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Paper 2

British Literature,

American Literature,

Afro-American Literature,

African Literature,

Caribbean Literature,

Canadian Literature,

Australian Literature,

Indian Literature

Syllabus Paper 2

Objective Type Paper

No Of Qs - 150

Marks - 75

Negative Marking - 1/3

• British Literature through the Ages-

  • Renaissance

  • Elizabethan

  • Jacobean

  • Neo Classical

  • Romantic

  • Victorian

  • Modern

• American and Non-British English Literature

  • American Literature from Sixteenth Century to the Present Day

  • Afro-American Literature

  • African Literature

  • New Literature (Caribbean, Canadian & Australian)

• Indian Writing in English

  • Colonial

  • Post-Colonial

  • Dalit

  • Diaspora

1. Identify the poet who wrote these iconic lines:

"To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour..."

(1) William Wordsworth

(2) William Blake

(3) William Cowper

(4) William Collins

Ans. (2) William Blake

These iconic lines are from William Blake's poem "Auguries of Innocence".

2. The Inchcape Rock is written by:

(1) Robert Southey

(2) Coleridge

(3) Walter Scott

(4) John Keats

Ans. (1) Robert Southey

Beginning:

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The Ship was still as she could be;
Her sails from heaven received no motion,
Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flow’d over the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

The worthy Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.

This poem narrates a tale of Sir Ralph the Rover, a ruthless pirate, who cuts the warning bell from the Inchcape Rock. Despite the calm weather and cheerful atmosphere, Ralph's malicious act foreshadows his impending doom.

As the poem progresses, the tone shifts to one of fear and anxiety. The thick haze and rising moon create an atmosphere of uncertainty, while the sound of the breakers indicates the proximity of danger. The absence of the bell's warning sound becomes a haunting reminder of Ralph's recklessness.

The poem concludes with the ship striking the rock and the despair of Sir Ralph. The sound of the bell ringing below symbolizes the ultimate retribution for his evil deed. The poem's concise and straightforward language effectively conveys the themes of good versus evil, justice, and the consequences of actions.

Compared to Southey's other works, "Inchcape Rock" lacks the introspective and melancholic nature of his later poems. Instead, it presents a more straightforward and action-packed narrative. In terms of the time period, the poem reflects the prevailing Romantic fascination with the power of nature and the consequences of human intervention.

Robert Southey: Robert Southey (1774 – 1843) was an English poet of the Romantic school, and Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death. Like the other Lake Poets, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Southey began as a radical but became steadily more conservative as he gained respect for Britain and its institutions. Other romantics such as Byron accused him of siding with the establishment for money and status. He is remembered especially for the poem "After Blenheim" and the original version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

"After Blenheim" is an anti-war poem written by Robert Southey in 1796. The poem is set at the site of the Battle of Blenheim (1704), with the questions of two small children about a skull one of them has found. Their grandfather, an old man, tells them of burned homes, civilian casualties, and rotting corpses, while repeatedly calling it "a famous victory".

3. The Heart of Midlothian focusses on the riots of which of the following city ?

(1) Glasgow

(2) Dundee

(3) St. Andrews

(4) Edinburgh

Ans. (4) Edinburgh

The Heart of Mid-Lothian is the seventh of Sir Walter Scott's Waverley Novels. It was originally published in four volumes on 25 July 1818, under the title of Tales of My Landlord, 2nd series, and the author was given as "Jedediah Cleishbotham, Schoolmaster and Parish-clerk of Gandercleugh". The main action, which takes place between September 1736 and May 1737, is set in motion by the Porteous Riots in Edinburgh and involves an epic journey from Edinburgh to London by a working-class girl to obtain a royal commutation of the death penalty incurred by her sister for the alleged murder of her new-born baby.

4. Who described Romanticism as "liberalism in literature" ?

1) Watts Dunton

(2) Victor Hugo

(3) Richard Hurd

(4) Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Ans. (2) Victor Hugo

5. Which of Byron's significant work begins thus :

"I want a hero : an uncommon want, when every year and month sends forth a new one ." ?

(1) Cain

(2) Beppo

(3) Don Juan

(4) Manfred

Ans. (3) Don Juan

Don Juan is an English unfinished satirical epic poem written by Lord Byron that portrays the Spanish folk legend of Don Juan, not as a womaniser as historically portrayed, but as a victim easily seduced by women. Don Juan is a poem written in ottava rima and presented in 16 cantos in which Lord Byron derived the character of Don Juan from traditional Spanish folk legends; however, the story was very much his own. Lord Byron scornfully dedicated Don Juan to his artistic rival Robert Southey.

Beginning:

I want a hero: an uncommon want,
    When every year and month sends forth a new one,
Till, after cloying the gazettes with cant,
    The age discovers he is not the true one;
Of such as these I should not care to vaunt,
    I’ll therefore take our ancient friend Don Juan—
We all have seen him, in the pantomime,
Sent to the devil somewhat ere his time.

6.Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is a narrative of a woman in conflict with her ……………………… and …………………

(1) family circumstances, natural desires

(2) natural desires, social condition

(3) family restrictions, external pressures

(4) social bondings, family loyalties

Ans. (2) natural desires, social condition

Jane Eyre (originally published as Jane Eyre: An Autobiography) is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" in 1847. Jane Eyre is divided into 38 chapters. It was originally published in three volumes in the 19th century, consisting of chapters 1 to 15, 16 to 27, and 28 to 38. The second edition was dedicated to William Makepeace Thackeray. The novel is a first-person narrative from the perspective of the title character.

5 Stages of Jane Eyre’s Life:

• Jane's childhood at Gateshead Hall

• her education at Lowood School

• her time as governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with her mysterious employer, Edward Fairfax Rochester

• her time in the Moor House

• and ultimately her reunion with, and marriage to, her beloved Rochester

7. Which character of Hardy dies whispering Job's curse ; "Let the day perish wherein I was born"?

(1) Eustacia

(2) Henchord

(3) Tess

(4) Jude

Ans. (4) Jude

The phrase "Let the day perish wherein I was born" is a quote from the biblical Book of Job, specifically Job 3:3. In Thomas Hardy's novel "Jude the Obscure,", Jude Fawley repeatedly echoes this sentiment, expressing his deep despair and suffering. This phrase encapsulates Jude's wish to have never been born, highlighting his profound misery and the perceived futility of his life. 

Jude the Obscure is Hardy's 14th and last published novel, originally printed in abridged form in Harper's New Monthly Magazine (1894-5, as Hearts Insurgent), then in the 1895 edition of his works. In the author's words, it is a story 'of a deadly war waged between flesh and spirit'. Jude Fawley, a young Wessex villager of exceptional intellectual promise, is encouraged by the schoolmaster Phillotson, and conceives the ambition of studying at Christminster (which represents Oxford).

8. "Roll On thou deep and dark blue ocean roll"

The above is an extract from Byron's :

(1)Don Juan

(2) A Vision of Judgement

(3) Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

(4) Hebrew Melodies

Ans. (3) Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

a poem in Spenserian stanzas by Byron, of which the first two cantos appeared in 1812, Canto III in 1816, and Canto IV in 1818. The poem describes the travels, experiences, and reflections of a self-styled and self-exiled pilgrim, Childe Harold, whose wanderings correspond in many ways to Byron's own. Harold, a melancholy, defiant outcast, is the first of a series of histrionic Byronic heroes: his character reappears, with little significant development, in The Corsair, Manfred, and other works. The first two cantos were published "at the urging of friends" by John Murray in 1812 and brought both the poem and its author to immediate and unexpected public attention. Byron later wrote, "I awoke one morning and found myself famous".

9. The chapter ‘Murdering the innocents' occurs in which novel by Charles Dickens?

(1) Bleak House

(2) Oliver Twist

(3) Hard Times

(4) Dombey and Son

Ans. (3) Hard Times

Hard Times: For These Times (commonly known as Hard Times) is the tenth novel by English author Charles Dickens, first published in 1854. The book surveys English society and satirises the social and economic conditions of the era. It is the shortest of Dickens' novels. Moreover, it is his only novel not to have scenes set in London. Instead the story is set in the fictitious Victorian industrial Coketown. The novel is divided in three books and 37 chapters. Book I is entitled "Sowing", Book II is entitled "Reaping", and the third is "Garnering." Superintendent Mr. Thomas Gradgrind opens the novel at his school in Coketown stating, "Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts" ‘Murdering the innocents' is the second chapter of the first book. Beginning of the novel:

‘Now, what I want is, Facts.  Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts.  Facts alone are wanted in life.  Plant nothing else, and root out everything else.  You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them.  This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children.  Stick to Facts, sir!’

10. …………………. believes that he is in his main purpose and effort, the enemy and destroyer of ‘Romanticism'.

(1) Newman

(2) Carlyle

(3) Ruskin

(4) Pater

Ans. (2) Carlyle

Thomas Carlyle (1795 – 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. Known as the "sage of Chelsea", his writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the Victorian era.

Major works by Carlyle:

• Sartor Resartus (1833–34)

• The French Revolution: A History (1837)

• On Heroes (1841)

• Past and Present (1843)

• Cromwell's Letters (1845)

• Latter-Day Pamphlets (1850),

• Frederick the Great (1858–65)

  Natural Supernaturalism is one of Thomas Carlyle's philosophical concepts. It derives from the name of a chapter in his novel Sartor Resartus (1833–34) in which it is a central tenet of Diogenes Teufelsdröckh's "Philosophy of Clothes". Natural Supernaturalism holds that "existence itself is miraculous, that life contains elements of wonder that can never be defined or eradicated by physical science."Natural Supernaturalism is based on the idea that nature (and its laws) is itself miraculous, being "of quite infinite depth, of quite infinite expansion"

  Carlyle postulated the Great Man theory, a philosophy of history which contends that history is shaped by exceptional individuals. This approach to history was first promulgated in his lectures On Heroes and given specific focus in longer studies like Cromwell and Frederick the Great.

  The Condition-of-England question was a debate in the Victorian era over the issue of the English working class during the Industrial Revolution. It was first proposed by Thomas Carlyle in his essay Chartism (1839).

11. In which novel of Thomas Hardy, there is a somber description of Egdon Heath at the beginning?

(1) Far From the Madding Crowd

(2) The Mayor of Casterbridge

(3) Jude the Obscure

(4) The Return of the Native

Ans. (4) The Return of the Native

Beginning: “A Saturday afternoon in November was approaching the time of twilight, and the vast tract of unenclosed wild known as Egdon Heath embrowned itself moment by moment. Overhead the hollow stretch of whitish cloud shutting out the sky was as a tent which had the whole heath for its floor.”

The novel takes place entirely in the environs of Egdon Heath, and, with the exception of the epilogue, Aftercourses, covers exactly a year and a day. The narrative begins on the evening of Guy Fawkes Night as Diggory Venn is slowly crossing the heath with his van, which is being drawn by ponies. In his van is a passenger. When darkness falls, the country folk light bonfires on the surrounding hills, emphasising the pagan spirit of the heath and its denizens.

12. "The old order changeth yielding place to new, and God fulfils himself in many ways, lest one good custom should corrupt the world".

Identify the poem -

1) 'Lotus Eaters'

(2) 'Ulysses'

(3) "The passing of Arthur”

(4) In memoriam'

Ans. (3) "The passing of Arthur”

The Passing of Arthur" refers to the death of King Arthur, often depicted as a pivotal moment in Arthurian legend, particularly in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's Idylls of the King. The story details Arthur's final battle, his mortal wounding, and his passing into Avalon. It emphasizes themes of loss, heroism, and the end of an era. This is the story told by Sir Bedivere, the last survivor of the Round Table. Bedivere asks Arthur what is to become of him now that the Round Table is destroyed and justice has vanished from the world. Arthur answers:

"The old order changeth, yielding place to new,
And God fulfils himself in many ways,
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.
Comfort thyself: what comfort is in me?
I have lived my life, and that which I have done
May He within himself make pure! but thou,
If thou shouldst never see my face again,

13. Which group of the following poets was called the "Auden Group" because they developed a style and subject similar to that of W.H. Auden?

(1)John Masefield, Edwin Muir, Norman McCaig

(2) Robert Bridges, John Masefield, W. Davies

(3) Stephen Spender, Louise, MacNeice, CD. Lewis

(4) G.M. Hopkins, Edwin Muir, Robert Burns

Ans. (3) Stephen Spender, Louise, MacNeice, CD. Lewis

The Auden Group, also called Auden Generation and sometimes simply the Thirties poets, was a group of British and Irish writers active in the 1930s that included

• W. H. Auden,

• Louis MacNeice,

• Cecil Day-Lewis,

• Stephen Spender,

• Christopher Isherwood

"MacSpaunday" was a name invented by Roy Campbell, in his Talking Bronco (1946), to designate a composite figure made up of the four poets:

• Louis MacNeice ("Mac")

• Stephen Spender ("sp")

• W. H. Auden ("au-n")

• Cecil Day-Lewis ("day")

14. What is the title of Lewis Carroll's sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?

(1) Through the Looking-Glass

(2) The Hunting of the Snark

(3) Punch

(4) Sylvie and Bruno

Ans. (1) Through the Looking-Glass

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (also known as Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 English children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatures. It is seen as an example of the literary nonsense genre. The artist John Tenniel provided 42 wood-engraved illustrations for the book.

Carroll published a sequel in 1871 entitled Through the Looking-Glass and a shortened version for young children, The Nursery "Alice", in 1890.

15. Towards the end of The Waste Land T.S. Eliot quotes a popular rhyme. Pick the correct option:

(1) Here we go round the Mulberry Bush

(2) Ring-a-ring a Roses

(3) London Bridge is Falling down

(4) Underneath the Mango tree

Ans. (3) London Bridge is Falling down

The popular nursery rhyme mentioned at the end of The Waste Land is "London Bridge Is Falling Down." At the end of the poem, Eliot calls back to the crowd mentioned in the first section, "The Burial of the Dead." He describes the crowd flowing over London Bridge and observes that "death had undone so many."

Ending of ‘The Waste Land’: (What the Thunder Said)

I sat upon the shore

Fishing, with the arid plain behind me

Shall I at least set my lands in order?

London Bridge is falling down falling down falling down

Poi s’ascose nel foco che gli affina

Quando fiam uti chelidon—O swallow swallow

Le Prince d’Aquitaine à la tour abolie

These fragments I have shored against my ruins

Why then Ile fit you. Hieronymo’s mad againe.

Datta. Dayadhvam. Damyata.

                  Shantih     shantih     shantih

16. Match List-I with List-II, and select the correct option from the options that follow:

List-I List-Il

a) Dissociation of sensibility (i) D.H. Lawrence

(b) Eros, Agape (ii) Virginia Woolf

(c) The Rainbow (iii) T.S.Eliot

(d) Stream of Consciousness (iv) W.H.Auden

Codes: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(1) (iv) (iii) (ii) (i)

(2) (ii) (iv) (iii) (i)

(3) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)

(4) (iii) (i) (ii) (iv)

Ans. (3) (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)

Ans. dissociation of sensibility, phrase used by T.S. Eliot in the essay “The Metaphysical Poets” (1921) to explain the change that occurred in English poetry after the heyday of the Metaphysical poets. According to Eliot, the dissociation of sensibility was a result of the natural development of poetry after the Metaphysical poets, who had felt “their thought as immediately as the odour of a rose”; this phenomenon—the “direct sensuous apprehension of thought,” or the fusion of thought and feeling—which Eliot called a mechanism of sensibility, was lost by later poets. Eliot gave evidence of the dissociation of sensibility in the more elevated language and cruder emotions of later poets.

Auden's theory of love distinguishes between eros and agape, contrasting passionate, self-centered love with selfless, unconditional love. He explores this dichotomy in his poetry, particularly in the context of his own life and the social and political upheavals of his time. 

Eros vs. Agape:

Eros: This refers to passionate, often sexual, love, driven by desire and self-interest. It can be possessive and lead to conflict.

Agape: This signifies selfless, unconditional love, a gift of grace that involves forgiveness and a sense of human limitation. It is a love that extends to all, recognizing the interconnectedness of humanity

The Rainbow is a novel by British author D. H. Lawrence, first published in 1915. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire, focusing particularly on the individual's struggle for growth and fulfilment within the confining structures of English social life. Lawrence's 1920 novel Women in Love is a sequel to The Rainbow.

Stream of consciousness is a literary technique that represents the continuous, unedited flow of a character's thoughts and sensory experiences, often mimicking the way the mind actually works. It's a form of interior monologue, but with a greater emphasis on capturing the fluid, associative nature of thought, including incomplete ideas, sensory impressions, and unusual syntax

17. Virginia Woolf’s Orlando is a fantasy based on the life, personality, ancestry and literary background of her friend.

(1) Victoria Sackville-West

(2) Emily Bronte

(3) George Eliot

(4) Christina Rossetti

Ans. (1) Victoria Sackville-West

Although both were married to men, the two women penned hundreds of poetic letters to each other, and their relationship would inspire one of Woolf’s most celebrated works, the 1928 novel Orlando. The relationship was clearly a source of inspiration for both women, but it was Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando that would cement her status as an established writer and her legacy as a master of modernism. Spanning over 300 years, the novel features a protagonist who switches gender in a fantastical exploration of the self and the other. It is based on Vita.” The work was so personal that Woolf wrote to Sackville-West asking for her permission. Vita replied, “My God Virginia, if ever I was thrilled and terrified it is at the prospect of being projected into the shape of Orlando.”

18. Which one of these poems by Ted Hughes is about writing a poem /creativity ?

(1) "Hawk Roosting"

(2) "Fern"

(3) "The Jaguar"

(4) "The Thought Fox"

Ans. (4) "The Thought Fox"

"The Thought Fox" was first published in the British poet Ted Hughes's debut collection, The Hawk in the Rain, in 1957. One of Hughes's most popular poems, "The Thought Fox" is about creativity, inspiration, and the process of writing poetry. Beginning:

I imagine this midnight moment's forest:
Something else is alive
Beside the clock's loneliness
And this blank page where my fingers move.

Ending: Till, with a sudden sharp hot stink of fox
It enters the dark hole of the head.
The window is starless still; the clock ticks,
The page is printed.

"Hawk Roosting" is taken from Hughes's second collection, Lupercal, a hawk is given the power of speech and thought, allowing the reader to imagine what it's like to inhabit the instincts, attitudes, and behaviors of such a creature.

19. The Comedy of Survival : Studies in Literary Ecology written by Joseph Meeker is-

(1) a founding work on neo- Romanticism

(2) a founding work on eco- criticism

(3) a book which criticizes feminism in literature

(4) a work on eco-feminism

Ans. (2) a founding work on eco- criticism (1972)

Ecocriticism is the study of literature and ecology from an interdisciplinary point of view, where literature scholars analyze texts that illustrate environmental concerns and examine the various ways literature treats the subject of nature. It was first originated by Joseph Meeker as an idea called "literary ecology" in his The Comedy of Survival: Studies in Literary Ecology (1972). The book argues that environmental crisis is caused primarily by a cultural tradition in the West of separation of culture from nature, and elevation of the former to moral predominance.

20. "Happiness is but an occasional episode in a general drama of pain." These are the last lines in Thomas Hardy's novel:

(1)The Return of the Native

(2) The Mayor of Casterbridge

(3) Tess of the D'Urbervilles

(4) Jude The Obscure

Ans. (2) The Mayor of Casterbridge

The opening line of Thomas Hardy's "The Mayor of Casterbridge" is: "One evening of late summer, before the nineteenth century had reached one-third of its span, a young man and woman, the latter carrying a child, were approaching the large village of Weydon-Priors, on foot." 

The opening line of Thomas Hardy's The Return of the Native is: "A Saturday afternoon in November was approaching the time of twilight, and the vast tract of open country known as Egdon Heath in precisely the direction of that part of it called Rainbarrow, presented a varied and impressive scene." The final line of the novel is: "Here, then, had passed away the last shadow of the Return." 

The opening lines of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" are: "On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore, or Blackmoor." The concluding lines are “Justice” was done, and the President of the Immortals, in Æschylean phrase, had ended his sport with Tess. And the d’Urberville knights and dames slept on in their tombs unknowing. The two speechless gazers bent themselves down to the earth, as if in prayer, and remained thus a long time, absolutely motionless: the flag continued to wave silently. As soon as they had strength, they arose, joined hands again, and went on.

The opening lines of Jude the Obscure are “The schoolmaster was leaving the village, and everybody seemed sorry. The miller at Cresscombe lent him the small white tilted cart and horse to carry his goods to the city of his destination, about twenty miles off, such a vehicle proving of quite sufficient size for the departing teacher’s effects. For the schoolhouse had been partly furnished by the managers, and the only cumbersome article possessed by the master, in addition to the packing-case of books, was a cottage piano that he had bought at an auction during the year in which he thought of learning instrumental music. But the enthusiasm having waned he had never acquired any skill in playing, and the purchased article had been a perpetual trouble to him ever since in moving house.” The concluding lines are “She may swear that on her knees to the holy cross upon her necklace till she’s hoarse, but it won’t be true!” said Arabella. “She’s never found peace since she left his arms, and never will again till she’s as he is now!”

21. Choose the option which is closest in meaning to the adjective, ‘Kafkaesque'.

(1) Invoking humour

(2) Characteristic of oppressive or nightmarish qualities

(3) Symbolizing sensibility, logic and reason

(4) Characteristic of peace and calm

Ans. (2) Characteristic of oppressive or nightmarish qualities

"Kafkaesque" describes situations that are unnecessarily complicated, illogical, and often nightmarishly so, particularly when dealing with bureaucracy. It's a term derived from the works of author Franz Kafka, known for his stories exploring themes of isolation, alienation, and the overwhelming power of bureaucratic systems. 

22. Which of the following is a drama of social ostracism based on the life of a famous Negro Jazz singer written by Edward Albee ?

(1) The American Dream

(2) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

(3) The Zoo Story

(4) The Death of Bessie Smith

Ans. (4) The Death of Bessie Smith

The Death of Bessie Smith is a one-act play by American playwright Edward Albee, written in 1959 and premiered in West Berlin the following year. The play consists of a series of conversations between Bernie and his friend Jack, Jack and an off-stage Bessie, and black and white staff of a whites-only hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on the death date of the famous blues singer, Bessie Smith, who died in a car wreck.

The American Dream is also a play by Edward Albee , a satire on American family life, concerns a married couple and their elderly mother. On a particular day, they are visited by two guests who turn their worlds upside down. Major characters are Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Mrs Barker.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a play by Edward Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of middle-aged couple Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they receive unwitting younger couple Nick and Honey as guests, and draw them into their bitter and frustrated relationship.The three-act play normally takes just under three hours to perform, with two 10 minute intermissions. The title is a pun on the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" from Walt Disney's Three Little Pigs (1933), substituting the name of the celebrated English author Virginia Woolf. Martha and George repeatedly sing this version of the song throughout the play.

23. (a) "Brahma" by Emerson owes its origin to the Brahmapurana and the Shivpurana.

(b) H.D. Thoreau was a transcendalist.

(c) Ichabod Crane is a creation of Irving.

Now choose the correct option :

(1) (a) is false; (b) & (c) are true.

(2) (b) is true, (a) & (c) are false.

(3) (a), b) & (c) are true.

(4) (a), (b) & (c) are false.

Ans. (1) (a) is false; (b) & (c) are true.

24. 'Naturalism' as a literary movement became a part of the American scene with the works of-

(1) Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, Jack London

(2) Ralph Emerson, Emily Dickinson

(3) Euegene O'Neill

(4) John Steinbeck

Ans. (1) Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, Jack London

Naturalism in American literature is a literary movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that portrays human lives as being determined by environment, heredity, and social forces.It presents characters who are often trapped by their circumstances and have little to no free will, with themes focusing on survival, social struggle, and the indifference of nature. Key authors include Stephen Crane, Frank Norris, and Theodore Dreiser. 

Theodore Dreiser: Sister Carrie (1900), Jennie Gerhardt (1911), The Financier (1912), The Titan (1914), and—much later—An American Tragedy (1925)

Stephen Crane: Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (1893) and The Red Badge of Courage (1895)

Frank Norris: McTeague (1899), The Octopus (1901), and The Pit (1903).

25. Joseph Conrad's trip to India gave him material for which of his novels

(1) Lord Jim

(2)Nostromo

(3) The Nigger of the "Narcissus"

(4) Heart of Darkness

Ans. (3) The Nigger of the "Narcissus"

Joseph Conrad: a Polish-British novelist and story writer. (1857-1924). He wrote novels and stories, many in nautical (connected with ships, sailors or sailing) settings. In September 1883 he shipped as mate on the Riversdale, leaving her at Madras to join the Narcissus at Bombay. This voyage gave him material for his novel The Nigger of the “Narcissus,” the story of an egocentric black sailor’s deterioration and death aboard ship. At about this time Conrad began writing his earliest known letters in the English language. Conrad was bored by school and yearned to go to sea. In 1874 Conrad left for Marseille with the intention of going to sea.

His major novels:

• Almayer's Folly (1895)

• The Nigger of the "Narcissus" (1897)

• Heart of Darkness (1899)

• Lord Jim (1900)

• The Inheritors (with Ford Madox Ford) (1901)

• Typhoon (1902, begun 1899)

• Romance (with Ford Madox Ford, 1903)

• Nostromo (1904)

• Under Western Eyes (1911)

  The Nature of a Crime (1923, with Ford Madox Ford)

• The Rover (1923)

• Suspense (1925; unfinished, published posthumously)

26. In "The Art of Fiction” Henry James refutes the claims made by …………………………….. in "Fiction as One of the Fine Arts".

(1) Walter Scott

(2) Walter Pater

(3) Walter Besant

(4) Victor Hugo

Ans. (3) Walter Besant

The Art of Fiction, critical essay by Henry James, published in 1884 in Longman’s Magazine. It was written as a rebuttal to “Fiction as One of the Fine Arts,” a lecture given by Sir Walter Besant in 1884, and is a manifesto of literary realism that decries the popular demand for novels that are saturated with sentimentality or pessimism. It was published separately in 1885. In The Art of Fiction, James disagrees with Besant’s assertions that plot is more important than characterization, that fiction must have a “conscious moral purpose,” and that experience and observation outweigh imagination as creative tools. James argues against these restrictive rules for writing fiction, responding that “no good novel will ever proceed from a superficial mind.” James emphasized the importance of a writer's freedom to create interesting and realistic fiction through observation and imagination. 

27. Gloria Watkins (bell hooks) in her seminal work “Ain't I a woman” articulates the problematic relationship between -

(1) White Men & Black Women

(2) Black Men & Black Women

(3) White Women & Black Women

(4) White Men White Women

Ans (3) White Women & Black Women

Speech: “Ain’t I a Woman?” → Sojourner Truth (1851)

Book: “Ain’t I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism” → bell hooks (Gloria Watkins) (1981)

Bell Hooks (whose real name was Gloria Watkins) was a modern feminist scholar and activist In this book, bell hooks argues that both the feminist movement and the civil rights movement often ignored Black women’s struggles. She shows how slavery, racism, and patriarchy have shaped Black women’s identities and how society continues to undervalue their voices and experiences. She also calls for a more inclusive feminism — one that fights for the rights of all women, not just white or privileged women.

28. Which of the following novels bears the NOTICE given below :

"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted ; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot",

(1) Roughing It

(2) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

(3) The Gilded Age

4) Life on the Mississippi

Ans. (2) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The phrase "persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted" is a humorous disclaimer at the beginning of Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". It was intended to tell readers to enjoy the story for what it is, rather than trying to overanalyze it with a single, hidden motive, moral, or plot. Twain's use of this notice sets a tone that emphasizes the story's adventure and the characters' experiences rather than a complex allegory

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a picaresque novel by American author Mark Twain that was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. It is commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local color regionalism. Being the direct sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, it is told in the first person by Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, the narrator of two other later Twain novels (Tom Sawyer Abroad and Tom Sawyer, Detective) and a friend of Tom Sawyer.

Beginning of the novel : “You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was Aunt Polly, or the widow, or maybe Mary. Aunt Polly—Tom’s Aunt Polly, she is—and Mary, and the Widow Douglas is all told about in that book, which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before.”

29. Choose the correct combination of the three sections in Toni Morrison's Playing in the Dark.

a. Romancing the Shadow

b. Black Matters

C. Black Consciousness

d. Disturbing Nurses and the Kindness of Sharks

(1) b-c-d

(2) a-c-d

(3) b-a-d

(4) a-b-c

Ans. (3) b-a-d

Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination is a 1992 work of literary criticism by Toni Morrison. In it, she develops a reading of major white American authors and traces the way their perceptions of blackness gave defining shape to their works, and thus to the American literary canon.

In 1990, Morrison delivered a series of three lectures at the William E. Massey Sr. Lectures in American Studies at Harvard University; she then adapted the texts into a 91-page book, Playing in the Dark, published in 1992 by Harvard University Press. The book's three chapters are "Black Matters", "Romancing the Shadow", and "Disturbing Nurses and the Kindness of Sharks". In Playing in the Dark, Morrison develops literary criticism of major white authors like Willa Cather, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ernest Hemingway, tracing the way their work dealt with and was shaped by their handling of the subject of blackness. She finds blackness playing a significant role in structuring these authors' works, and thus the American canon.

30. In which of the following novels does Ernest Hemingway use his experience of the Spanish Civil War-

(1) A Farewell to Arms

(2) For Whom the Bell Tolls

(3) The Old Man and the Sea

(4) The Sun Also Rises

Ans. (2) For Whom the Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a demolitions expert, he is assigned to blow up a bridge during an attack on the city of Segovia. The title comes from John Donne’s Meditation XVII: “No man is an island... never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” Robert Jordan is assigned to blow up a bridge during a Republican offensive in the Spanish Civil War He works with a local guerrilla band led by Pablo and Pilar As he plans the mission, he falls in love with María. The mission succeeds but at great cost — Robert is fatally wounded and stays behind to delay the enemy, sacrificing himself for others.

81. Choose the correct option to answer the following question : Which one of these, according to Poe, has truth as its aim?

(1) The poem

(2) The short tale

(3) The novel

(4) Romance

Ans. (1) The poem

The answer is marked “The Poem” in official answer key. But it might be wrong. Because Poe believed that beauty is the primary function of poetry.

Edgar Allan Poe's critical writings include essays like "The Philosophy of Composition," "The Poetic Principle," and "The Rationale of Verse," where he outlines his theories on literary art. He argued for "unity of effect" in both poetry and prose, emphasizing that works should be read in one sitting and create a single, strong impression.

Key essays on theory

• "The Philosophy of Composition": Poe details his methodical approach to writing, particularly explaining how he constructed his famous poem, "The Raven".

• "The Poetic Principle": This essay explores his views on poetry, including the idea that beauty is poetry's primary function and melancholy is its most "legitimate" tone.

• "The Rationale of Verse": Another significant work of literary criticism where Poe further explains his aesthetic theories.

• "The Importance of the Single Effect in a Prose Tale": An essay where Poe argues for the "unity of effect," meaning a short story should be crafted to produce a single, powerful emotional or intellectual impact on the reader. 

32. At the beginning of his most famous work ……………………the author …………………….. wrote, "Our age is retrospective".

(1) Impressions, Henry David Thoreau

(2) Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson

(3) Divinity, Henry David Thoreau

(4) Incarnation, Nathaniel Hawthorne

Ans. (2) Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson

Introduction: “OUR age is retrospective. It builds the sepulchres of the fathers. It writes biographies, histories, and criticism. The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of theirs? Embosomed for a season in nature, whose floods of life stream around and through us, and invite us by the powers they supply, to action proportioned to nature, why should we grope among the dry bones of the past, or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe? The sun shines to-day also. There is more wool and flax in the fields. There are new lands, new men, new thoughts. Let us demand our own works and laws and worship.In”

Nature is a book-length essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, published in 1836. In the essay Emerson put forth the foundation of transcendentalism, a belief system that espouses a non-traditional appreciation of nature. Transcendentalism suggests that the divine, or God, suffuses nature, and suggests that reality can be understood by studying nature. Emerson divides nature into four usages: Commodity, Beauty, Language, and Discipline. These distinctions define the ways by which humans use nature for their basic needs, their desire for delight, their communication with one another, and their understanding of the world. The essay consists of eight sections: Nature, Commodity, Beauty, Language, Discipline, Idealism, Spirit and Prospects. Each section adopts a different perspective on the relationship between humans and nature.

33. "All men recognize the right of revolution, that is, the right to refuse allegiance to and to resist, the government when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable." The above quote is taken from which of the following essays -

(1) William Paley - Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy

(2) Thoreau- Civil Disobedience

(3) Emerson- Self-Reliance

(d) Thoreau -Where I lived, and what I lived for.

Ans. (2) Thoreau- Civil Disobedience

"Resistance to Civil Government", also called "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" or "Civil Disobedience", is an essay by American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, first published in 1849. In it, Thoreau argues that individuals should prioritize their conscience over compliance with unjust laws, asserting that passive submission to government authority enables injustice. Thoreau was motivated by his opposition to slavery and the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), which he viewed as morally and politically objectionable.

Beginning of the essay: “I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe- "That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government. The standing army is only an arm of the standing government. The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure.”

34. Who is the author of the novel Age of Innocence?

(1)Joseph Heller

(2)Herman Melville

(3) Sinclair Lewis

(4)Edith Wharton

Ans. (4)Edith Wharton

The Age of Innocence is a novel by American author Edith Wharton, published in 1920. It won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making Wharton the first woman to win the prize.

Setting: New York City, 1870s – upper-class society

Awards: Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 1921 (first woman to win)

Main Characters

Newland Archer: Young lawyer and the protagonist. Torn between duty to society and personal desire.

May Welland: Newland’s fiancée; represents social propriety and innocence.

Ellen Olenska: Cousin of May; divorced and independent. Challenges the rigid conventions of New York society.

Mrs. Manson Mingott: Ellen’s wealthy grandmother; powerful figure in society.

Plot Summary : Newland Archer is engaged to May Welland, who embodies the ideal social norms. He meets Ellen Olenska, May’s cousin, recently divorced, independent, and unconventional. Newland falls in love with Ellen but is trapped by societal expectations. The novel explores Newland’s internal conflict between passion (love for Ellen) and duty (marriage to May). Ultimately, social pressure and fear of scandal force Newland to conform, sacrificing personal happiness.

35. Which novel of Steinbeck is acknowledged as his best and one of the most sensationally impressive book in American Literature ?

(1) The Pastures of Heaven

(2) The Grapes of Wrath

(3) The Pearl

(4) The Red Poney

Ans. (2) The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962. Set during the Great Depression, the novel focuses on the Joads, a poor family of tenant farmers driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, economic hardship, agricultural industry changes, and bank foreclosures forcing tenant farmers out of work. Due to their nearly hopeless situation, and in part because they are trapped in the Dust Bowl, the Joads set out for California on the "mother road", along with thousands of other "Okies" seeking jobs, land, dignity, and a future.

36. Which Afro-American writer introduced the idea of "double Consciousness"

(1) Toni Morrison

(2) W.E.B. DuBois

(3) Alice Walker

(4) Zora Neale Hurston

Ans. (2) W.E.B. DuBois

"Double consciousness," a term coined by W.E.B. Du Bois in his 1903 book The Souls of Black Folk, is the feeling of having two-ness: an internal sense of self and the perception of oneself as seen through the eyes of a dominant, often oppressive, society. This leads to a conflict between one's own feelings and the external, negative views imposed by a racist society, causing a struggle for African Americans to reconcile their black identity with their American identity.  

37. In which of his famous works did Henry David Thoreau write, "I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavour".

(1) Week on the Conrad

(2) Merrimack Rivers

(3) The Dial

(4) Walden

Ans. (4) Walden

Walden ( Walden; or, Life in the Woods) is an 1854 book by American transcendentalist writer Henry David Thoreau. The text is a reflection upon the author's simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and—to some degree—a manual for self-reliance. Walden details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts.

38. Indicate the period of Harlem Renaissance

(1) 1900-1915

(2) 1917-1930

(3)1850-1900

(4)1757-1857

Ans. (2) 1917-1930

The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural movement of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after The New Negro, a 1925 anthology edited by Alain Locke. Key figures included educator, writer, and philosopher Alain Locke, who was considered the movement’s leader; sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois, who helped found the NAACP; and Black nationalist Marcus Garvey. Among the notable writers were Claude McKay, author of Home to Harlem (1928); Langston Hughes, known as “the poet laureate of Harlem”; and Zora Neale Hurston, who celebrated Black culture of the rural South. Actor Paul Robeson, jazz musician Duke Ellington, and dancer and singer Josephine Baker were leading entertainers. Perhaps most prominent in the visual arts was painter Aaron Douglas, who was called the father of African American art.

39. Who is the author of Their Eyes were Watching God?

(1) Toni Morrison

(2) Zora Neale Hurston

(3) Chinua Achebe

(4) Alice Walker

Ans. (2) Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a 1937 novel by American writer Zora Neale Hurston. It is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance and Hurston's best-known work. The novel explores protagonist Janie Crawford's "ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny."

Setting: Early 20th century, Florida (rural South)

Main Characters: Janie Crawford: Protagonist; a strong, independent Black woman on a journey of self-discovery and love.

Logan Killicks: Janie’s first husband; represents security and societal expectation rather than love.

Joe “Jody” Starks: Janie’s second husband; ambitious and controlling, represents societal pressure and patriarchy.

Tea Cake (Vergible Woods):Janie’s third husband; kind, loving, and adventurous. Represents true love and freedom.

Pheoby Watson: Janie’s best friend and confidante.

Summary: Janie’s Journey: Married first to Logan for security → unfulfilling. Marries Joe Starks → experiences wealth and status but is stifled by his control. After Joe’s death, Janie meets Tea Cake → true love and companionship.

Key Events: Moves to Everglades with Tea Cake; they face hurricanes and social challenges. Tea Cake dies tragically from rabies after the hurricane. Janie returns home, having discovered her own strength, independence, and self-respect.

40. Who is the author of Invisible Man one of the major novels in the Black Literary canon?

(1) Ralph Ellison

(2) Maya Angelou

(3) James Baldwin

(4) Toni Morrison

Ans. (1) Ralph Ellison

Invisible Man is Ralph Ellison's first novel. It was first published in 1947, and addresses many of the social and intellectual issues faced by African Americans in the early 20th century, including black nationalism, the relationship between black identity and Marxism, and the reformist racial policies of Booker T. Washington, as well as issues of individuality and personal identity. Invisible Man won the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction in 1953, making Ellison the first African-American writer to win the award.

Unnamed Narrator (the “Invisible Man”) A young, intelligent African American man searching for identity and meaning in a racially divided society. He feels “invisible” because society refuses to see him as a real, individual human being.

Plot Summary: The narrator recalls his youth in the South. He gives a graduation speech but is humiliated in a “battle royal” arranged by white men. He attends a Black college but is expelled after taking a white trustee to see poor Black families, which embarrasses the college president. Goes to New York to find work. Joins a political organization called The Brotherhood, which initially promotes racial equality but later exploits him for its own agenda. Awakening: Disillusioned by racism, betrayal, and hypocrisy in both Black and white institutions, he withdraws from society. Ending: The narrator retreats underground (literally living in a basement full of light bulbs). He reflects on his identity and decides to “come out” someday to make meaning of his invisibility.

41. Which of the following is the first Afro-American poet of note in the United States ?

(1) Toni Morrison

(2) Harriet Jacobs

(3) Phillis Wheatley

(4) Francis Allen

Ans. (3) Phillis Wheatley

She was the first African American and enslaved woman to publish a book of poetry in English. Major Work Title: “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral” Published: 1773, in London. Significance: First book published by an African American woman.

Famous Poems: “On Being Brought from Africa to America”- Speaks of her journey from slavery to spiritual enlightenment. Famous lines: “Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.”

“To His Excellency General Washington” Praises George Washington and the fight for liberty.

“On Imagination” Celebrates the creative power of the human mind.

42. Who is the protagonist in Achebe's Things Fall Apart ?

(1)Okonkwo

(2) Nwoye

(3) Mr. Brown

(4) Enzinma

Ans. (1)Okonkwo

Things Fall Apart is a 1958 novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is Achebe's debut novel. The first part of Achebe’s African Trilogy (Things Fall Apart, No Longer at ease, Arrow of God). Setting: Late 19th century, in the Igbo (Ibo) village of Umuofia, Nigeria. Title Taken from W. B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming”: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.” Symbolizes the breakdown of traditional African society under colonial pressure. Okonkwo: A resected warrior and leader in Umuofia. Strong, proud, and determined to avoid the weakness he saw in his father. His rigidity and fear of change lead to his downfall.

Plot Summary (Brief) Traditional Life: Okonkwo rises from poverty to fame through hard work and strength. The novel describes Igbo customs, religion, family life, and community values. Conflict and Change: British missionaries and colonial administrators arrive. Christianity and Western laws begin to disrupt traditional Igbo society. Tragedy: Okonkwo resists the new order, but his people gradually adapt. Feeling powerless and betrayed, he takes his own life — an act considered shameful in his culture.

43. Nnu Ego is a character in.

(1) Achebe's Anthills of Savannah

(2) Soyinka's the Lion & the Jewels

(3) Adichie's Half of

(4) Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood

Ans.(4) Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood

The Joys of Motherhood is a novel written by Buchi Emecheta. It was first published in 1979. The basis of the novel is the "necessity for a woman to be fertile, and above all to give birth to sons". It tells the tragic story of Nnu-Ego, daughter of Nwokocha Agbadi and Ona, who had a bad fate with childbearing. This novel explores the life of a Nigerian woman, Nnu Ego. Nnu's life centres on her children and through them, she gains the respect of her community. Traditional tribal values and customs begin to shift with increasing colonial presence and influence, pushing Nnu Ego to challenge accepted notions of "mother", "wife", and "woman".

Nnu Ego: The protagonist — a traditional Igbo woman whose identity is tied to motherhood. Believes that her happiness and worth depend on having many children, especially sons.

Summary: Early Life: Nnu Ego is married off to Amatokwu, but the marriage fails because she is childless. She remarries Nnaife, a man working for a British family in Lagos.

Motherhood: She finally has many children, especially sons, and dedicates her entire life to them. She endures poverty, hardship, and sacrifices everything for their future.

Irony of the Title: Despite all her sacrifices, her children neglect her in her old age. Nnu Ego dies alone by the roadside — her “joys of motherhood” bring her only pain

44. Which out of the following works raises intense concern with the process environmental degradation in Somalia in the last decades of the 20th Century ?

(1) The Eve of the Earth

(2) Out of Africa

(3) Secrets

(4) A Grain of Wheat

Ans. (3) Secrets

Secrets is the final part of Nurudin Farah’s “Blood in the Sun” trilogy (after Maps and Gifts). Published in 1998, The novel explores political corruption, war, identity, and environmental degradation in Somalia. It shows how civil war, dictatorship, and greed lead not only to human suffering but also to the destruction of the environment and moral values. The story centers on Kalaman, a young Somali man trying to uncover the truth about his family and the secrets of his past. His personal search becomes a metaphor for Somalia’s search for identity after years of colonialism and dictatorship. Farah connects personal betrayal with national decay, showing how the breakdown of family and society mirrors the ruin of the land itself.

45. …………………declares that for Afro- Caribbean, (Africa) is the great euphoria ... which lies at the centre of (their) cultural identity and gives it a meaning which, until recently, it lacked.

(1) George Zamming

(2) C.R. James

(3) Stuart Hall

(4) Nguiogi wa Thiongo

Ans. (3) Stuart Hall

Above quote has been taken from “Cultural Identity and Diaspora” by Stuart Hall. It was published in 1990 in “Identity: Community, Culture, Differance”

The quote refers to the idea that Africa serves as an "imagined" homeland for the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, a symbolic "center" of cultural identity that provides meaning and coherence to experiences of displacement and fragmentation. This "great euphoria" is not a literal return but a way of healing the "loss of identity" and fragmentation caused by the history of slavery and migration by re-establishing forgotten connections. This concept, developed by cultural theorist Stuart Hall, argues that this connection to an ancestral past, though imagined, becomes a vital part of modern Afro-Caribbean identity, which is a process of "becoming" as much as "being". 

Stuart (Henry McPhail) Hall FBA (1932 – 2014) was a Jamaican-born British Marxist sociologist, cultural theorist, and political activist. Hall – along with Richard Hoggart and Raymond Williams – was one of the founding figures of the school of thought known as British Cultural Studies or the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies.

46. In which work does Wole Soyinka respond sharply to the political execution of Saro-Wiwa ?

(1) The Open Sore of a Continent

(2)Many Colors Make the Thunder-King

(3) The Africans

(4) Cultural Forces in World Politics

Ans. (1) The Open Sore of a Continent

The Open Sore of a Continent was published in 1996. The book was written during Nigeria’s political turmoil in the 1990s, particularly under the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. Soyinka was forced into exile because of his outspoken criticism of the regime.

47. Which work is an autobiographical account of Djamal Amlani's experiences in the Algerian nationalist movement ?

(1) The Concubine

(2) Estrangement

(3) Le Temoin

(4) My Life's Story

Ans. (3) Le Temoin

Written during the Algerian struggle for independence from France (1954–1962). The title, “Le Témoin” (“The Witness”), reflects the author’s role as an observer of social and political injustice. It deals with themes of oppression, colonialism, human suffering, and resistant.

Le Témoin (The Witness) is a poignant autobiographical account by Djamel Amrani, written in 1960. The book recounts his experiences as a young Algerian arrested, tortured, and imprisoned by the French colonial army during the Algerian War of Independence. Amrani describes the physical and psychological suffering he endured, but also his inner resistance to injustice. The narrative exposes the brutality of interrogations, the systematic violence, and the dehumanization suffered by Algerians under colonial rule. The book is both a strong denunciation of torture and an act of remembrance and resistance, showing how a witness can retain dignity and clarity of mind even in the face of extreme oppression.

48. Nadine Gordimer won the Booker Prize for the novel-

(1) A Sport of Nature

(2) My Son's Story

(3) The Conservationist

(4) Get a Life

Ans. (3) The Conservationist

Published in 1974. Set in apartheid-era South Africa, the novel explores the tensions between white landowners and black workers, reflecting broader social, racial, and moral issues. Mehring – a wealthy, white industrialist and landowner Owns a large farm outside Johannesburg Obsessed with control, order, and legacy but disconnected from the land and the people who work it

49. Who is the author the novel Firebrands?

(I) Nadine Gordimer

(2) Sahle Sellassie

(3) Bessie Head

(4) Chinua Achebe

Ans. (2) Sahle Sellassie

Firebrands is a novel by Ethiopian author Sahle Sellassie Berhane Mariam, published in 1979 as part of the Longman Drumbeat series. The story is set against the backdrop of Ethiopia's political landscape during the 1970s. Major Characters: Bezuneh: A recent college graduate working as an auditor at a state corporation. Worku: Bezuneh's brother, a passionate student activist. Ato Kebret: Bezuneh's superior at the corporation, known for his corrupt practices. Dejazmach Azbete: A powerful figure with a history of resistance against the Italians, now entangled in the old regime's corruption. Summary: Bezuneh, committed to rooting out corruption, faces moral dilemmas when he discovers unethical practices within the corporation. His confrontation with Ato Kebret leads to his dismissal. Meanwhile, his brother Worku becomes involved in student protests, challenging the existing political order. The narrative intertwines their personal struggles with the broader societal upheavals of the time

50. In the paper, “The Novelist as a Teacher," which writer said, "If I were God, I would regard as the very worst our acceptance - for whatever reason- of racial inferiority"?

(1) Chinua Achebe

(2) Gabriel Okara

(3) Bric Williams

(4) Akivaga Djebar

Ans. (1) Chinua Achebe

"The Novelist as a Teacher" is an essay by Chinua Achebe that argues novelists have a profound, often unintentional, role as educators who can and should help shape society. Achebe believes writers have a responsibility to educate their own people, particularly to restore pride in their culture and history after the damage of colonialism.

51. What does "The Fence” by Lenrie Peters symbolize ? It symbolizes :

(1)The moral indecision of the poet

(2) Achievement of moral victory

(3) His readiness to tell lies

(4) A clear past & future

Ans. (1)The moral indecision of the poet

52. Purple Hibiscus is authored by

(1) Seffi Atta

(2) Chukwuemeka Ike

(3) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

(4) Cyprian Ekwensi

Ans. (3) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Purple Hibiscus is the first novel by the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It portrays Kambili Achike, a 15 year old Nigerian teenage girl who struggles in the shadow of her father, Eugene. Eugene is a successful businessman, a beloved philanthropist, and a devout Catholic, who nevertheless violently abuses his family.It was Published in 2003 and Won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book. Set in postcolonial Nigeria during a time of political unrest. Major Characters: Kambili Achike – The 15-year-old narrator; quiet, obedient, and sensitive. Eugene Achike (Papa) – Kambili’s father; wealthy, strict, devoutly religious, abusive. Beatrice Achike (Mama) – Kambili’s mother; submissive, suffers silently. Jaja Achike – Kambili’s older brother; rebellious and protective. Aunt Ifeoma – Eugene’s sister; liberal, outspoken, encourages independence. Short Summary: Kambili and Jaja grow up under the strict and abusive rule of their father, Eugene. A visit to their liberal aunt, Ifeoma, exposes them to love, freedom, and independence. They gradually learn to question authority and assert their own voices.

53. Alan Paton's Cry the Beloved Country Stephen Kumalo travels to which of the following place to find out his son …………..

(1) Durban

(2) Johannesburg

(3) Sierra Leone

(4) Angola

Ans. (2) Johannesburg

Cry, the Beloved Country is a 1948 novel by South African writer Alan Paton. Set in the prelude to apartheid in South Africa, it follows a black village priest and a white farmer who must deal with news of a murder. It tells the story of a father’s journey from rural South Africa to and through the city of Johannesburg in search of his son. The reader cannot help but feel deeply for the central character, a Zulu pastor, Stephen Kumalo, and the tortuous discoveries he makes in Johannesburg. It is in a prison cell that Kumalo eventually finds his son, Absalom. The young man had earlier left their reservation-like homeland to make a new life in the big city, accompanied by an uncle who proclaims, “I do not say we are free as men should be. But at least I am free of the chief. At least I am free of an old and ignorant man, who is nothing but a white man’s dog.” Profoundly unfree, Absalom is now facing trial for the murder of a white man—a man who ironically cared deeply about the plight of the native South African population and had been a voice for change until his untimely death. Here we meet another father, that of the victim, whose own journey to understand his son eventually leads to his life and grief becoming strangely entwined with Kumalo’s.

54. Which the following statements about Caribbean literature is true?

(1) In Anglophone Caribbean patois was regarded as an appropriate medium for poetry.

(2) Honor Ford Smith was the first poet to bring patois into literary tradition.

(3) Claude McKay transcribed and collected the performed stories.

(4) Louise Benretle devised a system for transcribing patois into a written form.

Ans. (4) Louise Benretle devised a system for transcribing patois into a written form.

55. Maryse Conde's novel La migration descoeurs (1995) translated as Windward Heights is a retelling of the novel.

(1) Jane Eyre

(2) Emma

(3) Wuthering Heights

(4) Hard Times

Ans. (3) Wuthering Heights

Windward Heights is a 1995 novel by Maryse Condé, a renowned Guadeloupean author. The English translation, titled Windward Heights, was published in 1998. This work is a reimagining of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, transposing the original's moody Yorkshire moors to the lush Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Cuba at the turn of the 20th century. Plot Overview: Condé's novel retains the core structure and themes of Brontë’s original but recontextualizes them within a post-emancipation Caribbean society. The central characters mirror those in Wuthering Heights:

Razyé: The novel's Heathcliff, an orphan of African descent taken in by the Gagneur family.

Cathy: The Gagneur family's daughter, who shares a deep, passionate bond with Razyé.

Aymeric: Cathy's husband, paralleling Edgar Linton.

Cathy II: Cathy's daughter, who continues the tragic legacy.

Razyé II (Premier-né): Razyé's son, who marries Cathy II, perpetuating the cycle of obsession and revenge.

56. Which one of the novels of Ben Okri won the Booker Prize?

(1) Dangerous

(2) The Famished Road

(3) The Freedom Artist

(4) In Arcadia

Ans. (2) The Famished Road

The Famished Road is a novel by Nigerian author Ben Okri, the first book in a trilogy that continues with Songs of Enchantment (1993) and Infinite Riches (1998). The Famished Road follows Azaro, an abiku, or spirit child, living in an unnamed African (most likely Nigerian) city. The novel employs a unique narrative style, incorporating the spirit world with the "real" world in what some have classified as animist realism. Azaro is the story's narrator. He is an abiku, or spirit child, who has never lost ties with the spirit world. He is named after Lazarus, of the New Testament. The story follows him as he tries to live his life, always aware of the spirits trying to bring him back.

57. Voices from the Ridge is a play written by-

(1) Kama Kerpi

(2) Han Suyin

(3) Russell Soaba

(4) Julian Maka

Ans. (1) Kama Kerpi

This work is a significant piece of Papua New Guinean literature, reflecting the nation's rich cultural tapestry and the complexities of its post-colonial identity. Voices from the Ridge was published in 1974 by the Centre for Creative Arts in Port Moresby. The play is part of the Creative Arts Centre Play Series and was illustrated by John Danger. It delves into the lives and traditions of the Chimbu people, exploring themes of cultural identity, societal change, and the interplay between tradition and modernity. The narrative is set against the backdrop of the Chimbu Highlands, where the characters grapple with the challenges posed by external influences and internal conflicts. Through its vivid portrayal of local customs, rituals, and the natural environment, the play offers a window into the soul of Papua New Guinea's highland communities.

58. Who is the author of 'No Ordinary Sun'?

(1) Hone Tuwhare

(2) Albert Wendt

(3) Witi Ihimaera

(4) Harry Danse

Ans. (1) Hone Tuwhare

No Ordinary Sun is a renowned collection of poetry by Hone Tuwhare, a celebrated Māori poet from New Zealand. Published: 1964. Hone Tuwhare’s No Ordinary Sun was one of the first Māori poetry collections published in English, bringing indigenous perspectives to a wider audience. His work bridges traditional Māori storytelling and contemporary poetic forms, making it both culturally specific and universally relatable.

“No Ordinary Sun” – The title poem, expressing the devastating impact of nuclear bombs and a yearning for peace.

“Rain” – Reflects the interplay between human life and the natural environment.

Other Poems – Many focus on rural life, Māori traditions, and social commentary.

59. Margaret Atwood's "Journey to the Interior'" is an_……………………… for her journey into her mind.

(1) Simile

(2) Extended Metaphor

(3) Enjambment

(4) Synecdoche

Ans. (2) Extended Metaphor

“Journey to the Interior” is a poem by Margaret Atwood, one of Canada’s most celebrated contemporary writers and poets.

“I think I will have to go back home:

I can hear the river,

but I cannot see it.

I have never been here before.”

Stanza 4

"I may have to go further,

deeper than I have ever dared,

into the dark corners of myself,

to find what  I have lost."

60. Which among the following is not true of Derek Walcott?

(1) He is from St. Lucia

(2) He wrote the play "Dream On Monkey Mountains”

(3) "In_a Green_Night" is by Walcott

(4) "A Far Cry from Africa" is a major novel by Walcott.

Ans. (4) "A Far Cry from Africa" is a major novel by Walcott.

"A Far Cry from Africa" is a major poem by Walcott. The poem was written during the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya (1952–1960), a rebellion against British colonial rule. The poem reflects the conflicted emotions of the speaker, torn between his African heritage and European colonial ancestry. Walcott vividly describes the brutal violence of the Mau Mau rebellion, where both Africans and colonizers commit atrocities. The speaker struggles with loyalty, identity, and guilt, recognizing the horrors of the conflict while feeling a deep connection to both sides. The poem highlights the tragic consequences of colonialism, including bloodshed, alienation, and cultural fragmentation.

Famous Opening Lines:

“A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt

Of Africa. Kikuyu, quick as flies,

Batten upon the bloodstreams of the slain…”

61. Who is the author of A Discovery of Strangers?

(1) Judith Wright

(2) A.J.M. Smith

(3) F.R. Seott

(4) Rudy Wiebe

Ans. (4) Rudy Wiebe

A Discovery of Strangers (1994) is a historical novel by Canadian author Rudy Wiebe, acclaimed for its poetic narrative and profound exploration of identity, colonialism, and the human connection to the land. The novel is a reimagining of the 1819–1821 Franklin Expedition, which aimed to chart the Arctic coastline of Canada.

Summary: Set in the harsh and fragile Arctic landscape, the story centers on the Tetsǫ́t’iné people, an Indigenous group whose lives intersect with the British expedition. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, primarily focusing on Greenstockings, a young Indigenous woman, and Hood, a British officer. Their developing relationship serves as a poignant contrast to the broader themes of cultural clash and survival. The novel delves into the complexities of first contact, highlighting the misunderstandings and tragedies that ensue when two disparate cultures collide. Wiebe's portrayal emphasizes the spiritual and emotional landscapes of the Indigenous characters, offering a voice to those often marginalized in historical narratives.

62. Who is the author of Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town?

(1)Stephen Spender

(2) Stephen Leacock

(3) Stephen Hooks

(4) Stephen Henry

Ans. (2) Stephen Leacock

Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock is a humorous portrayal of life in the fictional town of Mariposa. Through a series of sketches, it depicts the quirky habits, social pretensions, and everyday adventures of the townspeople. While gently satirical, the book shows warmth and affection for small-town life, highlighting both human folly and community charm.

63. Which of the novels written by Michael Ondaatje deals with ethnic cleansing and violence in --Sri Lankan civil war ?

(1) The English Patient

(2) Anils' Ghost

(3) In the Skin of A Lion

(4) Warlight

Ans. (2) Anils' Ghost

Anil’s Ghost is a novel by Michael Ondaatje, published in 2000, that delves into the complexities of identity, memory, and the human cost of war. Set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka's civil conflict in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the story follows Anil Tissera, a forensic pathologist who returns to her homeland after 15 years abroad to investigate human rights abuses. Anil is tasked by the United Nations to examine a series of politically motivated killings. During her investigation, she and archaeologist Sarath Diyasena uncover a recently murdered skeleton at an ancient burial site, which they name "Sailor." Determined to identify the victim and bring justice, Anil collaborates with a sculptor named Ananda to reconstruct Sailor's face. Their efforts reveal the deep scars left by the war, both on the land and its people. As they delve deeper, they confront the challenges of revealing the truth in a society where silence often prevails .

Major Characters: Anil Tissera: A forensic pathologist returning to Sri Lanka to investigate human rights abuses. Her internal conflict mirrors the external chaos of the war-torn nation.

Sarath Diyasena: An archaeologist who assists Anil in her investigation. His ambiguous political stance and personal losses add complexity to his character.

Ananda: A sculptor who reconstructs Sailor's face. His artwork becomes a symbol of the desire for peace and the human capacity for empathy.

Gamini: Sarath's brother, a doctor overwhelmed by the constant influx of war casualties. His dedication to saving lives amidst the chaos highlights the resilience of the human spirit.

64. In the context of Canadian literature who is known as the "King of the Pulps"?

(1) AE. Van Vogl

(2) Henry Bedford-Jones

(3) H. Rider Haggard

(4) Joseph Conrad

Ans. (2) Henry Bedford-Jones

H. Bedford-Jones, born in Napanee, Ontario, is known as the "King of the Pulps" in Canadian literature. He was a prolific author of adventure stories, historical tales, westerns, and other genres, writing an enormous volume of work for the popular pulp magazines of the early to mid-20th century. 

65. Which of the following statements in context to 'Patrick White's, The Tree of Man are correct / incorrect.

A. The name of the salesman with whom Amy develops a relationship is Tom Armstrong.

B. Ray murders someone in Bangalay.

C. Ray's wife is Elsie.

(1) A, B & C are correct

(2) A, B & C are incorrect

(3)C is correct, A & B are incorrect

(4) A & C are incorrect, B is correct

Ans. (3)C is correct, A & B are incorrect

The Tree of Man is the fourth published novel by the Australian novelist and 1973 Nobel Prize-winner, Patrick White. The novel follows the lives of Stan and Amy Parker, a young couple who settle on a piece of bushland outside Sydney in the early 1900s.

Main Characters: Stan Parker – A quiet, hardworking farmer symbolizing strength and endurance. Amy Parker – His wife, more emotional and restless, searching for deeper meaning and love. Their Children (Ray and Thelma) – Represent the next generation and the changing times.

66. Who is the author of the Australian novel The Thorn Birds ?

(1) Mary McCullough

(2) Tina McCullough

(3) Rina McCullough

(4) Collen McCullough

Ans. (4) Collen McCullough

The Thorn Birds (1977) is a famous novel by Colleen McCullough, an Australian writer. It is an epic family saga that spans three generations of the Cleary family, exploring themes of love, ambition, faith, and sacrifice against the backdrop of the Australian outback.

Summary:The story begins in the early 1900s when Paddy Cleary, an Irish farmer, moves his family to Drogheda, a large sheep station in rural Australia, owned by his wealthy sister, Mary Carson. Among his children is Meggie Cleary, the novel’s central character. She grows up on Drogheda and forms a deep emotional bond with Father Ralph de Bricassart, a handsome, ambitious Catholic priest. As Meggie matures, their love turns into a forbidden and lifelong passion. Ralph is torn between his love for Meggie and his devotion to the Church. Eventually, he chooses his religious career over her. Meggie later marries Luke O’Neill, but the marriage fails, and she has two children — Justine and Dane. Dane becomes a priest like Ralph, unaware that Ralph is actually his father. The novel ends tragically with Dane’s death, symbolizing the pain that comes from loving something unattainable.

67. Who is the author of the essay "Black on Black" ?

(1) Melissa Lucashenko

(2) Kim Seott

(3) Aileen Moreton Robinson

(4) Graham Huggen

Ans. (1) Melissa Lucashenko

68. In Wright's poem "Five Senses", the gathering of the five senses into meaning is likened to the gathering of its elements by

(1) a rose

(2) a lily

(3) a dance

(4) sounds

Ans. (2) a lily

Judith Wright’s “Five Senses” celebrates the human ability to experience the world through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. She portrays the senses as bridges between body and spirit, urging us to live fully and consciously in harmony with nature.

Now my five senses

Gather into a meaning

All acts, all presences;

“And as a lily gathers

The elements together,

In me this dark grows light”

69. Match the flowing works of Margaret Atwood with the year publication :

A B

(i) The Edible Woman (a) 1972

(ii) Surfacing (b) 1976

(iii) Lady Oracle (c) 1969

(iv) The Handmaid's Tale (d) 1985

(1) a d c b

(2) c a b d

(3) b c d a

(4) d b a c

Ans. (2) c a b d

Novels

1969 – The Edible Woman

→ Satirical novel about consumerism and women’s identity.

1972 – Surfacing

→ A psychological and nationalistic novel about returning to one’s roots in Canada.

1976 – Lady Oracle

→ A darkly comic story about a poet and romance novelist living a double life.

1985 – The Handmaid’s Tale

→ A dystopian classic set in the Republic of Gilead; explores gender, control, and resistance.

70. Who according to Hamlin Garland is a "veritist" ?

(1) One committed to the truthful statement of an individual expression.

(2) One committed to the overall analysis of public expression

(3) One committed to the in depth analysis of social expression.

(4)One committed to the surfacial analysis of societal change.

Ans. (1) One committed to the truthful statement of an individual expression.

Veritism (from veritas, meaning “truth”) was Hamlin Garland’s personal version of realism — his belief that literature should tell the truth about ordinary life, especially the struggles of people in rural America. He introduced the term in his 1894 essay collection Crumbling Idols, where he set out his artistic principles.

71. From which poem, is the following line taken :

"A Nation of Trees, drab green and desolate grey ...

(1)Judith Wright's "Late Spring

(2) Les Inurray's "Holland's Nadir"

(3) A.D. Hope's "Australia"

(4) A.D. Hope's "Conquistador"

Ans. (3) A.D. Hope's "Australia"

Beginning: A Nation of trees, drab green and desolate grey
In the field uniform of modern wars,
Darkens her hills, those endless, outstretched paws
Of Sphinx demolished or stone lion worn away.

End: Such savage and scarlet as no green hills dare
Springs in that waste, some spirit which escapes
The learned doubt, the chatter of cultured apes
Which is called civilization over there.

72. Match the following writers with their autobiographies

A B

A. Dagdu Maruti Pawar (i) Jina Amucha

B. Annabhau Sathe (ii) The weave of my life

C. Babytai Kamble (iii) Baluta

D. Urmila Pawar (iv) Fakira

Ans. (i) 3 4 1 2

1. Dagdu Maruti Pawar Work: Baluta (Marathi) Type: Autobiography Publication: 1978

About: Baluta is considered the first Dalit autobiography in Marathi literature. It vividly portrays Pawar’s childhood in a Mahar community, the caste discrimination he faced, and his struggle for dignity in urban life. The term “Baluta” refers to the share of produce given to the village servants — symbolizing the Dalit’s traditional position in the village economy.

2. Annabhau Sathe Work: My Experiments with Life (Majhya Jalmachi Chittarkatha – Marathi) Publication: 1955

About: Although not a conventional autobiography, it reflects Sathe’s own experiences as a worker and activist.

Sathe, a prolific writer and social reformer, depicted the harsh realities of Dalit life, often blending fiction and personal experience. He was also known as “Lok Shahir” (people’s poet).

3. Baby Kambl Work: The Prisons We Broke (Jina Amucha – Marathi) Publication: 1986 (English translation, 2008 by Orient Blackswan)

About: One of the first Dalit women autobiographies in Marathi literature. Kamble narrates the life of Mahar women, exploring gender and caste oppression. Deeply influenced by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s movement.

4. Urmila Pawar Work: Aaydan (Marathi) – translated as The Weave of My Life Publication: 2003 (English translation, 2008 by Stree/Samya, Kolkata)

About: A poignant narrative weaving her personal life with broader social struggles. The title Aaydan (meaning “weaving”) symbolizes both her mother’s craft and the weaving of women’s and Dalit experiences. Explores intersections of caste, gender, and class.

73. According to …………………. "revolt" has been envisaged as the tenth and "cry' as the eleventh rasa'.

(1) Yedunath Thatte

(2) Sharad Patil

(3) Narendra Jadhav

(4) Omprakash Valmik

Ans. (1) Yedunath Thatte

74 . Which book of Alice Munro won her the Governor General' literary Award for a second time?

(1) The Dimensions of a Shadow

(2) Lives of Girls and Women

(3) The Beggar Maid : Stories of Flo & Rose

(4) Dance of the Happy Shades

Ans. (3) The Beggar Maid : Stories of Flo & Rose

It won Munro her second Governor General's Award for Fiction in English, and short-listed for the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1980 under its international title, The Beggar Maid (subtitled Stories of Flo and Rose).Who Do You Think You Are? is the orginal title of this book.

Major Stories in this collection:

"Royal Beatings" "Privilege" "Half a Grapefruit" "Wild Swans" "The Beggar Maid" "Mischief" "Providence" "Simon's Luck" "Spelling" "Who Do You Think You Are?"

75. The title of Siddalingaiah’s autobiography is :

(1) The Prisons We Broke

(2) Ooru Keri

(3) Baluta

(4) The Outcaste

Ans. (2) Ooru Keri

Language: Kannada First Published: 1996

English Translation: Ooru Keri: The Autobiography of a Kannada Poet (translated by D. R. Nagaraj and Janaki Nair, 1999)

Summary: Ooru Keri (which means “Village Hamlet”) is the autobiography of Siddalingaiah, a pioneering Dalit poet, activist, and founder of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti in Karnataka. The book narrates his life from childhood in a poor Dalit family to his journey as a student, poet, and social activist. It gives a vivid picture of life in the Madiga community, showing the poverty, caste discrimination, and everyday struggles of Dalits in rural Karnataka. Through humor, honesty, and warmth, Siddalingaiah portrays his education, hunger, humiliation, and resilience. His narration blends personal experience with collective Dalit identity, showing how education and political awareness became tools for liberation.

76. An_Anthology of Dalit Literature has been edited by:

A, Annabhau Sathe

B. Mulk Raj Anand

C. Arjun Dangle

D. leanor Zelit

Choose the right option:

(1) A&D (2) B&C

(3) B&D (4) A&C

Ans. (3) B&D

First Published: 1992 Overview: This anthology is one of the first major English collections presenting Dalit writings from across India. Edited by Mulk Raj Anand, a noted progressive writer, and Eleanor Zelliot, a leading scholar of Dalit studies, it brought Dalit voices into mainstream literary and academic discussions. The collection includes poems, short stories, and essays originally written in Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Punjabi, translated into English.

Major Writers Featured: Namdeo Dhasal Baburao Bagul Sharan Kumar Limbale Daya Pawar Omprakash Valmiki

77. Towards an Aesthetic of Dalit Literature Controversies and Consideration is a translation of the Marathi book Dalit Sahityache Saundaryashastra. Name the translator :

(1) Sharen Kumar Limbale

(2) Baby Kondiba Kamble

(3) Manju Balo

(4) Alok Mukherjee

Ans. (4) Alok Mukherjee

Title: Towards an Aesthetics of Dalit Literature: History, Controversies, and Considerations

Author: Sharan Kumar Limbale Language: Originally in Marathi (Dalit Sahityache Aalochana)

English Translation: By Alok Mukherjee Year of English Publication: 2004.

This is a seminal critical work on Dalit literary theory — one of the first attempts to define a distinct aesthetics of Dalit literature. Sharan Kumar Limbale, himself a Dalit writer, critic, and activist, argues that Dalit writing cannot be judged by traditional Brahminical literary standards. Instead, it requires its own aesthetic framework rooted in Dalit experience, struggle, and truth.

78. In his Outcaste, Jadhav constructs a particular version Of Dalit identity. How can this version be described ?

(1) Dalit awareness

(2) Metropolitan Dalit Identity

(3) Dalit Spatial Identity

(4) Cosmopolitan Dalit Identity

Ans. (4) Cosmopolitan Dalit Identity

79. Post colonial women writers are not interested in-

(1) the space of domesticity which is designated feminine and its possible reconfigurations.

(2) the cultural and social space of the family.

(3)The feminine 'duties' and responsibilities that are willed upon the women.

(4) the dynamics and dislocations of partition politics.

Ans. (4) the dynamics and dislocations of partition politics.

80. Who established the Dalit Panthers in 1972?

(1) AnnaBhau Sathe and Baburao Bagui

(2) Arjun Dangle, Shankar Rao Kamat & Daya

(3) Namdey Dhasal, Arjun Dangle and J.V. Pawar

(4) Ambedkar, Namdev, Mahatma Phule

Ans. (3) Namdey Dhasal, Arjun Dangle and J.V. Pawar

Name: Dalit Panthers Founded: 29 May 1972 Place: Mumbai, Maharashtra Founders: Namdeo Dhasal, J. V. Pawar, Raja Dhale, Arjun Dangle, and others

81. In which seminal text is it claimed that formally colonized peoples across the globe are writing new national cultures and writing back to the imperial centre in gestures of literary self-affirmation?

(1) Nation and Narration by Homi Bhabha.

(2) Globalization and the claim of post coloniality by Simone Gikandi.

(3) The empire writes back by Bil Ashcroft et al.

(4) Orientalism by Edward Said.

Ans. (3) The empire writes back by Bil Ashcroft et al.

Title: The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literatures Authors: Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin First Published: 1989

The Empire Writes Back is a seminal work in postcolonial studies that examines how writers from former colonies respond to, resist, and reinterpret the language, literature, and cultural dominance of the British Empire.The authors argue that postcolonial writers do not simply imitate European literary forms but adapt, subvert, and redefine them, creating a literature of resistance that reflects their own histories, cultures, and identities.

82. ‘Seminal’, ‘Interstitial’ and ‘in between spaces’ have been used in postcolonial theory by -

(1) Homi Bhabha

(2 Abdul Jan Mohammed

(3) Aijaz Ahmed

(4) Edward Said

Ans. (1) Homi Bhabha

Homi Bhabha’s postcolonial theory explores the complexities of colonized identities. He introduces hybridity, the creation of new cultural forms from colonizer–colonized interaction, and mimicry, where the colonized imitates the colonizer imperfectly, producing ambivalence. The Third Space or in-between space is where hybrid identities and new meanings emerge. Ambivalence reflects mixed feelings of love and hate toward colonial authority. Stereotypes imposed by colonial discourse are unstable and can be subverted. Finally, national culture is constructed through narratives that reinterpret history and identity, showing that postcolonial literature reshapes both culture and power relations.

83. Who coined the word Melting Pot'?

(1) Israel Zangwill

(2) Homi Bhabha

(3) Edward Said

(4) Gayatri Spivak

Ans. (1) Israel Zangwill

The term “Melting Pot” was coined by Israel Zangwill, a British-born Jewish writer. Details: Work: The Melting-Pot (play) Year: 1908

Context: The play celebrated the idea of America as a place where immigrants from diverse backgrounds could assimilate into a single national identity.

It suggested that different ethnicities and cultures could “melt” together to form a unified society, though the concept has later been critiqued for erasing individual cultural identities.

84. Which poet laments a widow's plight in his poem "To a Young Hindu Widow"?

(1) Manmohan Ghose

(2) Kasiprasad Ghose

(3) Govind Chunder Dutt

(4) Dinesh Chunder Dutt

Ans. (2) Kasiprasad Ghose

To a Young Hindu Widow:

Ah, fair one! lone as desert flower,

Whose bloom and beauty are in vain;

How dark was that too fatal hour,

Which brought thee lasting grief and pain!

What is the world to thee forlorn!

Thine every path is desolate,

From all enjoyments rudely torn,

How drear and comfortless thy fate!

Poetry Collections :The Shair and Other Poems (1830) – Ghosh’s only published volume of English poetry; includes:

“To a Dead Crow”

“Song of the Boatmen to Ganga”

“To a Young Hindu Widow”

85. "And that will be England gone

The shadows, he meadows, the

lanes

The guild halls, the carved choirs

There'l be books it will linger on"

Which poet, in the above mentioned lines, is lamenting England's loss of Empire and consequently the loss of power.

(1) Tom Gunn

(2)Ted Hughes

(3) Philip Larkin

(4) Dylan Thomas

Ans. (3) Philip Larkin

Going Going (1972): by Philip Larkin

Beginning: I thought it would last my time –
The sense that, beyond the town,
There would always be fields and farms,
Where the village louts could climb
Such trees as were not cut down;
I knew there’d be false alarms

86. By looking at the documentation on "Sati or "widow sacrifice' in colonial India who concluded that "the female exists as an unrepresentable figure'?

(1) Robert Young

(2) Gayatri Spivak

(3) Bharti Mukherjee

(4) Uma Parmeshwaran

Ans. (2) Gayatri Spivak

Gayatri Spivak, in her seminal essay "Can the Subaltern Speak?" (1988), critically examines the colonial and postcolonial discourses surrounding the practice of sati (widow immolation) in 19th-century India. She argues that both colonial and nationalist narratives marginalized the voices of the women directly affected by sati, rendering them voiceless in historical and political discourse.

87. The phrase double colonization referring to the ways in which women have simultaneously experienced the oppression of colonialism and patriarchy was used by -

(1) Kirsten Petersen and Anna Rutherford

(2) Chandra Mohanty Talpande

(3) T. Minh-ha

(4) Gayatri Spivak

Ans. (1) Kirsten Petersen and Anna Rutherford

A Double Colonization: Colonial and Post-colonial Women's Writing (1986) by Kirsten Petersen and Anna Rutherford

Anna Rutherford (1932 – 2001) was an Australian-born academic and publisher, who helped to establish the field of post-colonial literature in Europe. In 1979, she founded Kunapipi: Journal of Postcolonial Writing & Culture and was its editor until her death. The name derives from Kunapipi, a mother goddess in Aboriginal Australian mythology.

88. Who, among the following Indian writers in English, has created an imagined locale?

(1) Mulk Raj Anand

(2) Anita Desai

(3) R.K. Narayan

(4) Kamla Markandeya

Ans. (3) R.K. Narayan

Malgudi is a fictional town located in Agumbe situated in the Shivamogga district of the Indian state of Karnataka in the novels and short stories of R. K. Narayan. It forms the setting for most of Narayan's works. Starting with his first novel, Swami and Friends, all but one of his fifteen novels and most of his short stories take place here. Malgudi was a portmanteau of two Bengaluru localities - Malleshwara and Basavana Gudi.

89. Who asserts that post colonialism in its Anglo-American incarnation has adopted an incredulity towards meta-narratives ?

(1) Jaques Derrida

(2) Michel Foucault

(3) Jean Francois Lyotard

(4) Roland Barthes

Ans. (3) Jean Francois Lyotard

The phrase “incredulity towards meta-narratives” comes from Jean-François Lyotard, a key postmodern philosopher, in his work The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (1979). Lyotard’s idea of “incredulity towards meta-narratives” captures the postmodern skepticism about universal, all-encompassing stories that claim to explain everything. Instead, postmodern thought favors multiple, local, and context-sensitive narratives.

90. Which of these is Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee's first book of poems?

(1) Dark Like the River

(2) Leaving Yuba City

(3) The Time Factor_and_ other Poems

(4) Love Woman

Ans. (1) Dark Like the River

Poetry

Dark Like the River 1987

Black Candle – 1991

The Reason for Nasturtiums – 1993

Leaving Yuba City – 1997

Short Story Collections

Arranged Marriage – 1995

The Unknown Errors of Our Lives – 2001

Novels

The Mistress of Spices – 1997

Sister of My Heart – 1999

The Vine of Desire – 2002

Queen of Dreams – 2004

One Amazing Thing – 2009

The Palace of Illusions – 2008

The Forest of Enchantments – 2019

Children’s / Young Adult Books

The Conch Bearer – 2003

Shadowland – 2005

The Tree of Wishes – 2014

91. In his book The Intimate Enemy, how many chronologically distinct types or genres of colonialism does Ashis Nandy talk about?

(1) Three

(2) Two

(3) Four

(4) Five

Ans. (2) Two

“The Intimate Enemy: Loss and Recovery of Self under Colonialism” is a scholarly book First published in 1983. by Ashis Nandy, a renowned Indian political psychologist and social theorist.In The Intimate Enemy, Ashis Nandy discusses two distinct types of colonialism:

Direct / Classical Colonialism: The conventional form where the colonizer exercises political and administrative control over the colony. Characterized by coercion, military dominance, and economic exploitation. Example: British rule in India, where administration, law, and taxation were directly controlled by the British.

Psychological / Cultural Colonialism (the “intimate” kind): Focuses on the mental and cultural domination of the colonized. Colonizers impose their values, knowledge systems, and ways of life, creating internalized subjugation. Nandy calls it “intimate” because it affects the inner self of the colonized, not just external structures.

92. Manju Kapoor's novel Difficult Daughters, situates the woman's question firmly within the contexts.

Fill in the blank with the correct option.

(1) Regional

(2) International

(3) National

(4) Local

Ans. (3) National

Difficult Daughters is a novel by Manju Kapur, first published in 1998. Won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book (1999, Eurasia region). Setting:

Primarily in Punjab, India, before and after Partition (1947).

The story is narrated by Isha, Virmati’s daughter.Isha reflects on her mother’s life and the choices that shaped her.Introduces Virmati, a bright young woman from a conservative Punjabi family, and the social norms that restrict women.apters.. Virmati goes to college, gains exposure to new ideas. She falls in love with her married professor, an affair that challenges societal expectations. Pregnancy out of wedlock brings scandal and family conflict. Virmati’s relationship ends due to social pressure. She faces estrangement from family, struggles with shame and societal judgment. Returns to live under restrictions imposed by family and society. Virmati gives birth to Isha and tries to protect her child from social stigma. Themes of patriarchy, female oppression, and personal resilience are explored. Isha learns about her mother’s struggles, gaining insight into the price of defying societal norms.

93. Iqbal Ramoowalia's novel The Death of a Passport portrays the precarious predicament of the illegals in.

(1) Australia

(2) UK

(3) Canada

(4) U.S.A.

Ans. (3) Canada

94. The novel Magic Seeds reminds us The of the origin of diaspora literature, suggesting some sense of exile from the place of origin. It is written by ?

(1) Bharti Mukherjee

(2) V.S. Naipaul

(3) Salman Rushdie

(4) Nirad C. Chaudhry

Ans. (2) V.S. Naipaul

Magic Seeds is a novel by V.S. Naipaul, published in 2004. It is the second part of a loosely connected trilogy following Half a Life (2001). The story follows Sundar, a man of Indian origin living in Africa and Europe, who becomes involved with radical political movements in India.Themes of migration, cultural displacement, and political idealism dominate the narrative.

95. "The new poets still quoted the old poets, but no one spoke in verse

of the pregnant woman

drowned, with perhaps twins in her". Identify the poem

(1) 'A River by A.K. Ramanujan

(2) The Exile by Jayant Mahapatra

(3) The Wild Bougainvillae by Kamala Das

(4) 'Pestilence' by Keki Daruwalla

Ans. (1) A River by A.K. Ramanujan

Beginning: In Madurai,
city of temples and poets,
who sang of cities and temples,
every summer
a river dries to a trickle
in the sand,
baring the sand ribs,
straw and women's hair
clogging the watergates
at the rusty bars
under the bridges with patches
of repair all over them
the wet stones glistening like sleepy
crocodiles, the dry ones
shaven water-buffaloes lounging in the sun
The poets only sang of the floods.

96. Which of these writers often dealt with he experience of Indian immigrants in the United States?

(1) Rabindranath Tagore G

(2) Salman Rushdie

(3) Jhumpa Lahiri

(4 ) Kiran Desai

Ans. (3) Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri is a renowned Indian-American author.

Major Works:

Short Story Collections:

1. Interpreter of Maladies (1999) – Pulitzer Prize winner; explores the lives of Indian and Indian-American characters navigating cultural and emotional landscapes.

2. Unaccustomed Earth (2008) – Themes of family, diaspora, and intergenerational conflict.

Novels:

1. The Namesake (2003) – Follows Gogol Ganguli, a child of Indian immigrants, struggling with cultural identity in the USA.

2. The Lowland (2013) – Explores political upheaval in India, family bonds, and personal sacrifice.

Non-Fiction / Memoir:

1. In Other Words (2016) – A memoir reflecting her experience learning and writing in Italian.

97. Who is the unreliable narrator in Rushdie's Midnight's Children

(1) Saleem Sinai

(2) Laxmi

(3)Shiva ‘

(4) Aadam Aziz

Ans. (1) Saleem Sinai

Birth: Born at the exact stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947, the moment India gained independence. Special Powers: He, along with other children born in that hour, has magical abilities; Saleem can telepathically communicate with all midnight children. Symbolism: Saleem’s life is intertwined with the fate of India; he embodies the nation’s struggles, divisions, and identity crises. Narrative Role: Saleem is both narrator and protagonist, blending personal memory with national history, often in a magical realist style. Saleem Sinai is an Anglo-Indian who is the first child born in India after the moment of India's independence and is a self-conscious narrator who questions the readers' assumptions about what constitutes a life story or a nation's history. His life and his experiences in the novel are inseparable from the events taking place around him and so he truly becomes a child of history.

98. Match the following and choose the right option:

A. Robin Cohen (i) The Black Atlantic

B. Avatar Bruh (ii) Diasporic Mediations

C. Paul Gilroy (iii) Global Diasporas

D. R. Radhakrishnan (iv) Cartographies of Diasporas

Ans. iii iv i ii

Author: Paul Gilroy (1993) – The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness

Author: Robin Cohen (1997) – Global Diasporas: An Introduction

Author: Avtar Brah (1996) – Cartographies of Diaspora: Contesting Identities

99. Meena Alexander's Dream_Poem (SR) is about

(1) Youth and age

(2) Mother and daughter relationships

(3) Marital compatibility

(4) Mother as "harvest"

Ans. (2) Mother and daughter relationships

100.’ Mother’ in Men Alexander's poem The Bird's Bright Ring" symbolizes-

(1) the stereotypical Indian woman

(2) the bridge between the old and the new

(3) unassertive woman

(4) creativity and production

Ans. (4) creativity and production

Meena Alexander’s poetry collections included The Bird’s Bright Ring (1976), I Root My Name (1977), Without Place (1978), Stone Roots (1980), House of a Thousand Doors (1988), and The Storm: A Poem in Five Parts (1989). She also wrote a one-act play, In the Middle Earth (1977); a volume of criticism, Women in Romanticism (1989); a semiautobiographical novel set in Hyderabad, India, Nampally Road (1991); and a memoir, Fault Lines (1993).

101. Who wrote Afternoon Raag ?

(1) Amit Chaudhary

(2) Meera Syal

(3) Bharti Mukherjee

(4) Faroukh Dhondy

Ans. (1) Amit Chaudhary

Afternoon Raag by Amit Chaudhuri is a contemplative novel that delves into the life of a young Bengali man navigating the complexities of identity, belonging, and the passage of time. Set in the late 1980s, the story unfolds through a series of interconnected vignettes, capturing the protagonist's experiences as a student at Oxford University and his visits to Bombay and Calcutta.

The novel follows an unnamed first-person narrator reflecting on his student days in Oxford, a period marked by loneliness and discovery. His affections are torn between two women, Shehnaz and Mandira, while he grapples with the pull between his life in England and his memories of India. The narrative weaves between the present and the past, shifting from the damp streets of Oxford to the vibrant scenes of Bombay and the nostalgic landscapes of Calcutta. Throughout, the spirit of a deceased music teacher lingers, symbolizing the elusive and annihilating passage of time.

Novels in Order of Publication: A Strange and Sublime Address – 1991 Afternoon Raag – 1993 Freedom Song – 1998

A New World – 2002 Friend of My Youth – 2007 A Modernist – 2012 Odysseus Abroad – 2017

102. On what basis can you conclude that Outcaste by Narendra Jadhav is a Dalit text ?

(1) Global popularity of the text

(2) Character representation

(3) Nationality of the author

(4)The social status of the writer

Ans. (2) Character representation

Outcaste: A Memoir by Narendra Jadhav is a poignant and inspiring account of a Dalit family's journey from oppression to empowerment in post-independence India. Originally published in Marathi as Amcha Baap Aan Amhi (1993), the English version was released in 2005 under the title Untouchables: My Family’s Triumphant Journey Out of the Caste System in Modern India.

Summary: The memoir spans three generations of the Jadhav family, focusing on the life of Damu Runjaji Jadhav, Narendra's father. Born into the Mahar caste, one of the lowest in the Hindu hierarchy, Damu faced severe social discrimination. Despite being illiterate, he defied the traditional roles assigned to his caste, such as scavenging and begging for leftover food, by refusing to perform the 'Yeskar' duty—the task of collecting alms from upper-caste households. His rebellion against these dehumanizing practices marked the beginning of his family's transformation. The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives: Damu's, his wife Sonabai's, Narendra's, and his teenage daughter Apoorva's. This multi-generational viewpoint highlights the family's evolution from marginalized existence to societal recognition. Central to their upliftment was the influence of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's teachings, which inspired Damu to seek education and dignity for his descendants.

The memoir is divided into four parts: Up Against Bondage – Depicts the family's struggles with caste-based oppression.

Towards Freedom – Highlights their journey towards social and economic emancipation.

The Struggle – Details the challenges faced in their pursuit of equality.

Making of the Second Generation – Focuses on the achievements of Narendra and his siblings, emphasizing the transformative power of education.

103. Which statement is not true about the metaphorical significance of the quilt in Rohinton Mistry's Fine Balance?

(1) It gives a glimpse of the evils prevalent in the society today

(2) Minor fictive persona are reflected in its patches

(3) highlights Dina's sense despair and desolation

(4) It is a symbol of time

Ans. (1) It gives a glimpse of the evils prevalent in the society today

Novels By Rohinton Mistry: Such a Long Journey – 1991

A Fine Balance – 1995 , Family Matters – 2002

A Fine Balance: Setting: 1970s India, primarily Mumbai, during the Emergency (1975–77).

Highlights urban poverty, caste discrimination, and political oppression.

Plot Summary: The novel follows four main characters:

Dina Dalal – A widowed woman striving to maintain her independence.

Ishvar Darji – A tailor from a lower caste seeking dignity.

Omprakash Darji – Ishvar’s nephew, also a tailor, symbolizing generational struggle.

Maneck Kohlah – A young student from a middle-class family.

Dina rents a flat and the four of them form a makeshift family, relying on one another for survival. Their lives are shaped by social injustice, caste oppression, poverty, and political corruption. The novel depicts moments of joy and friendship but also the brutality and unpredictability of life in India. The narrative explores the fragility of human existence, where even small comforts, like a quilt, provide a fleeting sense of safety.

104. Who is the protagonist in Bharti Mukherjee's The Tiger's Daughter?

(1) Tara Banerjee

(2) David

(3) Panna Bhatt

(4) Mr. Tuntunwala

Ans. (1) Tara Banerjee

The Tiger’s Daughter is the first novel by Bharati Mukherjee, published in 1971. It explores themes of identity, displacement, cultural conflict, and the immigrant experience.

The novel follows Tara Banerjee Cartwright, an Indian woman who has been studying and living in the United States for several years. She returns to Calcutta (Kolkata) after her marriage to an American man named David Cartwright. When she comes back, she expects to find comfort and familiarity in her homeland, but instead, she feels like an outsider. The India she remembered has changed — it is politically unstable, socially divided, and filled with poverty and unrest. Tara struggles to reconnect with her old friends and her family, realizing that she no longer fully belongs either in India or in America. Her experiences highlight the pain of cultural alienation and the confusion of identity faced by immigrants who live between two worlds.

Characters

Tara Banerjee Cartwright – Protagonist; an Indian woman torn between two cultures.

David Cartwright – Her American husband, representing the Western world.

Bipin Bihari – A political figure, symbolizing India’s turmoil.

Tara’s mother (the "Tiger") – Represents traditional strength and Indian pride.

It was followed by another major work, Wife (1975), which also examines women’s identity and cultural conflict.

105. In his scintillating essay, "What the Twilight Says," Derek Walcott describing the production of Wole Soyinka's The Road, tells us how the Africans had lost both gods. Here "both gods" refers to

(1) Christian and Hindu gods

(2) African and American gods

(3) Tribal and Urban gods

(4) Native and Christian gods

Ans. (4) Native and Christian gods

What the Twilight Says: Essays is a collection of essays by Derek Walcott, the Nobel Prize–winning poet and playwright from Saint Lucia. It was first published in 1998 and gathers Walcott’s reflections on literature, art, identity, and the legacy of colonialism in the Caribbean. He describes the “twilight” as a symbol of this in-between state — neither fully European nor purely African, but something mixed and new. This condition of cultural hybridity shapes both his life and his art. Walcott describes the colonial Caribbean experience as one of spiritual and cultural disinheritance. He says that the people of the Caribbean — descendants of Africans brought by slavery and shaped by European colonization — have “lost both gods.” That means:

The African gods (the ancestral beliefs and traditions) were taken away through slavery, conversion, and colonial education.

The European god (Christianity) was never truly theirs, because it was the religion of the colonizer — imposed, not chosen.

So the Caribbean person is left in a spiritual twilight — between two worlds, belonging fully to neither.

106. "Postcolonial Literature" is often a dialectic between

(1) native subversion and imperial systems

(2) native subversion and political manipulations

(3) imperial systems and psychological demands

(4) imperial systems and dispossession

Ans. (1) native subversion and imperial systems

Colonial literature is a tug-of-war — the empire writes to control, and the natives write to fight back, even when using the empire’s own language. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, he uses English but fills it with Igbo proverbs and culture, challenging the imperial system’s authority.

107. Which out of the following is a work by Ashis Gupta ?

(1) Dying Tradition

(2) The Circle of Reason

(3) Colour Purple

(4) Rich Like Us

Ans. (1) Dying Tradition

Dying Tradition is a novel published in 1992 written by Ashish Gupta.

The Circle of Reason Author: Amitav Ghosh Published: 1986

Debut novel of Amitav Ghosh. It follows Alu (Nachiketa Bose), a young Indian man falsely accused of terrorism, who flees across India, the Persian Gulf, and North Africa. The story explores migration, exile, and the clash between science and superstition. Divided into three parts: Satwa (Reason), Rajas (Passion), and Tamas (Darkness) — terms from Indian philosophy.

Rich Like Us Author: Nayantara Sahgal Published: 1985 Set during the Emergency period (1975–77) in India under Indira Gandhi’s rule.

The novel focuses on Rose, an Englishwoman married to a rich Indian industrialist, and Sonali, an Indian civil servant. Through their stories, Sahgal examines corruption, class conflict, political repression, and women’s struggles. Won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986.

108. The work 'Golpitha' by Namdeo Dhasal is

(1) A collection of short stories

(2) A collection of poems

(3) A novel

(4) A collection of short essays

Ans. (2) A collection of poems

Golpitha (1972) is a landmark Marathi poetry collection written by Namdeo Dhasal, one of the founders of the Dalit Panther movement and a major voice in Dalit literature in India.

Author: Namdeo Dhasal Language: Marathi Year of publication: 1972

Setting: The red-light district of Mumbai, especially Golpitha, an actual locality near Kamathipura. Theme: It portrays the brutal realities of urban poverty, caste oppression, prostitution, and social injustice.

109. Which f the following is NOT a book by Nirad C. Chaudhry?

(1) A Bend in the River

(2) An Area of Darkness

(3) A Passage to India

(4) A Passage to England

Ans. ***

A Passage to England is by Nirad C Choudhary. A Bend in the River and An Area of Darkness are written by VS Naipaul. A Passage to India is by E M Forster.

110. Which of the following statement about Kamala Markandey's book Some Inner Fury is NOT correct?

(1) It portrays the troubled relationship between an educated Indian woman and a British civil servant.

(2) The brother of the Indian woman is an anti-British terrorist.

(3) It was written in 1956.

(4) It is set in the year of Quit India Movement.

Ans. (3) It was written in 1956.

Some Inner Fury (1955) by Kamala Markandaya:

Some Inner Fury is Kamala Markandaya’s second novel, set in India during the early 1940s, against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement. It explores the tensions between personal desires and political duty, and between Westernized values and traditional Indian culture.

Main Characters

Mirabai – The heroine, a young Indian woman from a Westernized family. She is intelligent, independent, and sensitive.

Kit – Mirabai’s brother, a radical nationalist who has returned from Oxford. He is passionate about India’s freedom struggle.

Richard – A British civil servant and friend of Kit. He is kind, cultured, and becomes the object of Mirabai’s affection.

Supporting characters – Family members and Indian nationalists who represent various perspectives on colonialism and modernity.

Mirabai grows up in a Western-influenced Indian household, enjoying education and relative comfort.Her brother Kit returns from Oxford University, bringing radical political ideas and a deep commitment to India’s independence.Kit introduces Mirabai to his friend Richard, a British officer.As India becomes more politically restless, Mirabai experiences inner conflict.She is torn between her love for Richard and loyalty to her country, which is increasingly anti-British.Kit represents the voice of nationalist fervor, pushing for action and moral clarity.Mirabai develops a deep emotional attachment to Richard, who reciprocates her feelings.Their love is complicated by cultural differences and the political climate, making their relationship socially and morally challenging.Mirabai’s attraction to Richard creates guilt and confusion, symbolizing the personal struggles caused by colonialism.Kit participates in the civil disobedience and nationalist movements.Mirabai witnesses the violence and upheaval of India’s struggle for freedom, which intensifies her inner turmoil.Richard’s position as a British officer makes him a symbol of colonial authority, which conflicts with Mirabai’s growing nationalist sentiments.The tension between love and duty reaches a peak.Mirabai faces the dilemma of choosing between personal happiness and moral allegiance to her country.Political events outside the family home escalate, impacting the characters directly and forcing difficult decisions.The novel does not offer a simplistic happy ending.Mirabai experiences a sense of loss and disillusionment, reflecting the costs of colonialism and the personal sacrifices demanded by political and cultural upheaval.The story closes with a recognition of the complex interplay of personal desires, cultural identity, and historical forces.

111. What is the name of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's first collection of poetry?

(1) Sister of My Heart

(2) Black Candle

(3) Palace of Ilusions

(4) Mistress of Spices

Ans. (2) Black Candle

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s first collection of poetry is titled “Black Candle” (1991). Details: Full title: Black Candle: Poems about Women from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh Published: 1991 Theme: The collection explores the experiences, struggles, and inner lives of South Asian women — their identities, traditions, oppression, and resilience.

112. Choose the text from the following which can be situated in the Latin American tradition of magic realism:

( ) The Hero’s walk

(2) Namesake

(3) The Lost Steps

(4) Cry, The Peacock

Ans. (3) The Lost Steps

The Lost Steps is a novel by Alejo Carpentier, a Cuban writer, first published in 1953 in Spanish as Los pasos perdidos. The novel follows a musicologist from an unnamed Western city who is disillusioned with his modern, materialistic life. He embarks on a journey to South America in search of ancient musical instruments—but this physical expedition soon turns into a spiritual and existential quest for meaning and origins. As he travels deeper into the jungle, he feels as though he is moving backward in time, retracing the "lost steps" of human civilization—from modernity to primitivism. However, when he finally reaches what seems like a paradise of purity and simplicity, he realizes he cannot stay; he is still bound by the modern world he tried to escape. Often compared to works like Conrad’s Heart of Darkness or Hesse’s Siddhartha, but with a Latin American perspective.

113. "State sponsored patriotism And ethnic absolutism are now dominant, and nationalism Has been reconstituted to fit new social and geopolitical circumstances in which the larger west and our own local part of it are again under siege".

The above quote is taken from the diasporic writer-

(1) Du Bois

(2) Paul Gilroy

(3) Caryl Phillips

(4) Ashish Nandy

Ans. (2) Paul Gilroy

Paul Gilroy is a scholar of cultural studies and black Atlantic diasporic culture with interests in the "myriad manifestations of black British culture". He is the author of There Ain't No Black in the Union Jack (1987), Small Acts (1993), The Black Atlantic (1993), Between Camps (2000; also published as Against Race in the United States), and After Empire (2004; published as Postcolonial Melancholia in the United States), among other works. Gilroy was also co-author of The Empire Strikes Back: Race and Racism in 1970s Britain (1982).

114. Which of the following postcolonial critics has advanced deconstructive theory into the area of feminism ?

(1) Simone-De-Beauvoir

(2) Edward Said

(3) Gayatri Spivak

(4) Roland Barthes

Ans. (3) Gayatri Spivak

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak is one of the most influential postcolonial and feminist critics of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Her work combines Marxism, deconstruction, feminism, and postcolonial theory to examine how power, gender, and colonialism shape knowledge and representation.

Born: 1942, Kolkata (India)

Major Works: “Can the Subaltern Speak?” (1988)

A Critique of Postcolonial Reason (1999)

In Other Worlds: Essays in Cultural Politics (1987)

English translator of Jacques Derrida’s Of Grammatology (1976)

115. Who used the term "Othering in the context of imperialism as well as patriarchy ?

(1) Homi Bhabha

.(2) Michel Foucault

(3) Edward Said

(4) Gayatri Spivak

Ans. (4) Gayatri Spivak

116. “Aki : The years of Childhood” is an illuminating memoir of the early life of -

(1) Chinua Achebe

(2) Wole Soyinka

(3) Aime Césaire

(4) J.M. Coetzee

Ans. (2) Wole Soyinka

Nationality: Nigerian

Profession: Playwright, poet, novelist, essayist, and political activist

Nobel Prize: Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1986) — first African laureate.

Major Works Plays

The Swamp Dwellers (1958) – Conflict between tradition and modernity.

The Lion and the Jewel (1959) – Satire of colonial influence and changing values.

A Dance of the Forests (1960) – Written for Nigeria’s independence; shows the cyclical nature of corruption.

Kongi’s Harvest (1965) – Political allegory about dictatorship and power.

The Trials of Brother Jero (1960) – Comedy about religious hypocrisy.

Death and the King’s Horseman (1975) – His most famous work; explores duty, ritual, and clash between Yoruba culture and British colonialism.

Novels The Interpreters (1965) – Intellectuals struggling with post-independence Nigeria.

Season of Anomy (1973) – Allegory about resistance to political corruption.

Poetry Idanre and Other Poems (1967) – Uses Yoruba myth to express philosophical concerns.

Ogun Abibiman (1976) – Dedicated to African unity and struggle.

Mandela’s Earth and Other Poems (1988) – Political and humanist reflections.

Essays and Memoirs: Myth, Literature and the African World (1976) – Theoretical work explaining African worldviews in literature.

The Man Died (1972) – Memoir about his imprisonment during the Nigerian Civil War.

You Must Set Forth at Dawn (2006) – Autobiography of his intellectual and political journey.

117. Michel Foucault's idea of power is a departure from

(1) Dominant Marxist models

(2) Psychoanalytic model of subjective formation

(3) Invisible cultural formations

(4) Deep structural models

Ans. (1) Dominant Marxist models

In Marxism, power is viewed as centralized and repressive, controlled by the ruling class that dominates through the state, economy, and ideology. It is something one possesses and uses to oppress others. Foucault, however, argues that power is not a possession but a network of relations that operates everywhere — in schools, prisons, families, and language. Power is diffused, productive, and relational, not just repressive. It doesn’t only control people but also creates knowledge, truth, and identities (through what he calls “power/knowledge”). He shows how modern societies use disciplinary power and surveillance to make individuals internalize control — a concept symbolized by the Panopticon. Thus, Foucault shifts the focus from who holds power to how power works, emphasizing that it circulates through all social relations and produces reality itself — a major move away from the traditional Marxist model

118. Which of the following statements are true for the definition of 'Negritude'-

a. It is a cultural movement launched by the French in Paris.

b. It aimed to reassert traditional African cultural values.

c. It aimed to assimilate the Blacks into White culture.

d. It has been defined in terms of 'intuitive reason' and cosmic rhythm.

(1) a & b are true c & d are false.

(2) a & c are true b & d are false.

(3) b & d are true a & c are false.

(4) c & d are true a & b are false.

Ans. (3) b & d are true a & c are false.

Negritude is a literary, cultural, and political movement that emerged in the 1930s among French-speaking Black intellectuals, writers, and poets from Africa and the Caribbean. It celebrated Black identity, African heritage, and cultural pride in opposition to colonial racism and assimilation. Developed in Paris by young Black students from French colonies who were alienated by European colonial culture. Key founders:

Aimé Césaire (from Martinique)

Léopold Sédar Senghor (from Senegal)

Léon-Gontran Damas (from French Guiana)

Major Works:

Aimé Césaire – Notebook of a Return to the Native Land (1939)

Léopold Senghor – Hosties Noires (Black Hosts, 1948)

Léon Damas – Pigments (1937)

119. Which of the following statements regarding The Lion and_the Jewe] (1958) is TRUE?

(1) The comedy lies in exchanges between the urban girl Sidi and the village school-master

(2) It belongs to the category of the Theatre of the Absurd.

(3) As regards plot and language it is influenced by Ben Johnson's Volpone.

(4) It belongs to the category of 'Comedy of Manners.

Ans. (3) As regards plot and language it is influenced by Ben Johnson's Volpone.

Title: The Lion and the Jewel Author: Wole Soyinka First Performed: 1959

Genre: Comedy / Satirical Play Setting: Ilujinle, a Yoruba village in Nigeria

The play takes place over the course of one day in the village of Ilujinle, showing the conflict between tradition and modernity.

🧕 Sidi – “The Jewel”

A beautiful young village woman who has become famous after her pictures appear in a foreign magazine.

She represents youth, beauty, and pride.

🧔 Baroka – “The Lion”

The Bale (chief) of the village — old, cunning, and wise.

Symbolizes traditional authority and Yoruba values.

Desires to marry Sidi to add her beauty to his prestige.

👨‍🏫 Lakunle

The village schoolteacher, educated and modern-minded.

He wants to marry Sidi but refuses to pay bride price, calling it a “barbaric custom.”

Represents Western education and modern ideals, often in a naive and comical way.

Plot Overview

1. Morning:

Lakunle tries to woo Sidi and convince her to marry him “in the modern way,” without bride price. Sidi mocks his Western manners and insists on tradition.

2. Afternoon: Baroka, the village chief, hears of Sidi’s fame and decides to make her his next wife. Sidi initially mocks him as too old.

3. Evening: Baroka cunningly sends false news that he has lost his virility. When Sidi visits him to confirm it, Baroka charms and seduces her. In the end, Sidi agrees to marry Baroka, symbolizing the victory of tradition over modernity.

120. "Orientalism is no longer only the relationship of the dominance and representation of the oriental bý the non-oriental but that his role appears to have been taken over by ... the diasporic author". The above quote is by-

(1) Rohinton Mistry

(2) Lisa Lau

(3) Vikram Chandra

(4) Bessie Head

Ans. (2) Lisa Lau

Lisa Lau is a contemporary postcolonial literary critic and scholar, best known for her work on the concept of “Re-Orientalism.” Her ideas expand on Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978) and explore how postcolonial writers themselves sometimes reproduce orientalist stereotypes about the East.

Lisa Lau is a literary theorist and academic originally from Malaysia. She teaches in the UK and writes on South Asian literature, postcolonialism, and feminist theory. Her major contribution is the development of the concept of Re-Orientalism in the 2000s.

Re-Orientalism: The Core Idea

Lisa Lau coined the term “Re-Orientalism” to describe a new form of Orientalism found in postcolonial writing by South Asian authors themselves.

✴ Meaning:

While Edward Said’s Orientalism described how the West represents the East as exotic, backward, and inferior to justify colonial power, Re-Orientalism describes how Eastern or diasporic writers (especially those writing for Western audiences) reproduce similar stereotypes of their own cultures — often unconsciously.

Example: A South Asian novelist living in the West might portray India as mystical, chaotic, or spiritually rich — not to mock it, but to appeal to Western readers’ expectations. This becomes a “self-Orientalizing” act, reinforcing the East–West divide.

121. Which of the following combination is 'TRUE of the novel Arrow of God?

a. Arrow of God is real sequel to Things Fall Apart

b. Arrow of God is about tribal society and its-proverbs.

c. Colonial administration and Christian churches are intrusions in the traditional life in Arrow_of of God.

d. The destruction of the traditional culture is the main theme of the novel Arrow of God.

(1) a, b & d are correct

(2) b, c & d are correct

(3) c, b & d are correct

(4) a,c & d are correct

Ans. (1) a, b & d are correct

Arrow of God Published: 1964

Language: English

setting: Igbo village life in colonial Nigeria (1920s–1930s)

Summary: Arrow of God is the third novel in Achebe’s African Trilogy (Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God). The story centers on Ezeulu, the chief priest of Ulu, the god of a cluster of Igbo villages. Ezeulu is respected but proud, and he struggles to maintain traditional authority amid British colonial expansion and missionary influence. When the British impose indirect rule and new political structures, Ezeulu resists, insisting on traditional rituals and the timing of the yam festival. His stubbornness leads to personal tragedy and the erosion of his authority. The novel explores the collision between colonial power and indigenous culture, highlighting the moral dilemmas of leadership and cultural change.

Main Characters: Ezeulu Chief priest of Ulu, proud, authoritative, struggles with colonial and traditional authority.

Obika Ezeulu’s loyal son, conflicted between obedience and personal ambition.

Umuaro villagers Represent the tension between old traditions and colonial influence.

British colonial officials Introduce new governance, indirect rule, and legal structures.

Christian missionaries Spread Christianity, challenging traditional religious authority.

122. "Our deeds were neither great nor rare. Home is where we have to gather grace".

The above two lines have been taken from the poem

(1) Chaitanya by Arun Kolatkar

(2) Night of the Scorpion by Nissim Ezekiel.

(3) Obituary by A.K. Ramanujan.

(4) Enterprise by Nissim Ezekiel.

Ans. (4) Enterprise by Nissim Ezekiel.

End: At last we reached the distant shore

And found the sea was calm and blue.

We had no strength to ask for more

And turned to go. The journey through

Had been a failure, but we knew

That home is where we have to gather grace.

123. A. One of the earliest instances of Revenge Tragedy' is the Oresteia of Aeschylus.

B: Thomas Kyd established the genre of revenge tragedy in England with “The Spanish Tragedy”.

C: The Elizabethan dramatist took Lope de Vego as a model.

On the basis of the above mentioned statements choose the correct option.

(1) A & B are true, C is false.

(2, A & C are true, B is false,

(3) B& C are true, A is false,

(4) A,B&C are true.

Ans. (1) A & B are true, C is false.

Revenge tragedy is a dramatic genre that flourished in Elizabethan and Jacobean England (late 16th–early 17th century). It combines murder, revenge, and moral corruption, often ending in multiple deaths.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Prince avenges his father’s murder; includes ghost, madness, and a tragic ending.

The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd

Early revenge tragedy; features play-within-a-play, ghost, and elaborate revenge plot.

Tis Pity She’s a Whore by John Ford

Combines revenge, passion, and moral transgression.

The Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas Middleton

124. A The revitalized Latin style and concern for pure Latinity set high standards during the renaissance period.

B: The difficulty of satisfying these high standards contributed to the gradual decline of Latin as a common language.

On the basis of the above statements choose the right option:

(1) A is true, B is false.

(2) A is false, B is true. 8

(3) Both A & B are true but B is not the logical inference of A.

(4) Both A & B are true and B is the logical inference of A.

Ans. (1) A is true, B is false.

125. …………….of……………….. presents Christian Knights on journey through life encountering all kinds of temptations.

(1) Aeneid, Surrey

(2) The Faerie Queene, Edmund Spenser

(3) The Nymph's Reply, Walter Raleigh

(4) The Defence of Poesy, Philip Sydney

Ans.(2) The Faerie Queene, Edmund Spenser

Title: The Faerie Queene Author: Edmund Spenser (1552–1599)

Published:

Book I (1590)

Books II–VI (1596)

Form: Spenserian stanza (9 lines: 8 iambic pentameter + 1 alexandrine)

The Faerie Queene is a highly allegorical epic poem celebrating virtue, morality, and Elizabethan ideals. It is dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I, symbolizing her as the “Faerie Queene,” the embodiment of justice, holiness, and national prosperity. The poem is structured around knights representing particular virtues, who undertake quests to overcome evil, temptation, and corruption. It blends Arthurian romance, classical epic, and Christian allegory.

Major Books and Themes

Book Virtue Represented Main Character / Quest

Book I Holiness Redcrosse Knight battles Errour and the dragon, representing spiritual growth and Christian virtue.

Book II Temperance Sir Guyon undertakes a quest to overcome envy and temptation, emphasizing moderation.

Book III Chastity Britomart, a female knight, seeks love while upholding chastity and valor.

Book IV Friendship Cambell explores loyalty and social bonds (less popular than others).

Book V Justice Focuses on courtly and civic justice, confronting tyranny and oppression.

Book VI Courtesy Sir Artegall, representing justice and order, combats cruelty.

Style: Spenserian stanza: 8 lines of iambic pentameter + 1 alexandrine (6 iambic feet).

126. 'Non Vi’ by Crashaw is an emblem poem which means there is an image. The image in the poem is that of

(1) an emblem

(2) cupid

(3) the mind

(4) a heart

Ans.(4) a heart

"Non Vi" is an emblem poem, a genre that combines visual imagery with a brief poem to convey a moral or philosophical message. In this case, the emblem features an image of a heart locked by a padlock, accompanied by the Latin phrase "Non Vi" and a four-line poem. The poem suggests that the heart cannot be opened by force but by skill, implying that love, not coercion, is the key to unlocking the human will. This aligns with the emblem's visual representation of a heart and padlock, reinforcing the idea that true influence comes from gentle persuasion rather than forceful action.

The Heart’s Key:

A heart locked tight, a secret kept,

No force can make it yield or weep.

Soft words like rivers, gently swept,

Will coax its treasures from the deep.

No hammer, chain, nor iron door

Can open what must choose to turn.

The key lies in the heart’s own core,

Awaiting those who seek, not burn.

So patience, love, and subtle art

Are mightier than force or plea.

For he who wins the guarded heart

Does so through care, not tyranny.

127. What is the moral of The Nun's Priest's Tale?

(1) Greed is the cause of all evil

(2) Never trust a flatterer

(3) Beauty lies in the soul

(4) Slow and steady wins the race

Ans. (2) Never trust a flatterer

The Nun’s Priest’s Tale is a fable in verse that tells the story of Chauntecleer, a proud rooster, and Pertelote, his favorite hen.

Introduction: Chauntecleer is beautiful, proud, and confident in his crowing and wisdom. Pertelote is his devoted hen, who loves him and gives him advice.

The Dream: Chauntecleer dreams that a fox will attack him. Pertelote dismisses the dream, calling it a result of indigestion and encourages him to eat something.

The Fox: A cunning fox, dainty and sly, flatters Chauntecleer, praising his singing voice. Chauntecleer, flattered, closes his eyes and is caught by the fox.

The Escape: The fox carries Chauntecleer toward the woods. Chauntecleer uses cleverness and flattery of the fox to make him open his mouth, escaping back to the farmyard.

Conclusion: Chauntecleer learns to be wary of flattery and the dangers of pride. The tale ends with a moral on the perils of pride and the value of caution.

128. Which of the following statements about 'Chaucerian Stanza' is NOT true ?

(1) It is also called rhyme royal

(2) Chaucer used it for the first time in ' Complaint Unto Pity'.

(3) It is a stanza form of 6 decasyllabic lines.

(4) It was also used by Spenser, Shakespeare, Masefield etc.

Ans. (3) It is a stanza form of 6 decasyllabic lines.

The Chaucerian stanza, also called the rhyme royal, is a verse form popularized by Geoffrey Chaucer in Middle English poetry. It is known for its structured rhyme scheme and elegant rhythm, which Chaucer used to craft narrative and reflective poetry.

⚡ Structure

Lines per stanza: 7

Meter: Iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line)

Rhyme scheme: ABABBCC

The first five lines (ABABB) develop an idea or narrative.

The final couplet (CC) provides a resolution, commentary, or reflection.

Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Troilus and Criseyde” uses the rhyme royal extensively.

John Lydgate and other later poets also adopted this stanza form.

129. "Bright shootes of everlastingnesse" occurs in

(1) Vaughan's “The Retreate"

(2) Herbert's "Virtue"

(3) Donne's "Holy Sonnets"

(4) Marvell's "The Garden"

Ans. (1) Vaughan's “The Retreate"

In this poem, Vaughan, a 17th-century metaphysical poet, explores the soul’s yearning to turn away from worldly concerns and return to God. The phrase “Bright shootes of everlastingnesse” occurs in this context and is deeply symbolic. Vaughan contrasts the fleeting, temporal pleasures of the world with the eternal joys of the spiritual realm. “Bright shootes of everlastingnesse” represents the glimpses of eternal life and divine grace that the soul can perceive when it withdraws from earthly distractions.

130. The character, Sir John Falstoff, appears in which of the play/plays of Shakespeare

A. Henry IV Part I

B. Henry IV Part II

C. Merry Wives of Windeor

Choose the correct option

(1) A

(2 A & B

(3) A, B & C

(4) B & C

Ans. (3) A, B & C

Role: Comic companion to Prince Hal (the future King Henry V)

Age: Older, fat, and indulgent, often described as “a sack of wit”

Traits: Humorous & witty: Master of puns, wordplay, and comic exaggeration

Cowardly & selfish: Avoids real danger, loves comfort and indulgence

Manipulative but charming: Able to persuade friends to join his schemes

Gluttonous: Loves food, drink, and tavern life

131. Senecan elements are found in:

(1) The Spanish Tragedy

(2) Samson's Agonistes

(3) Dr. Faustus

(4) As You Like It

Ans. (1) The Spanish Tragedy

“The Spanish Tragedy” by Thomas Kyd is one of the earliest and most influential Elizabethan revenge tragedies, and it shows strong Senecan elements. Seneca, the Roman philosopher and playwright, wrote tragedies in the 1st century CE that deeply influenced Renaissance drama.

The play is set in Spain and centers on Hieronimo, the Marshal of Spain.

Plot: Balthazar, son of the Duke of Portugal, kills Horatio, the son of Hieronimo. Hieronimo is consumed with grief and desire for revenge. While publicly appearing to pursue justice through the courts, Hieronimo plots a secret revenge. He stages a play-within-a-play, in which the murderers are tricked into revealing themselves and are executed on stage. The play ends with Hieronimo dying, along with most of the main characters, in a tragic bloodbath.

132. "Indulgence in dissimilar images or discovery of occult resemblances in things apparent unlike is a characteristic of :

(1) Metaphysical verse

(2) Romantic poetry

(3) Classical poetry

(4) Morality plays

Ans. (1) Metaphysical verse

Metaphysical poetry is a type of 17th-century English poetry that explores abstract ideas, such as love, religion, morality, and existence, using complex imagery and thought-provoking conceits. The term “metaphysical” was popularized by Samuel Johnson, who noted the poets’ use of unusual comparisons and intellectual playfulness.

133. In Thomas Nashe's The Unfortunate Traveller, the story relates the life of:

(1) Geoffrey Chaucer

(2) Jack Wilton

(3) Robert Greene

(4) Thomas Lodge

Ans.(2) Jack Wilton

The Unfortunate Traveller, or The Life of Jack Wilton (1594)

The novel follows Jack Wilton, a young English gentleman and adventurer, as he travels across Europe during the 16th century. His journey takes him through Italy, Germany, and France, encountering a series of absurd, grotesque, and sometimes violent adventures. He becomes involved in wars, duels, court intrigues, and social misadventures, often as a witness or reluctant participant. The narrative is episodic, mixing realistic detail with satire and dark humor, exposing the corruption and cruelty of European society. Jack’s character embodies both wit and moral ambiguity, navigating a world of violence, deception, and vice.

134. Identify the popular theatre of the Elizabethan period:

(i) It as the first building in England designed for plays.

(ii) After Queen Elizabeth's death it was renamed the 'King's Men'.

(iii) Shakespeare had a share in this theatre.

(1) Swan

(2) Globe

(3) Grand

(4) Peacock

Ans. (2) Globe

The Globe Theatre was a famous Elizabethan playhouse in London, associated with William Shakespeare. Built in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Shakespeare’s acting company.

Structure & Design: Open-air amphitheater with a circular or polygonal shape. Three tiers of seating for wealthier spectators; standing area (“pit” or “yard”) for commoners, called “groundlings.” Thrust stage extended into the audience for intimate interaction. Roofed area over some seating, but the stage and yard were open to the sky. No artificial lighting; performances held during the day.

Historical Timeline: 1599: Built by Shakespeare’s company.

1613: Burned down during a performance of Henry VIII (a cannon misfire).

1614: Rebuilt.

1644: Demolished by the Puritans during the closure of theaters.

1997: Modern reconstruction, Shakespeare’s Globe, opened in London near the original site.

135. Which critic sees Donne's poem : The Canonization' as deploying the Language of Paradox' ?

(1) Cleanth Brooks

(2) Helen Gardner

(3) T.S. Eliot S

(4) C.S. Lewis

Ans. (1) Cleanth Brooks

Brooks sees Donne’s The Canonization as a language of paradox because it expresses complex truths through seemingly contradictory ideas. Love is both physical and sacred, private and universally significant, blending humor and seriousness. These paradoxes capture the intensity and intellectual depth of Metaphysical poetry.

136. The "Aged Sire" in Spenser's The Faerie Queene refers to

(1) Archimago

(2) Morpheus

(3) Una

(4) The Knight of the Red Cross

Ans. (1) Archimago

In The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser, the “aged sire” refers to Archimago, the deceptive sorcerer who represents hypocrisy and deceit in the moral and spiritual allegory of the poem. Context: Appears in Book I of the poem. Archimago uses trickery, illusions, and disguises to lead knights and other characters astray from virtue. He often masquerades as a pious or aged figure, which is why he is referred to as an “aged sire.”

137. Which popular play is referred by Swinburne as "the only work of English poetry that may properly be called Aristophanic"?

(1) The Witch

(2) Game of Chess

(3) A Fair Quarrel

(4) The Roaring Girl

Ans. (2) Game of Chess

Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909), in his critical writings, used the term “Aristophanic” to describe poetry that is playful, comic, and satirical, often coarse or buffoonish in tone, similar to the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. Swinburne argued that the only poetry that is truly Aristophanic is poetry that deliberately employs wit, humor, and satire to critique society or human follies.

The Game of Chess (1624) by Thomas Middleton :

Main Characters: Sir Thomas – An elderly, foolish gentleman; represents vanity and gullibility.

Lady Marjorie – Sir Thomas’s wife; witty and clever, often manipulating situations.

Leonora – Young, virtuous woman; love interest in the play.

Lorenzo – Leonora’s suitor; embodies honor and cleverness.

Ferdinand – Courtly character, schemer, adds intrigue.

Other Courtiers and Servants – Contribute to comedy, intrigue, and chess metaphors.

Note: Middleton’s characters are often types rather than fully individualized personalities, reflecting social satire.

Summary of the Play: The play uses the metaphor of a chess game to depict romantic and social maneuvering. Sir Thomas, an elderly man, tries to assert control but is often outwitted by cleverer, younger characters. Leonora and Lorenzo navigate obstacles to their union through wit and strategy, mirroring chess moves. Lady Marjorie manipulates situations for her own advantage, highlighting female cleverness and social commentary. Comedy arises from deception, mistaken identities, and clever plotting, while the chess motif emphasizes strategy, foresight, and human cunning. The play critiques social pretensions, hypocrisy, and the pursuit of power in city life, all within a humorous, satirical framework.

138. The Black King and his men in Middleton's A Game at Chess represent respectively

(1) White Knight & Prince Charles

(2) Prince Charles & White Knight

(3) Spain & Prince Charles

(4) Spain and the Jesuits

Ans. (4) Spain and the Jesuits

139. Which one of the following is a.tragi-comedy by Philip Massinger?

(1) The Duke of Milan

(2) The Maid of Honour

(3) A New Way to Pay Old Debts

(4) The City Madam

Ans. (2) The Maid of Honour

140. A. The genre of 'masque' was perfected by Ben Johnson and Irigo Jones.

B. Its performance required elaborate sets, costumes, etc, and was very expensive.

C. The genre of anti-masque was developed by Ben Johnson.

Which of the above statement statements is /are true ?

(1) A&B

(2) C&B

(3) A&C

(4) A, B&C

Ans. (4) A, B&C

A masque was a form of courtly entertainment in Elizabethan England, popular in the 16th and early 17th centuries. It combined poetry, music, dance, elaborate costumes, and stagecraft. Performed for royalty and the nobility, often celebrating political events, marriages, or royal achievements.

Famous Practitioners: Ben Jonson – Wrote several masques for the Stuart court

Inigo Jones – Designed elaborate scenery and stage machinery

William Shakespeare – While mainly a playwright, some of his plays contain masque-like elements, e.g., The Tempest

141. Pope has dedicated the Essay on Man to which of the following?

(1) John Dryden

(2) Lord Bolingbroke

(3) Lord Harvey

(4) Lord Mary

Ans. (2) Lord Bolingbroke

Alexander Pope dedicated his Essay on Man to Henry St. John, Lord Bolingbroke. Lord Bolingbroke was a political philosopher and statesman, whose ideas on reason, nature, and society influenced Pope. The dedication reflects Pope’s admiration for Bolingbroke’s intellectual and moral philosophy, which underpins the poem’s themes.

142. In Guliver's Travels 'Struldbruggs' are ……………..

(1) people persecuted by pets and servants

(2) people replete with abstract learning.

(3) people lured by a new ideal.

(4) people exempt from natural death.

Ans. (4) people exempt from natural death.

Struldbrugs are a group of immortals that Gulliver encounters in Luggnagg, one of the lands he visits in Gulliver’s Travels (Book III). They are born with a mark on their foreheads signaling that they cannot die.

143.A: Dryden's All for Love is generally acknowledged as his best play.

B: Dryden expressed his dissatisfaction with the French tragedy.

In the light of the above statements choose the correct option :

(1) A is correct, B is wrong.

(2) Both A & B are correct but B is not the logical inference of A.

(3) A is wrong, B is correct.

(4) Both A & B are correct and B is the logical inference of A.

Ans. (2) Both A & B are correct but B is not the logical inference of A.

All for Love, or the World Well Lost (1677) A tragedy in blank verse, considered Dryden’s masterpiece in heroic drama.

Restoration heroic tragedy – Inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, but written in neoclassical style. Focuses on emotional and moral conflicts rather than spectacle. Retells the story of Antony and Cleopatra in Alexandria, focusing on their love and tragic fate.

Main events: Antony, torn between duty to Rome and love for Cleopatra, is politically and emotionally conflicted. Cleopatra tries to retain Antony’s love, using passion and cunning. Antony’s rival, Octavius Caesar, pressures him politically, leading to internal and external conflict. Miscommunication and tragic decisions result in the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra.

144. Which is George Chapman's major poem ?

(1) Ovid's Banguet of Sence

(2) The Teares of Peace

(3) Buzzy d'Amboiss

(4) The Shadow of Night

Ans. (2) The Teares of Peace

Key Works By Chapman:

Type Work/Publication Notes

Translation The Iliad, The Odyssey First complete English translation; epic style

Drama The Blind Beggar of Alexandria Tragicomedy with classical influence

Drama The Revenge of Bussy D’Ambois Revenge tragedy, themes of honor

Drama The Tears of Peace Tragedy on war, peace, and suffering

Poetry Sonnets, occasional poems Moral, philosophical, classical references

145. A: Robinson Crusoe is primarily a travel story.

B. It was initially called The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.

C. The book was followed by two continuations : The Further Adventures and The Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe.

In the light of the above statements choose the correct options:

(1) A & B are correct C is false

(2) A & C are correct B is false

(3) B & C are correet A is false

(d) All three (A, B, C) are true

Ans. (3) B & C are correet A is false

Daniel Defoe (1660–1731) – English novelist, journalist, and pamphleteer, often called the father of the English novel.

Title: Robinson Crusoe (1719)

Full title: The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner

Plot Summary: 1. Crusoe leaves home in England against his parents’ wishes to seek adventure at sea.

2. He survives shipwreck and becomes marooned on a desert island for 28 years.

3. Crusoe builds shelter, grows food, domesticates animals, and fashions tools, demonstrating ingenuity.

4. He rescues Friday, a native man, from cannibals and forms a friendship.

5. Eventually, Crusoe is rescued and returns to England, wealthy and wiser.

146,. Match the following with the correct options :

A B

(A) The Tatlor (i) Samuel Johnson

(B) The Spectator (ii) Goldsmith

(C) The Rambler (iii) Steele

(D) Citizen of the World (iv) Addison & Steele

Ans. (iii) (iv) (i) (ii)

1. The Tatler (1709–1711)

Founder/Author: Richard Steele

Type: Periodical essay

Purpose: To instruct, entertain, and inform society on manners, morals, and current events.

Features: Essays on everyday life, social behavior, and moral guidance; often humorous and conversational.

2. The Spectator (1711–1712; continued 1714)

Founders/Authors: Joseph Addison and Richard Steele

Type: Daily periodical essays

Purpose: To improve manners, morals, and taste in England; promote polite society and rational behavior.

Features: Short essays, fictional characters (e.g., Mr. Spectator), and commentary on literature, society, and culture.

3. The Rambler (1750–1752)

Author: Samuel Johnson

Type: Periodical essay

Purpose: To provide moral and literary instruction, focusing on serious reflection rather than entertainment.

Features: Twice-weekly essays, formal style, often philosophical and didactic; explored human nature, virtue, and society.

4. The Citizen of the World (1760–1762)

Author: Oliver Goldsmith

Type: Periodical essays

Purpose: To critique English society from an outsider’s perspective through the voice of a Chinese traveler, Lien Chi Altangi.

Features: Satire on manners, customs, and social pretensions, combining humor with moral observation.

147. In which work of Alexander Pope was the poet and dramatist Colley Cibber attacked ?

(1) The Dunciad

(2) Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot

(3) Imitations of Horace

(4) Satires and Epistle of Horace Imitated

Ans. (1) The Dunciad

Pope attacked Colley Cibber in The Dunciad by making him the “King of Dunces”, ridiculing his writing, taste, and character through mock-epic satire, personal invective, allegory, and heroic couplets. Cibber becomes the symbol of literary mediocrity, showing Pope’s wit and critical sharpness.

148. What was the name of the volume in which Lord Byron's early poems were privately published ?

(1) History of the Dividing Line

(2) Fugitive Pieces

(3) Old Creole Days

(4) Jürgen

Ans. (2) Fugitive Pieces

Fugitive Pieces, Byron's first volume of verse, was privately printed in the autumn of 1806, when Byron was eighteen years of age. Passages in Byron's correspondence indicate that as early as August of that year some of the poems were in the printers' hands and that during the latter part of August and during September the printing was suspended in order that Byron might give his poems an "entire new form." The new form consisted, in part, in an enlargement; for he wrote to Elizabeth Pigot about September that he had nearly doubled his poems "partly by the discovery of some I conceived to be lost, and partly by some new productions." According to Moore, Fugitive Pieces was ready for distribution in November. The last poem in the volume bears the date of November 16, 1806.

149. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen is about

(1) The Dashwood Family

(2) Emma

(3) The Bennet Sisters

(4) The Tilney Family

Ans. (1) The Dashwood Family

The Dashwood Family: The Dashwoods are a middle-class English family around whom the novel revolves. They face financial insecurity and social challenges after the death of Mr. Henry Dashwood. Members: Mrs. Dashwood – The widowed mother; kind, sensible, and concerned for her daughters’ well-being.

Elinor Dashwood – The eldest daughter; represents “sense” – rational, reserved, and prudent.

Marianne Dashwood – The middle daughter; represents “sensibility” – emotional, passionate, and romantic.

Margaret Dashwood – The youngest daughter; less prominent, often curious and observant.

John Dashwood – Mrs. Dashwood’s stepson; inherits the family estate and initially shows selfishness, though later improves.

150. Which of the following statements about The Dunciad is NOT correct?

(1) It was inspired by Mac Flecknoe

(2) It is an attack on writers, living or dead, who had offended Pope.

(3) It appeared in four books in 1743.

(4) The characters in The Dunciad are dwarfed and rendered harmless.

Ans. (4) The characters in The Dunciad are dwarfed and rendered harmless.

The Dunciad (first published in 1728; revised editions in 1729 and 1743)

A mock-epic satire attacking literary incompetence, bad taste, and cultural decline.

Uses heroic couplets and classical epic conventions to ridicule contemporary writers and critics.

Colley Cibber – Appointed Poet Laureate; portrayed as the “King of Dunces” in later editions.

Richard Bentley – Classical scholar, satirized for pedantry and vanity.

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