I found myself between answer choices C and D but ended up choosing D on the basis of the opening lines of the passage: "Critics have long been puzzled by the inner contradictions of major characters in John Webster's tragedies." I'm wondering why in this case D is actually a better answer, namely, that the critics had a "flawed interpretation" as opposed to an "unresolved question," and how to know when to use which parts of the passage in which situations, if possible. Thanks!
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I find primary purpose questions to be particularly difficult, because they often have answer choices that are relatively abstract. But let’s think about the differences between answer C and D and then try to find support in the passage for why D is the right answer.
Answer C says: the purpose is to analyze an unresolved question and propose an answer.
What “question†is “unresolved� Perhaps the inner contradictions of the characters in Webster’s tragedies, as you suggest. But there are several textual clues in the passage that suggest that any questions about these contradictions are not unresolved, but are instead resolved incorrectly!
For example, in lines 14-16, the author states that “critics keep coming back to this element of inconsistency as though it were an eccentric feature of Webster’s own tragic vision.†That is an answer! This means it is less likely that the “question†is “unresolved.â€
Same for lines 36-40 — “cannot be evaluated according to reductive formulas of good and evil .. what modern critics have tried to do.†Again, another answer, even if the author thinks it “cannot†be done.
Another clue: 43-45: “attributing...to artistic incompetence.â€
Lots of clues that the author does not think the question is unresolved. Instead, all of these clues support answer D: the passage is actually offering an alternative to a flawed interpretation. The flaws are described in the passages I’ve already cited, and the alternative is the “duality of human nature†which the author says helps us better understand Webster’s characters.
I hope that helps! Please let us know if you have further questions.
JeremyGMarch 23, 2019
Thanks a lot, Jacob! Your explanation makes sense.
