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Total Categories: 6
William Hill Brown is identified as the author of "The Power of Sympathy," a work published during the early 19th century.
Answer: False
While William Hill Brown is indeed the author, 'The Power of Sympathy' was published in 1789, which falls within the late 18th century, not the early 19th century.
The inaugural edition of "The Power of Sympathy" was published by Isaiah Thomas in Philadelphia.
Answer: False
The first edition was indeed published by Isaiah Thomas, but it was printed and distributed in Boston, not Philadelphia.
"The Power of Sympathy" experienced its initial publication in Great Britain prior to its release in America.
Answer: False
This statement is false. The novel was published in the United States of America, specifically in Boston, and not in Great Britain.
William Hill Brown was accurately identified as the author of "The Power of Sympathy" immediately following its publication in 1789.
Answer: False
This is incorrect. The novel was initially published anonymously, and William Hill Brown's authorship was not definitively established until much later, in 1894.
A significant number of contemporary readers attributed the authorship of "The Power of Sympathy" to Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton, owing to the novel's plot parallels with a scandal involving her family.
Answer: True
This is accurate. The striking resemblance of the novel's plot to the real-life scandal involving the Morton family led many to mistakenly attribute the work to Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton.
Upon its initial publication, "The Power of Sympathy" was priced at one dollar.
Answer: False
This is inaccurate. The novel was initially priced at nine shillings, not one dollar.
The novel was initially attributed to William Hill Brown due to his established reputation for composing scandalous family histories.
Answer: False
This is incorrect. The novel was initially published anonymously, and the attribution to William Hill Brown was not made until decades later. The popular misattribution upon publication was to Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton, due to the plot's resemblance to her family's scandal.
Who is identified as the author of "The Power of Sympathy"?
Answer: William Hill Brown
William Hill Brown is credited as the author of "The Power of Sympathy," although his authorship was not definitively established until many years after its initial publication.
In what year was "The Power of Sympathy" first published?
Answer: 1789
The novel "The Power of Sympathy" was first published in 1789, marking a significant moment in early American literature.
Who published the first edition of "The Power of Sympathy"?
Answer: Isaiah Thomas
The first edition of "The Power of Sympathy" was published by Isaiah Thomas, a prominent printer and bookseller of the era, in Boston.
What was the primary reason for the initial misattribution of "The Power of Sympathy" to Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton?
Answer: The plot strongly resembled a scandal within her family.
The novel's plot bore a striking resemblance to a notorious scandal involving the Morton family, leading many contemporary readers to mistakenly attribute the work to Sarah Wentworth Apthorp Morton.
What was the retail price of "The Power of Sympathy" upon its initial publication?
Answer: Nine shillings
The novel was initially priced at nine shillings, a common denomination for books during that period.
In which city was the first edition of "The Power of Sympathy" published?
Answer: Boston
The first edition of "The Power of Sympathy" was published in Boston, Massachusetts, by Isaiah Thomas.
Within the narrative of "The Power of Sympathy," Harriot Fawcet is identified as the legitimate daughter of Mr. Harrington.
Answer: False
This is incorrect. Harriot Fawcet is revealed to be the illegitimate half-sister of Thomas and Myra Harrington, born from an affair between their father, Mr. Harrington, and Maria Fawcet.
Thomas Harrington commits suicide subsequent to the discovery that his engagement to Harriot Fawcet is incestuous.
Answer: True
This is accurate. The revelation that Harriot is his half-sister renders their engagement incestuous, leading to profound despair and Thomas Harrington's eventual suicide.
Harriot Fawcet succumbs to consumption subsequent to discovering the truth regarding her relationship with Thomas.
Answer: True
This is correct. Upon learning the devastating truth of their incestuous relationship, Harriot falls ill with consumption (tuberculosis) and ultimately dies.
The initial conflict presented in the narrative for Thomas Harrington involves an inappropriate infatuation with his sister, Myra.
Answer: False
This is incorrect. Thomas Harrington's initial conflict stems from his inappropriate infatuation with Harriot Fawcet, who is later revealed to be his half-sister, not his full sister Myra.
Which character is ultimately revealed to be the illegitimate half-sister of Thomas and Myra Harrington?
Answer: Harriot Fawcet
Harriot Fawcet is revealed to be the illegitimate half-sister of Thomas and Myra Harrington, born from an affair between their father, Mr. Harrington, and Maria Fawcet.
What tragic event befalls Thomas Harrington as a consequence of the novel's central conflict?
Answer: He commits suicide due to depression.
Consumed by despair and guilt following the revelation of his incestuous relationship with Harriot and her subsequent death, Thomas Harrington commits suicide.
Which character advises Thomas Harrington to pursue a proper courtship with Harriot Fawcet?
Answer: Jack Worthy
Jack Worthy serves as a moral guide to Thomas Harrington, encouraging him to abandon his licentious intentions and engage in a proper courtship with Harriot Fawcet.
"The Power of Sympathy" is predominantly structured as a series of dialogues exchanged between its principal characters.
Answer: False
This assertion is incorrect. The novel is primarily written in an epistolary form, meaning it is composed of letters exchanged between characters, rather than dialogues.
The narrative of "The Power of Sympathy" posits that excessive sympathy invariably proves beneficial to the characters experiencing it.
Answer: False
This is false. The novel suggests that while sympathy is a significant human emotion, an excess of it can lead to tragic outcomes, underscoring the need for rational control over passion.
The title "The Power of Sympathy" implies that sympathy functions as a neutral force, exerting no significant influence on the characters' actions or fates.
Answer: False
This interpretation is incorrect. The title itself highlights sympathy as a potent force, capable of driving characters' actions, and the novel explores both its constructive and destructive potential.
The complete title, "The Power of Sympathy: or, The Triumph of Nature," suggests an inherent conflict between natural instincts and established societal conventions.
Answer: True
This is an accurate interpretation. The subtitle, 'The Triumph of Nature,' suggests that natural desires or instincts can ultimately prevail over, or clash with, societal rules and expectations, often with tragic consequences.
What is a primary thematic concern explored within "The Power of Sympathy"?
Answer: The dangers of seduction and excessive passion
A central theme of the novel is the exploration of the perilous consequences arising from seduction and the unrestrained indulgence of passion, alongside the importance of moral education and rational thought.
According to its preface, what was the stated didactic purpose of "The Power of Sympathy"?
Answer: To expose the consequences of seduction and promote self-respect.
The novel's preface explicitly states its intention was to represent the specious causes and expose the fatal consequences of seduction, thereby promoting female self-respect and rational conduct.
What thematic implication arises from the full title, "The Power of Sympathy: or, The Triumph of Nature"?
Answer: A conflict exists between natural desires and social conventions.
The subtitle, 'The Triumph of Nature,' suggests a fundamental tension or conflict between innate human desires and the constraints imposed by societal norms and conventions, often leading to tragic outcomes within the narrative.
The subplot featuring the characters "Martin" and "Ophelia" is understood to directly mirror the real-life scandal involving Perez Morton and Fanny Apthorp.
Answer: True
This interpretation is widely accepted by scholars. The narrative arc of Martin and Ophelia is seen as a direct parallel to the scandal of Perez Morton and Fanny Apthorp, reflecting contemporary societal views on the event.
"The Power of Sympathy" achieved considerable commercial success, with thousands of copies sold shortly after its release.
Answer: False
Contrary to this statement, the novel did not perform well commercially. Sales were reportedly quite low following its publication.
Scholarly interpretations suggest that "The Power of Sympathy" functions allegorically, representing the nascent American nation's imperative for moral virtue.
Answer: True
This is a common critical perspective. The novel's emphasis on moral education and the dangers of unchecked passion is often viewed as reflecting the virtues deemed necessary for the development of the new American republic.
Elizabeth Maddock Dillon's critical perspective confines the interpretation of the novel exclusively to the context of early American national identity.
Answer: False
This is incorrect. Elizabeth Maddock Dillon's analysis expands the context, incorporating influences of colonialism, mercantile capitalism, and imperialism, suggesting the novel's themes may reflect the consequences of colonialism in the New World.
There is a general scholarly consensus that "The Power of Sympathy" successfully imparts moral lessons without any ambiguity.
Answer: False
This is not the case. While the novel was intended as a didactic work, contemporary scholars debate its effectiveness, questioning whether its frank depiction of taboo subjects may have titillated readers more than it educated them morally.
Elizabeth Maddock Dillon's critical framework for analyzing the novel incorporates influences from which of the following?
Answer: Colonialism, mercantile capitalism, and imperialism
Dillon's scholarship situates "The Power of Sympathy" within a broader global context, examining the influences of colonialism, mercantile capitalism, and imperialism on its themes and narrative.
How has the novel's engagement with themes of seduction and incest fueled scholarly debate regarding its didactic purpose?
Answer: Recent scholars question whether the novel effectively taught morality or merely titillated readers.
Scholars debate the novel's effectiveness as a moral guide, with some arguing that its frank exploration of taboo subjects may have appealed to readers' prurient interests rather than solely serving an educational function.
Elizabeth Maddock Dillon interprets the novel's exploration of themes such as incest and miscegenation as potentially representing which of the following?
Answer: The consequences of colonialism in the New World.
Dillon posits that the novel's engagement with taboo themes like incest and miscegenation may serve as symbolic representations of the complex and often problematic consequences of colonialism within the New World context.
The novel "The Power of Sympathy" is widely recognized as the first novel published in the United States.
Answer: True
Indeed, 'The Power of Sympathy,' authored by William Hill Brown and published in 1789, holds the distinction of being the first novel published in America, marking a significant milestone in the nation's literary development.
A copy of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther" was discovered near the body of Thomas Harrington.
Answer: True
This is accurate. The presence of Goethe's novel is often cited as evidence of its potential influence on Harrington's state of mind and subsequent suicide.
What is the principal literary significance attributed to "The Power of Sympathy" within the context of American literature?
Answer: It is widely considered the first novel written and published in America.
The novel's primary significance lies in its status as the first novel published in the United States, a landmark achievement that contributed to the development of a distinct American literary tradition.
Which literary work was discovered in proximity to Thomas Harrington's body, potentially indicating its influence on his psychological state?
Answer: "The Sorrows of Young Werther" by Goethe
A copy of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's influential novel, "The Sorrows of Young Werther," was found near Thomas Harrington's body, a detail often interpreted as a reflection of his despair and potential emulation of the protagonist.
What is the current accessibility of "The Power of Sympathy" for contemporary readers and scholars?
Answer: It is available digitally and as a public domain audiobook.
"The Power of Sympathy" is readily accessible today through digital archives and as a public domain audiobook, facilitating its continued study and engagement.