history of english literature objective questions including tag questions
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B.A. English Honours
2003
Objective Questinos
Paper I
(First 25 questions are of 1 mark each and the next 8 questions are of 2 marks each)
1. Name one of the four poems which contain the signature of Cynewulf in runic characters?
One of the four poems which contain the signature of Cynewulf in runic characters is Elene/
Christ/ Juliana/ The Fates of the Apostles.
2. What is the title in Latin of Bede’s work Ecclesiastical History of English Race?
The Latin title of Bede’s book Ecclesiastical History of English Race is Historia Eccelesiastical
Gentis Anglorum.
3. Name a middle English romance based on “the Matter of Rome”.
The Destruction of Troy is a Middle English Romance based on “The Matter of Rome”.
4. Who wrote the Confession Amantis?
John Gower wrote Confession Amantis.
5. Name a play by the University Wit, George Peele.
One of the plays of George Peele is The Old Wive’s Tale.
6. Name a poet of the sonnet sequence Delia.
The poet of the sonnet sequence Delia is Samuel Daniel.
7. Who were the editors of the first edition of Shakespeare’s plays, known as the ‘First Folio’?
The editors of the first edition of Shakespeare’s plays, known as the ‘First Folio’ are Heminge
and Condell.
8. Name a masque by Ben Jonson.
The Masque of Beauty is a masque written by Ben Jonson.
9. Who is the author of the play A woman killed with Kindness?
Thomas Heywood is the author of the play A Woman killed with Kindness.
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10. Francis Bacon wrote a kind of jest book. Name the work.
Name of the Francis Bacon’s jest book is Essays.
11. In which year was King James Bible, or the Authorized Version published?
In 1611, the Authorized Version of the Bible was published.
12. In how many Books is John Milton’s Paradise Lost divided?
John Milton’s Paradise Lost was divided in ten books at first, the it was revised and divided in
twelve books.
13. Name the author of Absalom and Achitophel?
John Dryden is the author of Absalom and Achitophel.
14. In what literary form is Pope’s An Essay on Criticism written?
Pope’s An Essay on Criticism is written in verse form, using heroic couplet.
15. Name a picaresque novel and its author.
Tom Jones by Henry Fielding is a picaresque novel.
16. Name a prose work by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
The most famous prose work by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is Biographia Literaria.
17. What was the pen-name of Mary Ann Evans.
The pen-name of Mary Ann Evans is George Eliot.
18. Name an ‘unpleasant’ play by G. B. Shaw contained in his Plays: Pleasant and Unpleasant.
Widowers’ Houses is an ‘unpleasant’ play by G. B. Shaw, contained in his Plays: Pleasant and
Unpleasant.
19. Who wrote the poem The Waste Land? In which year was it first published?
T.S. Eliot in 1922 published his poem The Waste Land.
20. What prompted Sir Philip Sidney to write Apologie for Poetry?
Gosson’s School for Abuse attacked abusively the poetry and the poets. As a reaction Sidney
wrote Apologie for Poetry.
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21. Name two “Roman Plays” of Shakespeare?
Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopaetra are the two “Roman Plays” of Shakespeare.
22. Name a play by P. B. Shelley.
The Cenci is a play by P. B. Shelley.
23. Who wrote Maud?
Tennyson wrote Maud.
24. Name a novel by Emily Bronte.
Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights.
25. Why are 1649 A. D. and 1660 A. D. important?
Charles I was beheaded in 1649 A. D. and Charles II was restored in 1660 A. D.
26. Name a work each by Samuel Butler(1612-80) and Samuel Butler (1835-1902).
Samuel Butler (1612-80) wrote Hudibras and Samuel Butler (1835-1902) wrote The Way of All
Flesh.
27. Whose death are mourned respectively by P. B. Shelley in his Adonais and Matthew Arnold in his
Thyrsis?
Shelley mourns the death of his fellow poet John Keats in his Adonais and Matthew Arnold in his
Thyrsis mourns Arthur Hugh Clugh.
28. Who created the character Sherlock Holmes? Name a work by this creator.
Arthur Connan Doyle created the character Sherlock Holmes. Hounds of Baskerville is one of his
works.
29. Name two plays by William Butler Yeats.
Two plays by William Butler Yeats are Land of Heart’s Desire and The Shadowy Waters.
30. When did the ‘Oxford movement’ take place?
‘Oxford movement’ took place in early nineteenth century. Two leaders of this movement are
Cardinal Newman and Keble.
31. Name two female characters featured in The Canterbury Tales.
Eelelye is a female character in ‘The Knight’s Tale’ and Grislda in ‘The Clerk’s Tale’.
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32. Who is the author of Imaginary Conversation? When was it published?
Walter Savage Landor is the author of Imaginary Conversation.
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B.A. English Honours
2004
Objective Questinos
Paper I
(First 25 questions are of 1 mark each and the next 8 questions are of 2 marks each)
1. When was England converted to Christianity?
At 597 A. D. when St. Austine’s mission arrived in Kent, then England became rechristianised.
2. Name the king who ruled over England when Chaucer was born?
When Chaucer was born then the king of England was Edward III.
3. Which major work of Bunyan is not allegorical?
Bunyan’s Grace Abounding is not allegorical.
4. Who is the greatest of the English satirists?
According to me the greatest satirist of England is Jonathan Swift.
5. Who is the last of the Stuart monarchs?
Queen Anne is the last Stuart monarch.
6. Who is the first undisputed female sovereign of England?
Queen Mary is the first undisputed female sovereign of England.
7. What is the source of Milton’s Samson Agonistes?
The source of Milton’s Samson Agonistes is the Old Testament.
8. Name the companion poem of Milton’s Il Penseroso.
The companion poem of Milton’s Il Penseroso is L’Allegro.
9. What is the Latin version of the Bible?
The Latin version of the Bible is Vulgate.
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10. Name the French comedy by Wilde?
Salomé is the French comedy by Wilde.
11. Give the names of two writers whose names are uttered together.
Beaumaunt and Fletcher’s names are uttered together.
12. Who is the first poet Laureate of England?
Ben Jonson is the first poet Laureate of England.
13. Who is the greatest of the Bronte sisters?
Emile Bronte is the greatest of the Bronte sisters.
14. In which poem was the heroic couplet used for the first time?
Chaucer in his Canterburry Tales first used the heroic couplet completely.
15. Name the only play by Wordsworth.
The only play by Wordsworth is The Borderers (1796-7/1842).
16. Tell the number of poems in Lyrical Ballads.
In Lyrical Ballads Wordsworth contributed 19 poems and Coleridge contributed 4 poems.
17. Which poem of Keats is a version of a tale from Boccaccio?
Keats’s Eve of St. Agnes is a version of a tale from Boccaccio.
18. What provoked Shelley to write The Defence of Poetry?
It began as a light-hearted reply to his friend Peacock’s magazine article, ‘The Four Ages of Poetry’, which humorously argued that the best minds of the future must turn to economics and social sciences.
19. Name two Scottish Chaucerians.
Two Scottish Chaucerians are Dunbar and Gawain.
20. How many poets were included in The Lives of the Poets?
Fifty-two poets were included in The Lives of the Poets.
21. Name two essays by Lamb barring those prescribed for you.
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Two essays by Lamb that are not prescribed in our syllabus are ‘The Superannuated Man’ and ‘Old China’.
22. Name the autobiographical novel of Dickens.
David Copperfield is the autobiographical novel of Dickens.
23. Who composed Annus Mirabilis? What is its literary form?
John Dryden composed Annus Mirabilis. It is a poem in quatrains.
24. Who composed Eastward Hoe!?
George Chapman composed Eastward Hoe!
25. Give the name of two authors who wrote on the theme of Troilus and Cressida.
Chaucer and Shakespeare wrote on the theme of the Troilus and Cressida.
26. In which poem did Chaucer abuse woman and in which poem as a penance did he eulogize women?
In Troilus and Cressida Chaucer abused women and in The Legend of Good Women he eulogized the women.
27. Name two famous biographers and their biographies.
Two famous biographers are Boswell who wrote The Life of Samuel Johnson and Sir Walter Scott who wrote Life of Napoleon.
28. Which name is associated with J. S. Mill as regarding the ethical theory upon the utilitarian principle?
Machiavelli is associated with J. S. Mill
29. How many parts are there in Eliot’s The Waste Land?
There are five parts in Eliot’s The Waste Land.
30. Name two important elegies and their authors?
In Memoriam by Tennyson and Lycidas by Milton are the two important elegies.
31. What is a Gothic novel? Name two of them.
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Gothic novel is a type of fiction very popular from the 1760s onwards until the 1820s. It has terror and cruelty as its main themes. Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto and Clara Reeve’s The Old English Baron are the two examples of Gothic novel.
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B.A. English Honours
2005
Objective Questinos
Paper I
(First 25 questions are of 1 mark each and the next 8 questions are of 2 marks each)
1. After whose name is the term ‘Rhyme royal’ called? ‘Rhyme royal’ is called after the name of Scottish king James who himself used this rhyme scheme in his poems.
2. What group of plays are known as ‘dark comedy’? ‘Dark comedy’ is a group of play written in and after Elizabethan time which are technically speaking comedy, but has all the ingredients of a tragedy. The atmosphere of them is very somber. Shakespeare’s Measurre for Measure, Troilus and Cressida are examples of ‘dark comedy’.
3. Whose name is closely associated in literature with that of Wyatt? Earl of Surrey’s name is closely associated with that of Wyatt. Both of them initiated the vogue of sonnet form in England. The sonnets of both of them were posthumously published in Tottel’s Miscellany.
4. How many books are there in Faerie Queene? There are six books in Faerie Queene.
5. What does Areopagetica plead for? Areopagetica pleads for freedom of press.
6. From which country did the Saxons come to England? Saxons came to England from lowe contry South of Denmark and east of Holland, the modern Holstein.
7. To whom was Chaucer indebted for the general idea of The Canterbury Tales? Chaucer was indebted to Boccaccio’s Decamenron for the general idea of The Canturbury Tales.
8. Who is John Wycliffe? John Wycliffe is the 14th century scholar to whom the first translation of Bible is ascribed.
9. How are these two years related to each other---1649 and 1660? In 1649 Charles I was behaeaded and for a brief and temporary period monarchy of England was suspended. In 1660, monarchy was restored by making Charles II return to England and making him the king of England.
10. Name the first Anglo-Saxon love poem.
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The Husband’s Message is perhaps the first Anglo-Saxon love poem. 11. How many essays did Addison contribute to ‘The Spectator’?
In ‘The Spectator’ Addison contributed 274 essays. 12. Name the poem in which Mrs. Barrett Browning expressed her ardent love for her
husband. The poem in which Mrs. Barrett Browning expressed her ardent love for her husband is Sonnets from the Portugese.
13. Name a major work by Carlyle other than Sartor Resartus. One of the major work by Carlyle other than Sartor Resartus is French Revolution (1837).
14. Which of the Bronte sisters wrote only one novel and what is the name of the novel? Emile Bronte wrote only one novel and the name of the novel is Wuthering Heights (1847).
15. What is the source of Keats’ poem Lamia? The source of Keats’ poem Lamia is Robert Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy.
16. Which work of Dryden celebrates Charles II’s return to power? Dryden celebrates Charles II’s return to power in his Astraea Redux.
17. Who were the editors of Shakespeare’s First Folio? The editors of Shakespeare’s First Folio are Heminge and Condelle.
18. Name a drama of Matthew Arnold. One of the dramas of Matthew Arnold is Melope, A Tragedy (1558).
19. Which period of English literature is called the Augustan Age? The seventeenth century is called the Augustan Age.
20. Who is the author of Ten Little Niggers? Agatha Christie is the author of Ten Little Niggers.
21. Who writes Eyeless in Gaza? Aldous Huxley wrote Eyeless in Gaza.
22. Who is the creator of the Father Brown stories? G.K. Chesterton is the creator of the Father Brown stories.
23. How is In Memoriam related to Adonais? In Memoriam was written by Lord Alfred Tennyson in memory of one of his intimate friends and a young man of great promise, Arthur Henry Hallum, who died in Vienna at the age of 22 only.
On the other hand, Adonais was written by P.B. Shelley in 1821 in memory of the famous dead friend and poet John Keats. So, both the poems are eulogy in nature.
24. Who succeeded Wordsworth as Poet Laureate? After the death of Wordsworth Lord Tennyson became the Poet Laureate.
25. Which sovereign of England ruled the country for more than sixty years?
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Queen Victoria ruled the country from 1837 to 1901, that is 65 years. It is, however, the longest period when an English monarch ruled the contry.
26. What is an epistolary novel? Give two examples. Epistolary novels are novels which are written in the form of letters. Two examples of epistolary novels are Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740) and Clarissa Harlowe (1747-48).
27. Name the epoch making book written by Charles Darwin and give the year of its publication. The epoch-making book of Charles Darwin is Origin of Species which was published in 1859.
28. Name two Cavalier poets. Why are they so called? Robert Herrick and Richard Lovelace are the two Cavalier poets. This is a name given to the supporter of Charles I in the Civil War. It derived from Italian and French word for horseman or knight.
29. Who introduced ‘Pindaric Ode’ into English and why is it so called? Abraham Cowley introduced a loose version of Pindaric Odes in 1656. Though many poets in English literature composed this type of poems, prominent is Thomas Gray’s “The Progress in Poesy” (1575). Pindar was a lyric poet of Greece of 5th century B.C. He used to employ a triadic structure dealing with victories in the game of Olympia and elsewhere. As Cowley and Gray’s above mentioned poems are inspired by this difficult model, thus they are called Pindaric Ode.
30. In which year was the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood formed? Name at least two members of the group. In 1848 Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was formed. D.G. Rossetti and Christina Georgina Rossetti are the two Pre-Raphaelite poets.
31. Name two movements in art that had impact on poetry in the 20th century. Expressionism, which flourished from 1905 to 1910 deeply influenced the 20th century Poetry. Artists, deviated from the Classical Art form and intended to express their inner emotions in their works. Moreover, surrealism, which grew when the anger after the World War I subsided, and which explores the inner psyche, influenced the 20th century poetry very much.
32. Specify the period of Elizabethan literature. Why is it called the glorious age of literature? The span of Elizabethan literature is from 1550 to 1630. This period is called the glorious age of literature because for the first time overall development in every sphere of literature can be found in this period.
33. How are these two years---1789 and 1798---significant in literature?
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In 1789 the French Revolution occurred in France which has a lasting impact on English literature. In 1798 the first edition of Lyrical Ballads was published by William Wordsworth and S.T. Coleridge. This book completely changed the flow of English poetry.
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B.A. English Honours
2006
Objective Questinos
Paper I
(First 25 questions are of 1 mark each and the next 8 questions are of 2 marks each)
1. In which year was the ‘Authorised Version of the Bible’ published? In the year of 1611, the ‘Authorised Version of the Bible’ was published. In 1604, the work of translating the Bible began.
2. Who wrote Confessio Amantis? John Gower is the author of Confessio Amantis.
3. What is meant by ‘Alexandrine’? It is a twelve syllable line in iambic hexameter. It is very popular in 1500 to 1800 in French literature. However, in English alexandrine is a bit different from that of French. In English the sixth and the last syllable is stressed with a wandering unstressed syllables that can appear in-between the strong stresses on each side of the caesura. The name ‘alexandrine’ came from a 12th century French romance Roman d’Alexandre where it was used.
4. Give the meaning of ‘Religio Medici’. The meaning of Thomas Browne’s book ‘Religio Medici’ is ‘The religion of a doctor’.
5. Name the writer of Utopia. The writer of Utopia is Thomas More. It was published in 1516.
6. Name any one of Ben Jonson’s Tragedies. Two tragedies of Ben Jonson are Sejanus and Catiline.
7. What is an epyllion? Epyllion is a short narrative poem that has a close affinity with epic.
8. Give one example of ‘Glorious soldier’ (Lat. Miles Gloriosus) from Elizabethan drama. Ben Jonson’s famous comedy Alchemist is one example among many of ‘Glorious soldier (Lat. Miles Gloriosus).
9. Who wrote Sonnets from the Portuguese? Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote Sonnets from the Portuguese to express her love to her husband Robert Browning.
10. What is the generic name of the Fairie Queene? Fairie Queene is an allegory.
11. Who is called the ‘Saint of the Metaphysical School’? Herbert, the follower of John Donne is sometimes called ‘Saint of the Metaphysical School’.
12. Who wrote Annus Mirabilis?
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Annus Mirabilis is a work by John Dryden. It refers to miraculous events of 1666. 13. What is meant by ‘genteel Comedy’?
‘Genteel Comedy’ is a sub-genre of 18th century Comedy of Manners. It reflects the behavior of the English upper class. Contrasted with the Restoration comedy, ‘genteel comedy’ is somewhat artificial and sentimental. Colley Cibber’s play The Careless Husband (1704) is a very good example of it.
14. Who wrote Sartor Resartus? It was written by Thomas Carlyle. It was first printed serially in Fraser’s Magazine in 1833-34. It was published as a separate book in 1836.
15. What is the meaning of the term ‘verbal vitriol’? It means a very caustic attack on verbal level. It was rampant in the 18th century England, when scurrilous attacks have been made by authors to the same class belonging to the other political camps.
16. Give the name of the writer of Rassellas. Rassellas (1759) was written by Dr. Samuel Johnson.
17. Who is the first biographer of Dr. Johnson? James Boswell is the first biographer of Dr. Johnson. The name of the biography is Life of Samuel Johnson.
18. Name the industrial novel of Dickens. Hard Times is an industrial novel written by Dickens.
19. State the relation between Keats and the Elgin Marbles? Keats in 1817 visited old British Museum, where newly acquired ‘Elgin Marbles’, a series of bust sculptures in marbles, were kept. He was so impressed by these sculptures, that he composed a very famous sonnet, “On Seeing the Elgin Marbles”.
20. What is the source of “Fra Lippo Lippi” or “Andrea del Sarto”? Robert Browning was inspired to write “Fra Lippo Lippi” after reading the story of Filippo Lippi in Vasari’s Lives of the Artists. The same book of Vasari inspired Browning to write “Andrea del Sarto”, which is based on the personal life of a very famous artist of Italy, Andrea Del Sarto.
21. State the meaning of Sartor Resartus. The meaning of Sartor Resartus of Carlyle is ‘tailored retailored’.
22. Who wrote 1984? George Orwell wrote 1984.
23. Give the name of the writer of Goblin Market? Christian Georgina Rossetti, one of the Pre-Raphaelites wrote Goblin Market.
24. Who wrote a tract or treatise On Divorce? John Milton wrote a tract or treatise On Divorce.
25. Give the name of the writer of Atlanta in Calydon. Swinburne is the writer of Atlanta in Calydon.
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26. What is meant by the term ‘Renaissance’? Renaissance is basically a cultural movement, initiated in Italy in late Middle Ages, and later spread all over Europe, including England. It encompasses the flowering of Latin and vernacular literature. Literally it means reawakening.
27. Who compiled ‘Tottel’s Miscellany’ and when was it published? Richard Tottel compiled the poems in ‘Tottel’s Miscellany’.
28. Give the full name of the first English printer? William Caxton is the first English printer.
29. Give the name of writer of ‘The Old Wives’ Tale’? Did he write any other tragedy? The Old Wives’ Tale was written by Arnold Bennett. Bennett’s These Twain is another tragedy.
30. What is a picaresque novel? Give two examples. Picaresque novel is a type of novel which idealizes a rogue character who goes through different adventures. The word came from Spanish word ‘picaro’ that means ‘rogue’. Fielding’s Tom Jones and Dickens’ Martin Chuzzlewit are two examples of picaresque novels.
31. Name two Pre-Raphaelite poets? Why are they so called? D.G. Rossetti and Christina Georgina Rossetti are the two Pre-Raphaelite poets. Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood is a small group of artists who rejected the mechanical approach of painting advocated by Raphael and his contemporaries. Thus they are called Pre-Rapahaelites.
32. Who wrote Unto this Last? In which century was this book written? John Ruskin wrote Unto this Last. This book was written in 19th century, in 1860.
33. What is an ‘aubade’? Give one example. An ‘aubade’ is a morning love song or a poem or song about separation of lovers at dawn. John Donne’s “Sun Rising” is a very good example of an aubade.
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B.A. English Honours
2007
Objective Questinos (including Tag Questions)
Paper I
1. What is an epic? Name one Indian and one Western epic.
It is very hard to define an epic. In its strict sense of the term epic is a work that is a long verse narrative
on a serious subject, told in a formal and elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on
whose actions depends the fate of a fate of a tribe, a nation or the human race.
The Ramayana as an example of Indian epic. And The Iliad is a an example of western epic.
2. Why is the Age of Pope referred as the Augustan Period?
The period which begins from Restoration and ends with the death of Alexander Pope ((1690-1744) is
called by many historians as Augustan period because a tendency to imitate the original Roman poets like
Horace, Virgil can be seen. These Roman poets belonged to the century when Rome was being ruled by
Augustus Caesar and this period is considered the most prosperous period of Roman history in terms of
literature.
3. To which age is the term “The Return to Nature” given and why?
The Romantic Age is sometimes defined subjectively as “The Return to Nature”.
It was called so, because in this period, men of letters thought that the main inspiration of their
literature should not be other classical works but the nature itself. Nature is thus manifested in different
aspects of their literature.
4. How does Shakespeare differ from the other Elizabethan sonneteers?
Shakespeare differs from the other Elizabethan sonneteers in two grounds. Thematically, he never put his
object of love on high pedestal and worship him/her. Object of love to him is a natural human being who
has many faults along with his/her qualities. Secondly, he divided his sonnets into a stanza of twelve lines
and a couplet. While the other Elizabethan sonneteers mainly divided their sonnets in octave and sestet,
following Petrarchan tradition.
5. Name two important elegies and their authors.
Two important elegies are “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”(1757) by Thomas Gray and
Lord Alfred Tennyson’s In Memoriam (1850).
6. What is problem play? Name a problem play and its author.
Problem Play is a type of drama that was popularized by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. In
problem plays, the situation faced by the protagonist is put forward by the author as a representative
instance of a contemporary social problems; often the dramatist manages---by the use of a character who
speaks for the author, or by the evolution of the plot, or both---to propose a solution to the problem
which is at odds with prevailing opinion.
7. Name two important literary critics of the 20th
century.
Two most important literary critics of the 20th
century are T.S. Eliot and I.A. Richards.
8. Who are called Cavalier poets and why?
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Cavalier poet is a broad term that describes a group of poets who supported King Charles I in the Civil
War. Charles I was a connoisseur of good art, specially masques, poetry and drama. He demanded the
production of such art form from this group of poets. Originally, the term ‘cavalier’ came from Italian
‘Chevalier’ meaning horse rider. Actually these poets were horse riding knights. The most prominent
Cavalier poets are Ben Jonson, Robert Herrick, Thomas Carew and John Suckling.
9. Mention two Victorian essayists dealing with social and moral themes.
Thomas Carlyle(1795-1881), author of the History of the French Revolution and John Ruskin(1819-1900),
author of The Seven Lamps of Architecture are two Victorian essayists dealing with social and moral
themes.
10. Name the editors of Shakespeare’s First Folio and the year in which it was published.
The First Folio of Shakespeare was edited by John Heminges and Henry Condell.
It was published in 1623.
11. Name the king dethroned by the Glorious Revolution. Who came to power after the Revolution?
King James II was dethroned by the Glorious Revolution (1688).
After the dethronement of King James II, William III of England came into power.
12. Point out two major historical events that took place in the age of Chaucer.
The two major historical events that took place in the age of Chaucer are Hundred Years of War between
England and France (1337-1453) and Black Death, a Plague epidemic that was rampant mostly from 1348
to 1349.
13. Name five sections of The Waste Land.
The five sections of The Waste Land are (a) “The Burial of the Dead”, (b) “A Game of Chess”, (c) “The Fire
Sermon”, (d) “Death by Water”, and (e) “What the Thunder Said”.
14. Name two of T.S. Eliot’s critical essays.
Two famous critical essays by T.S. Eliot are “Tradition and Individual Talent” and “Hamlet and his
Problems”.
15. Name two attempts of writing English epics after Paradise Lost.
After Milton’s Paradise Lost, there were several attempts to write epics in English language. Notable two
attempts are Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound and Thomas Hardy’s Dynasts.
16. Name any two works of an Absurd playwright.
Waiting for Godot and Endgame are two absurd dramas by Samuel Beckett.
17. What is Oxford Movement? Who was the leader of the movement?
It is a religious movement of High Church Anglicans. The members of this movement are closely
associated with Oxford University. The members of the movement emphasized on the reinstatement of
lost Christian tradition of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy and theology.
The leaders of the movement are John Keble and John Henry Newman.
18. Where did the Reformation Movement start first and in which year?
Reformation Movement, the great religious movement of the 16th
century, aiming to reform the doctrines
and practices of the Church of Rome, began in Germany under the leadership of Martin Luther and in
Geneva under the leadership of Calvin.
In 1517, Martin Luther initiated the Reformation Movement by nailing 95 thesis in the door of
Wittenberg Church.
19. Who participated in the lying match held in John Heywood’s The Four P’s?
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Peddler, Palmer, Pardoner and Poticary are the four characters who participated in the lying match held in
John Heywood’s The Four P’s.
20. Who introduced Pindaric Ode in English and why is it called?
Abraham Cowley introduced a loose version of Pindaric Odes in 1656. Though many poets in English
literature composed this type of poems, prominent is Thomas Gray’s “The Progress in Poesy” (1575).
Pindar was a lyric poet of Greece of 5th
century B.C. He used to employ a triadic structure dealing
with victories in the game of Olympia and elsewhere. As Cowley and Gray’s above mentioned poems are
inspired by this difficult model, thus they are called Pindaric Ode.
21. Name two movements in art that had impact on Poetry in the 20th
century.
Expressionism, which flourished from 1905 to 1910 deeply influenced the 20th
century Poetry. Artists,
deviated from the Classical Art form and intended to express their inner emotions in their works.
Moreover, surrealism, which grew when the anger after the World War I subsided, and which
explores the inner psyche, influenced the 20th
century poetry very much.
22. Give the names of four poets associated with the Decadent movement.
Peter Allenberg, Max Beerbohm, H.G. Wells and Oscar Wilde are some of the poets associated with the
Decadent movement.
23. Name two pioneering sixteenth century translators of the Bible.
In 1526, William Tyndale translated and published The New Testament into English language. In 1535,
Myles Coverdale first translated the complete Bible into English language.
24. Name two scientific fantasies written by H. G. Wells.
Time Machine and Invisible Man are two scientific fantasies written by H.G. Wells.
25. Name the four manuscripts in which the surviving Old English poetry is preserved.
Most Old English poetry is preserved in four manuscripts of the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The
Beowulf manuscript (British Library) contains Beowulf, Judith, and three prose tracts; the Exeter Book
(Exeter Cathedral) is a miscellaneous gathering of lyrics, riddles, didactic poems, and religious narratives;
the Junius Manuscript (Bodleian Library, Oxford)—also called the Caedmon Manuscript, even though its
contents are no longer attributed to Caedmon—contains biblical paraphrases; and the Vercelli Book
(found in the cathedral library in Vercelli, Italy) contains saints' lives, several short religious poems, and
prose homilies.
B.A. English Honours
2008
Objective Questinos (including Tag Questions)
Paper I1. Name two Anglo-Saxon Elegies that have stanza pattern and refrain.
Deor and Husband’s Message are two Anglo-Saxon Elegies that have stanza pattern and refrain.
2. Why are the years 1066 and 1215 important in the history of England?
In 1066 Norman Conquest occurred in which in the Battle of Hastings William, the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy defeated Harold II, King of England. As a result, William, the Conqueror became king of England.
In 1215, at the time of reign of John, Magna Carta, the first treaty of individual liberty was passed by the English Parliament.
3. Name two major works of Chaucer’s French period.
Parliament of Fouls and The Book of the Duchess are two major works of Chaucer’s French period.
4. What is the meaning of “Astrophel and Stella” in the sonnet sequence of Sidney? How many sonnets are there in the sequence?
In Greek ‘Aster’ means star and ‘phil’ means lover, ‘Stella’ means star. So, in a way ‘astrophel’ means lover of the star.
5. State the span of the Jacobean age in English literature. How is the term (Jacobean) derived?
Jacobean age spans from 1603 to 1625, which corresponds to James I’s reign.
King James had a Latin name ‘Jacobus’. From it the term Jacobean derived.
6. Why are the years 1642 and 1688 important in the history of England?
In 1642 The Great Civil War of England began.
In 1688, Glorious Revolution occurred.
7. Who is the author of “Imaginary Conversation”? When was it published?
Walter Savage Landor is the author of “Imaginary Conversation”.
The first volume of it was published in 1824 and the fifth volume that is the last volume was published in 1829.
8. Why are the years 1611 and 1798 important in the history of England?
The Authorized Version of Bible was published in 1611.
In 1798 Wordsworth and Coleridge jointly published the first edition of Lyrical Ballads which sets the norm of poetry in the romantic period.
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9. D.G. Rossetti started a journal. What was the title of the journal? How long did it continue?
D.G. Rossetti started The Jerm, the journal of Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood.
The Jerm was first published in January, 1850 and it continued upto April, 1850. Only four issues of it were published.
10. Name the authors of “Sonnets from the Portuguese” and “Modern Painters”.
Author of Sonnets from the Portuguese was Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
John Ruskin is the author of Modern Painters.
11. What is a “Gothic” novel? Name two of them.
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism’s origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled “A Gothic Story”. The effect of Gothic fiction feeds on a pleasing sort of terror, an extension of Romantic literary pleasures that were relatively new at the time of Walpole’s novel. Melodrama and parody (including self-parody) were other long-standing features of the Gothic initiated by Walpole.
Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto and Anne Radcliffe’s The Myteries of Udalpho are examples of Gothic novel.
12. Who has written the play Justice? What is it about?
Justice was written by John Galsworthy.
Galsworthy here pointed out inhuman nature of judicial system.
13. When did Georgian poetry flourish? Name two major Georgian poets.
Georgian poetry flourished from 1911 to 1922.
Lascelles Abercrombie and Walter de la Mare are two major Georgian poets.
14. Give the names of two Irish dramatists and mention one play by each of them.
George Bernard Shaw and James Millington Synge are the two Irish dramatists.
One of the play of George Bernard Shaw was Arms and the Man. James Millington wrote a memorable drama, Riders to the Sea.
15. What is your idea of a heroic poem? (Tag Questions)
Heroic Poem is a narrative verse that is elevated in mood and uses a dignified, dramatic, and formal style to describe the deeds of aristocratic warriors and rulers. It is usually composed without the aid of writing and is chanted or recited to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument. It is transmitted orally from bard to bard over generations.
16. How the Interludes are related to these plays?
Interludes are small plays that are being enacted in the middle of two acts of Miracle and morality plays.
17. Is the term ‘metaphysical’ a misnomer?
Metaphysical poetry have several characteristics, among them haeterogenous ideas are one but not the sole criteria. So it can be said that ‘metaphysical’ is a term which is to some
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extent a misnomer.
18. Why did the novel arise in the 18th century?
In 18th century, due to the advent of printing press the production cost of books came to down to a significant level. On the other hand, gentry class could afford to buy books and spend leisure time in reading books. So a huge demand for books was felt. In this context novel, a new popular form of literature arises.
19. How do Scott and Jane Austen differ from each other.
Scott’s world is very wide, almost the cosmos. He rendered his stories against a monumental background. Little attention was given to the detail. On the other hand, Austen perfected herself in the miniature world. Her scope of the novels are very narrow. But within the narrow scope she dealt with such detail, that we are mesmerized.
20. What are the main characteristics of One Act play?
An One Act play is spanned against very short time in contrast to a full play of five acts. It is very selective in nature. It deals with very limited number of characters. Most of the stories are told in such a way that some hints of past incidents are made but not enacted on the stage. Main points of the play are deliberately highlighted. These are the characteristics of an One Act play.
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B.A. English Honours
2009
Objective Questinos (including Tag Questions)
Paper IName the four manuscripts in which the surviving Old English poetry is preserved.1.
The four manuscripts in which the surviving Old English poetry is preserved are (a) Cotton Vitallius A XV or Beowulf manuscript which is kept in Brtish Museum, containing Beowulf, Judith and three prose works, (b) Exeter Book, given by Bishop Leofricto Exeter Cathedral, containing Christ, Juliana, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, Widsith, Deor, and many other short pieces, (c) Junius Manuscript in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, containing Genesis, Exodus, Daniel, and Christ and Satan and (d) The Vercelli Book, preserved in the cathedral library at Vercelli, in northern Italy, which contains Andreas, The Fates of the Apostles, Address of the Soul to the Body, The Dream of the Rood and Elene.
How are the metrical romances of the Middle English period classified according to their subject matter?2.
According to their subject matter, metrical romances of the Middle English period can be classified in five categories---(a) Matter of France, example, Chanson de Roland, Sir Firumbras, (b) Matter of Britain, example, Brut, Arthur and Marlin,(c) Matter of England, example, Richard Coeur de Lion, Guy of Warwick, (d) Matter of Rome, example, The Destruction of Troy, King Alisaunder, (e) Miscellaneous romance, example, William of Palerne, Floris and Blanchfleur.
Indicate the year in which ‘Tottel’s Miscellany’ was published. What does the collection consist of ?3.
Tottel’s Miscellany was published in 1557.
It consists of chief works Thomas Wyatt and Surrey.
Name two cavalier poets. Why are they so called?4.
Robert Herrick and Richard Lovelace are the two Cavalier poets.
They are the supporters of Charles I in the 17 th century Civil War. The word ‘Cavalier’ came from Italian ‘chevalier’ meaning ‘horse rider’. All of these poets used to be the courtiers and subsequently horse riders. From this they are called Cavalier poets.
What is the first extant English comedy? Name the author.5.
The first extant of English comedy is Ralph Roister Doister. Probably it was written in 1553/54
and was registered in 1566/67.
Nicholas Udall, the headmaster of the prestigious Eton school was the author of it.
Name the English queen under whom Shakespeare wrote his plays.6.
Shakespeare wrote his plays under queen Elizabeth I.
Who wrote 7. The Shoemaker’s Holiday? Is it a novel, a poem or a play?
Thomas Dekker wrote The Shoemaker’s Holiday (1599).
It is an Elizabethan play.
What is a picaresque novel? Give two examples.8.
The word ‘picaresque’ came from Spanish word ‘picaro’ which literally meant ‘rogue’. It is a subgenre of fiction which is satirical in nature and depicts in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventure of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. This style of novel originated in sixteenth century Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It continues to influence modern literature.Fielding’s Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews of Henry Fielding are the two examples of picaresque novel.
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Give the names of two English literary journals in the nineteenth century.9.
The Athenaeum edited by John Aikin and The Contemporary Review are the two English literary journals of the nineteenth century.
Whose deaths are mourned respectively by Percy Bysshe Shelley in his 10. Adonais and Matthew Arnold in his Thyrsis?
John Keats’ untimely death was mourned by his fellow poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in his Adonais.
In Thyrsis Matthew Arnold mourned the death of Arthur Hugh Clough, his fellow poet who died in November, 1861 only at the age of 42.
Who are the Bronte sisters? Mention one major work of each of his works.11.
Bronte sisters are Charlotte Brontee, Emily Brontee and Anne Brontee who contributed significantly in the field of Victorian novel.
One of the major novels of Charlotte Brontee Jane Eyre (1847). Emily Brontee’s major novel is Wuthering Heights (1847). One of the major novels of Anne Brontee is Agnes Grey.
What is the real name of George Orwell? Mention one of his works. 12.
Real name of George Orwell is Eric Arthur Blair.
Nineteen eighty four was one of the major works of George Eliot.
Name one novel of each of Arnold Bennett and H.G. Wells. 13.
The Old Wives Tale (1908) is one of the novels written by Arnold Bennett.
Time Machine (1895) is one of the novels written by H. G. Wells.
Name the two journals edited by T.S. Eliot and F.R. Leavis respectively.14.
The Criterion was edited by T.S. Eliot.
Scrutiny is the journal edited by F.R. Leavis.
In what century Cynewulf write? In what letters did Cynewulf sign his poems? (Tag Questions)15.
Cynewulf used to write in ninth century.
Cynewulf signed his poems in Runic letters.
Who are known as Universith Wits? (Tag Questions)16.
The University Wits are a group of late 16th century playwrights who were educated at the universities (Oxford or Cambridge) and who became playwrights and popular secular writers. Prominent members of this group were Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, and Thomas Nashe from Cambridge, and John Lyly, Thomas Lodge, George Peele from Oxford.
Mention the title of any two restoration comedy. (Tag Questions)17.
William Wicherley’s The Country Wife and The Rover are the two restoration comedies.
Who are the Lake poets and why are they so called? (Tag Questions)18.
William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge and Southey are generally referred to as Lake Poets.
They are called so because they used to live in Lake District of England.
Who wrote 19. Sartor Resartus? What is the meaning of the title? (Tag Questions)
Carlyle wrote Sartor Resartus.
It meant ‘Tailored, retailored’.
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Who are the major ‘modern poets’? (Tag Questions)20.
T. S. Eliot, W. H. Auden, Ezra Pound, etc, are major ‘modern poets’.
What does the phrase ‘Stream of Consciousness mean’? (Tag Questions)21.
In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode that seeks to portray an individual’s point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character’s thought processes, either in a loose interior monologue, or in connection to his or her actions.
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English (Honours) 2010
Paper I
Objective1. Why is the year 1066 important?
In 1066 Harold, son of Edward the Confessor and king of England were defeated in the Battle of Hastings by William, the Conquerer, Duke of Normandy, France. As a result a paradigm shift is noted in the field of literature as well as in the field of culture. It is also believed that with this incident the Old English period ended and Medieval period began.
2. Name two allegorical poems of early Middle Ages.
Pearl and Purity are two allegorical poems of early Middle Ages.
3. Which poem of Chaucer deals with birds? To which period of his poetic career does this poem belong?
Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules or in modern spelling Parliament of Fowls deals with birds.
It belongs to the Italian period of his poetic career.
4. What is an interlude? Mention two interludes.
Interlude is a short dramatic piece, especially of a light or farcical character, formerly introduced between the parts or acts of miracle and morality plays or given as part of other entertainments.
The Pride of Life (c1300-25) and Mankind (1465-70) are the two examples of interludes.
5. Name the authors of ‘The Shepherd’s Calendar’ and ‘Shepherd’s Garland’. When were the works published?
The Shepherd’s Calendar was published by Edmund Spenser and Shepherd’s Garland was published by Michael Drayton.
The Shepherd’s Calendar was published in 1579 and Shepherd’s Garland was published in 1893.
6. Name the School of Poetry with which John Donne was associated? Mention the title of Donne’s amorous lyrics.
John Donne was associated with Metaphysical School of Poetry.
The title of Donne’s amorous lyrics is Songs and Sonnets (1631)
7. What is a Masque? Mention one masque written by Ben Jonson.
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A masque involved music and dancing, singing and acting, within an elaborate stage design, in which the architectural framing and costumes might be designed by a renowned architect, to present a deferential allegory flattering to the patron.
The Masque of Blackness (1605) was written by Ben Jonson.
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8. When was the First Folio of Shakespeare published? Name the editors.
In 1623 the First Folio of Shakespeare published.
First Folio of Shakespeare was published by Heminges and Condell.
9. Name two Cavalier poets. Why are they called so?
Robert Herrick and Richard Lovelace are the two Cavalier poets.
They are the supporters of Charles I in the 17th century Civil War. The word ‘Cavalier’ came from Italian ‘chevalier’ meaning ‘horse rider’. All of these poets used to be the courtiers and subsequently horse riders. From this they are called Cavalier poets.
10. Name one personal satire written by Dryden. Whom did he satirize in the poem?
MacFlecknoe is the personal satire written by Dryden.
He satirizes Thomas Shadwell, another prominent poet of the time, in this satire.
11. What is the subject matter of Areopagitica?
Areopagitica is the book through which John Milton pleads for the liberty of press.
12. Who are the authors of ‘Adonais’ and ‘In Memoriam’? For whom were they written?
P. B. Shelley is the author of Adonais and Lord Alfred Tennyson is the author of In Memoriam.
Adonais was composed in memory of the John Keats who died very early. In Memoriam was composed to show respect to Arthur Henry Hallam, who died untimely.
13. When was The Waste Land published? Name the five sections of the poem.
The Waste Land was published in 1922.
The five section of the poem are: (a) The Burial of the Dead, (b) A Game of Chess, (c) The Fire Sermon, (d) Death by Water, and (e) What the Thunder Said.
14. Name the poets associated with the imagist movement. Name the magazine of the movement.
Hilda Doolittle, Hariet Monroe, etc are associated with the imagist movement.
“Poetry” is the name of the magazine associated with the imagist movement.
15. Name an Anglo-Saxon lyric in which there is no melancholy. (Tag questions)
In The Seafarer there is very little melancholy.
16. Name one famous contemporary of Chaucer and mention one of his works. (Tag questions)
William Langland is one famous contemporary of Chaucer.
His Piers Plowman is the most famous work.
17. Why is the Jacobean age called so? (Tag questions)
James I who became king after Queen Elizabeth in 1603 had Latin name ---Jacob. From this the period is called Jacobean period.
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18. Name the book by Fielding which was initially conceived as a parody of Richardson’s Pamela. (Tag questions)
Joseph Andrews, a novel by Henry Fielding was initially conceived as a parody of Richardson’s Pamela.
19. In which year the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood formed? (Tag questions)
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was formed in 1848.
20. Name a male exponent of stream of consciousness novel. (Tag questions)
James Joyce was a male exponent of stream of consciousness novel.
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English (Honours) 2011
Paper I
Objective1. Who composed “Tottel’s Miscellany” and when was it published?
Richard Tottel (c.1530-94) published “Tottel’s Miscellany”. Its original name was Songs and Sonnets and here chief works of Thomas Wyatt and Surrey were published for the first time.
It was published in 1557.
2. What is the first extant of English comedy? Name the author.
The first extant of English comedy is Ralph Roister Doister. Probably it was written in 1553/54 and was registered in 1566/67.
Nicholas Udall, the headmaster of the prestigious Eton school was the author of it.
3. Give the name of two authors who wrote on the theme of Troilus and Cressida.
Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare, two of the greatest authors of all time wrote a poem and a play respectively on the theme of Troilus and Cressida.
4. In which poem does Chaucer sing in praise of virtuous women? To which period of his poetic career does this work belong?
Legend of Good Women, a poem in vision, and composed in iambic pentameter and decasyllabic couplet is the poem in which Chaucer praised virtuous women.
It belonged to the period of ‘Italian phase’.
5. What is a picaresque novel? Give two examples.
The word ‘picaresque’ came from Spanish word ‘picaro’ which literally meant ‘rogue’. It is a sub-genre of fiction which is satirical in nature and depicts in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventure of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. This style of novel originated in sixteenth century Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It continues to influence modern literature.
Fielding’s Tom Jones and Joseph Andrews of the same author are the two examples of picaresque novel.
6. Who is the author of Imaginary Conversations? When was it published?
Imaginary Conversations was written by Walter Savage Landor.
It has six volumes which were published gradually from 1824 to 1844.
7. What is a Gothic novel? Name two of them?
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism’s origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled “A Gothic Story”.
Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein are two very famous Gothic novel.
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8. How are these two years---1789 and 1798 significant in the history of English literature?
1789 is the year in which French Revolution took place. Its influence on English literature, especially on the literature that belonged to the Romantic period is tremendous.
In 1798, William Wordsworth and S.T. Coleridge published Lyrical Ballads, the collection of poems that set the trend of romantic poetry.
9. What is a problem play? Name a play and its author.
The problem play is a form of drama that emerged during the 19th century as part of the wider movement of realism in the arts. It deals with contentious social issues through debates between the characters on stage, who typically represent conflicting points of view within a realistic social context.
Arms and the Man written by George Bernard Shaw is one example of problem play.
10. Name two leading literary critics and two major journals of the 20th century.
Among many literary critics of the 20th century, we can name T.S. Eliot and I. A. Richards as the two leading literary critics.
Times Literary Supplement and Egoist are two major literary journals of the 20th century.
11. Name two famous literary works published in 1922.
In 1922, T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, a long poem which is perhaps the most well-known literary landmark and James Joyce’s Ulysses, the magnum opus of the author were published.
12. Name one novel of Aldous Huxley and one of Joseph Conrad.
Eyeless in Gaza (1936) was a novel written by Aldous Huxley.
Heart of Darkness (1899) was a novel written by Joseph Conrad.
13. Name the authors who bore the pen name George Eliot and George Orwell respectively.
The real name of George Eliot was Mary Ann Evans and the real name of George Orwell was Eric Arthur Blair.
14. Name the authors of Aurora Leigh and The Mill on the Floss.
The author of Aurora Leigh was Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
The author of The Mill on the Floss was George Eliot.
15. How would you identify the poems of Cynewulf? (Tag question)
Four surviving poems composed by Cynewulf were signed in Runic letters by the poet. By these signature, we completely identify the poems of Cynewulf.
16. What do you understand by the terms ‘Morality play’ and ‘Miracle play’? (Tag question)
Morality plays are a type of allegory in which the protagonist is met by personifications of various moral attributes who try to prompt him to choose a Godly life over one of evil.
Miracle plays, or Saint’s plays, are now distinguished from mystery plays as they specifically re-enacted miraculous interventions by the saints, particularly St. Nicholas or St. Mary, into the lives of ordinary people, rather than biblical events.
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17. What is metaphysical poetry? (Tag question)
‘Metaphysical poetry’ is an umbrella term which fits very diverse poets to indicate a common poetic style, use of figurative language, and way of organizing the meditative process or the poetic argument.
18. Name two essays published in “The Spectator”. (Tag question)
“Mischiefs of Party Spirit” by Josesph Addison and “The Art of Story Telling” by Richard Steele are the two essays among many published in “The Spectator”.
19. Who are known as the Precursors of Romanticism and why? (Tag question)
There was a group of 18th century poets who showed ample evidence of romantic chracteristics in their poems. Among them, James Thomson, Oliver Goldsmith, etc. are the main poets. As they belong to the age of prose and reason yet displaying some characteristics of romantic trends, they are considered as harbinger of romantic age. So they are called “Precursors of Romanticism”.
20. Name two books published in 1859. (Tag question)
In 1859 Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities and Darwin’s The Origin of Species were published.
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