50 MCQs on University Wits

1. Who coined the term “University Wits”? 

a. Ben Jonson 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. Thomas Nashe 

d. Robert Greene

2. Which University Wits were contemporaries of William Shakespeare? 

a. Thomas Kyd and John Lyly 

b. Thomas Nashe and Robert Greene 

c. George Peele and Christopher Marlowe 

d. All of the above

3. Which University Wit was known for his pastoral prose romance “Euphues”? 

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Nashe

4. Who is considered the first professional playwright among the University Wits? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. John Lyly c. Thomas Nashe 

d. Robert Greene

5. Which University Wit wrote “The Spanish Tragedy,” a popular revenge tragedy? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. John Lyly 

d. George Peele

6. What was the primary source of inspiration for Christopher Marlowe’s play “Doctor Faustus”? 

a. Greek mythology 

b. Medieval morality plays 

c. German legend of Faust 

d. Roman history

7. Which University Wit was known for his satirical works, including “The Unfortunate Traveller”?
a. Thomas Kyd 

b. John Lyly 

c. Thomas Nashe 

d. Robert Greene

8. In which play did Christopher Marlowe use the famous line “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships”? 

a. “Tamburlaine” 

b. “Doctor Faustus” 

c. “Dido, Queen of Carthage” 

d. “Edward II”

9. What was the nickname given to the group of University Wits by Ben Jonson? 

a. The Learned Crew 

b. The Literary Lions 

c. The Wise Scholars 

d. The Poetic Masters

10. Who among the University Wits was known for his contributions to the development of blank verse in English drama?

 a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. John Lyly 

c. Thomas Kyd 

d. George Peele

11. Which University Wit was a Cambridge graduate and wrote plays such as “Endymion, the Man in the Moon”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. John Lyly 

c. Thomas Nashe 

d. Thomas Kyd

12. Who was the University Wit known for his controversial pamphlets and plays like “The Roaring Girl”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. Thomas Nashe 

d. Thomas Dekker

13. Which University Wit had a rivalry with Ben Jonson and was involved in the “War of the Theatres”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Dekker

14. Who wrote the play “Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay” among the University Wits? 

a. George Peele 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Nashe

15. What was the primary theme of Robert Greene’s play “Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay”? 

a. Love and romance 

b. Supernatural elements and magic 

c. Political intrigue 

d. Historical events

16. Which University Wit is credited with introducing the use of blank verse in English drama? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. John Lyly 

c. George Peele 

d. Thomas Kyd

17. Who among the University Wits was a notable poet, translator, and playwright known for his contributions to English drama? 

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. George Peele 

d. John Lyly

18. Which University Wit wrote the play “Edward II,” a historical drama about the reign of King Edward II? 

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. George Peele 

d. Robert Greene

19. What genre is John Lyly often associated with in his plays? 

a. Tragedy
b. Comedy 

c. History 

d. Romance

20. Who was the University Wit known for his work as a prose writer, pamphleteer, and playwright, and wrote works like “Pierce Penniless”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Nashe 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Kyd

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21. In which play does Christopher Marlowe explore the theme of overreaching ambition through the character of Dr. Faustus? 

a. “Tamburlaine” 

b. “Dido, Queen of Carthage” 

c. “Edward II” 

d. “Doctor Faustus”

22. Which University Wit was associated with the “university men” who were scholars and writers involved in London’s literary and theatrical circles? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Nashe

23. hat was the cause of Christopher Marlowe’s death? 

a. Duel 

b. Illness 

c. Assassination 

d. Natural causes

24. Who is credited with writing the first English blank verse tragedy, “Gorboduc,” which predates the University Wits? 

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. John Lyly 

c. George Peele 

d. Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville

25. Which University Wit was known for his collaboration with Thomas Nashe on works like “Dido, Queen of Carthage”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. George Peele 

c. Thomas Kyd 

d. John Lyly

26. What was the genre of Christopher Marlowe’s play “Tamburlaine”? 

a. Tragedy 

b. Comedy 

c. History 

d. Romance

27. Who among the University Wits was known for his plays containing allegorical elements and courtly masques?

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. John Lyly 

c. George Peele 

d. Thomas Nashe

28. What was the primary occupation of Robert Greene before becoming a playwright? 

a. Lawyer 

b. Teacher 

c. Clergyman 

d. Actor

29. Which University Wit wrote the play “The Old Wives’ Tale,” a comedy with elements of fantasy and magic? 

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. George Peele 

c. John Lyly 

d. Robert Greene

30. In which play did Christopher Marlowe depict the rise and fall of a Scythian shepherd who becomes a conquering emperor? 

a. “Doctor Faustus” 

b. “Tamburlaine” 

c. “Dido, Queen of Carthage” 

d. “Edward II”

31. Which University Wit was associated with the literary circle known as the “School of Night” and had a reputation for being an atheist? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. John Lyly 

d. George Peele

32. Who was the University Wit known for his collaboration with Thomas Nashe on “Summer’s Last Will and Testament”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. George Peele 

c. John Lyly
d. Thomas Kyd

33. Which University Wit was known for his involvement in the production of popular pamphlets and moralistic works such as “Greenes, Groatsworth of Witte”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. John Lyly 

d. Robert Greene

34. What is the central theme of Christopher Marlowe’s play “The Jew of Malta”? 

a. Love and revenge 

b. Religious conflict 

c. Political intrigue 

d. The pursuit of wealth

35. Who wrote the play “The Battle of Alcazar,” a historical tragedy set during the conflict between Don Sebastian of Portugal and the Moors? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. George Peele 

c. John Lyly 

d. Robert Greene

36. In which play did Christopher Marlowe depict the tragic story of the queen of Carthage and her love affair with the Trojan hero Aeneas? 

a. “Doctor Faustus” 

b. “Tamburlaine” 

c. “Dido, Queen of Carthage” 

d. “Edward II”

37. Which University Wit was known for his play “The Arraignment of Paris,” a masque-like entertainment with elements of pastoral romance? 

a. John Lyly 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. Thomas Kyd d. George Peele

d. Thomas Kyd

38. Who among the University Wits was a contemporary and friend of William Shakespeare, and was praised for his wit and humor? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. John Lyly 

c. Thomas Nashe

d. Thomas Kyd

39. Which University Wit was known for his play “The Battle of Agincourt,” a historical drama set during the Hundred Years’ War? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. George Peele 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Kyd

40. What was the major literary form that John Lyly popularized through his works like “Euphues”? 

a. Blank verse

b. Prose romance 

c. Sonnet sequence 

d. Morality play

41. Who was the University Wit associated with the phrase “upstart crow” in reference to William Shakespeare? 

a. Thomas Kyd 

b. Christopher Marlowe 

c. Robert Greene 

d. John Lyly

42. Which University Wit was known for his collaboration with Thomas Nashe on the satirical play “Summer’s Last Will and Testament”?
a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. George Peele 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Kyd

43. What was the genre of Robert Greene’s play “Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay”? 

a. Tragedy 

b. Comedy 

c. History 

d. Romance

44. Who was the University Wit known for his pamphlets attacking fellow writers, including the famous “Farewell to Folly”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. John Lyly 

d. Robert Greene

45. Which University Wit was known for his play “Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay,” featuring magical elements and a talking brass head? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Nashe 

c. John Lyly 

d. Robert Greene

46. What is the central theme of John Lyly’s play “Endymion, the Man in the Moon”? 

a. Love and revenge 

b. Supernatural elements and magic 

c. Political intrigue 

d. The pursuit of wealth

47. Who was the University Wit known for his works that explored the seamy side of London life, such as “The Roaring Girl”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. Thomas Kyd 

c. Thomas Nashe 

d. Thomas Dekker

48. Which University Wit was known for his collaboration with Thomas Nashe on the play “Dido, Queen of Carthage”? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. George Peele 

c. John Lyly 

d. Thomas Kyd

49. In which play did Christopher Marlowe depict the tragic story of Edward II’s reign and his relationship with Piers Gaveston? 

a. “Doctor Faustus” 

b. “Tamburlaine” 

c. “Dido, Queen of Carthage” 

d. “Edward II”

50. Which University Wit was known for his plays like “The Famous Victories of Henry V,” a precursor to Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” plays? 

a. Christopher Marlowe 

b. John Lyly 

c. Thomas Kyd 

d. George Peele

Answer

1. b. Christopher Marlowe
2. d. All of the above
3. c. John Lyly
4. a. Christopher Marlowe
5. b. Thomas Kyd
6. c. German legend of Faust
7. d. Robert Greene
8. c. “Dido, Queen of Carthage”
9. a. The Learned Crew
10. a. Christopher Marlowe
11. b. John Lyly
12. d. Thomas Dekker
13. d. Thomas Dekker
14. a. George Peele
15. b. Supernatural elements and magic
16. a. Christopher Marlowe
17. c. George Peele
18. b. Christopher Marlowe
19. b. Comedy
20. b. Thomas Nashe
21. d. “Doctor Faustus”
22. a. Christopher Marlowe
23. a. Duel
24. d. Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville
25. b. George Peele
26. a. Tragedy
27. b. John Lyly
28. b. Teacher
29. d. Robert Greene
30. b. “Tamburlaine”
31. a. Christopher Marlowe
32. b. George Peele
33. d. Robert Greene
34. d. The pursuit of wealth
35. b. George Peele
36. c. “Dido, Queen of Carthage”
37. a. John Lyly
38. c. Thomas Nashe
39. b. George Peele
40. b. Prose romance
41. c. Robert Greene
42. b. George Peele
43. b. Comedy
44. d. Robert Greene
45. a. Christopher Marlowe
46. b. Supernatural elements and magic
47. d. Thomas Dekker
48. b. George Peele
49. d. “Edward II”
50. d. George Peele