /PHD Preparation
1. What is the title of Philip Sidney’s most famous work?
a. Astrophil and Stella
b. The Faerie Queene
c. Arcadia
d. An Apology for Poetry
2. Philip Sidney was a prominent figure during the:
a. Renaissance
b. Victorian era
c. Romantic period
d. Enlightenment
3. In which literary form is “Astrophil and Stella” written?
a. Sonnet sequence
b. Epic poem
c. Play
d. Novel
4. What is the central theme of “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. Courtly love
b. Political satire
c. Religious allegory
d. Historical events
5. Which monarch’s court did Philip Sidney serve?
a. Queen Elizabeth I
b. King James I
c. King Charles I
d. Queen Mary I
6. Philip Sidney was a contemporary of:
a. Christopher Marlowe
b. William Shakespeare
c. John Donne
d. All of the above
7. What is the main focus of Philip Sidney’s critical work, “An Apology for Poetry”?
a. Defense of poetry
b. Critique of drama
c. Analysis of philosophy
d. Political commentary
8. What literary device is commonly used in Sidney’s sonnet sequence “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. Alliteration
b. Metaphor
c. Chiasmus
d. Anaphora
9. Which poetic form is “Astrophil and Stella” credited with popularizing?
a. Petrarchan sonnet
b. Spenserian sonnet
c. Shakespearean sonnetMCQs on Philip Sidney
d. Ottava rima
Also Read-
10. What is the pastoral romance written by Philip Sidney?
a. The Faerie Queene
b. Astrophil and Stella
c. Arcadia
d. An Apology for Poetry
11. In “An Apology for Poetry,” Sidney defends poetry by comparing it to:
a. History
b. Philosophy
c. Science
d. Theology
12. Which sonnet sequence form does Sidney use in “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. Shakespearean
b. Petrarchan
c. Spenserian
d. Miltonic
13. What is the significance of the character “Astrophil” in Sidney’s work?
a. He represents the ideal courtier
b. He symbolizes the poet himself
c. He is a historical figure
d. He embodies political ideals
14. In which battle did Philip Sidney die?
a. Battle of Bosworth
b. Battle of Agincourt
c. Battle of Zutphen
d. Battle of Trafalgar
15. What is the primary theme of Sidney’s “The Defence of Poesy”?
a. The nature of love
b. The role of poetry in society
c. The struggles of a courtier
d. The beauty of nature
16. What is the full title of Sidney’s pastoral romance, commonly known as “Arcadia”?
a. The Golden Treasury of Arcadia
b. Arcadia: The Green World
c. The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia
d. Arcadia: A Pastoral Romance
17. What is the name of the poetic form used in the sonnets of “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. Terza rima
b. Ottava rima
c. Spenserian stanza
d. Rhyme royal
18. Which of the following is not a common theme in Sidney’s works?
a. Courtly love
b. Allegory
c. Scientific inquiry
d. Humanism
19. What is the primary focus of Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella” sonnet sequence?
a. The beauty of nature
b. Religious devotion
c. Unrequited love
d. Political satire
20. Who is the central figure in “The Defence of Poesy” defending the poet’s role in society?
a. Sir Philip Sidney
b. William ShakespeareMCQs on Philip Sidney
c. Queen Elizabeth I
d. Sir Walter Raleigh
21. What is the primary meter used in Sidney’s sonnets?
a. Iambic pentameter
b. Trochaic tetrameter
c. Anapestic hexameterMCQs on Philip Sidney
d. Dactylic pentameter
22. Which of Sidney’s works is considered a pastoral romance featuring shepherds and nymphs?
a. Astrophil and Stella
b. The Defence of Poesy
c. Arcadia
d. An Apology for Poetry
23. What is the significance of the title “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. It means “Star-lover and Star”
b. It refers to a historical event
c. It is a metaphor for political ideals
d. It symbolizes religious devotion
24. Which literary term refers to the exaggeration of praise found in Sidney’s sonnet sequence?
a. Hyperbole
b. Irony
c. Allusion
d. Simile
25. What is the central allegorical figure in Sidney’s “The Defence of Poesy”?
a. Eros
b. Muse
c. Faerie Queene
d. Astrophil
26. In “Astrophil and Stella,” what is the main reason for Stella’s resistance to Astrophil’s love?
a. She is already married
b. She does not love him
c. Social status differences
d. Religious differences
27. What is the meaning of “Sidneian” as used in literary criticism?
a. A term for pastoral romance
b. A style of sonnet writing
c. Relating to or characteristic of Sidney
d. A type of epic poetry
28. What is the “Sidney Psalter”?
a. A collection of Sidney’s letters
b. A compilation of Sidney’s essaysMCQs on Philip Sidney
c. A poetic work by Sidney
d. A manuscript of biblical Psalms translated by Sidney
29. What is the structure of the sonnets in “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. 12-line sonnets
b. 14-line sonnets
c. 16-line sonnetsMCQs on Philip Sidney
d. 18-line sonnets
30. What is the primary theme of “Arcadia”?
a. Political intrigue
b. Courtly love
c. Pastoral idyll
d. The nature of poetry
31. What is the significance of the “Sidney Circle” in literary history?
a. A group of Sidney’s friends
b. A literary and intellectual group
c. A religious sect influenced by Sidney
d. A collection of Sidney’s manuscripts
32. In “Astrophil and Stella,” who serves as a go-between for Astrophil and Stella’s love?
a. The Muse
b. Cupid
c. An allegorical figureMCQs on Philip Sidney
d. Astrophil’s friend
33. What is the relationship between Astrophil and Stella in Sidney’s sonnet sequence?
a. Siblings
b. LoversMCQs on Philip Sidney
c. Enemies
d. Friends
34. What is the primary focus of Sidney’s essay “An Apology for Poetry”?
a. Historical events
b. Defense of poetry
c. Courtly love
d. Political satire
35. What is the common rhyme scheme in Sidney’s sonnet sequence “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
b. ABBA ABBA CDC CDC
c. ABABBCCDCD
d. ABABCDCDEFEFGG
36. What is the meaning of the term “Sidnean poetics”?
a. The study of Sidney’s prose
b. The literary theories of Sidney
c. A specific poetic form created by Sidney
d. A critique of Sidney’s works
37. Which sonnet number in “Astrophil and Stella” begins with the line “With what sharp checks I in myself am shent”?
a. Sonnet 1
b. Sonnet 31
c. Sonnet 71
d. Sonnet 101
38. What is the role of Astrophil’s friend in “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. To criticize his love for Stella
b. To encourage his pursuit of Stella
c. To act as a rival for Stella’s love
d. To provide comic relief
39. In “The Defence of Poesy,” Sidney emphasizes the moral and didactic purpose of poetry by comparing it to:
a. History
b. Philosophy
c. ScienceMCQs on Philip Sidney
d. Religion
40. In “Astrophil and Stella,” what literary device is used when Astrophil confesses his love to Stella?
a. ConceitMCQs on Philip Sidney
b. Metaphor
c. Irony
d. Satire
41. What is the significance of Sidney’s use of the pastoral mode in “Arcadia”?
a. A critique of pastoral literature
b. A celebration of rural life
c. An exploration of political intrigue
d. A rejection of courtly love
42. What is the central motif in Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella” sonnet sequence?
a. The beauty of nature
b. Unrequited love
c. Political satire
d. Religious devotionMCQs on Philip Sidney
43. Which historical figure is mentioned in Sidney’s “Astrophil and Stella” sonnet sequence?
a. Cleopatra
b. Helen of TroyMCQs on Philip Sidney
c. Queen Elizabeth I
d. Joan of Arc
44. What is the primary theme of Sidney’s essay “The Defence of Poesy”?
a. Religious devotion
b. Defense of poetry
c. Political satire
d. Courtly love
45. In “Astrophil and Stella,” what is the significance of Stella’s name?
a. It means “Star-lover”
b. It is a symbol of unattainable beauty
c. It is a historical reference
d. It represents courtly love
46. What is the primary function of “Astrophil and Stella” within the sonnet tradition?
a. To challenge traditional sonnet forms
b. To create a new form of sonnet
c. To satirize sonnet conventions
d. To celebrate the beauty of the sonnet
47. What is the significance of the title “Astrophil and Stella” in relation to the sonnet sequence?
a. It represents the names of the characters
b. It symbolizes astronomical and starry themes
c. It is a metaphor for political ideals
d. It signifies the beauty of nature
48. What is the tone of Sidney’s sonnets in “Astrophil and Stella”?
a. Melancholic
b. Satirical
c. Comic
d. Epic
49. What is the primary setting of Sidney’s pastoral romance “Arcadia”?
a. A courtly palace
b. A rural landscape
c. A bustling city
d. A mystical forest
50. What is the importance of the character “Pamela” in Sidney’s “Arcadia”?
a. She is the protagonist
b. She represents courtly love
c. She embodies virtue and chastity
d. She is a historical figure
Answer
1. b. The Faerie Queene
2. a. Renaissance
3. a. Sonnet sequence
4. c. Religious allegory
5. a. Queen Elizabeth I
6. d. All of the above
7. a. Defense of poetry
8. b. Metaphor
9. a. Petrarchan sonnet
10. c. Arcadia
11. a. History
12. b. Petrarchan
13. b. He symbolizes the poet himself
14. c. Battle of Zutphen
15. b. The role of poetry in society
16. c. The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia
17. a. Terza rima
18. c. Scientific inquiry
19. c. Unrequited love
20. a. Sir Philip Sidney
21. a. Iambic pentameter
22. c. Arcadia
23. a. It means “Star-lover and Star”
24. a. Hyperbole
25. b. Muse
26. b. She does not love him
27. c. Relating to or characteristic of Sidney
28. d. A manuscript of biblical Psalms translated by Sidney
29. b. 14-line sonnets
30. c. Pastoral idyll
31. b. A literary and intellectual group
32. b. Cupid
33. b. LoversMCQs on Philip Sidney
34. b. Defense of poetry
35. d. ABABCDCDEFEFGG
36. b. The literary theories of Sidney
37. a. Sonnet 1MCQs on Philip Sidney
38. b. To encourage his pursuit of Stella
39. a. History
40. a. Conceit
41. c. An exploration of political intrigueMCQs on Philip Sidney
42. b. Unrequited love
43. c. Queen Elizabeth I
44. b. Defense of poetry
45. b. It is a symbol of unattainable beauty
46. a. To challenge traditional sonnet forms
47. b. It symbolizes astronomical and starry themes
48. a. Melancholic
49. b. A rural landscapeMCQs on Philip Sidney
50. c. She embodies virtue and chastity
