Estimated Reading Time: 32 min
Anglo-Saxon Age MCQs
1. Who is considered the first Christian writer in Anglo-Saxon literature, known for paraphrasing portions of the Bible in verse?
A. King Alfred
B. Cynewulf
C. Caedmon
D. Bede
2. Bede is primarily remembered in Anglo-Saxon literature for which of the following contributions?
A. Being the greatest Anglo-Saxon poet.
B. Writing the epic poem Beowulf.
C. His historical work, Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
D. Founding English prose.
3. What unique characteristic sets Cynewulf apart from most other Old English poets?
A. He was the first to write in English.
B. He signed his poems using secret runes.
C. His works were primarily secular love lyrics.
D. He introduced rhyme into English poetry.
4. King Alfred is credited with laying the foundation for English prose during the West Saxon Period through which of his actions?
A. Composing the epic Beowulf.
B. Introducing the sonnet form.
C. Enlarging and revising the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
D. Translating Latin works into alliterative verse.
5. Which statement best describes Beowulf within Anglo-Saxon literature?
A. It is a collection of short, humorous fables.
B. It is a didactic religious prose work.
C. It is a somber epic poem of unknown authorship.
D. It is a rhyming chronicle detailing Anglo-Saxon kings.
6. A defining characteristic of much surviving Old English poetry is:
A. Its consistent use of end rhyme.
B. Its primary focus on courtly love.
C. Its reliance on alliterative measure and specific metrical stress patterns for oral performance.
D. Its clear attribution to named authors.
7. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is significant because it is:
A. The first English novel.
B. The oldest historical record known to any European nation in its own tongue.
C. A collection of religious sermons.
D. A drama from the Anglo-Norman period.
8. Which English dialect gained prominence during the Anglo-Saxon and early Middle English periods, eventually becoming the standard literary language, influenced by London and universities?
A. Southern dialect
B. West Saxon dialect
C. Northern dialect
D. East Midland dialect.
9. What was a major challenge for the survival and preservation of Anglo-Saxon literature?
A. Lack of interest from contemporary readers.
B. The destruction of monasteries and libraries by the Danes,
C. The prohibition of English writing by Norman conquerors.
D. The absence of any writing system in early England.
10. Ælfric and Wulfstan are notable Anglo-Saxon prose writers from the Benedictine Revival period for their contributions primarily in what form?
A. Epic poetry.
B. Legal codes.
C. Homilies and sermons.
D. Romantic allegories.
11. What literary form is Caedmon primarily known for within Anglo-Saxon literature?
A. Historical prose chronicles
B. Verse developed under the teaching of monks
C. Heroic epic poems
D. Philosophical treatises
12. Which of the following prominent Anglo-Saxon figures is primarily noted for writing in Latin prose, rather than Old English poetry?
A. King Alfred
B. Cynewulf
C. Bede
D. Caedmon
13. What sets the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle apart as a historical document among European nations?
A. It was the first time daily events were recorded.
B. It was the most accurate historical account of its time.
C. It is the oldest historical record known to any European nation in its own language.
D. It introduced a new poetic style.
14. King Alfred’s contribution to English literature is primarily recognized for initiating what major development?
A. The standardization of English verse.
B. The beginnings of English prose writing.
C. The introduction of rhyming schemes.
D. The first Anglo-Saxon dictionary.
15. The flourishing of Northumbrian literature, which included works by Caedmon and Cynewulf, occurred primarily during which centuries?
A. 5th and 6th centuries A.D.
B. 7th and 8th centuries A.D.
C. 9th and 10th centuries A.D.
D. 11th and 12th centuries A.D.
16. A significant reason for the loss of many early Anglo-Saxon literary works was:
A. A general decline in literacy.
B. The destruction of monasteries and libraries by Danish invaders.
C. The deliberate suppression of pagan texts.
D. The widespread use of perishable writing materials.
17. Anglo-Saxon literature is broadly categorized into which two divisions based on its thematic content?
A. Epic and lyric.
B. Historical and mythological.
C. Pagan and Christian.
D. Secular and religious.
18. Beowulf, the prominent poem of the Anglo-Saxon age, is categorized as what genre?
A. Lyric poetry
B. Epic poetry
C. Religious verse
D. Satirical verse
19. Our understanding of Old English literature is hampered by the fact that most of the extant remains have come down to us in what form?
A. Original manuscripts discovered recently.
B. Late copies, some made centuries after composition.
C. Fragments translated into Latin.
D. Oral traditions only, with no written records.
20. According to historical accounts, the “first known poet in English” was:
A. Geoffrey Chaucer
B. Cynewulf
C. King Alfred
D. Cædmon
21. Which three Germanic tribés are traditionally identified as forming the main element in the English race during the Anglo-Saxon period?
A. Franks, Goths, and Vandals
B. Picts, Scots, and Celts
C. Angles, Saxons, and Jutes
D. Normans, Danes, and Vikings
22. In what century did the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes leave their homes to conquer and colonize distant Britain?
A. Fourth century
B. Middle of the fifth century
C. Sixth century
D. Seventh century
23. Where were the original homes of the Germanic tribés (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) located?
A. Shores of the Mediterranean Sea
B. Western European coastlines
C. Shores of the North Sea and the Baltic
D. Southern Gaul and Iberia
24. The name “Anglo-Saxon” originally denoted which two of the three Germanic tribés?
A. Jutes and Angles
B. Angles and Saxons
C. Jutes and Saxons
D. Frisians and Angles
25. Who was the scholar credited with first using the name “Anglo-Saxon” in a national sense in the sixteenth century?
A. John Wyclif
B. William Caxton
C. Sir Philip Sidney
D. Camden
26. How did King Alfred the Great refer to his beloved land and people in his native speech?
A. Saxons and Jutes
B. Britons and Celts
C. Norsemen and Danes
D. Engle lond”and Englisc
27. What term was invented as a “patriotic and philological convenience” in the nineteenth century to imply cultural continuity with sixth-century England?
A. Anglo-Norman
B. Middle English
C. Old English
D. Modern English
28. Which pioneer Oxford phonetician and Anglicist insisted on using “Old English” in 1871 to denote “the unmixed, inflectional state of the English language”?
A. F.R. Leavis
B. Joseph Angus
C. Thomas Arnold junior
D. Henry Sweet
29. What were the Anglo-Saxons known for, among other things, as “sea-rovers” in their history?
A. Farmers and traders
B. Pirates and explorers
C. Architects and builders
D. Scholars and scribes
30. What were the primary occupations of the able-bodied freemen among the Anglo-Saxons?
A. Agriculture and trade
B. Animal husbandry and fishing
C. War
D. Craftsmanship and artistry
31. Which of the following was not among the chief virtues admired by the Anglo-Saxons?
A. Strength
B. Courage
C. Loyalty to king and comrades
D. Intellectual curiosity
32. What mood was developed in the Anglo-Saxons during their long inactive winters, influenced by their bleak country?
A. Enthusiastic and adventurous
B. Joyful and optimistic
C. Sluggish and gloomy
D. Lively and sociable
33. Which pagan god, described as “furious” as well as “wise and crafty,” was especially worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons?
A. Thor
B. Tiu
C. Woden
D. Eostre
34. From which goddess, worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons, is the name of our modern Easter derived?
A. Freya
B. Frigg
C. Éostre
D. Hel
35. When did St. Augustine’s mission arrive in Kent, marking a key event in the Anglo-Saxon conversion to Christianity?
A. 477 AD
B. 547 AD
C. 597 AD
D. 664 AD
36. Which region of England became the chief center of learning and culture in Western Christian Europe during the Northumbrian Period, thanks to Irish missionaries?
A. Wessex
B. Kent
C. Northumbria
D. East Anglia
37. Who is identified as the first Christian writer in Anglo-Saxon literature, known for paraphrasing portions of the Bible in verse?
A. Bede
B. Alfred
C. Caedmon
D. Cynewulf
38. What structure of verse is characteristic of Old English poetry, reflecting its origin in oral delivery?
A. Rhyming couplets
B. Ballad stanzas
C. Alliterative measure with specific metrical stress patterns
D. Sonnet form
39. Old English poetry typically consisted of lines comprising how many half-lines?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
40. What is a key characteristic of Anglo-Saxon poetry’s metrical form?
A. Use of rhyme
B. Fixed number of stanzas
C. Accent and persistent alliteration
D. Strict iambic pentameter
41. Which of the following is not a general quality of Anglo-Saxon poetry?
A. Somber and elegiac tone
B. Focus on hard and tragic life events
C. Abundance of rhyme
D. Resemblance to Hebrew poetry in parallelism
42. What five principles are suggested as important to remember when reading Anglo-Saxon poetry?
A. Patriotism, justice, heroism, love, and nature
B. Responsiveness to nature, religion, reverence for womanhood, struggle for glory, and a ruling motive in noble life
C. Piety, wisdom, humility, perseverance, and knowledge
D. Fate, courage, loyalty, exile, and wisdom
43. Which Anglo-Saxon poem is described as the “most important poem” of the period and its “earliest epic”?
A. The Seafarer
B. Caedmon’s Hymn
C. The Battle of Maldon
D. Beowulf
44. In Beowulf, what characteristic reflects the Saxon’s thought and feeling before “the profound mystery of human life”?
A. Its a Christian allegory
B. Its focus on romantic
C. Its pagan spirit
D. Its historical accuracy
45. What is mentioned as a characteristic of Beowulf’s verse structure, specifically regarding stresses?
A. Six stresses per line
B. Four stresses per line
C. Irregular stresses
D. Three stresses per line
46. Which of Bede’s works is highly regarded as a model for historical matters, characterized by careful consideration of authorities and collection of archives?
A. The History of the World
B. Consolations of Philosophy
C. The Wanderer
D. Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation/People
47. What was Bede’s primary language of writing, which was later translated into Old English?
A. Greek
B. Hebrew
C. Latin
D. Old Norse
48. The earliest important Anglo-Saxon literature (aside from Beowulf) first appeared in what century?
A. Fifth century
B. Sixth century
C. Seventh century
D. Eighth century
49. Besides Beowulf, what early form of popular literature, described as “ingenious and skillfully developed riddles in verse,” still remains from the Northumbrian period?
A. Charms
B. Ballads
C. Riddles
D. Gnomic verses
50. What kind of pagan lyric poems from the Northumbrian period are described as “distinctly elegiac”?
A. Humorous
B. Heroic
C. Pensively melancholy
D. Didactic
51. Which two important battle poems, certainly belonging to the West Saxon period, were produced in the tenth century against invading Northmen?
A. The Wanderer and The Seafarer
B. Deor and Widsith
C. The Fight at Finnsburh and Waldere
D. The Battle of Brunanburh and The Battle of Maldon
52. What genre describes Anglo-Saxon poems like The Wife’s Lament, The Husband’s Message, and The Seafarer?
A. Heroic poems
B. Historical poems
C. Christian allegorical compositions
D. Short elegies and lyrics
53. Which Anglo-Saxon poem is noted as a translation from Latin?
A. The Ruin
B. Christ
C. The Phoenix
D. Judith
54. What effect did Christianity have upon Anglo-Saxon literature?
A. It completely changed Anglo-Saxon character
B. It led to the decline of literature
C. It gave Anglo-Saxon character a new direction
D. It made literature purely instructional
55. How is Anglo-Saxon prose generally described in terms of its purpose, unlike its poetry?
A. Emotional stimulant
B. Mainly educational
C. Romantic entertainment
D. Satirical commentary
56. Who is frequently called “the father of English prose”?
A. Bede
B. Aelfric
C. Wulfstan
D. King Alfred
57. Why did King Alfred begin his series of translations, according to his preface to the Pastoral Care?
A. To entertain his court
B. To promote Anglo-Saxon paganism
C. Due to the lamentable state of English learning
D. To establish a new form of literature
58. Which of the following works was not translated by Alfred or his circle into Anglo-Saxon?
A. Pope Gregory’s Pastoral Care
B. Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy
C. Bede’s Ecclesiastical History
D. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
59. What is Alfred’s prose style described as in his earliest work, such as the Pastoral Care?
A. Polished and complex
B. Highly metaphorical
C. Simple and straightforward
D. Overly rhetorical
60. What is considered King Alfred’s “most enduring literary work” and possibly of partial authorship by him?
A. The Soliloquies of St. Augustine
B. Orosius’ History of the World
C. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
D. Beowulf
61. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is described as a series of annals beginning with what historical era?
A. The Roman invasion
B. The Anglo-Saxon conquest
C. The Christian era
D. The reign of Alfred
62. How long did the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle continue to be updated after Alfred’s own death?
A. A few decades
B. Two centuries and a half
C. Until the Norman Conquest
D. Only during his reign
63. What is the value of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as a literary monument?
A. It demonstrates the influence of French
B. It primarily contains popular ballads
C. It shows the development of our language
D. It is the oldest fictional work
64. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is considered the oldest historical record known to any European nation in its own tongue. True or False?
A. True
B. False
65. What kind of entries in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle sometimes rouse a writer to “spirited narrative, occasionally in verse”?
A. Records of births and deaths
B. Accounts of Alfred’s own splendid exploits
C. Descriptions of weather
D. Foreign matters
66. What type of comments in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle are noted as representing “the thoughts and feelings of the common people of England”?
A. On battles
B. On kings
C. On unusual sights or happenings in the natural world
D. All of the above
67. Who was Aelfric, described as a churchman who became abbot of Eynsham in 1005?
A. King Alfred’s biographer
B. A monk from Northumbria
C. Probably best known for his Grammar
D. A Danish invader
68. Aelfric’s extant works include which of the following?
A. The Dream of the Rood
B. Beowulf
C. Catholic Homilies and Lives of the Saints
D. The Seafarer
69. What characterizes Aelfric’s writing style?
A. Stiff and formal
B. Highly archaic
C. Flowing and vigorous, natural and easy, often alliterative
D. Plain and unadorned
70. Which of Aelfric’s works is highlighted as being of great interest from both literary and historical points of view, being a dialogue between master and pupils?
A. Catholic Homilies
B. Lives of the Saints
C. Colloquy
D. Sermo Lupi ad Anglos
71. Who was Wulfstan, known for his homilies including the famous Sermo Lupi ad Anglos?
A. King of Wessex
B. Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of York
C. A prominent poet
D. A Benedictine monk
72. What is the Sermo Lupi ad Anglos typical for?
A. Its philosophical depth
B. Its romantic narrative
C. Alliterative nature
D. Its focus on humor
73. Which of the following describes the Anglo-Saxon period in terms of historical understanding, according to some academic views?
A. The true beginning of the modern world
B. A transitional phase to feudalism
C. Originary and “before history”
D. An age of extensive foreign influence
74. What is the approximate range of years for which available Old English literature (poetry and prose) mainly dates from?
A. 500-700 AD
B. 700-900 AD
C. Tenth and eleventh centuries
D. Twelfth and thirteenth centuries
75. Approximately how many lines of Old English poetry survive in the written medium?
A. 5,000
B. 10,000
C. 30,000
D. 50,000
76. What are the four groups of manuscripts on which our knowledge of Anglo-Saxon poetry depends?
A. Cotton, Bodleian, Vercelli, and Caedmon
B. Cotton (British Museum), Exeter Book, Vercelli Book, and Bodleian (Junius) manuscripts
C. Lindisfarne, Gospels, Sutton Hoo, and Alfredian
D. Beowulf, Judith, Exeter, and Cuthbert
77. The Exeter Book, a collection of Anglo-Saxon poems, was presented to Exeter Cathedral by which Bishop?
A. Dunstan
B. Aethelwold
C. Leofric
D. Wulfstan
78. What is the common name for the language of the Anglo-Saxon period?
A. Early English
B. Anglo-Saxon
C. Old English
D. Proto-Germanic
79. What is a key characteristic of Anglo-Saxon poetry’s metrical form, as described in the sources?
A. Fixed number of stanzas
B. They are unnecessary for communication.
C. Accent and persistent alliteration
D. Strict iambic pentameter
80. Which dialect area of Anglo-Saxon England is the Old English linguistic database heavily concentrated in, leading most textbooks to describe its features?
A. Northumbrian
B. Mercian
C. Kentish
D. Wessex
81. Which of the following is not one of the four main dialects of Old English that scholars distinguish?
A. Northumbrian
B. Mercian
C. West Saxon
D. East Midland
82. What was the primary characteristic of Old English vocabulary regarding its origin?
A. Primarily Latinate
B. Primarily Celtic
C. Primarily Germanic
D. Primarily French
83. Old English vocabulary relied heavily on what two productive processes of lexical augmentation?
A. Semantic shift and re-analysis
B. Compounding and affixation
C. Borrowing from Romance languages
D. Shortening and blending
84. What type of Old English affix formed adjectives from nouns, like mōdig (valiant) from mōd (heart, mind, power)?
A. –dom
B. –hād
C. –ig
D. un-
85. What Old English prefix generally had a negating or intensifying quality, as in forwyrcan (to forfeit) or forniman (to destroy)?
A. mis-
B. un-
C. wi –
D. for-
86. From which language did the Anglo-Saxons borrow words like butter, cheese, and street during their continental contact before settling in Britain?
A. Old Norse
B. Celtic
C. Latin
D. French
87. Approximately how many words are estimated to have been borrowed from Latin during the period of continental contact by the Germanic ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons?
A. 50
B. 100
C. 175
D. 250
88. What later English words are examples of Old English affixes like -hād (modern -hood)?
A. Wisdom
B. Freedom
C. Childhood
D. Brotherhood
89. What did Matthew Arnold suggest about the “Germanic genius” (Anglo-Saxon and Danish) as its main basis?
A. Hardness and insolence
B. Talent for affairs
C. Steadiness
D. Vigorous aggression
90. Which of the following is identified as a defect of the “Germanic genius” by Matthew Arnold?
A. Snobbishness
B. Commonness and humdrum
C. Superficiality
D. Overly imaginative
91. What is the name of the monk credited with doing “more practical experimenting than the Elizabethan sage” three centuries earlier than Bacon?
A. Bede
B. Aelfric
C. Roger Bacon
D. John Wyclif
92. What is the relationship between history and literature?
A. They are entirely separate subjects.
B. Literature is a subset of history.
C. Both subjects should be studied together.
D. History explains literature.
93. What did the Anglo-Saxons admire in men?
A. Wealth and power
B. Virtues
C. Physical appearance
D. Artistic talent
94. How was a woman regarded in Anglo-Saxon society?
A. As property
B. As inferior
C. Like Romans
D. As equal to men
95. What is the “swan song of Anglo-Saxon poetry,” entered 75 years before the Norman Conquest?
A. Beowulf
B. The Wanderer
C. The Battle of Maldon
D. Caedmon’s Paraphrase
96. What literary form is Caedmon primarily known for within Anglo-Saxon literature?
A. Historical prose chronicles
B. Verse developed under the teaching of monks
C. Heroic epic poems
D. Philosophical treatise
97. Where is The Phoenix, a Cynewulf poem, described as a translation from Latin, available for reading?
A. The Exeter Book
B. Cook’s Translations from Old English Poetry
C. Brooke’s History of Early English Literature
D. All of the above
98. What does “Anglo-Saxon” refer to in its original context regarding the three Germanic tribés?
A. Jutes, Angles, and Saxons as a unified group
B. Only the Saxons tribé
C. Two of the three Germanic tribés
D. A later term for all Germanic inhabitants of Britain
99. What was the state of learning in England before King Alfred’s translations, according to his preface to the Pastoral Care?
A. Flourishing, with extensive knowledge of Latin
B. Adequate, with minor deficiencies
C. Lamentable, with few understanding mass-books or translating from Latin
D. Advanced, but only in Northumbria
100. What did the Vikings (Danes/Northmen) do in England throughout the ninth century?
A. Established permanent settlements and traded peacefully
B. Assisted the Anglo-Saxons against the Celts
C. Ravaged and plundered, destroying churches and monasteries
D. Introduced a new form of literary expression
101. What was the land of the West Saxons, which took first place among the Anglo-Saxon states during Alfred’s reign?
A. Kent
B. Northumbria
C. Wessex
D. Mercia
102. What does Matthew Arnold’s famous passage “On the Study of Celtic Literature” suggest about the Germanic genius’s excellence?
A. Strenuousness and clear rapidity
B. Fidelity to nature
C. Talent for affairs
D. Hardness and insolence
103. What is the nature of the “dual character” of the English language and literature?
A. A combination of poetry and prose
B. A combination of native and foreign, innate and exótic elements
C. A blend of secular and religious themes
D. A mixture of old and new forms
104. What city was made a center of manuscript illumination during the Benedictine Revival in the second Benedictine age (towards AD 1000)?
A. York
B. Canterbury
C. Winchester
D. Durham
105. Which of the following is not one of the four poetry manuscripts made towards AD 1000 in the Benedictine age?
A. Vercelli Book
B. Junius Book
C. Exeter Book
D. Peterborough Chronicle
106. What was the earliest written form of the English language called, as stated in the context of King Alfred?
A. Old Anglo-Saxon
B. Englisc
C. Proto-English
D. Wessex Dialect
107. What was Bede’s contribution to English literature, beyond his historical works?
A. His collected poetry
B. His philosophical treatises
C. He was engaged on an English translation of the Gospel of St John.
D. He wrote a grammar of Old English.
108. What was added to the superbly illuminated seventh-century manuscript known as the Lindisfarne Gospels in the tenth century?
A. A Latin preface
B. A vernacular gloss in Northumbrian English
C. Illustrations of saints
D. A commentary in Greek
109. Which monastery is credited with a series of educational reforms in the late tenth century that may have influenced the lucid prose of Wulfstan and Aelfric?
A. St. Albans
B. Durham
C. Winchester
D. Whitby
110. What is one of the “orthodox beliefs” about the use of French and English in England after the Norman Conquest?
A. That English completely disappeared
B. The level of adoption of French vocabulary
C. That French was never used in literature
D. That Latin remained the primary language
111. What types of material are “scant” for the Northumbrian, Mercian, and Kentish dialects of Old English?
A. Epics and sagas
B. Philosophical writings
C. Charters, runic inscriptions, brief fragments of verse, and biblical translations
D. Legal documents and royal decrees
112. What did the “Anglo-Saxon/cultural and literary theory scholars” explore concerning Old English gender marking?
A. Its statistical frequency
B. Its grammatical complexity
C. How linguistic usage reflects and reinforces cultural ideas of masculinity and femininity.
D. Its disappearance over time.
113. What is one of the concerns for modern feminists in all disciplines, including linguistics, that is contributed to by textual representations in Anglo-Saxon literature?
A. The over-representation of women
B. The absence of male figures
C. The denial, silencing, and elision of women’s agency in the cultural record.
D. The focus on domestic life
114. What is referred to as the “swan song of Anglo-Saxon poetry” in the context of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle?
A. Beowulf
B. The Seafarer
C. The Battle of Brunanburh
D. The Battle of Maldon
115. In the context of King Alfred’s work, what did he aim to provide for his subjects’ welfare and sense of self and nationhood?
A. Military training
B. Agricultural improvements
C. Texts which he deemed important
D. New legal codes
116. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is also known by what other name?
A. The King’s Book
B. The Old English Chronicle
C. The Wessex Annals
D. The National History
117. What is noted as a characteristic difference between Northumbrian and West Saxon versions of biblical text, such as Caedmon’s poetry?
A. Meter
B. Dialect and vocabulary
C. Narrative structure
D. Character portrayal
118. The Benedictine Revival, under Archbishop Dunstan, saw English prose become an instrument for what kind of flourishing civilization?
A. Primarily religious
B. Solely political
C. Scientific, political, historical, and religious interests
D. Economic and trade-focused
119. Which Anglo-Saxon tribés name “still clings to the spot” from which some of the “English forefathers” came?
A. Saxons
B. Jutes
C. Angles (Angel)
D. Frisians
120. What earlier translation of the Bible, derived from a fourth-century Latin version called the Vulgate, predated the King James Version and continued with Wycliff’s work?
A. The Bishops’ Bible
B. The Geneva Bible
C. Tyndale’s Bible
D. Aelfric’s translations in the Anglo-Saxon era
