Critics who attack 'political correctness' in literature often invoke a golden age when works were judged purely on literary merit. Scholars note that this golden age never existed—earlier eras suppressed works for blasphemy, obscenity, or political content, just applying different criteria. What counts as 'political' itself shifts: Victorian novels enforcing gender roles weren't seen as political then, but their ideological work is visible now.
Based on the passage, it can be inferred that
judgments about what constitutes 'purely literary' merit may themselves be shaped by cultural values
Victorian novels contained no ideological content
earlier eras had no censorship of any kind
modern critics invented the concept of political content in literature
Correct Answer: A
Choice A is the best answer. What seems 'purely literary' is culturally determined.
- Context clues: Earlier suppression used different criteria; what's 'political' shifts over time.
- Meaning: 'Pure merit' has never been value-free.
- Verify: Victorian novels' ideology invisible then but visible now shows cultural determination.
đź’ˇ Strategy: When different eras see different things as political, infer that the distinction is culturally shaped.
Choice B is incorrect because their "ideological work is visible now." Choice C is incorrect because earlier eras "suppressed works for blasphemy, obscenity, or political content." Choice D is incorrect because earlier eras also judged political content, just differently.