MCQ questions and answers from Loving in Truth by Sir Philip Sidney
MCQs from Loving in Truth by Sir Philip Sidney
1. What is the main theme of the poem Loving in Truth?
a) The power of divine love
b) The poet’s struggle to express his love through writing
c) The importance of friendship
d) The triumph of reason over emotion
Answer: b) The poet’s struggle to express his love through writing
2. In the opening lines, what is the poet’s primary desire?
a) To win glory as a writer
b) To win the love of his beloved through his poetry
c) To express philosophical ideas
d) To inspire religious devotion
Answer: b) To win the love of his beloved through his poetry
3. What literary form does Loving in Truth belong to?
a) Ode
b) Sonnet
c) Ballad
d) Elegy
Answer: b) Sonnet
4. In Loving in Truth, the poet describes his attempts to:
a) Create powerful metaphors about nature
b) Write convincingly about his love
c) Debate philosophical ideas
d) Praise the beauty of his homeland
Answer: b) Write convincingly about his love
5. How does the poet describe his efforts to compose poetry?
a) Easy and natural
b) Full of struggle and frustration
c) Inspired by divine intervention
d) Rooted in scholarly wisdom
Answer: b) Full of struggle and frustration
6. What advice does the Muse give the poet at the end of the sonnet?
a) “Look into your heart and write.”
b) “Study the works of great poets.”
c) “Abandon your love.”
d) “Imitate the style of nature.”
Answer: a) “Look into your heart and write.”
7. Which poetic device is used in the phrase “Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know”?
a) Alliteration
b) Hyperbole
c) Personification
d) Metaphor
Answer: a) Alliteration
8. What does the poet hope his beloved will feel after reading his poetry?
a) Pity for him
b) A sense of moral duty
c) Genuine love for him
d) A deep connection to literature
Answer: c) Genuine love for him
9. What does Sidney mean by “Studying inventions fine”?
a) Reflecting on scientific discoveries
b) Crafting innovative poetic expressions
c) Observing nature carefully
d) Studying religious texts
Answer: b) Crafting innovative poetic expressions
10. How does Sidney characterize his initial approach to writing?
a) As intellectual and calculated
b) As emotional and spontaneous
c) As effortless and graceful
d) As methodical but ineffective
Answer: d) As methodical but ineffective
11. What emotion is dominant in the poet’s tone throughout the poem?
a) Frustration with his poetic abilities
b) Confidence in his writing
c) Indifference toward love
d) Joy in expressing his feelings
Answer: a) Frustration with his poetic abilities
12. The poem reflects which literary movement of Sidney’s time?
a) Romanticism
b) Modernism
c) Renaissance humanism
d) Neoclassicism
Answer: c) Renaissance humanism
13. In the line “Thus, great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,” what does “great with child” metaphorically represent?
a) The poet’s creativity ready to be born
b) The poet’s burden of guilt
c) The poet’s unrequited love
d) The poet’s connection to nature
Answer: a) The poet’s creativity ready to be born
14. What is the structural style of Loving in Truth?
a) Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet
b) Shakespearean (English) sonnet
c) Spenserian sonnet
d) Irregular free verse
Answer: a) Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet
15. What does the poet ultimately conclude about poetic inspiration?
a) It comes from external sources.
b) It is a divine gift.
c) It arises from genuine feelings within.
d) It requires scholarly effort.
Answer: c) It arises from genuine feelings within.
16. Who is the author of the poem "Loving in Truth"?
a) William Shakespeare
b) John Milton
c) Sir Philip Sidney
d) Edmund Spenser
Answer: c) Sir Philip Sidney
17. What is the main theme of "Loving in Truth"?
a) Nature
b) Friendship
c) Love and poetry
d) War
Answer: c) Love and poetry
18. In "Loving in Truth," what does the speaker want to achieve through his poetry?
a) Fame
b) Immortality
c) A deeper connection with the woman he loves
d) Revenge
Answer: c) A deeper connection with the woman he loves
19. What is the speaker’s dilemma in the poem "Loving in Truth"?
a) He is in love with a woman who does not love him back.
b) He cannot express his feelings authentically through poetry.
c) He is jealous of another poet.
d) He wants to write but is too lazy.
Answer: b) He cannot express his feelings authentically through poetry.
20. The poem "Loving in Truth" is part of which work by Sir Philip Sidney?
a) The Faerie Queene
b) Astrophel and Stella
c) The Tempest
d) The Rape of Lucrece
Answer: b) Astrophel and Stella
21. Who is the "Stella" mentioned in "Loving in Truth"?
a) Sidney's wife
b) A metaphorical figure
c) Penelope Devereux
d) A fictional character
Answer: c) Penelope Devereux
22. What does the speaker imply about the role of poetry in expressing love?
a) Poetry is not a useful tool for love.
b) Poetry helps to enhance the expression of love.
c) Love should be kept secret and not shared through poetry.
d) Poetry is only for expressing anger.
Answer: b) Poetry helps to enhance the expression of love.
23. What literary device is predominantly used in the poem "Loving in Truth"?
a) Allegory
b) Metaphor
c) Hyperbole
d) Irony
Answer: b) Metaphor
24. In the poem, what does the speaker say is the true purpose of writing poetry?
a) To gain wealth
b) To show off one’s talent
c) To express true love and feelings
d) To entertain the audience
Answer: c) To express true love and feelings
25. How does the speaker feel about the idea of using poetry to express love in "Loving in Truth"?
a) He finds it unnecessary.
b) He feels it is the only way to truly express love.
c) He is confused about how to express his love.
d) He wants to write, but his love prevents him from doing so.
Answer: b) He feels it is the only way to truly express love.
26. Which emotion is most central in the poem "Loving in Truth"?
a) Jealousy
b) Hope
c) Love
d) Anger
Answer: c) Love
27. What does the speaker wish for in terms of his poetic expression in "Loving in Truth"?
a) To receive fame
b) To express his true feelings clearly
c) To confuse the reader
d) To be misunderstood
Answer: b) To express his true feelings clearly
28. How does the speaker feel about his love in "Loving in Truth"?
a) Indifferent
b) Resentful
c) Passionate and sincere
d) Detached
Answer: c) Passionate and sincere
29. What does the speaker imply about the relationship between love and truth in the poem?
a) Love and truth are not related.
b) Truth in love is essential to express it genuinely.
c) Love is always dishonest.
d) Love and truth are opposites.
Answer: b) Truth in love is essential to express it genuinely.
30. What does the speaker describe as a challenge in writing poetry about love in "Loving in Truth"?
a) The complexity of language
b) The inability to be original
c) The difficulty in truly expressing his feelings
d) The fear of rejection
Answer: c) The difficulty in truly expressing his feelings
31. The speaker compares the expression of love through poetry to what in the poem?
a) A weapon
b) A prison
c) A noble act
d) A game
Answer: b) A prison
32. What role does sincerity play in the poem "Loving in Truth"?
a) It is irrelevant to the speaker.
b) It is key to the authenticity of the speaker’s expression of love.
c) It is a barrier to love.
d) It is only important in writing, not in love itself.
Answer: b) It is key to the authenticity of the speaker’s expression of love.
33. What does the poet suggest about love’s relationship to poetry in the opening of "Loving in Truth"?
a) Love and poetry are incompatible.
b) Love compels the poet to write sincerely.
c) Poetry is more important than love.
d) Poetry can never convey the true essence of love.
Answer: b) Love compels the poet to write sincerely.
34. How does the speaker view the art of poetry in "Loving in Truth"?
a) As a way to make money
b) As a genuine means of expressing love
c) As a tool to manipulate others
d) As a form of entertainment
Answer: b) As a genuine means of expressing love
35. In "Loving in Truth," what does the speaker wish to convey through his poetry?
a) A mere description of love
b) The inner turmoil and honesty of love
c) A humorous take on love
d) A critique of society
Answer: b) The inner turmoil and honesty of love
Sidney's view on "right poets" expressed in "An Apology for Poetry".
1) Religious poets like David, Solomon, Moses and Deborah, Emanuel Tremellius, and Franciscus Junius etc.
2) Philosophical poets like Tyrtaeus, Phocylides, Cato, Lucretius, Virgil, Manilius, Pontanus, Lucan etc.
3) Finally the " right poets".
Actually the 2nd kind of poets have their boundary of theme and representation. They are not allowed to represent anything that they like and that's why the "right poets" rise their heads among them.
Sidney supports these poets, because they are free to Imagine as they want and therefore they are able to fulfil the function of poetry very genuinely- "For these third be they which most properly do imitate to teach and delight; and to imitate borrow nothing of what is, hath been, or shall be; but range, only reined with learned discretion, into the divine consideration of what may be and should be."
Sidney termed them as 'vates' as they teach the ordinary people delightfully. And this delight does "move men to take that goodness in hand, which without delight they would fly as from a stranger...." and that teaching makes them "know that goodness whereunto they are moved...."
As the right poets are able to fulfil the function of poetry, Sidney supports and votes these poets above religious and philosophical masters.
Sidney's view on three unities expressed in "An Apology for Poetry".
According to Sidney, Unity of time requires that the plot should not exceed the limit of one natural day of twenty four hours. If the action exceeds the limit, the play would appear to be highly unnatural. Sidney means to say that if the play contains the incidents of two days, then the drama should be staged for two days, then it may be convenient.
Again Sidney says that the unity of place requires that the action of the play should not shift frequently from one distant place to another. But the English dramatists used the same stage as a garden, as a shipwreck, as a cave, or as a 'pitched field'. This is straining the imagination of the spectator to a breaking point. This is highly illogical, according to Sidney. So it must be avoided.
And finally he says of the unity of action. It should be no admixture of the comic and tragic scenes in the most absurd way. A comedy should be a comedy and a tragedy should be a tragedy from the very beginning till the end. The king and the clown should not be mixed up on the stage.
Sidney's view on rhyme expressed in "An Apology for Poetry".
According to Sidney, rhyme is not the essence of poetry, and poetry is not mere rhyming and versification. It is used to polish and sharpen the speech. Rhyme regulates verbal harmony, imparts order and proportion; moreover it adds a sensuous and emotional quality to poetry and also is an aid to memory.
So it was not rhyming and versing that matters more, they were like ornaments, like garbs to beautify a body and a soul of its own, and also have a rich imagination and power to appeal. It must have good, noble and lofty subject, suitable style and language. Poetry must be able to 'teach and delight'. Poetry is full of virtue; it has,a divine origin, prophetic nature, cultural value, universal appeal and elevating power and alluring methods.
In order to prove his point, Sidney here uses certain examples of "excellent poets that never versified" like Xenophon, and Helidorus and "now swarm many versifiers that need never answer to the name of poets." Helidorus wrote in prose, but made a poetic picture of love of Theagenes and Chariclea. These examples go to prove that "it is not rhyming and versing that maketh a poet.... but it is the feigning notable images of virtues vices..... with that delightful teaching which must be the right describing note to know a poet by."
There are many criticisms against Sidney's view on rhyme. W. P. Ker in his "Form & Style in Poetry " says, "The form of verse is not separable from the soul of poetry, and poetry has neither kernel, nor husk, but it is all alone." A. E. Houseman also says, "Poetry is not the thing said, but a way of saying it." Here he also emphasizes on the decorations of poetry, not on the meaning of it.
Critical analysis and commentary on Loving in Truth by Philip Sidney.
One of the central concepts of themes of the poem each question of the source of creativity. Where does creativity come from? A question which has found new answers and as Plato had commented, it may be ascribed to 'enthusiasmos', is photo of religious exultation with great revolutionary frenzy. Yet when the muse is non condescending, the poet is left a common man unable to find 'fit words' for poetry. An answer to the question can be found in Sidney's poem and can be considered to be its Central theme.
In the first four lines of the poem we find Astrophel setting forth his artistic manifesto- he would "fain" or aspire to put his love into verse, because the agony of his secret passion might then be transmuted into something attractive. Its beauty might make her read what he has written and from the reading would develop understanding of his plight. Such understanding might then win him her pity, and finally her grace.
The poet, Sidney in his sincere devotion, desired to express his love in verse. He hoped to offer pleaser to his lady love by his own poetic pain. She might read his verse for the sake of her pleasure. She might thereby come to know his love for her, feel pity for him and favour him with her Grace and love. He, therefore, sought sincerely to find appropriate words to express his feelings of love. He tried to invent some art to delight the lady and studied other authors to get enlightment and guidance for his poetic creation.
But he could not express his creative, poetic impulse. No deep and serious study could inspire his inner, spontaneous feeling, and he remained in the helpless pangs of suspense. Then he realised that he should turn to his own heart and write according to his own impulse.
At such a point, when he is about to give up and chews his disobedient pen, the muse arrived and inform him that he has been foolish enough and from now on, should concentrate on his own heart and find his inspiration from his own feelings of woe and sorrow. Thus the main objective of the poem- to bring out the importance of the spontaneity of the heart to be the source of all great inspiration in the world- is successful.
'Biting my truant Pen...'- where does this line occur? What is meant by truant Pen? Why did the poet bite his pen?
The poet bites his pen to indicate the state of his mental restlessness. He grows angry with himself for his failure to express his poetic feeling. It is well suggestive of a lover's psychology, his utter helplessness caused by intense Passion of love.
Summary of Sidney's Loving in Truth.
Sidney says that he had been trying to compose verse in which he would show the pain of his love for his beloved so that the beloved would read his poem and show sympathy for him. But he was in a state in which inspiration was not working. So he tried to borrow words from the works of other poets. But poetry does not allow this. 'Study', that is learning is the step-daughter of Invention, that is imagination,so the two could not go on together. The poet was in wilderness; his heart was full of passion but could not find expression for want of words. At this critical moment the Muse intervened and advised to look into his heart and write.
Thus the poem records two things. One, that poetry is a veritable means of conveying love and pleasing the lady-love. The other is that the spring of poetry is the poet's own heart. In other words, the poet asserts the naturalness of creativity. It should be mentioned that during Elizabethan times poetry and the poet was given a very high standing. Indeed many of the poets used poetry not only to celebrate their love but also to proclaim their own immortality and also of their love through poetry which they assumed would at last till the Day of Judgement.
Key Themes and Analysis
Purpose of Writing Poetry:
The speaker begins by expressing his desire to write poetry that will win Stella's love. He believes that by crafting verses that convey his deep feelings, Stella will read them, recognize his sincerity, and come to love him in return.Conflict and Struggle:
The speaker struggles with the act of writing. He seeks to compose genuine and heartfelt poetry but finds himself overwhelmed by the conventions of poetic craft. He is torn between expressing his true emotions and adhering to the rules of classical poetic forms.Poetic Inspiration:
The speaker hopes that his verses, born of love and suffering, will touch Stella’s heart. He spends time reading works of other poets, seeking inspiration and techniques to refine his writing, but this effort leaves him dissatisfied.Resolution Through Simplicity:
In the end, the speaker concludes that the best way to write is to express his feelings honestly and directly. He decides to "look in his heart and write," prioritizing authenticity over poetic artifice.
Structure and Style
- The poem is a sonnet with 14 lines in iambic pentameter, following the Petrarchan tradition with an ABAB ABAB CDCD EE rhyme scheme.
- Sidney’s use of literary devices such as alliteration, metaphor, and enjambment enriches the emotional depth of the poem.
