Prothalamion by Edmund Spenser, Exam Based Questions

Prothalamion

by Edmund Spenser

1. “Prothalamion” is written to celebrate what occasion? (PGTRB 2021, UGC NET 2022)

A) A royal marriage

B) A victory in war

C) The double marriage of the Earl of Essex's daughters

D) The coronation of Queen Elizabeth

Ans: C) The double marriage of the Earl of Essex's daughters

2. The term “Prothalamion” literally means: (TN TRB 2020, UGC NET 2021)

A) A song sung before a wedding

B) A mourning poem

C) A song of harvest

D) A prayer of death

Ans: A) A song sung before a wedding

3. What poetic form does Spenser use in “Prothalamion”? (PGTRB 2019, UGC NET 2020)

A) Blank verse

B) Ottava Rima

C) Heroic Couplet

D) Spenserian Stanza

Ans: C) Heroic Couplet

4. Which river is frequently referred to in “Prothalamion”? (UGC NET 2019)

A) Thames

B) Avon

C) Severn

D) Tyne

Ans: A) Thames

5. What recurring image is used in “Prothalamion” to symbolize purity and marriage? (PGTRB 2020)

A) Swans

B) Doves

C) Lilies

D) Roses

Ans: A) Swans

6. Which goddess is invoked in the poem? (UGC NET 2020)

A) Venus

B) Juno

C) Minerva

D) Diana

Ans: D) Diana

7. Spenser addresses which royal figure in “Prothalamion”? (TN TRB 2021)

A) Queen Mary

B) Queen Elizabeth

C) King James I

D) Prince Henry

Ans: B) Queen Elizabeth

8. The poem blends personal praise with what literary element? (UGC NET 2018)

A) Mythology

B) Epic allegory

C) Political satire

D) Scientific logic

Ans: A) Mythology

9. What bird is compared to the two sisters in the poem? (PGTRB 2020)

A) Doves

B) Swans

C) Larks

D) Peacocks

Ans: B) Swans

10. What tone dominates the latter half of the poem? (UGC NET 2021)

A) Melancholic

B) Sarcastic

C) Celebratory

D) Cynical

Ans: C) Celebratory

11. Spenser compares the River Thames to: (TN TRB 2019)

A) A battlefield

B) A bridegroom

C) A pastoral stream

D) A royal pathway

Ans: D) A royal pathway

12. “Prothalamion” is a companion piece to which other Spenserian work? (UGC NET 2022)

A) The Faerie Queene

B) The Shepheardes Calender

C) Epithalamion

D) Amoretti

Ans: C) Epithalamion

13. The line “Sweet Thames, run softly, till I end my song” is an example of: (PGTRB 2020)

A) Anaphora

B) Apostrophe

C) Alliteration

D) Refrain

Ans: D) Refrain

14. Which poetic technique is prominent in “Prothalamion”? (UGC NET 2020)

A) Stream of consciousness

B) Symbolism and repetition

C) Dramatic monologue

D) Satirical parody

Ans: B) Symbolism and repetition

15. What is the mood of the opening lines of “Prothalamion”? (TN TRB 2018)

A) Joyful and triumphant

B) Sorrowful and weary

C) Neutral and detached

D) Angry and bitter

Ans: B) Sorrowful and weary

16. The line “Calm was the day, and through the trembling air” creates what kind of imagery? (UGC NET 2021)

A) Violent and disturbing

B) Serene and peaceful

C) Dark and chaotic

D) Abstract and unclear

Ans: B) Serene and peaceful

17. What does the poet say the river Thames should do for him? (PGTRB 2020)

A) Bless his soul

B) Cleanse his sins

C) Run softly

D) Lead to victory

Ans: C) Run softly

18. Who are the central figures celebrated in the poem? (UGC NET 2022)

A) Queen and court

B) Earl of Leicester and his daughters

C) The two daughters of the Earl of Essex

D) Elizabeth and her suitors

Ans: C) The two daughters of the Earl of Essex

19. How does Spenser represent the ideal bride? (PGTRB 2021)

A) Proud and fearless

B) Gentle and graceful

C) Distant and cold

D) Dominant and intelligent

Ans: B) Gentle and graceful

20. “Prothalamion” reflects which Elizabethan value? (UGC NET 2018)

A) Republicanism

B) Courtly love

C) Chivalry

D) Religious rebellion

Ans: B) Courtly love

21. The swans symbolize: (TN TRB 2020)

A) Death and resurrection

B) Lust and deceit

C) Grace and purity

D) War and valor

Ans: C) Grace and purity

22. Which literary movement does “Prothalamion” belong to? (UGC NET 2019)

A) Renaissance

B) Neoclassicism

C) Romanticism

D) Modernism

Ans: A) Renaissance

23. Spenser’s diction in “Prothalamion” is: (PGTRB 2021)

A) Archaic and elevated

B) Colloquial and simple

C) Vulgar and direct

D) Ironic and playful

Ans: A) Archaic and elevated

24. How many stanzas are there in “Prothalamion”? (UGC NET 2021)

A) 5

B) 7

C) 10

D) 14

Ans: B) 7

25. The overall structure of the poem is: (TN TRB 2020)

A) Dramatic monologue

B) Dialogue

C) Lyric with refrain

D) Narrative ballad

Ans: C) Lyric with refrain

26. Why is “Prothalamion” considered a public poem? (PGTRB 2019)

A) It mocks politicians

B) It praises a personal love story

C) It commemorates noble weddings

D) It attacks enemies

Ans: C) It commemorates noble weddings

27. The poem ends with an invocation to: (UGC NET 2019)

A) The Muses

B) Queen Elizabeth

C) The River Thames

D) The brides

Ans: B) Queen Elizabeth

28. Which classical device is used in the poem's references to gods and goddesses? (TN TRB 2020)

A) Personification

B) Hyperbole

C) Classical allusion

D) Metonymy

Ans: C) Classical allusion

29. Which natural element is described as “trembling”? (PGTRB 2020)

A) Trees

B) Wind

C) Sky

D) Air

Ans: D) Air

30. Spenser wishes that the Thames “run softly” for what purpose? (UGC NET 2020)

A) So that he may hear the birds

B) Until he finishes his song

C) To preserve its purity

D) To reflect the swans

Ans: B) Until he finishes his song

31. How is the poet personally connected to the poem's subject? (TN TRB 2021)

A) He is one of the grooms

B) He is related to the brides

C) He seeks favor from the Queen

D) He mourns his own lost love

Ans: C) He seeks favor from the Queen

32. The use of the term “bridal bough” refers to: (PGTRB 2020)

A) A tree used in war

B) A metaphor for marriage

C) A holy symbol

D) A funeral rite

Ans: B) A metaphor for marriage

33. Which poetic figure is repeatedly used in “Prothalamion”? (UGC NET 2022)

A) Synecdoche

B) Paradox

C) Simile

D) Refrain

Ans: D) Refrain

34. The two swans are dressed in: (TN TRB 2018)

A) Gold chains

B) Lily white feathers

C) Green laurel

D) Silk robes

Ans: B) Lily white feathers

35. What does the poet describe as “silver-scaled”? (PGTRB 2020)

A) Fish

B) River

C) Clouds

D) Shields

Ans: A) Fish

36. “Prothalamion” exemplifies which poetic ideal? (UGC NET 2021)

A) Dark Romanticism

B) Elizabethan court poetry

C) Cavalier poetry

D) Victorian realism

Ans: B) Elizabethan court poetry

37. Which element shows Renaissance influence in the poem? (PGTRB 2021)

A) Cynical wit

B) Scientific references

C) Use of classical mythology

D) Use of prose narrative

Ans: C) Use of classical mythology

38. What does the poet describe floating on the river? (TN TRB 2020)

A) Paper boats

B) Swans and garlands

C) Shields

D) Leaves

Ans: B) Swans and garlands

39. How does Spenser praise the two brides? (UGC NET 2020)

A) As warriors

B) As celestial angels

C) As pure virgins

D) As goddesses

Ans: C) As pure virgins