Tradition and the Individual Talent Part 2 Quiz

Test your knowledge of Part 2. Submit your answers to see your results and get feedback.

What does Eliot suggest about the nature of a mature poet in his Impersonal Theory?

1 of 8

A mature poet's profundity comes from a distinctive and charismatic personality

A mature poet is one who believes in their own greatness and personal importance

A mature poet focuses on maintaining traditional methods without innovation

A mature poet combines feelings in new ways regardless of their personal identity

What idea is at the heart of Eliot's platinum analogy?

2 of 8

The idea that new creations don't consist of new elements but simply combine those elements in new ways

The idea that the creative mind should dominate and suppress personal feelings in the way platinum dominates sulfur dioxide and oxygen

The idea that art that seems beautiful and honorable is often as superficial and worthless as gold-plated platinum

None of the above

What does Eliot suggest about the role of the poet with his reference to Dante's "Inferno"?

3 of 8

The poet merely records emotions as they naturally occur in life

The poet's role is to combine feelings to create new emotional effects

The poet should avoid influencing the emotions conveyed in their works to maintain authenticity

All of the above

What does Eliot believe determines the effectiveness of a combination of emotions in a poem?

4 of 8

The natural intensity of the emotions involved in the poem

The emotional background and personal experiences of the poet

The intensity of the artist's process in crafting the combination

The popularity of the themes and emotions used in the poem

What does Eliot say the poet's mind does with various experiences?

5 of 8

The poet's mind makes experiences cohere with each other in new ways

The poet's mind makes experiences seem larger than life

The poet's mind deconstructs human experience to its fundamental essence

The poet's mind turns experience into wisdom

What distinction does Eliot make between life experiences and poetic experiences?

6 of 8

In life, emotions are straightforward and less complex than in poetry

In poetry, emotions are directly influenced by real-life situations

In life, emotions are more intense and genuine than those in poetry

In poetry, emotions are reconfigured to present a new perspective on familiar situations

What does Eliot believe about the significance of a poet's personal experiences in their poetry?

7 of 8

Personal experiences are essential and should directly influence the poetry

The complexity of a poet's personal emotions is crucial for producing profound poetry

A poet's personal experiences do not necessarily contribute to the novelty or depth of their poetry

Poets must continually seek new personal experiences to enhance their poetic output

What paradox does Eliot present about poets and their desire to escape personality?

8 of 8

Poets with no personality are the ones most eager to express it in their poetry

Poets renowned for their strong personalities are often the ones least interested in escaping it

Poets who lack emotional depth are the ones who try hardest to escape their mundane personalities

Poets with distinct personalities and emotions are the ones who most want to escape these things in their work