Milton, Pope, Dryden: Who Wrote It? Quiz

Answer: Alexander Pope

'The Dunciad' is a poem by Alexander Pope. It's a funny but serious attack on bad writing and shallow thinking. The goddess Dulness, who stands for stupidity, picks a dull writer to be her champion.

Pope shows how weak poets, critics, and publishers are helping spread nonsense and hurt true learning. As the poem goes on, Dulness grows stronger and takes over art, science, and reason. The poem is full of humour and exaggeration, but its main point is a warning: if society praises bad work, real knowledge and imagination will suffer.

Answer: John Dryden

'A Song for St. Cecilia's Day', a poem by John Dryden, celebrates music and its power. Dryden shows music as a force that can turn chaos into harmony and move people's emotions, like love, anger, sadness, and joy.

He mentions both biblical figures, like Jubal, and classical ones, like Orpheus, to show music's importance through history. Each instrument represents a different feeling. The poem ends by honoring St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, whose playing was said to summon angels. Dryden shows that music is more than entertainment. It is a spiritual force that connects heaven and earth.

Answer: John Dryden

John Dryden's poem 'The Hind and the Panther' is about religious conflicts in 17th-century England. He uses animals to represent churches: the hind (a gentle deer) stands for the Catholic Church, and the panther (a spotted, graceful animal) stands for the Anglican Church.

The poem has three parts. First, Dryden introduces many religious groups, using animals to show their traits. Second, the hind and panther debate religious beliefs. Third, Dryden urges unity between Catholics and Anglicans against more extreme Protestant groups. The poem is long and full of symbols, but its main goal is to argue for religious tolerance and defend the Catholic Church.

Answer: John Milton

'Paradise Regained' is Milton's follow-up to 'Paradise Lost'. Instead of telling a huge story about heaven and hell, it focuses on Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert. After his baptism, Jesus spends forty days fasting, and Satan tries to make him give in by offering food, power, and glory.

Jesus refuses every offer, staying calm and faithful to God. In the end, he wins not through fighting, but by standing firm in truth and self-control. The poem shows that real victory comes from inner strength and trust in God. By resisting temptation, Jesus restores what Adam lost, giving hope back to humanity.

Answer: Alexander Pope

The poem 'Eloisa to Abelard' by Alexander Pope is about Eloisa, a nun who is still in love with her former teacher and lover, Abelard. Their love ended in tragedy: Abelard was punished and Eloisa was forced to become a nun.

Even years later, she cannot forget him. She struggles between her religious duty and her feelings for Abelard. The poem shows her longing, guilt, and inner conflict. In the end, she hopes they will be together after death. It is emotional, sad, and shows how love can stay strong even when life has separated people.

Answer: John Milton

'Samson Agonistes', by Milton, is a poem that retells the Bible story of Samson in the form of a drama to be read, not acted. The poem begins after Samson has already been defeated, blinded, and taken prisoner by the Philistines. He feels crushed in body and spirit, and he spends much of the poem struggling with guilt, shame, and the loss of his strength, which he lost when Dalila (Delilah) tricked him into giving away his secret.

Different people come to speak with him, his father, his former wife Dalila, a Philistine warrior, and others, but Samson cannot find peace. At the end, he believes God has given him one last chance. He pulls down the Philistine temple, killing himself and his enemies. Milton uses the story to show ideas about God's justice, human weakness, and finding meaning even through suffering and death.

Answer: John Dryden

Dryden's 'Absalom and Achitophel' is a sharp political satire disguised as a biblical story. It retells the tale of King David and his rebellious son Absalom, but it's really about King Charles II and the political drama of Dryden's time. Achitophel (based on the Earl of Shaftesbury) tries to convince Absalom (a stand-in for the Duke of Monmouth) to rise up against his father and claim the throne. Absalom is popular and admired, but he's also being manipulated by ambitious advisors who want power for themselves.

Dryden uses this allegory to criticise those who stir up rebellion and threaten the stability of the monarchy. He paints Achitophel as clever but dangerous, and Absalom as charming but naive. The poem warns against letting ambition and flattery override loyalty and wisdom.

Answer: Alexander Pope

'The Rape of the Lock' is a poem by Alexander Pope, a funny story about a small social scandal. A young woman, Belinda, has a lock of her hair secretly cut off by a man called the Baron. Pope turns this tiny event into a big, dramatic adventure, with magical creatures like sylphs and a mischievous gnome named Umbriel.

The poem makes fun of how society cares too much about appearances and gossip. Belinda gets upset, the sylphs panic, and everyone acts as if it's a huge disaster. At the end, the stolen lock is gone, but Pope says it becomes a star in the sky. The poem is witty, playful, and full of satire, showing how small events can be blown out of proportion.

Answer: John Milton

The poem 'Lycidas' is Milton's elegy for his friend, Edward King, who died in a shipwreck. Milton uses the image of shepherds in the countryside to tell the story, calling his friend 'Lycidas'. He remembers their shared hopes as young poets and grieves that a life full of promise ended so soon.

The poem then asks bigger questions about death, fate, and whether earthly fame really matters. But it doesn't end in despair. Milton turns to Christian hope, saying that Lycidas is not lost to the sea but has entered eternal life with God. In the closing lines, he returns to the shepherd's setting, showing that life continues even after loss. The poem is both a personal lament and a statement of faith that death is not the end.

Answer: John Milton

'On the Morning of Christ's Nativity' is one of Milton's early poems, written to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Milton describes a quiet, holy morning when heaven and earth seem joined together. Nature pauses, the old pagan gods fall silent, and angels sing with joy. The coming of Christ is shown as more than a baby's birth, as it's the start of something that changes the whole world.

In the second part, Milton explains the meaning of Christ's birth. It is the beginning of redemption and the first step toward defeating sin and death. The poem mixes images from ancient myths with Christian faith, using light, music, and silence to show how the nativity brings peace and hope. At its heart, the poem celebrates joy, new life, and the promise of salvation.

Answer: John Dryden

'Astraea Redux' is John Dryden's poetic celebration of King Charles II's return to the English throne in 1660, after years of political chaos under Oliver Cromwell. Dryden paints the Restoration as a moment of divine justice, using the goddess Astraea, symbol of fairness and peace, as a metaphor for the return of rightful monarchy. He admits he once supported Cromwell, but now welcomes Charles as the bringer of stability, mercy, and hope.

It is full of praise, not just for Charles's character, but for what Dryden hopes he'll become: a wise, tolerant ruler who heals the nation. It's part apology, part flattery, and part political reset. Dryden's tone is joyful and relieved, as if England is waking up from a long, troubled dream and stepping into a new golden age.

Answer: Alexander Pope

'An Essay on Man' by Alexander Pope tries to explain humanity's place in the world. Pope says everything has a purpose, even if we don't understand it. He tells us to accept our limits and trust that God has a plan.

The poem has four parts, called epistles, which talk about reason, virtue, happiness, and human nature. Pope's main message is: don't try to be like God, just be a good human. He uses rhyming couplets to make his ideas clear. The poem shows that life has order, and we should live wisely and humbly.