MLA Criticism Quiz
Literary Criticism Quiz
1. Explain the ego, id, and superego.
2. What does formalism analyze?
3. What does the philosophical approach evaluate?
4. What are the three stages of the quest as defined by the archetypal approach? Make sure you explain them:
5. What is the Oedipal Complex?
6. What constitutes the “tragic hero?”
7. What is the intentional fallacy?
8. On what basis do philosophical critics judge a work?
9. What is the inferiority complex?
10. What did Marx criticize?
11. Sociological critics show how literature can function as what two objects? Explain.
12. What is the reasonable assumption that archetypal critics make?
13. What is a trickster?
14. What is a witch?
15. What are the four elements and what does each represent?
Literary Criticism Quiz—Teacher Copy
1. Explain the ego, id, and superego.
Ego—the conscious and represents the mind that interacts with environment
Id—unconscious comprised of basic drives: hunger, thirst, pleasure, and aggression
Superego—like the conscience and represents the idealized image
2. Who started the formalistic approach? Aristotle
3. What does formalism analyze? The text, and only the text: plot, characterization, dialogue, and style
4. What does the philosophical approach evaluate? The ethical content of literary works
5. What are the three stages of the quest as defined by the archetypal approach? Make sure you explain them:
Separation—goes on a journey
Initiation—a fight of some sort
Return—returns home and uses knowledge gained
6. What other approaches are used in feminist criticism? Psychological, archetypal, and sociological
7. What is the Oedipal Complex? Strong attraction to mother in phallic stages (3-6)—boy wants to marry mother
8. On what relationship does the sociological criticism focus? Literature and society
9. What does historical criticism seek to interpret? The meaning of the work from the time period it was written
10. What does biographical criticism investigate? The life of author and how it is shown through the text
11. What constitutes the “tragic hero?” Nobel character with tragic flaw who falls from grace
12. What is the intentional fallacy? Author had no intentions when writing—their intentions do not matter
13. What is the affective fallacy? No emotions involved when evaluation a work
14. On what basis do philosophical critics judge a work? On their own philosophy of life
15. What is the inferiority complex? Will to power—child wants attention, not sex
16. What is the masculine protest? Rebellion of young women against inferior status
17. What did Marx criticize? The exploitation of the working class by upper class
18. Sociological critics show how literature can function as what two objects? Explain.
Mirror—social realities
Lamp—inspire social ideals
19. What is the reasonable assumption that archetypal critics make? Humans all have same basic experiences
20. What is the cultural founder? Heroes who invent rules, laws, customs, and belief systems
21. What is a trickster? Antithesis of cultural founder; childish, delights in mischief, not evil
22. What is a witch? Devotes herself to pleasure rather than nurturing
23. What are the four elements and what does each represent?
Earth—nurturing
Wind—spiritual elements
Fire—destruction
Water—purity
24. What is the death a rebirth pattern? Sacrificial hero gives themselves up for the greater good and are reborn (become better)
25. With what are both feminist and sociological critics concerned? Critical of society—the oppressed or marginalized by dominant culture
1. Explain the ego, id, and superego.
2. What does formalism analyze?
3. What does the philosophical approach evaluate?
4. What are the three stages of the quest as defined by the archetypal approach? Make sure you explain them:
5. What is the Oedipal Complex?
6. What constitutes the “tragic hero?”
7. What is the intentional fallacy?
8. On what basis do philosophical critics judge a work?
9. What is the inferiority complex?
10. What did Marx criticize?
11. Sociological critics show how literature can function as what two objects? Explain.
12. What is the reasonable assumption that archetypal critics make?
13. What is a trickster?
14. What is a witch?
15. What are the four elements and what does each represent?
Literary Criticism Quiz—Teacher Copy
1. Explain the ego, id, and superego.
Ego—the conscious and represents the mind that interacts with environment
Id—unconscious comprised of basic drives: hunger, thirst, pleasure, and aggression
Superego—like the conscience and represents the idealized image
2. Who started the formalistic approach? Aristotle
3. What does formalism analyze? The text, and only the text: plot, characterization, dialogue, and style
4. What does the philosophical approach evaluate? The ethical content of literary works
5. What are the three stages of the quest as defined by the archetypal approach? Make sure you explain them:
Separation—goes on a journey
Initiation—a fight of some sort
Return—returns home and uses knowledge gained
6. What other approaches are used in feminist criticism? Psychological, archetypal, and sociological
7. What is the Oedipal Complex? Strong attraction to mother in phallic stages (3-6)—boy wants to marry mother
8. On what relationship does the sociological criticism focus? Literature and society
9. What does historical criticism seek to interpret? The meaning of the work from the time period it was written
10. What does biographical criticism investigate? The life of author and how it is shown through the text
11. What constitutes the “tragic hero?” Nobel character with tragic flaw who falls from grace
12. What is the intentional fallacy? Author had no intentions when writing—their intentions do not matter
13. What is the affective fallacy? No emotions involved when evaluation a work
14. On what basis do philosophical critics judge a work? On their own philosophy of life
15. What is the inferiority complex? Will to power—child wants attention, not sex
16. What is the masculine protest? Rebellion of young women against inferior status
17. What did Marx criticize? The exploitation of the working class by upper class
18. Sociological critics show how literature can function as what two objects? Explain.
Mirror—social realities
Lamp—inspire social ideals
19. What is the reasonable assumption that archetypal critics make? Humans all have same basic experiences
20. What is the cultural founder? Heroes who invent rules, laws, customs, and belief systems
21. What is a trickster? Antithesis of cultural founder; childish, delights in mischief, not evil
22. What is a witch? Devotes herself to pleasure rather than nurturing
23. What are the four elements and what does each represent?
Earth—nurturing
Wind—spiritual elements
Fire—destruction
Water—purity
24. What is the death a rebirth pattern? Sacrificial hero gives themselves up for the greater good and are reborn (become better)
25. With what are both feminist and sociological critics concerned? Critical of society—the oppressed or marginalized by dominant culture