Question 1: Which poetic meter, consisting of unrhymed iambic pentameter, was perfected during the Renaissance?
Topic: Medieval and Renaissance Literature
- ballad
- free
- alexandrine
- blank (Correct Answer)
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English Literature spans over a thousand years, from Old English epic poetry to twentieth-century novels. This is the literary tradition that shaped the language we speak and the stories we tell.
Journey through British literary history
Written by the Flying Prep Team
Reviewed by Alex Stone, who earned 99 credits via CLEP & DSST
Broad reading in British literature recommended. Strong analytical reading skills essential.
Content: Medieval and Renaissance (20%), 17th and 18th centuries (25%), Romantic and Victorian (30%), 20th century (25%).
Score of 50 earns 6 credits
Scores of 60+ show excellent literary knowledge
Valid 20 years
From Beowulf's monsters to Shakespeare's stages! This section spans centuries of literary evolution - Old English epics, Chaucer's Canterbury pilgrims, Spenser's allegories, and the incomparable Shakespeare. You'll encounter drama, poetry, and prose that founded English literary tradition. These works still resonate after hundreds of years.
Milton's Paradise Lost, Donne's metaphysical conceits, Bunyan's pilgrim - the 17th century was rich with literary giants! This section covers poetry and prose from a turbulent era of civil war, restoration, and religious conflict. You'll see how historical upheaval shaped literary expression in lasting ways.
Wit, satire, and the rise of the novel! Pope perfected heroic couplets, Swift wielded savage irony, and Defoe and Richardson invented modern fiction. This section covers an age that valued reason but also produced Gothic darkness. The literary landscape we recognize began taking shape here.
Revolution in literature! The Romantics celebrated emotion, nature, and imagination. Blake's visions, Wordsworth's daffodils, Coleridge's nightmare voyages, Keats's urns and nightingales, Shelley's revolutionary spirit, Byron's brooding heroes - this section covers poetry that changed how we think about creativity and feeling.
An age of doubt and determination! Tennyson and Browning mastered dramatic monologue; Dickens serialized social criticism; Eliot and Hardy explored provincial and pessimistic visions. This section covers literature that grappled with industrialization, empire, and changing faith. The Victorians asked questions we still haven't answered.
Literature fragments and reforms! Modernists like Woolf and Joyce experimented with consciousness; Eliot diagnosed cultural wasteland; contemporary writers from diverse backgrounds continue expanding English literature's boundaries. This section covers the ongoing evolution of a living tradition.
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The English Literature CLEP ranks among the more challenging exams due to its heavy memorization requirements and broad time scope. You'll need to distinguish between authors, works, and movements spanning 800+ years of literature. The difficulty lies in the specificity - questions often ask for exact publication dates, character names, or biographical details rather than general themes. Students with strong liberal arts backgrounds typically find it manageable, while those without recent literature exposure need extensive preparation. Success depends on systematic memorization of major works, authors, and historical contexts rather than analytical skills alone.
The American Council on Education recommends 50 as the minimum passing score for English Literature, equivalent to a C grade in college coursework. However, individual colleges set their own requirements - some accept scores as low as 50, while others require 55 or higher. Military education programs typically accept the ACE-recommended 50. Check with your specific institution before testing, as score requirements vary significantly. Since scores range from 20-80, you need roughly 60-65% of questions correct to reach the passing threshold, though exact percentages vary due to scaled scoring adjustments.
Study time depends heavily on your literature background. Students with recent English coursework need 40-60 hours focusing on weak areas and memorization. Those with general college experience but limited literature exposure should plan 80-120 hours of systematic study. Complete beginners need 150-200 hours to master the breadth of material. The exam covers eight centuries of literature, so consistent daily study works better than cramming. Spend 60% of time on memorization (authors, works, dates) and 40% on understanding literary movements and historical contexts. Most successful candidates study 8-12 weeks with regular practice testing.
Create systematic memorization tools linking authors to their major works, publication dates, and literary periods. Use flashcards or spaced repetition apps for author-work pairings, character names, and plot details. Read plot summaries rather than complete works for time efficiency - focus on SparkNotes or CliffsNotes for comprehensive coverage. Study chronologically to understand how movements influenced each other. Practice with sample questions weekly to identify weak areas. Join online study groups or forums for additional memorization tips. Supplement with audio lectures during commutes to reinforce learning. Take practice tests monthly to track progress and adjust study focus.
Reading complete works isn't necessary or practical given the exam's scope. Focus on detailed plot summaries, character analysis, and thematic overviews from reliable sources like SparkNotes, CliffsNotes, or academic study guides. The exam tests recognition and factual knowledge more than deep literary analysis. Prioritize knowing major works by Shakespeare, key Romantic poets, Victorian novelists, and Modernist writers. Understand plot points, main characters, and historical significance rather than nuanced interpretation. However, if you've already read canonical works, that foundation provides significant advantages for contextual questions and quotation identification.
Emphasize British literature heavily - it comprises roughly 75-80% of exam content. The survey spans British literary history from medieval times through contemporary periods. American literature appears primarily in the Modern and Contemporary section (15% of total exam), focusing on major figures like Whitman, Dickinson, Frost, and contemporary authors. Allocate study time accordingly: spend most effort on British authors, movements, and historical contexts. However, don't completely ignore American works, as they appear consistently in the final chronological period and often in comparative questions about literary movements and techniques.
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