Question

Read the excerpt from Annus Mirabilis by John Dryden. What viewpoint does the excerpt reflect?
The undistinguish'd seeds of good and ill,
Heaven, in his bosom, from our knowledge hides:
And draws them in contempt of human skill,
Which oft for friends mistaken foes provides.

a.It is hard for humans to evaluate events in terms of potential outcomes.
b.It is difficult for humans to maintain a firm faith in God.
c.It is often difficult for humans to learn from their experiences.
d.It is not possible for humans to be friends with their foes.
e.It is difficult for humans to think well of their enemies.

Answer 1

The excerpt seems to be reflecting the viewpoint put forward in option a) It is hard for humans to evaluate events in terms of potential outcomes. For example, the line referring to the 'undistinguish'd seeds of good and ill' seems to insinuate that human beings are not able to work out which seeds will grow to be good or bad.

Answer 2

Answer: The right answer is the a) It is hard for humans to evaluate events in terms of potential outcomes.

Explanation: Just to elaborate a little on the answer, it can be added that this excerpt does not specifically refer to God, but to Heaven. In addition, it does not talk about the difficulty that humans experience to make friends with foes or to think well of them. Heaven is seen here as an omnipotent and powerful force that does not help humans discern the result of a good or an evil action, and, consequently, often confounds them, letting them believe that friends are foes and vice versa. The right answer is, therefore, the A. Humans often act without fully evaluating the consequences of their actions, since they do not have all the information at hand to do so.