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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What type of word are man, castle, horse, etc., as defined by Burke?

2. To what does Burke oppose delicacy and fragility?

3. What does NOT make certain objects or experiences affect us the way they do?

4. What type of poetry operates by imitation?

5. According to Burke, who is most capable of beauty?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Burke define proportion, and under which human faculty does it fall?

2. Why, according to Burke, are humans readily affected by the passions of others?

3. According to Burke, why is the taste of sweetness pleasant, and how does he decide this?

4. What does Burke assert affects the mind besides natural causes, and how does this thing relate to natural causes?

5. Why, according to Burke, is proportion not the cause of beauty in vegetation and animals?

6. How does Burke use women as examples to demonstrate some of the aspects of beauty?

7. What is the "real" cause of beauty, according to Burke?

8. What example does Burke use to demonstrate that perfection is not the cause of beauty?

9. How does the body react physically to emotions of love, per Burke's observations?

10. What types of sounds, smells, and tastes can be considered beautiful, according to Burke?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Select three examples from anywhere in the text of what you would consider scientific methodology in Burke's writing. These may be specific examples he cites (such as his personal anecdotes or the selections from literature he reads), the structure or progression of his subjects or thought process in a section on a specific topic, or his tone as he considers the nature of things beautiful or sublime. Consider how Burke's methodology is, in itself, rather scientific in nature. For each example you selected, write a synopsis of why the selection seems scientific in nature to you. To be "scientific" in nature is, for example, to test one's theories somehow, to consider other theories in relation to one's own, to give evidence that supports one's theories, to maintain a tone of professional, instead of personal, interest, and so on.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the faculty of "taste," as Burke depicts it, what are the three human faculties that affect taste? How does Burke consider the general human capacity about taste? What "agreements" does Burke assert are naturally part of taste? What does Burke argue about tastes that deviate from causes other than habit or use? Briefly describe the significance of human judgment to the faculty of taste. What is the cause of a wrong taste, and what are some examples of it? What does Burke identify as the central tension between the imagination and the judgment? How can one improve one's taste? What is the significance of pleasure to taste, and the relationship between pleasure and judgment?

Essay Topic 3

Summarize Locke's idea of the nature of darkness and Burke's idea of the nature of darkness. Where do they differ? Why does Burke think differently than Locke, and what examples does he use to support his opinion? How does darkness affect the body and the mind, according to Burke? Do you think the cultural associations we have with darkness (the general theme of it and the common things it symbolizes) can be relevant to our view of darkness, in addition to or instead of Burke's opinion of darkness' nature?

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