1. In Shakespeare's King Lear, how does Cordelia's decision to "love and be silent" relate to her actions throughout the rest of the play (as well as the actions of Kent and Edgar)?
2. Also in King Lear, how might Shakespeare's portrayal of the Duke of Albany relate to the political climate in which the play was written? Furthermore, what political purpose might be responsible for Albany's presence at the end of the play?
3. What metaphysical conceits appear in the poetry of Donne, Herbert, and Marvell? How does each poet differ in his use of such conceits to address the topics of religion and love?
4. In what ways might the content and poetic form of Paradise Lost relate to John Milton's political beliefs? Milton's biographical note and his note on "The Verse" at the beginning of Paradise Lost should help you answer this question.
5. What do Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Pope's Essay on Man, and The Rape of the Lock tell us about the limitations of human perspectives on the universe? Also, how do these works deal with the new perspectives offered by 17th and 18th century scientific advancements?
6. In Samuel Johnson's Rasselas, how successful is the title character's search for the "choice of life" that leads to happiness? How might Rasselas's level of success relate to Samuel Johnson's personality as portrayed in Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson?