Victorian Period – Revised Tough Thematic

1. The defining intellectual tension of Victorian literature arises mainly from—

A. Art versus politics
B. Faith versus scientific reason
C. Emotion versus imagination
D. Pastoral life versus nature

2. Victorian realism emerged largely as a response to—

A. Gothic excess
B. Romantic subjectivity
C. Classical rigidity
D. Medieval nostalgia

3. The Victorian novel often functions as a medium for—

A. Escapist fantasy
B. Social and moral instruction
C. Pure entertainment
D. Psychological abstraction

4. The “crisis of belief” in Victorian literature was intensified by—

A. Industrial capitalism
B. Colonial expansion
C. Darwinian evolutionary theory
D. Political liberalism

5. Matthew Arnold’s poetry articulates most clearly the Victorian sense of—

A. Moral certainty
B. Cultural disintegration
C. Political rebellion
D. Romantic fulfilment

6. In Dover Beach, the retreat of faith is symbolised by—

A. The violent sea
B. The withdrawing tide
C. The moonlit shore
D. The distant cliffs

7. Victorian poets replaced Romantic optimism largely with—

A. Heroic nationalism
B. Philosophical scepticism
C. Mythic symbolism
D. Sensuous escapism

8. Dickens’ social criticism is most powerfully directed against—

A. Aristocratic tyranny
B. Rural ignorance
C. Industrial exploitation and moral hypocrisy
D. Colonial oppression

9. Utilitarian philosophy in Victorian fiction is commonly portrayed as—

A. Rationally liberating
B. Morally neutral
C. Emotionally dehumanising
D. Spiritually enriching

10. The industrial landscape in Victorian novels generally symbolises—

A. Economic success
B. Human progress
C. Moral and emotional decay
D. Scientific triumph

11. Thomas Hardy’s tragic vision rests on the belief that—

A. Nature is benevolent
B. Society rewards virtue
C. Human will is often defeated by fate
D. Love transcends suffering

12. Hardy’s Wessex serves primarily as—

A. A romantic idyll
B. A historical reconstruction
C. A symbolic resistance to modernity
D. A realistic industrial zone

13. Victorian realism is distinguished by its emphasis on—

A. Idealised emotion
B. Psychological interiority alone
C. Ordinary life and social detail
D. Allegorical abstraction

14. George Eliot’s ethical philosophy stresses—

A. Individual rebellion
B. Moral sympathy and responsibility
C. Religious absolutism
D. Romantic idealism

15. The role of women in Victorian literature primarily exposes—

A. Female moral superiority
B. Domestic harmony
C. Social and legal constraints on autonomy
D. Romantic empowerment

16. Victorian literature’s obsession with “respectability” mainly critiques—

A. Religious devotion
B. Social morality
C. Middle-class hypocrisy
D. Aristocratic decadence

17. The popularity of the dramatic monologue reflects Victorian interest in—

A. Public oratory
B. Narrative clarity
C. Psychological complexity
D. Lyric simplicity

18. Browning’s speakers are often unreliable because they—

A. Intentionally deceive
B. Lack intelligence
C. Reveal their flaws unconsciously
D. Argue philosophically

19. Victorian attitudes toward progress can best be described as—

A. Unquestioningly optimistic
B. Entirely pessimistic
C. Deeply ambivalent
D. Politically radical

20. The Victorian novel rose in prominence mainly due to—

A. Court patronage
B. Expansion of middle-class readership
C. Decline of poetry
D. Growth of theatre

21. Serial publication of novels influenced Victorian fiction by encouraging—

A. Shorter narratives
B. Moral didacticism and suspense
C. Experimental form
D. Symbolist technique

22. Victorian childhood narratives typically emphasise—

A. Innocent joy
B. Romantic freedom
C. Social exploitation and reform
D. Fantasy adventure

23. The moral seriousness of Victorian literature most clearly separates it from—

A. Elizabethan drama
B. Romantic poetry
C. Modernist fiction
D. Medieval romance

24. Industrial capitalism in Victorian texts is usually shown as—

A. Economically liberating
B. Morally neutral
C. Socially destructive despite progress
D. Artistically inspiring

25. Victorian poets often replaced Romantic nature worship with—

A. Scientific materialism
B. Urban imagery and doubt
C. Religious revivalism
D. Mythical symbolism

26. The central moral question in many Victorian novels is—

A. How to achieve success
B. How to reconcile duty with desire
C. How to escape society
D. How to defeat fate

27. Victorian literature’s ethical tone reflects a society struggling to—

A. Preserve feudal values
B. Adapt to rapid social change
C. Reject religious belief
D. Embrace aestheticism

28. The Victorian novel frequently blends realism with—

A. Fantasy
B. Moral commentary
C. Political propaganda
D. Symbolist obscurity

29. Victorian writers viewed human suffering primarily as—

A. Meaningless tragedy
B. Divine punishment
C. Socially produced and preventable
D. Heroically ennobling

30. In essence, Victorian literature can best be defined as literature of—

A. Artistic detachment
B. Moral inquiry amid uncertainty
C. Romantic idealism
D. Political revolution