General Knowledge MCQs
Topic Notes: General Knowledge
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
51
Who wrote 'The Anatomy of Melancholy'?
Answer:
Robert Burton
Published in 1621, it is a massive, encyclopedic study of the condition of melancholy.
52
John Donne's poem 'The Flea' uses the insect as a conceit for:
Answer:
Sexual union
Donne argues that since their blood is already mingled in the flea, having sex is no sin.
53
What is the name of the monster Caliban's mother in 'The Tempest'?
Answer:
Sycorax
Sycorax was a powerful witch who inhabited the island before Prospero arrived.
54
Who is the author of 'The Alchemist'?
Answer:
Ben Jonson
'The Alchemist' is one of Jonson's most famous comedies, satirizing greed and gullibility.
55
Which of Shakespeare's plays contains the line 'All the world's a stage'?
Answer:
As You Like It
The line is spoken by the character Jaques in the 'Seven Ages of Man' speech.
56
Who wrote the sequence of sonnets titled 'Amoretti'?
Answer:
Edmund Spenser
Spenser wrote 'Amoretti' to celebrate his courtship and marriage to Elizabeth Boyle.
57
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who is the King of the Fairies?
Answer:
Oberon
Oberon is the King of the Fairies and husband to Titania.
58
Who wrote 'The Praise of Folly'?
Answer:
Desiderius Erasmus
Erasmus, a Dutch humanist, wrote this satirical essay in 1509.
59
Which character says 'To be, or not to be, that is the question'?
Answer:
Hamlet
This famous soliloquy regarding suicide and existence is spoken by Hamlet in Act 3, Scene 1.
60
Robert Herrick is best known for which poem advising young women?
Answer:
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time
This Cavalier poem contains the famous line 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may'.