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
1
The term **Post-dramatic Theatre**, introduced by Hans-Thies Lehmann, primarily emphasizes:
Answer:
The equality of text and spectacle, often prioritizing visual and physical elements over narrative text
**Post-dramatic Theatre** is a term describing contemporary theatre where dramatic writing is no longer the central organizing principle, focusing instead on non-narrative elements like installation, performance art, and visual spectacle.
2
What is the main difference between a Monologue and a Soliloquy?
Answer:
Monologue is delivered to other characters; Soliloquy is delivered when the character is alone, revealing inner thoughts.
A **Monologue** is a lengthy speech by one character directed to other characters on stage or to the audience. A **Soliloquy** is a speech spoken alone on stage, revealing the character's thoughts to the audience but not to other characters.
3
Which of these is a famous example of Poetic Drama, written by T.S. Eliot?
Answer:
Murder in the Cathedral
**Poetic Drama** is a 20th-century movement attempting to revive verse as a viable dramatic medium. **T.S. Eliot**'s *Murder in the Cathedral* (1935) is a key example.
4
What is the term for a theater company that performs a different play almost every night from a collection of plays?
Answer:
Repertory Theatre
A **Repertory Theatre** company maintains a **repertoire** of works and stages them on a rotating basis, performing several different plays in a week or season.
5
Which dramatic movement, characterized by subjective perspective and often grotesque distortion, was a reaction against Realism in the early 20th century?
Answer:
Expressionism
**Expressionism** sought to express emotion and inner psychological reality rather than external reality, often using distortion, exaggerated stage visuals, and characters who are more archetypes than individuals.
6
In the context of the Elizabethan era, who was the official responsible for licensing and censoring plays?
Answer:
The Master of Revels
The **Master of Revels** was a court official responsible for overseeing all court entertainments, and by the mid-16th century, he gained authority over licensing plays and acting companies, effectively censoring dramatic content.
7
What is the primary function of 'Pacing' in a play?
Answer:
The speed and rhythm at which the dialogue is spoken and the action progresses
**Pacing** refers to the speed and intensity of the action and delivery of dialogue. A director manipulates pacing to control the audience's emotional experience, slowing it for reflection or speeding it up for excitement.
8
Which Roman tragedian's works, known for their violence and sensationalism, heavily influenced the Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy?
Answer:
Seneca
**Seneca** was a Roman philosopher and dramatist whose violent tragedies were mainly **Closet Dramas** but provided the model and tone for later Elizabethan revenge tragedies (like Kyd's and Shakespeare's *Titus Andronicus*).
9
The term 'Mummer' refers to performers from which historical period?
Answer:
Medieval Folk Drama
**Mummers** were English folk performers in medieval times who acted out short plays (often dealing with the story of St. George and the Dragon) for entertainment, often in disguise or masked.
10
Which playwright is associated with the 'Pittsburgh Cycle' of ten plays chronicling the African American experience in the 20th century?
Answer:
August Wilson
**August Wilson** is famed for his ten-play cycle, each set in a different decade, known as the Pittsburgh Cycle, which includes works like *Fences* and *The Piano Lesson*.