Questions over “The Age of Reason” Readings
Here, for your perusal, are questions over your readings in the textbook, ENGLAND IN LITERATURE. I have also thoughtfully written down the page numbers for your convenience. These questions will be due on the first day of class. There will be more questions forthcoming over your other reading assigments in the same book. (I may also assign a few more readings to the list.) Enjoy!
1. What is Jonathan Swift’s “modest proposal?” (page 377)
2. What are the advantages of this proposal as advanced by Swift?
3. Swift refers to a child just dropped from its dam; what effect is he trying to
achieve by this statement? To what is he comparing a human mother and
her child?
4. What social change is Swift hoping to effect by his satire?
5. At what point do you realize Jonathan Swift is being scathingly satirical?
6. Rationalism is a philosophy that accepts reason as authority in matters of
opinion, belief or conduct. How does Defoe in his “The Education of
Women” (page 372) use rationalism to support his call for the education of
women?
7. In Samuel Johnson’s poem “London” (page 390) what is the only crime
not safe from public or social censure.
8. According to Johnson in his poem “London”, what is the most bitter
grief?
9. Who do the young drunken thugs prey on in “London”?
10. Who do the young drunken thugs leave alone?
11. What is Johnson’s tone regarding the poor in “London”?
12. What is Johnson’s attitude regarding the established political system:
13. In Samuel Johnson’s “The Life of Milton” (page 396) what does Johnson say about Milton’s personal beliefs about women?
14. According to Johnson, how did Milton treat his daughters?
15. To whom does modern biography owe much? (page 400)
16. Who was the subject of this biographer?
17. In the Life of Samuel Johnson, what did Johnson say about a man who is tired of London?
18. What did Johnson mean by that statement?
19. According to Johnson, children and savages share one thing in common -
what is that quality?
20. How does a person acquire compassion (pity)?
21. What is Samuel Johnson’s belief about people who say they believe in
“leveling the social order?”
22. Describe in Boswell’s words Samuel Johnson’s eating habits.
23. What was Samuel Johnson’s attitude regarding the colonists in America?
24. What was Samuel Johnson’s attitude regarding slavery?
Here, for your perusal, are questions over your readings in the textbook, ENGLAND IN LITERATURE. I have also thoughtfully written down the page numbers for your convenience. These questions will be due on the first day of class. There will be more questions forthcoming over your other reading assigments in the same book. (I may also assign a few more readings to the list.) Enjoy!
1. What is Jonathan Swift’s “modest proposal?” (page 377)
2. What are the advantages of this proposal as advanced by Swift?
3. Swift refers to a child just dropped from its dam; what effect is he trying to
achieve by this statement? To what is he comparing a human mother and
her child?
4. What social change is Swift hoping to effect by his satire?
5. At what point do you realize Jonathan Swift is being scathingly satirical?
6. Rationalism is a philosophy that accepts reason as authority in matters of
opinion, belief or conduct. How does Defoe in his “The Education of
Women” (page 372) use rationalism to support his call for the education of
women?
7. In Samuel Johnson’s poem “London” (page 390) what is the only crime
not safe from public or social censure.
8. According to Johnson in his poem “London”, what is the most bitter
grief?
9. Who do the young drunken thugs prey on in “London”?
10. Who do the young drunken thugs leave alone?
11. What is Johnson’s tone regarding the poor in “London”?
12. What is Johnson’s attitude regarding the established political system:
13. In Samuel Johnson’s “The Life of Milton” (page 396) what does Johnson say about Milton’s personal beliefs about women?
14. According to Johnson, how did Milton treat his daughters?
15. To whom does modern biography owe much? (page 400)
16. Who was the subject of this biographer?
17. In the Life of Samuel Johnson, what did Johnson say about a man who is tired of London?
18. What did Johnson mean by that statement?
19. According to Johnson, children and savages share one thing in common -
what is that quality?
20. How does a person acquire compassion (pity)?
21. What is Samuel Johnson’s belief about people who say they believe in
“leveling the social order?”
22. Describe in Boswell’s words Samuel Johnson’s eating habits.
23. What was Samuel Johnson’s attitude regarding the colonists in America?
24. What was Samuel Johnson’s attitude regarding slavery?
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