English Literature CLEP Prep Practice Exam

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Prepare for the CLEP English Literature Exam with quizzes featuring flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes useful hints and detailed explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

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What kind of literary form is "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe?

Sonnet
Ballad
Epic
Ode

The correct answer is: Ode

"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" is not a sonnet, which is a 14-line poem with strict rhyme scheme and meter. It also lacks a narrative structure and is not a story or a song, ruling out it being a ballad. It is not an epic, which is a long narrative poem typically used to celebrate heroic deeds and important events. While it could be argued to have some elements of a love epic, it is not long enough to qualify as one. Therefore, the best literary form for "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" is an ode, which is a lyrical poem that expresses deep feelings and praises a person, object, or abstract concept. This form fits the nature of the poem well, as it is a passionate declaration of love and a celebration of the joys of nature.