Category: Introduction to Literary Studies

According to Dr. Frances Pritchett’s version of Shamsur Rahman Faruqi’s “The Historical Novel and the Historical Narrative”, what is the difference between a historical narrative and a historical novel ?

A. A historical narrative and a historical novel are the same thing.
B. A historical narrative tells only part of the story surrounding a historical event; a historical novel tells the whole story.
C. A historical novel focuses on providing the reader with only the central truth of a historical event, while a historical narrative attempts to tell the entire truth of a historical event.
D. Faruqi actually argues that historical novels do not exist.

Which of the following statements best summarizes the main idea behind Anthony DiMatteo’s essay, “Shakespeare and the Public Discourse of Sovereignty: ’Reason of State’ in ’Hamlet’” ?

A. Hamlet is a tragedy focusing on the plight of the early-modern self.
B. Hamlet is a tragedy that reflects Shakespeare’s own political circumstances.
C. Hamlet is a tragedy that focuses on the Elizabethan era’s loss of faith in humanity’s ability to govern itself without violence.
D. Hamlet is a tragedy that reflects upon enlightened and progressive political systems that developed during Shakespeare’s time.