50+ MCQs on Matthew Arnold with Answers for UGC NET / SET Prepration

1. In which year was Matthew Arnold born?
a. 1819
b. 1822
c. 1828
d. 1834

2. Matthew Arnold is often associated with which literary movement?
a. Romanticism
b. Victorianism
c. Modernism
d. Romantic Revival

3. What profession did Matthew Arnold hold besides being a poet?
a. Lawyer
b. Teacher
c. Physician
d. Journalist

4. Arnold’s famous work “Dover Beach” explores the theme of:
a. Nature’s beauty
b. Love and passion
c. Loss of faith and cultural decline
d. Political revolution

5. Which of Arnold’s works is a collection of critical essays that reflect his views on literature and society?
a. “Culture and Anarchy”
b. “Dover Beach and Other Poems”
c. “The Scholar Gipsy”
d. “Sohrab and Rustum”

6. Arnold served as the inspector of schools and was associated with the:
a. Ministry of Education
b. Board of TradeMCQs on Matthew Arnold
c. Office of the Prime Minister
d. British Library

7. What term did Matthew Arnold use to describe the ideal harmonious development of the mind and spirit?
a. Sweetness and light
b. Culture and anarchy
c. Romantic ecstasy
d. Melancholic introspection

8. Matthew Arnold’s poem “The Scholar Gipsy” is based on the legend of a scholar who:
a. Becomes a hermit
b. Travels the world
c. Discovers a hidden treasure
d. Falls in love with a gipsy girl

9. Arnold’s concept of “Culture” involves the pursuit of:
a. Wealth
b. Knowledge and perfection of mind
c. Political power
d. Physical fitness

10. Which work by Matthew Arnold emphasizes the importance of the intellectual and spiritual aspects of life over material pursuits?
a. “Dover Beach”
b. “The Scholar Gipsy”
c. “Culture and Anarchy”
d. “Sohrab and Rustum”

11. In “Dover Beach,” what metaphor does Arnold use to depict the retreating tide of faith in society?
a. The ebbing sea
b. The setting sun
c. The receding waves
d. The fading moonlight

Also Read-

50+ MCQs on Henry James with Answers for UGC NET / SET Prepration

50+ MCQs on Gerard Manley Hopkins with Answers for UGC NET / SET Prepration

50+ MCQs on Friedrich Nietzsche with Answers for UGC NET / SET Prepration

12. Matthew Arnold’s concept of “Soul” in poetry emphasizes:
a. Religious themes
b. Emotional expression
c. The inner life and moral ideasMCQs on Matthew Arnold
d. Nature and landscape

13. Arnold’s poem “Thyrsis” serves as an elegy for which fellow poet and friend?
a. Percy Bysshe Shelley
b. John Keats
c. Arthur Hugh Clough
d. Alfred Lord Tennyson

14. What does Matthew Arnold criticize in his essay “Culture and Anarchy”?
a. The decline of traditional values
b. The influence of science
c. The role of the aristocracy
d. The growth of industrialization

15. In “The Scholar Gipsy,” what does the Scholar Gipsy represent?
a. A figure of wisdom and inspiration
b. A wanderer who is lost
c. A symbol of youthful rebellion
d. A mysterious and magical being

16. What term did Matthew Arnold use to describe the conflict between order and anarchy in society?
a. Sweetness and light
b. Barbarism
c. Philistinism
d. Hellenism

17. Which of Matthew Arnold’s works explores the conflict between two civilizations, the East and the West?
a. “Dover Beach”
b. “Sohrab and Rustum”
c. “The Scholar Gipsy”
d. “Culture and Anarchy”

18. Arnold’s famous phrase “ignorance and vulgarity” refers to:
a. The decline of poetry
b. The state of education
c. The dangers of industrialization
d. The corrupting influence of power

19. In “Dover Beach,” what does Arnold lament as being withdrawn from the world?
a. Religious faith
b. Romantic love
c. Beauty and culture
d. Scientific knowledge

20. Matthew Arnold’s essay “Literature and Science” explores the tension between:
a. Faith and reason
b. Literature and philosophy
c. Poetry and science
d. Romanticism and realism

21. Arnold’s poem “Empedocles on Etna” explores the theme of:
a. The struggle for power
b. Political revolution
c. The conflict between nature and society
d. The isolation of the individual

22. What is the main theme of Arnold’s poem “Rugby Chapel”?
a. The beauty of nature
b. The passing of time and loss
c. Religious devotion
d. The impact of war

23. In “The Scholar Gipsy,” where does the Scholar Gipsy choose to live?
a. In a cave
b. In the forest
c. Among the starsMCQs on Matthew Arnold
d. By the river Thames

24. What is the significance of the term “Philistines” in Matthew Arnold’s writings?
a. People who lack culture and refinement
b. Followers of a religious sect
c. Intellectual elitesMCQs on Matthew Arnold
d. Artistic geniuses

25. In “Dover Beach,” the mention of the “Sea of Faith” refers to:
a. The decline of religious belief
b. The vastness of the ocean
c. The power of love
d. The mysteries of nature

26. Arnold’s concept of “Hellenism” refers to:
a. The classical Greek ideals of beauty and harmony
b. The Roman Empire
c. The medieval period
d. The Enlightenment

27. What is the central metaphor in “Dover Beach” for the decline of faith in society?
a. The fading light
b. The retreating tide
c. The crumbling cliffs
d. The setting sun

28. Which of Arnold’s poems is a dialogue between the poet and the Spirit of the Age?
a. “Sohrab and Rustum”
b. “The Scholar Gipsy”
c. “Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”MCQs on Matthew Arnold
d. “To Marguerite—Continued”

29. In “Dover Beach,” what image does Arnold use to convey the absence of certainty and stability in the world?
a. A trembling shadow
b. An unraveled threadMCQs on Matthew Arnold
c. A darkling plain
d. A shattered mirror

30. What does Matthew Arnold emphasize as the role of culture in “Culture and Anarchy”?
a. The pursuit of material wealth
b. The development of the intellect and soul
c. The preservation

of traditional values
d. The promotion of political ideologies

31. Which of Arnold’s poems reflects his admiration for the intellectual and artistic achievements of Ancient Greece?
a. “The Scholar Gipsy”
b. “Dover Beach”
c. “To Marguerite—Continued”
d. “The Last Word”

32. What is the central theme of Arnold’s poem “Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”?
a. Nature’s beauty
b. Religious faith
c. The decline of civilization
d. The importance of love

33. In “Dover Beach,” what does Arnold ask his beloved to be to him in the face of the world’s uncertainties?
a. A guiding star
b. A constant friend
c. A faithful lover
d. A beacon of hope

34. Matthew Arnold’s poetry is characterized by:
a. Rich and elaborate language
b. Experimental and avant-garde techniques
c. Simple and straightforward expressionMCQs on Matthew Arnold
d. The use of free verse

35. What does Arnold mean by the term “sweetness and light”?
a. The pursuit of pleasure and luxury
b. The harmonious development of the mind and spirit
c. The rejection of material possessions
d. The pursuit of physical fitness

36. In “The Last Word,” Arnold reflects on the idea of:
a. Death and mortality
b. Romantic love
c. The power of nature
d. Political revolution

37. What is the central conflict in Arnold’s poem “Sohrab and Rustum”?
a. The struggle for power
b. Father-son conflict
c. War between nations
d. The clash of cultures

38. Matthew Arnold’s father, Thomas Arnold, was a renowned:
a. Poet
b. Educator
c. Politician
d. Scientist

39. In “Dover Beach,” what historical event is alluded to as a symbol of the decline of faith?
a. The French Revolution
b. The Industrial Revolution
c. The American Civil War
d. The Renaissance

40. What is the significance of the title “Dover Beach”?
a. It refers to a specific location where the poem is set
b. It symbolizes the beauty of nature
c. It represents the decline of faith in society
d. It suggests a tranquil and serene setting

41. In “Dover Beach,” what emotion does the poet express in response to the changing world?
a. Joy
b. Anger
c. Melancholy
d. Hope

42. What is the main theme of Arnold’s poem “To Marguerite—Continued”?
a. The passing of time
b. The beauty of nature
c. The power of love
d. The decline of civilization

43. What does Matthew Arnold argue for in his essay “Literature and Science”?
a. The supremacy of literature over science
b. The integration of literature and science
c. The rejection of scientific advancements
d. The isolation of literature from scientific inquiry

44. Which of Arnold’s poems reflects his concern about the lack of spiritual guidance and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world?
a. “Dover Beach”
b. “The Scholar Gipsy”
c. “Rugby Chapel”
d. “Sohrab and Rustum”

45. What is the significance of the river in “The Scholar Gipsy”?
a. It represents the passage of time
b. It symbolizes the purity of nature
c. It marks the boundary between reality and fantasy
d. It serves as a metaphor for the scholar’s journey

46. In “Sohrab and Rustum,” what is the tragic outcome of the confrontation between Sohrab and Rustum?
a. Sohrab kills Rustum
b. Rustum kills Sohrab
c. They reconcile and become allies
d. They both die in battle

47. Matthew Arnold’s critical essays often express concern about the impact of:
a. Political revolutions
b. Scientific advancements
c. Industrialization
d. Religious dogma

48. In “Dover Beach,” the mention of the “moon-flakes” refers to:
a. Stars in the night sky
b. Sea foam
c. Shells on the beach
d. Clouds obscuring the moon

49. Which of Matthew Arnold’s works advocates for the idea of “disinterestedness” in criticism?
a. “The Function of Criticism at the Present Time”
b. “Dover Beach”
c. “Sohrab and Rustum”
d. “The Scholar Gipsy”

50. What is the theme of Arnold’s poem “The Forsaken Merman”?
a. The beauty of the sea
b. The conflict between love and duty
c. The decline of faith
d. The struggle for political freedom

Answer

1. a. 1819
2. b. Victorianism
3. b. TeacherMCQs on Matthew Arnold
4. c. Loss of faith and cultural decline
5. a. “Culture and Anarchy”
6. b. Board of TradeMCQs on Matthew Arnold
7. a. Sweetness and lightMCQs on Matthew Arnold
8. a. Becomes a hermit
9. b. Knowledge and perfection of mind
10. c. “Culture and Anarchy”
11. b. The retreating tide
12. c. The inner life and moral ideas
13. c. Arthur Hugh Clough
14. a. The decline of traditional values
15. a. A figure of wisdom and inspiration
16. c. Philistinism
17. b. “Sohrab and Rustum”
18. a. The decline of poetry
19. c. Beauty and culture
20. c. Poetry and science
21. c. The conflict between nature and society
22. b. The passing of time and loss
23. c. Among the stars
24. a. People who lack culture and refinement
25. a. The decline of religious belief
26. a. The classical Greek ideals of beauty and harmony
27. c. A darkling plain
28. c. “Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse”
29. c. A darkling plain
30. b. The development of the intellect and soul
31. c. “To Marguerite—Continued”
32. c. The decline of civilization
33. a. A guiding star
34. b. Experimental and avant-garde techniques
35. b. The harmonious development of the mind and spirit
36. a. Death and mortality
37. b. Father-son conflict
38. b. Educator
39. a. The French Revolution
40. c. It represents the decline of faith in society
41. c. Melancholy
42. a. The passing of time
43. b. The integration of literature and science
44. a. “Dover Beach”
45. a. It represents the passage of time
46. b. Rustum kills Sohrab
47. c. Industrialization
48. a. Stars in the night sky
49. a. “The Function of Criticism at the Present Time”
50. b. The conflict between love and duty