It can be inferred from the passage that most modern critics assume which one of the following in their interpretatio...
Max-ChermanAugust 5, 2019
Answer Choice C
I'm a bit confused as to why answer choice C is incorrect. Lines 38-45 of the passage seem to suggest that modern critics of Webster's tragedies assume Webster's ignorance ("...[modern critics attribute] the inconsistencies in a character's behavior to artistic incompetence on Webster's part.") How can we know that answer choice C is incorrect?
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Lines 38-45 reference to "artistic incompetence" in the context of contradictory character behavior when viewed through the narrow lens of good and evil. We cannot infer from this statement that the critiques perceived Webster as ignorant of the classical definition of the tragedy. In fact, the passage only tells us that he was more sensitive to the Italian drama, not he was unaware of classical tragedy principles.
Does this make sense?
Let me know if you have any further questions.
LucasSeptember 5, 2019
I put D due to the inconsistencies in character behaviour? Am I wrong?
shunheJanuary 9, 2020
Hi @Lucas,
Thanks for the question! The correct answer is actually (E). Take a look at lines 18-19, where the author states that Webster has become a prisoner of our critical presuppositions. What are those presuppositions? That Webster has been influenced by the morality play (line 21). This is what answer choice (E) tells us—critics have been assuming that Webster was influenced by the same sources as his contemporaries—the morality play, when really, he was sensitive to Italian dramas.
(D), on the other hand, is incorrect because we aren’t told that critics assume that Webster’s tragedies don’t have any relevant basis for analyzing the moral development of their characters. Instead, the critics assume a backdrop of the morality play (see lines 35-38). Hope this helps!
