Question

Answer the following question on the basis of this paragraph and mark the correct option in the given box. 
Shakespeare wrote four types of plays: histories, comedies, tragedies, and tragicomedies. Some scholars contend that Shakespeare's choice of three of these types of dramatic forms reflects his various psychological states. As a young man making a name for himself in London, he wrote comedies. Then, saddened by the death of his son, he turned to tragedies. Finally, seasoned by life's joys and sorrows, he produced tragicomedies. But a look at the theater scene of his day reveals that Shakespeare was not so much writing out of his heart as into his pocketbook. When comedies were the vogue, he wrote comedies; when tragedies were the rage, he wrote tragedies; and when tragicomedies dominated the stage, he produced tragicomedies. 
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage? 
(a) Examine Shakespeare's life in light of his dramatic works 
(b) Contest a theory that attempts to explain why Shakespeare wrote the kinds of plays he did 
(c) Explain the terms "comedy," "tragedy," and "tragicomedy" as they are used in discussions of Shakespeare's plays 
(d) Compare Shakespeare's plays with the works of other dramatists of his day 
(e) Discuss what is known about Shakespeare's psychological states 

 

Hint:

Look for contrast words like "but" - they often signal the author's actual position when evaluating competing theories.

Answer 1

Solution:

The passage begins by presenting a theory — that Shakespeare’s plays reflected his emotional and psychological state throughout his life. This theory outlines a personal evolution: writing comedies as a young man, turning to tragedies after his son's death, and writing tragicomedies later in life.

However, the paragraph quickly shifts to refute this theory. It presents an alternate explanation: that Shakespeare was responding to market trends rather than personal emotions. He wrote the types of plays that were popular and in demand during different phases of his career.

Therefore, the passage primarily serves to challenge or contest the psychological theory and instead suggests an economic or practical motivation behind Shakespeare's literary choices.

This makes option (b) the best summary of the passage's main idea. The other options either describe what the theory says (like (a) and (e)) or go off-topic (like (c) and (d)).