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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section III.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Aristotle believe to be most fit to handle grand metaphors and strange words?
(a) Great poets.
(b) An educated audience.
(c) Analogies.
(d) The "heroic" measure or hexameter.

2. In a tragedy, how does Aristotle say the element of surprise should come about?
(a) Consistent with the principles of probability and necessity.
(b) Gradually.
(c) Once the main character has demonstrated his worth and morals.
(d) Only after recognition has occurred.

3. In a good tragedy as defined by Aristotle, why wouldn't you see two evil men fighting and killing one another?
(a) This action would not inspire pity.
(b) It would be boring.
(c) A tragedy only has one evil character.
(d) Evil men team up, not fight each other.

4. Per Aristotle, how does a certain poet take a historical event and organize it into an elegant story?
(a) The poet focuses only on actions that are relevant to his particular story arc.
(b) The poet adds a fair amount of metaphors to the historical event.
(c) The poet expands on the historical event.
(d) He adds fiction to it.

5. Why does Aristotle believe that the main character of a tragedy ought to be a certain way?
(a) A main character can become strong.
(b) People take pity on weak characters.
(c) Because no one is perfect.
(d) Because the character's weakness ought to be the cause of his misfortune.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Aristotle believe to be the downfall of many poets?

2. What does Aristotle identify as a poet's medium?

3. What, as Aristotle states, are good poets forced to do when they write stories with episodic plots?

4. Aristotle says that storytelling with episodic plots is to be favored by whom?

5. According to Aristotle, why do good poets sometimes write stories using episodic plots?

(see the answer key)

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