1. Who is Samuel Johnson?

Ans: Samuel Johnson is an English writer who has made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer.

2. Who is called the father of English criticism?

Ans: According to Dr. Johnson, Dryden may be called the father of English criticism.

3. Which school of criticism does Dr. Johnson belong to? [NU 2016]

Ans: Dr. Johnson belongs to neo-classical school of criticism.

4. Why is Dr. Johnson called an independent critic?

Ans: Dr. Johnson is called an independent critic because he does not abide by any principles of school.

5. Why is Dr. Johnson called a critic of rectified classicism?

Ans: Dr. Johnson is called a critic of rectified classicism because of his positive deviation from other neo-classical critics.

6. What is “Preface to Shakespeare”? [NU 2017]

Ans: “Preface to Shakespeare” by Samuel Johnson is a critical work on Shakespearean dramas.

7. What is meant by the expression 'Preface to Shakespeare'?

Ans: The expression 'Preface to Shakespeare' means preface to Shakespearean dramas.

8. What is preface?

Ans: A Preface is an introduction to a book, typically stating its subject, scope or aims.

11. What does antiquity serve in criticism?

Ans: While criticizing any work, its antiquity may be regarded as the testimony of its excellence. A great work of literature is supposed to stay longer.   

12. What type of characters does Shakespeare present in his dramas?

Ans: In his drama, Shakespeare presents those types of characters who are of general kind and are not restricted by customs and conventions of any one society.

13. How does Shakespeare treat love in his plays?

Ans: Shakespeare in his plays treats love as one of many passions of human beings, not as the one and only passion.

14. What is the specialty of dialogues in Shakespearean plays?

Ans: The specialty of dialogues in Shakespearean plays is that they are based on the actual conversation of people.

15. What is the specialty of Shakespearean heroes?

Ans: The specialty of Shakespearean heroes is that they are human beings. They act in the same way a reader should have acted in similar situation.

16. What is Dr. Johnson's opinion about Shakespeare's dramas? [NU 2016] 

Ans:, Dr. Johnson's opines about Shakespeare's dramas that they are neither pure tragedy nor pure comedy. They are tragi-comedy.

17. What, according to Johnson, is Shakespeare’s first fault?

Ans: According to Johnson, Shakespeare's first and foremost fault is that “he sacrifices virtue to convenience.”

18. What is quibble?

Ans: A quibble is a plot device, used to fulfil the exact verbal conditions of an agreement in order to avoid the intended meaning.

19. What is philology?

Ans: philology is the study of literary texts and of written records, the establishment of their authenticity and their original form, and the determination of their meaning.

20. Who was Cato?

Ans: Cato was a politician and statesman in the late Roman Republic, and a follower of the Stoic philosophy.

21. What is The Comedy of Errors?

Ans: The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play.

22. Who was Rowe?

Ans: Rowe was an English dramatist, poet who edited Shakespeare’s works. He was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1715.

23. What is Canons of Criticism?

Ans: Canons of Criticism is a satirical but spot-on analytical book by Thomas Edward.

24. Who was Justus Scaliger?

Ans: Justus Scaliger is one of the greatest scholars of the Renaissance. He is the founder of historical criticism.

25. Who is Caliban?

Ans: Caliban is one of the main characters in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. He is the son of the witch Sycorax.

26. Mention any one of Shakespeare's faults as pointed out by Dr. Johnson.

Ans: One of Shakespeare's faults as pointed out by Dr. Johnson is that “he sacrifices virtue to convenience.”

27. How did Shakespeare gather experience about life?

Ans: Shakespeare gathered experience about life through looking inward.

29. How does John Dryden appreciate Shakespeare?

Ans: John Dryden appreciates Shakespeare by saying, “He was the man who of all modern and perhaps ancient poets had the largest and most comprehensive soul.”

30. To what does Johnson compare Shakespeare’s dramatic genius?

Ans: Johnson compares Shakespeare’s dramatic genius with the works of nature. 

31. What is the secret of Shakespeare's success in drama?

Ans: Greek Drama is the Secret of Shakespeare’s success in drama.

32. What is tragi-comedy?

Ans: Tragi-comedy is a type of hybrid drama in which there is the mixture of both the tragic and the comic elements.

33. Which drama of Shakespeare was banned?

Ans: The drama The Tragedy of Gowrie of Shakespeare was banned.