'The Prologue'

QUESTION NO. 1
Answer the following questions.

(i) Define poetry.

Ans. Poetry is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of
language -- such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre -- to evoke
meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.
(ii) Define alliteration.
Ans. Alliteration is a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same
first consonant sound, occur close together in a series of multiple words. For
example, A big bully beats a baby boy.
(iii) What do you mean by accent?
Ans. Accent is a rhythmically significant stress on the syllables of a verse within a
particular metrical pattern, usually at regular intervals. In basic analysis of a poem
by scansion, accents are represented with a slash (/).
(iv) What is apostrophe?
Ans. Apostrophe is an exclamatory figure of speech in which the poet addresses
an absent person, an abstract idea, or personification. For example, "O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
(v) How is a simile different from a metaphor?
Ans. A simile directly compares two things with the help of words "like" or "as".
For example, "Her cheeks are red like a rose". Whereas, metaphor identifies
something as being the same as some unrelated thing. For example, "All the
world's a stage".
(vi) Define humour.
Ans. Humour is the quality of a literary or informative work that makes the
character and/or situation seem funny, laughable, amusing, or ludicrous.
(vii) Define irony.
Ans. Irony is a contrast or discrepancy between what is said and what is meant or
between what happens and what is expected to happen. For example, "The
butter is as soft as a marble piece."
(viii) Define satire.
Ans. Satire is a technique employed to expose and criticize foolishness and
corruption of an individual or a society by using humour, irony, wit, exaggeration
or ridicule.
(ix) What do you understand by understatement?
Ans. An understatement, the opposite of hyperbole, is a literary device in which a
writer or speaker attributes less importance or conveys less passion than the
subject would seem to demand. For example, "The desert is sometimes dry and
sandy" is an understatement.
(x) What do you understand by Renaissance?
Ans. The Renaissance is a period from the 14th to the 17th century. It was a time
of great social and cultural change in Europe. It was the "rebirth" of classical
literature. Shakespeare, Donne, Herbert, Ben Jonson and Milton are important
literary figures of this period.
(xi) What is the important about the fact that 'The Prologue' is set in the month
of April?
Ans. The month of April is the start of spring. The spring is a symbol of the new
beginnings and the creation of new lives the pilgrims are about to undertake. So
"The Prologue" is set in the month of April.
(xii) Who was St. Thomas A. Becket?
Ans. St. Thomas Becket, born in London, England, on December 21, 1118, was the
Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170 by King Henry II'
knights. The king had ordered his murder for refusing to give the monarchy power
over the church.
(xiii) What is Chaucer's contribution to English Literature?
Ans. Chaucer is the father of English poetry. He made experiments in versification
and gave it a new shape. "The Canterbury Tales" is said to be the first element of
drama that gave rise to drama. He is certainly the grandfather of the English
novel.
(xiv) Which dialect did Chaucer use for his poetry?
Ans. Before Chaucer, English language was divided into a number of dialects. The
four of them vastly prominent then the others were: the Southern, the Midland,
the Northern, the Kentish. Chaucer used East Midland dialect for his poetry.
(xv) What is the purpose of 'The Prologue'?
Ans. The purpose of 'The Prologue" is twofold: to introduce the characters who
are making their pilgrimage to the Canterbury and the framework of the stories to
follow.
‘Paradise Lost’
(i) What is an epic?
Ans. An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject
containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation
narrated in elevated style. For example, Homer's "Iliad" is an epic.
(ii) What is a blank verse?
Ans. Blank verse is a category of poetry based on unrhymed lines and a definite
meter, usually of iambic pentameter. Examples of blank verse can be found in
Shakespeare, William Cullen Bryant, and Robert Frost.
(iii) What is a free verse?
Ans. Free verse is an open form of poetry. It does not use consistent meter
patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm
of natural speech. Examples of free verse can be found in Mathew Arnold, T.S.
Eliot and Ezra Pound.
(iv) What is a protagonist?
Ans. A protagonist is the central character or leading figure in poetry, drama,
novel or any other literary work. For example, Satan in Milton's "Paradise Lost",
Hamlet in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Elizabeth Bennet in Austen's "Pride and
Prejudice" are protagonists.
(v) What does the title of 'The Prologue'refer to?
Ans. The title of "Paradise Lost" refers to the Biblical story of the Fall of Man: the
temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from
the Garden of Eden.
(vi) What is the setting of "Paradise Lost"?
Ans. The first two books are set in Hell. Heaven is the setting of Book III and VI.
The Garden of Eden is, for the most part, the setting of the rest of the poem. Time
Setting is before the beginning of time.
(vii) What is the subject of "Paradise Lost"?
Ans. The subject of "Paradise Lost" is a lost paradise as the the central theme to
explain, defend, and vindicate God's action in dealing with succumbing to the
temptation of Satan by Adam and Eve after they eat the forbidden fruit.
(viii) Who are the main characters of "Paradise Lost"?
Ans. Satan, Adam, Eve, God, the Son, Devils (Beelzebub), and Angels (Michael) are
the main characters of "Paradise Lost".
(ix) For what does Milton invoke the Heavenly Muse?
Ans. Muses are nine goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences, Milton
invokes his muse, whom he identifies as the Holy Spirit, to fill his mind with divine
knowledge and guidance in his great work of singing about man's disobedience
and the consequent loss of Paradise.
(x) Why Adam and Even were expelled from Paradise?
Ans. Satan, in the disguise of a serpent, convinced Eve to eat the Forbidden Fruit.
She in turn convinced Adam to have a taste. As a result of Adam and Eve's sin of
eating the Forbidden Fruit, they were expelled from Paradise.
(xi) Why does Eve eat the forbidden fruit?
Ans. Satan, in the disguise of a serpent, entered Paradise. Finding Eve alone, he
flattered her beauty and godliness. Eve was amazed to see a creature of the
Garden speak. Satan told her that he had gained the gift of speech by eating a
particular fruit. Even was seriously tempted and ate the Forbidden Fruit.
(xii) Is Eve to blame for the fall?
Ans. It's hard to blame Eve alone for the fall. Both Eve and Adam were given free
will. Eve ate first, but Adam also ate the Forbidden Fruit. If Adam was not able to
resist his wife, how could he resist Satan?
(xiii) For what sin was Satan cast out of Heaven?
Ans. Satan became vain about his beauty and position, and his heart became
rebellious against God. As a punishment, God cast him out of heaven and sent
him to earth for his sin - the revolt against God.
(xiv) How long did it take Satan to fall from Heaven to Hell?
Ans. It took nine days and nine nights for Satan to fall from Heaven to Hell.
(xv) What demon is floating alongside Satan in the fiery lake at the beginning of
the poem?
Ans. It was Beelzebub, Satan's second in command in the hierarchy of fallen
angels who was floating alongside Satan in the fiery lake at the beginning of the
poem.
'The Rape of the Lock'
(i) What does the title of 'The Rape of the Lock' refer to?
Ans. The poem's title might seem confusing until we do a little digging into the
etymology of the word "rape". In the 18th century, in Pope's day, "rape" also
meant to carry away or take something from someone by force. The word "lock"
here means the tress, curl, or ringlet of a woman's hair.
(ii) What is the setting of 'The Rape of the Lock'?
Ans. The action takes place in London and its environs in the early 1700's on a
single day. The story begins at the London residence of Belinda. The scene then
shifts to the Thames. The rest of the story takes place at Hampton Court Palace,
except for a brief scene in the cave of the Queen of Spleen.
(iii) 'The Rape of the Lock' is called a mock epic poem. Why?
Ans. Like typical epics, there is a statement of purpose and invocation to the
Muse in "The Rape of the Lock". It is divided into Cantos and written in heroic
couplets. Moreover, there is use of supernatural machinery. However, there is a
satirical twist in this epic. It satirizes the absurdities and frivolities of the
aristocratic ladies and gentlemen. This makes this poem a 'mock epic'.
(iv) Define allegory.
Ans. An allegory is an extended metaphor in which abstract ideas, concepts and
principles are described in terms of characters, figures and events in ways that are
comprehensible to its viewers, readers, or listeners. For example, George Orwell's
novel "Animal Farm" is a political allegory.
(v) What is a heroic couplet?
Ans. A heroic couplet is a traditional form for English poetry, commonly used in
epic and narrative poetry. It refers to poems constructed from a sequence of
rhyming pairs of lines in iambic pentameter. For example: "Know then thyself,
presume not God to scan/ The proper study of Mankind is Man".
(vi) What are the satirical targets of 'The Rape of the Lock'?
Ans. The principal satirical targets of "The Rape of the Lock" are the absurdities
and frivolities of the fashionable circle - aristocratic ladies and gentlemen - of the
18th century England.
(vii) What are some of the images that recur through the poem 'The Rape of the
Lock'?
Ans. The first recurring image is the sun. It marks the passing of time in the poem
and emphasizes the dramatic unity of the story. Another image that recurs is that
of china. Delicate dishes that are beautiful, fragile, and purely luxurious form a
fitting counterpart to a world that is ornamental. The images of gold and silver
signify the real value of underlying glittery and mesmerizing surfaces.
(viii) Write the names of the women in the poem 'The Rape of the Lock'?
Ans. There are five major women in the poem. Belinda is the heroine of the poem.
Thalestris is Belinda's friend. Betty is Belinda's maid. Clarissa is an attendant at the
Hampton Court Party. Spleen is the queen of bad tempers and the source of
detestable qualities in human beings.
(ix) What is Belinda's full name in 'The Rape of the Lock'?
Ans. Belinda is the heroine of the poem "The Rape of the Lock" by Alexander
Pope. She is named for a real person: Arabella Fermor; a member of Pope's circle
of prominent Roman Catholics.
(x) Who was the guardian spirit of Belinda?
Ans. The guardian spirit of Belinda is Ariel. He is a sylph. He warns her that
something dreadful may happen and sets a guard of sylphs to protect his charge,
but he is unsuccessful in preventing the loss of the lock of hair.
(xi) What spirit does Pope call upon to help him write his poem?
Ans. Usually a poet calls upon one the the 'nine daughter of Zeus' to sanctify his
poetry. However, in 'The Rape of the Lock", Alexander Pope invokes his catholic
friend John Caryll instead, as a muse to provide him with blessings to narrate a
story of not a great hero but a rich, vain woman called Belinda.
(xii) To whom does Pope dedicate the poem 'The Rape of the Lock'?
Ans. Pope dedicates this poem to John Caryll. He was the friend of Arabella
Fermor (Belinda) and Pope. He was who originally asked Pope to write this poem.
(xiii) Who adores the 'sparkling cross' Belinda has on her neck?
Ans. Infidels adore this cross. Pope is highlighting the fact that the cross has as
much meaning to Belinda as it would to a person without any religious beliefs.
The cross is adored by the Infidels, kissed by the Jews, but no mention of Priests
or Gallants is made in reference to the cross.
(xiv) According to Pope, when women die, their spirits live on. What are the
four possible forms these spirits will take?
Ans. When quarrelsome women die, their souls go to fire and they become
Salamanders. When polite and submissive women die, their souls return to water
and they become Nymphs. The souls of proud and serious minded women go to
earth and they become Gnomes. The souls of flirt and coquette women go to air
and they become Sylphs.
(xv) What everyday feminine ritual is Pope connecting with the ancient Greco-
Roman sacrifice?
Ans. Sacrifice was the essential element of Greek and Roman religious rituals.
Pope is connecting the feminine ritual of dressing with the ancient Greco-Roman
sacrifice. Belinda's morning routine can be connected with a hero's ritualized
preparation before battle. Belinda's reflection in the mirror becomes the image of
goddess while her maid is the 'inferior priestess', worshiping at the altar.

John Donne
(i) What is John Donne considered to be?
Ans. John Donne (1572 - 1631) was an English poet and a cleric in the Church of
England. He is considered the pre-eminent representative of the metaphysical
poets. He is often considered the greatest love poet in the English language. He is
also noted for his religious verse.
(ii) Define metaphysical poetry?
Ans. Metaphysical poetry is highly intellectualized poetry marked by bold and
ingenious conceits, incongruous imagery, complexity and subtlety of though,
frequent use of paradox, and often by deliberate harshness or rigidity of
expression. John Donne, Henry Vaughan and Andrew Marvell are famous
metaphysical poets.
(iii) What is a theme?
Ans. Theme is the main, fundamental and universal idea or an underlying
meaning of a literary work that may be stated directly or indirectly. It unifies and
controls the entire literary work. For example, the main theme in the play
"Romeo and Juliet" is love with smaller themes of sacrifice, tragedy, struggle,
hardship, devotion and so on.
(iv) What are some common themes in the poems of John Donne?
Ans. Love as both physical and spiritual, religion, death and the hereafter,
paradoxes, belittling cosmic forces, interconnectedness of humanity, and fidelity
are the common themes in the poem of John Donne.
(v) What is the difference between Donne's love poems and divine poems?
Ans. The theme of love poems and divine poems is different. Love poems describe
three kinds of love; cynical, conjugal and Platonic. Divine poems describe two
notes; the Catholic and the Anglican. However, the thought and spirit behind the
two categories of poems is same.
(vi) What are the three moods of love in Donne's poems?
Ans. The first mood of love is cynical. It celebrates the physical appetite, notably
presented in the "Elegies". The second mood of love is conjugal. It is a mutually
enjoyed love between man and woman as found in "A Valediction: Forbidding
Mourning". Thirdly, there is the Platonic love, as in "The Canonization", where
love is regarded as a holy emotion like the worship of a devotee of God.
(vii) How does Donne distinguish between physical and spiritual love?
Ans. "Physical love" is the love that is primarily based upon the sensation or the
presence of the beloved or that emphasizes sexuality whereas "spiritual love" is
based on higher and more refined feelings than sensation. As a Metaphysical
poet, Donne uses physical loved to evoke spiritual love.
(viii) What is a cynical love?
Ans. Cynicism is an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general
distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others. So cynical love is anti-
woman and hostile to the fair sex. It indicates the frailty of man -- a matter of
advantage for lovers who like casual and extra-marital relations with ladies.
(ix) How is Donne's life reflected in his poetry?
Ans. Several major events in Donne's life -- his marriage, his conversion to
Anglicanism, his wife's early death, illness, and his elevation to the Deanship of St.
Paul's -- can be seen in his poetry.
(x) How is death treated in Donne's poetry?
Ans. Death is treated both as a reality of life and as an abstract concept. For
Donne death is not necessarily somber but provides a transition moment -- often
a climax -- denoting a change of state. "Death Be Not Proud", personifies Death as
a powerless being who cannot survive past the Resurrection; ultimately, all
people will reach their metaphysical states.
(xi) What is an allusion?
Ans. An allusion is a casual reference to a person, place, event, or another
passage of literature, often without explicit identification. Allusions can originate
in mythology, biblical references, historical events, legends, geography, or earlier
literary works. For example, "Don't act like a Romeo in front of her." - "Romeo" is
a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet in "Romeo and
Juliet".
(xii) What is a conceit?
Ans. Conceit is a figure of speech in which two vastly different objects are likened
together with the help of similes, metaphors, imagery, hyperbole and oxymora.
One of the most famous conceits is John Donne's "A Valediction: Forbidding
Mourning", a poem in which Donne compares two souls in love to the points on a
geometer's compass.
(xiii) What is hyperbole?
Ans. Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of
speech. It is used to create emphasis on a situation. It may be used to evoke
strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not to meant to be taken
literally. For example, "I had to wait in the station for ten days - an eternity". (The
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad)
(xiv) Why do you mean by elegy?
Ans. An elegy is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem in the form of elegiac
couplets. It is usually a funeral song or a lament for the dead. "Elegy Written in a
Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard
Bloom'd" by Walt Whitman are the most popular examples of elegy.
(xv) How many elegies did Donne write?
Ans. Donne wrote 20 elegies. These include: Jealosie, The Anagram, Change, The
Perfume, His Picture, Oh, Let Me Not Serve, Natures Lay Ideot, The Comparison,
The Autumnall, The Dreame, The Bracelet, His Parting From Her, Julia, A Tale of a
Citizen and His Wife, The Expostulation, On His Mistris, Variety, Loves Progress, To
His Mistris Going to Bed and Love Warr.

Shakespeare and Spenser

(i) Why is Spenser called 'The Poets' Poet'?

Ans. Spenser was first called "The Poets' Poet" by the English essayist Charles
Lamb because his poetic faculty was unique, his greatness was immediately
recognized, he coached many poets, and a host of poets followed him. Milton,
Browne, and two Fletchers were his professed disciples.
(ii) What are Spenser's intentions in writing 'The Faerie Queen'?
Ans. Spenser's aim in writing "The Faerie Queene" was to a create a great national
literature for England, equal to the classic epic poems of Homer and Virgil. The
poem is dedicated to Elizabeth I, who is represented in the poem as the Faerie
Queene herself.
(iii) What is Spenserian Stanza?
Ans. The Spenserian Stanza is a fixed verse form invented by Edmund Spenser for
his epic poem "The Faerie Queene". Each stanza contains nine lines in total: eight
lines in iambic pentameter followed by a single 'alexandrine' line in iambic
hexameter. The rhyme scheme of these lines is 'ababbcbcc."
(iv) Who is Una?
Ans. Una is Redcross's future wife, and the other major protagonist in Book I. She
is meek, humble, and beautiful, but strong when it is necessary; she represents
Truth, which Redcross must find in order to be a true Christian.
(v) Why does Redcross Knight abandon Una?
Ans. The Redcross Knight abandons Una because he believes the deception of the
Archimago, which pretends to show that Una is not chaste.
(vi) Which of the moral virtues does Redcross Knight represent?
Ans. The Redcross Knight represents holiness. He is bearing the symbol of Jesus
Christ upon his shield. His brand of holiness includes moral and theological purity,
as he fights deceptive monsters on behalf of his lady Una.
(vii) What role does Archimago play in 'The Faerie Queen'?
Ans. Archimago is a sorcerer. His name means "Arch-Image". In the narrative, he
is continually engaged in deceitful magics, as when he makes a false Una to tempt
the Red-Cross Knight into lust, and when he failed, conjures another image, of a
squire, to deceive the knight into believing that Una was false to him.
(viii) What is 'the house of Morpheus'?
Ans. Mopheus is the god of sleeps and dreams. It lives in a mystical cave that
seems far removed from reality. This cave is called "the house of Morpheus".
(ix) What is meant by a Ballad?
Ans. A narrative poem, often of folk origin and intended to be sung, consisting of
simple stanzas and usually having a refrain. The Anonymous medieval ballad,
"Barbara Allan", exemplifies the genre.
(x) What is a sonnet?
Ans. A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme
schemes. In English, a sonnet has 3 quatrains followed by a couplet and ten
syllables per line. (iambic pentameter). It usually expresses a single, complete
thought, idea or sentiment. Examples include P.B. Shelley's "Ozymandias" and
John Keats' "When I Have Fears".
(xi) Explain the rhyme scheme in a sonnet.
Ans. The Petrarchan or Italian sonnet has the rhyme scheme ABBAABBA CDECDE.
The Shakespearean sonnet has the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The
Spenserian sonnet is a variation of the English sonnet with the rhyme scheme
ABAB BCBC CDCD EE.
(xii) What is a Shakespearean Sonnet?
Ans. A Shakespearean Sonnet is a poem expressive of though, emotion or idea. It
is composed of three quatrains and a terminal couplet in iambic pentameter with
the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg. It is also call Elizabeth Sonnet or English
Sonnet.
(xiii) How many Sonnets did Shakespeare write?
Ans. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets which were collected together and
published posthumously in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe.
(xiv) What are the major themes of Shakespeare's sonnets?
Ans. Different types of romantic love, the dangers of lust and love, Platonic love
vs. carnal lust, real beauty vs. cliched beauty, the responsibilities of being
beautiful, the ravages of time, selfishness and greed, self-deprecation and
inadequacy, homoerotic desire and financial bondage are the major themes of
Shakespeare's sonnets.
(xv) Who is Shakespeare's Dark Lady?
Ans. Twenty-four of Shakespeare's sonnets are addressed to a mysterious woman
called Dark Lady. Scholars believe that she could be one of four historical women:
Mary Fitton, a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth; Lucy Morgan, a brothel owner
and former maid to Queen Elizabeth; Emilia Lanier, the mistress of Lord Hunsdon,
patron of the arts; and the mother of his illegitimate son Devanant.

Oedipus Rex
Answer the following questions.
(i) How did Oedipus save Thebes before becoming its king?
Ans. A Sphinx had been terrorizing Thebes for an undisclosed amount of time. It
placed a great plague over Thebes and refused to remove it until someone
correctly answered its riddle. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but
each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. When Oedipus answered
the Sphinx, it killed itself.
(ii) What was the riddle posed by Sphinx to Oedipus?
Ans. The riddle posed by Sphinx to Oedipus was, "What goes on four feet in the
morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?" When Oedipus gave
the correct answer, "man", the Sphinx threw itself off a cliff and died.
(iii) Why do the Thebans come to Oedipus?
Ans. A procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverished and
sorrowful citizens of Thebes comes to Oedipus. Thebes has been struck by a
plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how to put an end to it. Oedipus
asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. The priest
responds that the city is dying and asks the king to save Thebes.
(iv) What do Thebans think of Oedipus as their king?
Ans. Thebans think that Oedipus is an intelligent and decent king who cares
deeply for his people. When Thebes has been struck by a plague, they gather
around his palace so that Oedipus may save them from the calamity.
(v) Who is Creon?
Ans. Creon is the brother of queen Jocasta, the wife of King Laius as well as
Oedipus. He goes to the oracle at Delphi to seek Apollo's advice in saving Thebes
from plague. He is accused by Oedipus of conspiring with Tiresias to take the
crown from Oedipus. He becomes king in the end when Jocasta kills herself and
Oedipus blinds himself.
(vi) Why did Creon go to the Oracle?
Ans. He went to the Oracle at Delphi to seek Apollo's advice in saving Thebes from
plague. He wanted to know the cause and remedy of the plague from Apollo.
(vii) What message did Creon bring from Delphi Oracle?
Ans. Creon brought the message from Delphi Oracle that the gods had caused the
plague in Thebes in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of Thebes.
The gods had demanded that the murdered (the pollution of this land) should be
killed or exiled. The plague would be lifted after the completion of the task.
(viii) Who was Laius?
Ans. Laius was the king of Thebes before Oedipus. He was married to his distant
cousin, Jocasta. Apollo's oracle played a leading role in his reign. When Apollo
warned that his son would kill him, Laius was determined that this was not to be.
When his son, Oedipus, was born, Laius tied his feet together and left him to die
on a mountain. Many years later while on vacation, Laius was killed by Oedipus,
who had survived.
(ix) Define Chorus.
Ans. Chorus is a group of singers who stand alongside or off stage from the
principal performers in a dramatic or musical performance. In ancient Greece, the
chorus was originally a group of male singers and dancers who participated in
religious festivals and dramatic performances by singing and commenting on the
deeds of the characters and interpreting the significance of the events within the
play. The leader of the chorus was called Charogos.
(x) To which three gods does the Chorus pray for help?
Ans. The Chorus prays to the gods Appollo, Athena, and Artemis for help.
(xi) What is Creon's defense against the accusations against him?
Ans. Creon argues that it does not make sense that he would try to overthrow
Oedipus. He already shares a large amount of the authority as part of the de facto
triumvirate made of Oedipus, Jocasta and himself. He thinks it would be silly to
pursue through violence and hassle a crown when he already has the power. As
he lacks the ambition for that, he thinks the claims are unfounded.
(xii) Who is Choragos?
Ans. Choragos is the "leader" of the Chorus. He does most of the talking in the
Chorus. The rest of the Chorus chants or repeats what he says, but he is clearly
the leader. He is the voice of reason. He introduces Tiresias and urges Oedipus to
listen to him. He also urges other characters to avoid extremes, to practice
moderation, and see and hear the truth.
(xiii) Why did Oedipus and Laius confront?
Ans. There was a Delphic Oracle about Oedipus that he would grow up to kill his
father and marry his mother. Oedipus and his father Laius confront to initiate the
fulfillment of the prophecy.
(xiv) Why did Oedipus kill Laius where the three roads meet?
Ans. Oedipus's killing of Laius was predestined. The three roads represents past,
present and future. Oedipus was pushed along by the irreversible flow of time. So
he kills his father, Laius, at a place where three roads meet in the name of self-
defense.
(xv) What was the prophecy about Oedipus?
Ans. The prophecy of Delphic Oracle about Oedipus was that he would grow up to
kill his father and marry his mother.

Jew of Malta
Answer the following questions.
(i) Write the names of four plays of Marlowe.
Ans. Marlowe has left us from his short, but brilliant, career seven plays, and in
several of them he was a pioneer in that particular genre. His famous plays
include; Tamburlaine the Great, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, The Jew of
Malta, and The Tragedy of Edward II.
(ii) What is the setting of the play 'The Jew of Malta'?
Ans. The five acts of the play are set in Malta in 1565, the year that the Ottoman
Turks besieged the tiny Mediterranean nation. Besides the main island of Malta,
the nation includes four other islands.
(iii) What are the major themes of 'The Jew of Malta'?
Ans. Hypocrisy, Machiavellian Strategy, revenge, love and avarice, lies and deceit,
justice and judgment, wealth, religion, prejudice, perseverance and politics are
the major themes of "The Jew of Malta".
(iv) Name the religious groups mentioned in 'The Jew of Malta'.
Ans. The play portrays characters of three religious groups -- Christians, Jews, and
Muslim Turks -- in constant enmity with one another.
(v) Define the term 'Machiavellian'.
Ans. "Machiavellian" is a widely-used negative term to characterize unscrupulous
politicians of the sort Machiavelli described in "The Prince". "Machiavellian" is
often associated with deceit, deviousness, ambition, and brutality, although
Machiavelli likely only used it as stylistic device to gain the reader's attention for
his close analysis of the actual techniques used by rulers. Machiavel is a Senecan
ghost in "The Jew of Malta".
(vi) What is Malta's political situation in 'The Jew of Malta'?
Ans. Malta is in a tricky political situation. Even though it is home to a majority
Western, Christian population, it lives under shadow of the Turks. To stay safe,
Malta has to pay a monetary tribute to the Turks. In exchange for this protection
money, the Turks protect them .
(vii) Interpret 'I count religion but a childish toy'.
Ans. This line is from the Prologue spoken by Machiavell in "The Jew of Malta" by
Marlowe. In this line, Machiavell denounces religion. He says that religion is
nothing but a toy in the hands of religious fundamentalists and priests. It is a tool
one uses to manipulate other people. This line also sets the tone of Barabas's
actions throughout the rest of the play, as he lies constantly and makes plenty of
derogatory comments on Christianity
(viii) Interpret 'Weigh not men, and therefore, not men's words'.
Ans. This line is from the Prologue spoken by Machiavell in "The Jew of Malta" by
Marlowe. Machiavell is a symbol of Barabas's philosophy. He says that it is a
cynical attitude about not trusting others or what they say. Human worth and
words are not important.
(ix) Interpret 'For, so l live, perish may all the world!'
Ans. This line is from Act V spoken by Barabas in "The Jew of Malta" by Marlowe.
Barabas plots to undo everything once he is Governor of Malta -- Christians,
Turks, anyone in his way. He only cares for his own skin.
(x) Interpret 'Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness'.
Ans. This line is from Act I spoken by Ferneze in "The Jew of Malta" by Marlowe.
Ferneze blames Barabas for being rich; it leads others to do wrong, and therefore,
it is all his own fault if others take his money from him.
(xi) How the Turkish army is destroyed?
Ans. Barabas secretly makes a deal with Ferneze to kill all of the Turks in Malta in
return for a huge sum of money. Barabas' plan works but Ferneze batrays him at
the last minute. The Turkish army is destroyed and Barabas is killed in the trap he
devised for Calymath.
(xii) Who is Barabas?
Ans. Barabas is the protagonist of the play "The Jew of Malta". He is a wealthy
merchant who is unrelenting in his efforts to gain revenge against his enemies. As
the prime malefactor in the play, Barabas resorts to deceit, betrayal, sedition,
usury, extortion, and murder as means toward his ends.
(xiii) What are the priorities of Barabas?
Ans. Barabas has two priorities: money, and his only daughter, Abigail. Though
the priorities of Barabas shift and evolve in the play, his motivations seem
consistently threefold; he continues to seek and obtain "Great sums of money, he
continues to pursue revenge on Ferneze, and driven by an insatiable desire for
mayhem and destruction.
(xiv) Why is Barabas' all property confiscated?
Ans. Ferneze, the governor of Malta, issues a decree ordering the confiscation of
half of each Jew's estate to pay tribute to the Turks; if the Jewish property owner
refuses, he must become a Christian; if he refuses to become a Christian, he "shall
absolutely lose all he has". Having resisted both the confiscations, Barabas loses
all he has.
(xv) Why is Barabas impatient with stash of gold?
Ans. Barabas' all property is confiscated by Ferneze except a hidden stash of gold
that Barabas hasn't 'fessed up to'. So he is very impatient with stash of gold in his
house which has now been turned into a nunnery.

Othello
(i) Why does Iago not like Othello?
Ans. Iago's anger stems from the fact that Othello unfairly passed him over for
promotion and made Michael Cassio his lieutenant, even though Cassio, unlike
Iago, has no military field experience. He also suspects that Othello has slept with
his wife, Emilia. However, the main cause of his hatred is his deep-seated racism
against Othello.
(ii) Who is Roderigo?
Ans. Roderigo is the secondary antagonist of the play "Othello". He is a dissolute
Venetian lusting after Othello's wife Desdemona. He has opened his purse to Iago
in the mistaken belief that Iago is using his money to pave the way to
Desdemona's bed. In the end, Roderigo dies - stabbed in the back by Iago.
(iii) Who is Desdemona?
Ans. Desdemona is a beautiful, young and white Venetian debutante. She is the
daughter of a senator, Brabantio. She elopes with Othello. She is capable of
defending her marriage, jesting bawdily with Iago, and responding with dignity to
Othello's incomprehensible jealousy. She dies declaring her love for Othello.
(iv) Who is Michael Cassio?
Ans. Michael Cassio is Othello's lieutenant. He is a young and inexperienced
soldier, whose position is much resented by Iago. Truly devoted to Othello, Cassio
is extremely ashamed after being implicated in a drunken brawl on Cyprus and
losing his place as lieutenant. Iago uses Cassio's youth, good looks, and friendship
with Desdemona to play on Othello's insecurities about Desdemona's fidelity.
(v) Who is Brabantio?
Ans. Brabantio is a Venetian senator and the father of Desdemona in "Othello".
He has entertained Othello in his home countless times before the play opens,
thus giving Othello and Desdemona opportunity to fall in love. He is furious upon
learning they have eloped, and Desdemona's decision is reported to be the cause
of his death in the last act.
(vi) What was Brabantio's reaction to Othello's marriage to Desdemona?
Ans. When Brabantio, Desdemona's father, realizes that his daughter has married
Othello, he reaction is rage. Going to where Othello is meeting with the Venetian
Senators, Brabantio accuses Othello of using sorcery to seduce his daughter. He
us upset because Othello is not Venetian but Moorish.
(vii) What is the military issue that the Duke of Venice and his senators discuss?
Ans. The Duke of Venice and his senators talk about the Turk army headed for the
kingdom. They discuss which part of the kingdom do they plan to attack. Finally
they reached the conclusion that Cyprus would be their target. That is why they
send Othello to Cyprus.
(viii) Define the word 'moor'.
Ans. "Moot" is a name applied to the Arab and Berber peoples of North Africa
who inhabited medieval Spain. Thus, Othello may be connected with the Moors
who remained in Spain after the fall of Granada in 1492 until a later expulsion in
1609 or with the people of "Barbary" in North Africa.
(ix) How does Othello succeed in winning Desdemona's heart?
Ans. Desdemona's father, Brabantio, frequently invited Othello to be a guest at
his home. Othello told tales of his strange adventures prior to coming to Venice.
Desdemona used to come around to hear the stories. Eventually, Othello began
sharing his tales with Desdemona privately. And, they fell in love.
(x) What is the significance of the handkerchief to Othello?
Ans. The handkerchief is the first gift Desdemona receives from Othello, so it is a
token of his love. Othello claims that his mother used it to keep his father faithful
to her, so, to him, the handkerchief represents martial fidelity. The pattern of
strawberries on a white background strongly suggests the bloodstains left on the
sheets on a virgin's weeding night, so the handkerchief suggests a guarantee of
virginity as well as fidelity.
(xi) What proof does Iago use to convince Rederigo that Cassio and Desdemona
are lovers?
Ans. He offers proof in the way of Othello's handkerchief that end up in Cassio's
hands and an overhead conversation. He also emphasizes the contrast of black
Othello and white Desdemona to defile Desdemona's goodness.
(xii) Who is Emilia?
Ans. Emilia is Iago's wife, and Desdemona's maid, a woman of practical
intelligence and emotional resilience. She follows Iago in wifely duty, but during
the play develops a strong loyalty to Desdemona and, at the end, denounces
Iago's lies to defend Desdemona's reputation.
(xiii) What warning about Desdemona does Branbanito give to Othello?
Ans. Brabantio warns Othello that if his daughter, Desdemona, deceive him in
order to marry Othello, then she can just as easily deceive Othello.
(xiv) Why does Desdemona plead the case of Cassio so passionately?
Ans. Desdemona and Cassio are firm friends. What has happened to Cassio is
precisely what she could not bear to happen to herself. Therefore, Desdemona
pleads the case of Cassio so passionately, asserting that he is a good man, and
worthy to be reinstated in her husband's favour.
(xv) What happens to the Turkish fleet?
Ans. The Turkish fleet is broken apart by a terrible storm while sailing to Cyprus.
This might mean that the Turkish attack will not happen.

'The Tempest'
Answer the following questions.
(i) What was happening in Shakespeare's career when he wrote 'The Tempest'?
Ans. "The Tempest" is most likely the last play written entirely by Shakespeare in
1611. The forty-seven year old Shakespeare was purposely slowing down his
professional theatre work to spend more time in his hometown of Stratford,
tending to real estate and investments, seeing to the marriages of his daughters,
and looking to a new phase of his life.
(ii) What two distinctions does 'The Tempest' have among Shakespeare's plays?
Ans. "The Tempest" is most likely the last play written entirely by Shakespeare,
and it is remarkable for being one of the only two plays by Shakespeare (the other
being Love's Labor's Lost) whose plot is entirely original. The extraordinary
flexibility of Shakespeare's stage is give particular prominence in "The Tempest".
(iii) Why is there no real suspense in the play 'The Tempest'?
Ans. Firstly, "The Tempest" is an autobiographical play. Prospreo is a self-portrait.
His abjuration of art is effectively Shakespeare's. Secondly, Shakespeare is bored
writing drama, and may perhaps have preferred to have written this instead as a
narrative poem. So there is no real suspense in the play.
(iv) List four elements the four romances have in common.
Ans. The four romances of Shakespeare include "Cymbeline", "The Winter's Tale",
"Pericles" and the "Tempest". These romances were written at the end of
Shakespeare's career. These plays have elements of comedy and tragedy. There
are elements of magic and the fantastic in these plays. The most important
element of these romances is the obsession with the concept of loss and
recovery.
(v) What do you know about Ferdinand?
Ans. Ferdinand is the son of the king of Naples, Alonso. He is drawn to Prospero
and Miranda by Ariel's music. "He is gentle and not fearful." He falls in love with
Miranda immediately.
(vi) Why is Gonzalo sure that Boatswain will not die of drowning?
Ans. Gonzalo prognosticates that Boatswain is born to be hanged because he has
hanging look in his features. Thus Gonzalo is sure that Boatswain will not die of
drowning in the storm. He will survive in order to be hanged later on.
(vii) What are the three things associated the Prospero's magical power?
Ans. Prospero's magic staff (Ariel and other spirits) and his books represent his
power. With his magical power, he can alter weather, put on a dazzling wedding
entertainment, bully his servants, manipulate his enemies, and orchestrate his
daughter's marriage to the Prince of Naples.
(viii) Who is Miranda?
Ans. Miranda is the only female character to appear on stage in "The Tempest" by
Shakespeare. She is the daughter of Prespero. She was banished to the Island
along with her father at the age of three. In the subsequent twelve years she has
lived with her father and their slave, Caliban. She falls in love with Ferdinand
immediately.
(ix) Give a description of Caliban.
Ans. Caliban has the body of a beast and the head of a deformed dwarf; he crawls
upon all fours rather than walks upright. His passions are bestial, yet he sees the
beauty in nature with a poet's mind.
(x) Who is sycorax and why does she lock Ariel in a tree for 12 years?
Ans. Sycorax is a vicious and powerful witch, and the mother of Caliban. She locks
Ariel in a "cloven pine". Ariel is left in the "cloven pine" for 12 years because the
old witch, Sycorax, dies in the meantime.
(xi) Who is the most eloquent character in the play 'The Tempest'?
Ans. Caliban speaks some of the most beautiful and eloquent poetry of the play.
Caliban's first words on stage are a raucous curse and a loud accusation: "This
island's mine....which thou tak'st from me." If Caliban represents raw, unchecked
instinct, he also represents one of the most eloquent voices in the play.
(xii) Interpret "Good wombs have borne bad sons."
Ans. This line is spoken by Miranda when her father Prospero asks her if Antonia
can be called a brother. She says that it would be wrong for me to think poorly of
my grandmother because good women sometimes give birth to bad sons.
(xiii) Why doesn't Alonso believe his son might still be alive?
Ans. Alonso is so depressed that he doesn't even want to believe his son
Ferdinand is still alive. Twelve years ago, he helped Antonio usurp the Dukedom
of Milan from his brother Prospero. He thinks the death of his son is the result of
this mean act.
(xiv) Why does Ariel put everyone but Antonio and Sebastian to sleep?
Ans. Ariel's music quickly charms all but Antonio and Sebastian to sleep so that
Antonio can persuade Sebastian to kill his sleeping brother, Alonso. Antonio
argues that Ferdinand is surely drowned, and the Claribel, the next heir, is too far
away to make an effective claim. Thus by murdering his brother, he would
become the King of Naples.
(xv) What is the origin of 'Setebos', the name of Sycorax's god?
Ans. Setebos, the deity purportedly worshiped by the witch Sycoras, was
originally the god of Pantagonians. He was explicitly mentioned in Pigafetta's
journal, which was also carried forth into Eden's book, and picked up by
Shakespeare.

'The Importance of Being Earnest'

Answer the following questions.
(i) What is the significance of the title 'The Importance of Being Earnest'?
Ans. The title "The Importance of Being Earnest" features a salient pun in the
form of the word "earnest", which means "honest", and "truthful" and the name
"Ernest" which is the name of the alter ego that main character Jack uses to slide
away from responsibilities and do as he pleases. What is important, however, is
that the title reflects that there is something valuable and even honourable about
being "earnest".
(ii) What is the subtitle of the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest'?
Ans. The subtitle of the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" is "A Trivial
Comedy for Serious People". His intentions were to make people think more
deeply and make them more aware of the serious things in life, which should be
treated with sincerity, and the trivial things with seriousness.
(iii) What are the major themes in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'?
Ans. The nature of marriage, the constrains of morality, the absence of
compassion, hypocrisy vs. inventiveness, lies and deceit, respect and reputation,
society and class, duty and respectability, passion and morality, religion and
secret lives are the major theme in "The Importance of Being Earnest".
(iv) Define comedy of manners.
Ans. The comedy of manners is an entertainment form which satirizes the
manners and affections of a social class or of multiple classes, often represented
by stereotypical stock characters. "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar
Wilde is a comedy of manners.
(v) What is the setting of the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest'?
Ans. The primary setting is London and Hertfordshire, England in the late late
19th century. Specific places include; Algernon Moncrieff's flat in Half-Moon
Street (Act I), the garden at the Manor House, Woolton (Act II), and drawing room
of the Manor House, Woolton (Act III).
(vi) What are the major conflicts in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'?
Ans. There are two major conflicts. The first conflict is that Lady Bracknell does
not allow Gwendolyn to marry Jack because he does not know his real parents.
Bracknell wants a husband for her daughter that is rich and has a title. The second
conflict is that Gwendolyn thinks that Jack's real name is Ernest, but it is not. She
seems to love him for his name only and Jack fears he cannot tell her the truth.
(vii) Which moment from the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest' struck you
as the funniest?
Ans. "The Importance of Being Earnest" is funny all the time. However, the
conversation among the vacuous Cecily, the idiot Miss Prism, and the foolish
hypocrite Dr. Chasuble in Act II struck me as the funniest. The final moment in
which Jack is identified as the lost brother of Algernon and he is accepted by
Gwendolen is also a very funny moment.
(viii) Give two examples of inversion in 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.
Ans. When Algernon remarks, "Divorces are made in Heaven," he inverts the
cliche about marriages being "made in Heaven." Similarly, at the end of the play,
when Jack calls it "a terrible thing" for a man to discover that he has been telling
the truth all his life, he inverts conventional morality. Most of the women in the
play represent an inversion of accepted Victorian practices with regard to gender
roles.
(ix) What is Wilde's opinion of the aristocracy?
Ans. Aristocrats mask their true nature and fill their lives with trivial traditions.
Throughout the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" Oscar Wilde makes fun of
aristocrats in a cheerful way. He seems to think that they are practically useless to
society.
(x) What is Wilde's view towards formal education?
Ans. Wilde says, "Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from
time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.". This shows he
has no value for formal education since it deprives man's contemplation.
(xi) Who is "Ernest" in the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest'?
Ans. In "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde, there is no character
named "Ernest", but everything depends on pretending to be Earnest. Jack
creates a young brother named "Ernest" to fool his lady friends, all of whom have
an obsession with the name "Ernest". However, in the end of the play, Jack finds
out that his real name is "Earnest" and his middle name is Jack.
(xii) What is a dandy?
Ans. A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical
appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the
appearance on nonchalance in a cult of Self. Algernon is a dandy in the play "The
Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde.
(xiii) How do characters in 'The Importance of Being Earnest' view marriage
differently?
Ans. The characters in "The Importance of Being Earnest" are divided on whether
a person should marry because of duty or because of pleasure. The older
generation thinks of marriage as a business transaction, through which a person
upholds or improves their rank in society. The younger generation, however,
wants to marry of love regardless of social standing.
(xiv) Interpret 'The truth is rarely pure and never simple'.
Ans. This line is spoken by Algernon in "The Importance of Being Earnest" by
Oscar Wilde. Because most of the play involves the various lies and deceits told by
the protagonist, the purity of truth is always suspect. Moreover, truth is never
simple, as most of it always requires explanation of the deeper layers.
(xv) Interpret 'Women only call each other sister when they have called each
other a lot of other things first'.
Ans. This line is spoken by Algernon in "The Importance of Being Earnest" by
Oscar Wilde. It means that women call each other names, bicker, fight and fall out
before they feel comfortable to become sisters. Friendship or relationship starts
with enmity.

'Joseph Andrews'
Answer the following questions.
(i) What is a novel?
Ans. A novel is a long narrative, normally in prose, which describes fictional
characters and events, usually in the form of a sequential story. "Pride and
Prejudice" by Jane Austen and "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens are
famous English novels.
(ii) What is Fielding's concept of novel?
Ans. In his preface to "Joseph Andrews", Fielding claims that novel is a genre of
writing "which I do not remember to have been hitherto attempted in our
language". He defined it as the "comic epic-poem in prose": a work of prose
fiction, epic in length and variety of incident and character, in the hypothetical
spirit of Homer's lost comic poem Margites.
(iii) Write the names of four novels of Fielding.
Ans. Joseph Andrews (1742), Jonathan Wild (1748), Tom Jones (1749) and Amelia
(1751) are the famous novels of Henry Fielding.
(iv) What factors influenced Fielding in his conception and composition of
'Joseph Andrews'?
Ans. Fielding's first venture into prose fiction came a year previously with the
publication in pamphlet form of Shamela, a travesty of, and direct response to,
the stylistic failing and moral hypocrisy that Fielding saw in Richardson's Pamela.
The impetus of the novel, as Fielding claims in his preface, is the establishment of
a genre of writing "which I do not remember to have been hitherto attempted in
our language".
(v) What is the purpose of the Author's Preface in 'Joseph Andrews'?
Ans. The purpose of Fielding's preface in "Joseph Andrews" is to define and
defend his chosen genre, "comic-epic poem in prose". He is particularly
concerned to differentiate the comic epic, and comedy generally, from burlesque.
He also defends the various vices inserted in the novel.
(vi) How is the novel 'Joseph Andrews' related to 'Pamela'?
Ans. Fielding wrote "Shamela" as a satirical response to Richardson's "Pamela",
and his longer and more serious "Joseph Andrews" likewise draws on
Richardson's novel for an equivocal sort of inspiration. While "Shamela" is a
straightforward travesty of "Pamlea", "Joseph Andrews" is something more
complex, and its relation to "Pamela" is something other than the relation of
parody to original.
(vii) Define digression.
Ans. A digression is a stylistic device authors employ to create a temporary
departure from the main subject of the narrative to focus on apparently
unrelated topics, explaining background details. However, after this temporary
shift, authors return to the main topic at the end of the narrative. There are
several famous digressions in Homer, such as the "wall scene" in Book 3 of the
"Iliad".
(viii) What is the purpose of digression in 'Joseph Andrews'?
Ans. It is perhaps a development of Fielding's verbose writing style that he
includes so many digressions in "Joseph Andrews". There are three main
interpolated tales in the novel. In regards to these interpolated tales, Fielding
employs a variety of tactics to make the stories more believable. These inserted
stories also illustrate other tensions related to writing a novel, such as control and
interruption.
(ix) Define the narrator?
Ans. A narrator is the voice that an author takes on to tell a story. This voice can
have a personality quite different from the author's. For example, in his story
"The Tell-Tale Heart", Edgar Allan Poe makes his narrator a raving lunatic.
(x) Define burlesque.
Ans. Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter
by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of
the subjects. Contrasting examples of literary burlesque are Alexander Pope's
"The Rape of the Lock" and Samuel Butler's "Hudibras". W.S. Gilbert's "Robert the
Devil" is an example of theatrical burlesque.
(xi) What is bildungsroman?
Ans. Bildungsroman is a special kind of novel that focuses on the psychological
and moral growth of its main character from his or her youth to adulthood. "Tom
Jones" by Henry Fielding and "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens are examples
of bildungsroman.
(xii) What is important about the plot of the novel 'Joseph Andrews'?
Ans. "Joseph Andrews" is a picaresque novel in structure, for its plot-line is similar
to the one-line structure of picaresque fiction. The plot of the novel progresses by
"shutting', moving forward by "small oscillations of emotion", which, in the larger,
all-over design, are small parts of a unified whole, episodic in nature. At times,
events seem like reversals, followed by forward movement.
(xiii) What are the major themes of 'Joseph Andrews'?
Ans. The vulnerability and power of goodness, charity and religion, town and
country, class and birth, reality verses appearance, providence, affection, vanity,
hypocrisy, and chastity are the major themes of "Joseph Andrews".
(xiv) According to Fielding, what are the proper roles of clergy?
Ans. One role of the clergy would be charity, clearly evident in the character of
Parson Adams. Adams also illustrates the clergy's role in instructing the members
of their parish, as well as demonstrating and modeling Christian morals and
propriety. Adam's character is the epitome of honesty.
(xv) What is the significance of the letter from Joseph to his sister?
Ans. Joseph's letter to his sister Pamela is significant because it illustrates his
innocence. He thinks that Lady Booby is perhaps pursuing him, but charitably
ascribes this to distraction over the death of Sir Thomas. In any case, he
anticipates his dismissal and advises Pamela of his return to the Booby country-
seat.

'Pride and Prejudice'

Answer the following questions.
(i) Write the names of four novels of Jane Austen.
Ans. Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park
(1814), Emma (1815), Northanger Abbey (1818, Posthumous) and Persuasion
(1818, posthumous) are the novels of Jane Austen.
(ii) What was the original title for the novel 'Pride and Prejudice'.
Ans.The manuscript of the novel was first titled "First Impressions". However, in
11791, the manuscript was rejected by a publisher. Austen spent time refining it
before it was published as "Pride and Prejudice" in 1813.
(iii) Write the first line of the novel 'Pride and Prejudice'.
Ans. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a
good fortune, must be in want of wife.
(vi) Why is Elizabeth so anxious to distrust Mr. Darcy at the start of the novel?
Ans. The first impression of Mr. Darcy is a sign of arrogance and pride. Due to
pride and sense of superiority, he does not accept the hand of Elizabeth for
dancing, and says to his friend about her "tolerable, but not handsome enough to
tempt me". This creates a negative impression in her mind. Thus she is so anxious
to distrust Mr. Darcy.
(v) Why does Elizabeth refuse to marry Collins?
Ans. Elizabeth refuses to marry Collins because she does not love him. Elizabeth
believes in only marrying for love and no other reason. She is not fond of his
personality. Moreover, he is an idiot.
(vi) How Elizabeth was ignorant of Wickham's character?
Ans. Everyone in Meryton is fooled, and Elizabeth even thinks about Wickham in a
marriageable kind of way. Wickham entertains Elizabeth with stories about the
despicable Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickham charms the entire town of Meryton. After Mr.
Darcy leaves the neighbourhood, he spreads his sob story about Darcy's cruelty
far and wide. Thus Elizabeth was ignorant of Wickham's character.
(vii) Why was Elizabeth upset at her meeting with Darcy at Pemberley House?
Ans. Elizabeth was upset at her meeting with Darcy at Pemberley House because
she began to love him. She was surprised to hear about the good nature of Darcy
by Mrs. Reynolds whom she considered unbearably arrogant. Darcy's sudden
arrival at Pemberley's House and his meeting with her in the garden made her
really upset.
(viii) Why is Darcy intrigued and attracted by Elizabeth?
Ans. Darcy is intrigued by refreshing disregard for his title. Elizabeth is one of
those rare women, the only one around him, whose self respect matches his
pride. At the same time, he is attracted by Elizabeth's eyes, wit and intelligence.
(xi) Why does Darcy's proposal make Elizabeth angry?
Ans. Elizabeth already hates Darcy because she thinks he is responsible for
breaking up Jane and Bingley, he has hurt Mr. Wickham, and has been rude to
Lizzy. Now Darcy tells her outright in the proposal that he does not want to be in
love with her, because of their class differences, but he can't help it. Thus Darcy's
first proposal make Elizabeth angry.
(x) How do Elizabeth Bennet's ideas on marriage differ from her society's?
Ans. Elizabeth wants to marry someone she actually loves and respects, and not
just for a good name or money. Her society's belief is that young ladies should
make good matches for their families' sake, to keep up a good reputation and be
wealthy.
(xi) Write a note on Georgiana.
Ans. Georgiana is Darcy's younger sister. She is immensely pretty and just as shy.
She has great skill at playing the pianoforte. She has great reverence and affection
for her brother and gets along well with Elizabeth from their first meeting.
Bingley's sisters had hoped that Mr. Bingley would marry Georgiana, thus uniting
the fortunes of the two families.
(xii) In which ways is Elizabeth different from the rest of the Bennet family?
Ans. Elizabeth is judgmental and that she speaks out what she wants and what
she knows. She is the only character who changes significantly over the course of
the story. On the other hand, other Bennets are stuck in their ways.
(xiii) How has Meryton community been described in 'Pride and Prejudice'?
Ans. Meryton is a little village where a militia regiment is quartered for a time,
and where the Meryton Ball takes place. This Ball is an event that shows
community life in Meryton. The people in Meryton are middle-class and every
woman is in search of a man to ensure social stability. People's opinions change
really quickly and are general.
(xiv) How did Wickham agree to marry Lydia?
Ans. Wickham married Lydia for money. If Wickham did not marry Lydia, the
reputations of both Lydia and the entire family would have been ruined. Wickham
agreed to marry Lydia because Mr. Dacry agreed to pay off all his debts and pay
him thousands pounds.
(xv) Why does Lydia risk by eloping with Wickham?
Ans. Lydia is all about money and social stature. Wickham is a pompous jerk but
Lydia feels he is her best chance at improving her fortunes both monetarily and
socially.

'A Tale of Two Cities'

Answer the following questions.
(i) What were the conditions in France that led to the revolution?
Ans. Struggle for hegemony, social antagonism between aristocracy and the
bourgeoisie, debt, ineffective ruler Louis XVI, economic hardships, the rise of
enlightenment ideals, resentment of royal absolutism, food scarcity, and
American influence were the major conditions in France that led to revolution.
(ii) What is Dickens' attitude towards the French Revolution?
Ans. Dickens regards the French Revolution with some ambivalence. He seems to
support the revolutionary cause but also condemns the way the Revolution is
conducted, often criticizing the evil of the revolutionaries themselves. The
message seems to be that in fighting oppression with oppression, and acts of
barbarism with acts of barbarism, there is no true revolution.
(iii) Interpret 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...'.
Ans. This is the opening line of the novel "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens.
It describes the time of French Revolution. It means, in simple terms, that the
time period was filled with great contradictions and extremes, from good to bad.
(iv) What is Bastille? What is its significance?
Ans. The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-
Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for
most of its history was uses as a state prison by the kings of France. It was
stormed by a crowd on July 14, 1789 in the French Revolution.
(v) Why the Bastille was attacked by the mob?
Ans. The Bastille was a prison where the French government kept its political
prisoners. On July 14, 1789, a mob of revolutionaries attacked the fortress. It was
a blood-thirsty, unruly mob that Dickens metaphorically describes as "a raging
sea" and "a whirlpool of boiling water". The attack was a flash-point of the French
Revolution.
(vi) What is the significance of Hotel De Ville?
Ans. The Hotel De Ville is a building in Paris, France, housing the city's local
administration. The Hotel De Ville is a nice sounding name for a not-so-nice place.
It was where the government took prisoners to be tortured.
(vii) Write a short note on Tellson's Bank.
Ans. Tellson's Bank near Temple Bar was an old-fashioned place, even back in
1780. It was a very small, very dark, very ugly, and very uncomfortable. The
partners who ran the bank were old-fashioned too. They were proud of its
smallness, darkness, ugliness, and discomfort.
(viii) What does the red wine symbolize in 'A Tale of Two Cities'?
Ans. Throughout the novel win symbolizes the French Revolution's intoxicating
power. Drunk on power, the revolutionaries change from freedom fighters into
wild savages dancing in the streets and murdering at will. The red wine spilled in
the street in Paris symbolizes the blood that will be spilled in the Revolution.
(ix) What is the people's reaction to the broken wine cask?
Ans. People's reaction to the broken wine cask is to get on the ground and lick the
wine as it flows on the ground. They are excited that the rich lost something, and
that they get to have it. So hungry, and poor, are the people that they don't mind
drinking off the street. Obviously, this shows how bad the conditions in France
are.
(x) How is 'honour' defined in 'A Tale of Two Cities'?
Ans.There are multiple versions of honour in the novel. However, the most
effective is that a person has honour who stands up for what is right and is willing
to sacrifice all he or she has for the betterment of others. Monsiur Defarge is
honourable because she stands up for what she believes, and Carton is
honourable because he gives his life for a friend.
(xi) Who is Madam Defarge?
Ans. Madam Defarge is a fictional character in the novel "A Tale of Two Cities" by
Charles Dickens. She is a tricoteuse, a tireless worker for the French Revolution,
and the wife of Ernest Defarge. She is one of the main villains of the novel,
obsessed with revenge against the Evremondes.
(xii) What is the significance of Madame Defarge pinning a rose in her hair?
Ans. Madame Defarge pinning a rose in her hair indicates to the revolutionaries to
stop talking about their revolutionary things. It is a signal that a spy is nearby and
the revolutionaries must watch what they say.
(xiii) Why is Madame Defarge so merciless towards Charles and his family?
Ans. Madame Defarge is merciless towards Charles and his family because
Charles' family has killed her family and she thinks they should be avenged.
(xiv) How and by whom Madame Defarge was killed?
Ans. In a scuffle with Miss Pross, Madame Defarge was killed by a bullet from her
own gun. It symbolizes Dicken's belief that the sort of vengeful attitude ultimately
proves a self-damning one.
(xv) What is the slogan of the revolutionaries in "A Tale of Two Cities?
Ans. The slogan of the revolutionaries is "Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death".
The revolutionaries were the people engaged in changing the government of
France. They wanted the many freedoms that people deserve: liberty, equality,
and fraternity. They also wanted everyone on their side and were willing to "take
out" those who did not agree.

'The Mill on the Floss'

Answer the following questions.
(i) Write the names of four novels of George Eliot.
Ans. Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Silas Marner (1861), Romola
(1863), Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), Middlemarch (1871-72) and Daniel Deronda
(1876) are the novels of George Eliot.
(ii) What does the Floss symbolize in 'The Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. River Floss stands for the cause of sustenance as well as ruin for the Tullivers.
However, the Floss is related most often to Maggie, and the river, with its depth
and potential to flood, symbolizes Maggie's deeply running and unpredictable
emotions. The river's path, nonexistent on maps, is also use to symbolize the
unforseeable path of Maggie's destiny.
(iii) What purpose does animal imagery serve in 'The Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. Tom and Maggie are associated with animal imagery. The imagery is usually
of farm-type animals -- ponies, dogs, ducks -- and usually points to the character's
capacity for affection or non-adherence to social convention. Following Darwin,
Eliot uses this imagery also to gesture towards the wider relation between
humans and animals that can be especially seen in young children.
(iv) What is the symbolic importance of music in 'The Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. Music represents the better life, for which Maggie spends the entire book
searching. This sort of "musical" life is one of deep emotion and energy. Music has
the ability to create an entire world here, and it is often depicted as a safe heaven
from harsh reality. Both Philip and Maggie take comfort and joy in music. Music is
also a way to experience and express heightened emotions.
(v) What are George Eliot's views on education?
Ans. "The Mill on the Floss" is a sensible analysis of what education really means.
She shows that education should be adapted to the individual's talent; tradition
and snob appeal have no place in modern education. Latin and Greek are suitable
for those people who have a genuine interest in humanistic studies. She makes a
strong case for the need of well-trained teachers.
(vi) What are the major themes of 'The Mill on the Floss'?
Ans. Loss of innocence, the difficulty of choice, the claim of the past upon present
identity, the importance of sympathy, the effect of society upon the individual,
communal verses individual interests, progress verses tradition, practical
knowledge verses bookish knowledge, gender disparity and love are the major
themes of "The Mill on the Floss".
(vii) Interpret 'The happiest women, like the happiest nations, have no history'.
Ans. This line is from George Eliot's novel "The Mill on the Floss". It points that
happiness fades away one's past or history. The happiest nations enjoy
themselves with their present and hardly have any reminiscence of their past.
Similarly the happiest women are usually private individuals who do not have a
public image, therefore, they have no history.
(viii) Interpret 'I desire no future that will break the ties of the past'.
Ans. In this line Maggie sums up her views on the role of the past in her life and in
her choices. Though she has a substantial history with Philip, her ties with Tom
are older and are therefore stronger to her. Maggie refuses to let go of her past,
but she has to grant weight to her oldest memories and bonds.
(ix) Who is Maggie Tulliver?
Ans. Maggie Tulliver is the protagonist of the novel "The Mill on the Floss". She is
a hugely complex character. She is the intelligent, clever and emotionally sensitive
daughter of a country mill-owner. Her closest tie is to her brother Tom. She has
dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. Her life is the central story of the novel.
(x) What sort of commitments does Maggie feel she has broken when she
elopes with Stephen?
Ans. Stephen is engaged to Lucy. Maggie thinks that she has proved false to Lucy
and violated a social canon through her elopement with Stephen. She feels guilty
that her elopement will also hurt her lover, Philip. Thus she returns before the
elopement with Stephen has led to sexual intercourse.
(xi) What is the significance of Maggie's sewing?
Ans. Maggie's sewing shows that she has been in financial difficulty. Sewing, in
general, represents a way of repressing and controlling the self. The
paraphernalia of sewing, especially needles and scissors, take a sinister
connotation in "The Mill on the Floss. Scissors are damaging to Lucy and needles
are fatal to Maggie's physical desires.
(xii) What is the significance of Maggie's encounter with gypsies when she runs
away?
Ans. Maggie has a romantic view of gypsies. In running away to the gypsies,
Maggie is motivated mainly by desire of admiration. She is somewhat conceited
about her learning. However, after her encounter with gypsies, she sees her
mistake. She goes in repentance and self-blame.
(xiii) What are Maggie's intentions towards the gypsies?
Ans. There are three intentions of Maggie towards the gypsies; she wishes to live
with them, she wants to teach them, and be their queen.
(xiv) What role does the town of St. Ogg's perform in hastening Maggie's
tragedy?
Ans. St. Ogg's is a town ruled by gossip, rumors and prejudices. It is a tightly-knit
community for better or worse. And it is for worse for Maggie. Maggie is shunned
by nearly everyone here. Tom refuses to have anything with her. The river floods
and Maggie is swept away in a boat. She goes to rescue Tom. However, both
Maggie and Tom drown in the flood.
(xv) Who is Tom Tulliver?
Ans. Tom Tulliver is the Tullivers' older son. He has his own clear sense of duty,
justice, and fairness. He has affection for his sister Maggie, but he dislikes her
impetus way of doing what she wants. When Mr. Tulliver goes bankrupt, Tom
goes to work at a young age and brings the family out of debt.

'Tess of the d'Urbevilles'

Answer the following questions.
(i) Why has Hardy divided 'Tess of the d'Urbevilles' in 'Phases'?
Ans. Hardy has divided "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" into seven large sections called
'phases'. It is interesting that Hardy has chosen the word 'phase' to describe each
of these sections. It seems to symbolize that Tess, like a plant, an animal, or the
moon, goes through natural cycles of growth. The 'phases' mark the major points
of her emotional and spiritual growth, starting with "The Maiden" and ending
with "Fulfillment".
(ii) What is the setting of the novel 'Tess of the d'Urbevilles'?
Ans. Most of the action takes place in the late 19th Century in Southwestern
England in the country of Wessex, the fictional name of Dorset Country. Almost all
of Hardy's novels take place in this same general area. The other places include
Marlott, Curitiba, and Salisbury.
(iii) In which village the novel 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' starts?
Ans. The novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy starts from the village
of Marlott. This is Tess's childhood home and lay amid the northeastern
undulation of the beautiful Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor.
(iv) What are the major symbols in 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'?
Ans. Prince the horse, seal and spoon, Brazil, the d'Urberville coach, the
d'Urberville family vault, red and white, club-walking, the chases verses the slopes
and cows are the major symbols in "Tess of the d'Urbevilles".
(v) What are the major themes of 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'?
Ans. The injustice of existence, changing ideas of social class in Victorian England,
men dominating women, fate and free will, memory and the past, nature and
modernity, Paganism and Christianity, contrasting regions, marriage, time and sex
are the major themes of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles".
(vi) What is foreshadowing?
Ans. Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives and advance hint of
what is come later in the story. It is used to avoid disappointment and arouse the
reader. For example, "He had no idea of the disastrous chain of events to follow".
In this sentence, while the protagonist is clueless of further developments, the
readers learns that something disastrous is about to happen for the protagonist.
(vii) What is the significance of the legend of the d'Urberville Coach?
Ans. The d'Urberville coach is an old legend of the family which Angel mentions
and Alec later explains to Tess. The coach is a symbol of foreshadowing and the
theme of fate that looms over all the characters in the novel. Whenever a
d'Urberville hears the sound of an invisible coach it is supposed to be a bad omen.
The coach also symbolizes the ancient idea of being punished for one's ancestors.
(viii) Why did contemporary critics think that 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' was
'immoral'?
Ans. Contemporary critics like Mowbray Morris though that "Tess of the
d'Urbervilles" was 'immoral' because people usually associated the Victorian
Period with sexual repression and general prudishness. Thus the sexiness in the
novel made is 'immoral' in their eyes.
(ix) What defect marks the social life of the people in and around Trantridge?
Ans. The villagers around Trantridge live for the moment, disdaining the idea of
saving for the future. Many of them are hard drinkers.
(x) What does Hardy mean when he says that Angel's fastidious love could
'guard the loved one against his very self'?
Ans. Angel really loves Tess. However, he has problems with Tess's sexual history.
Though it takes a while for him to reconcile her past with his ideas about sexual
morality, he never stops loving her and his devotion is always complete.
(xi) Who is Tess?
Ans. Tess is the heroine and moral centre of the novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles"
by Hardy. She is beautiful and irresistible to men. She lives with her impoverished
family in the village Marlott. She is also young, innocent, and uneducated --
unaware that the world is rifle with lust, cruelty, and vanity.
(xii) Why is it difficult for Tess to reject Alec outright when he asks her to
become his mistress?
Ans. It is difficult for Tess to reject the marriage proposal of Alec outright because
Alec can offer economic security, not only for Tess but her family as well.
(xiii) Who causes more destruction to Tess, Alec or Angel? Why?
Ans. Angel causes more destruction to Tess. Angel has a moral centre and knows
right from wrong. Alex is an idiot, an easily leadable wolf who has no redeemable
qualities. Alex is incompetent and cannot be held responsible. Angle is the only
character in the novel who should have known better, did know better and still
behaves like a child.
(xiv) Why does Tess decide to leave Marlott?
Ans. Tess leaves the d'Urberbille estate when she is going to have a baby. Then
she decides to leave Marlott when she is hurt by her father words, when her
father says that the people will laugh at them again by the story of her marriage.
(xv) What does Stonehenge figure in Tess' end? What do you think it
represents?
Ans. Stonehenge is a symbol of the ever-present past. It is Tess's final place of
symbolic sacrifice for her love for Angel Clare. Hardy's decision to end the novel at
Stonehenge not only gives the novel a dramatic and unforgettable ending, but
also shows Hardy's characters' desire to see paganism as an alternative for a
wholly Christian belief system.

Whitman's poetry
Answer the following questions.
(i) What is uniquely American about Whitman's poetry?
Ans. Whitman wrote about America, its people, and its landscape in expansive
free-verse form. He established a uniquely American voice in poetry, entirely
separate from the Anglophile-inspired reverence for English poetic styles and
forms. Whitman's open-armed, free-verse celebrations of America's vastness of
resources, opportunities, people, and possibilities, is distinctly American verse.
(ii) What, in Whitman's view, is the function of poetry?
Ans. Whitman, like Poe and Coleridge, is mystic and transcendental in his theory
of poetry. Unlike them, he is an arch-rebel in poetic practice. Under the influence
of the Romantic movement in literature and art, Whitman held the theory that
the chief function of the poet was to express his own personality in his verse.
Whitman often casts himself as the main character in his poems.
(iii) Describe Whitman's conception of the soul and the body.
Ans. The soul and the body are inextricably linked for Whitman. While the soul is
the ultimate repository of the self, and the connection between souls is the
highest order of relating, the body is the vessel that allows the soul to experience
the world. Therefore the body is just as important.
(iv) What kinds of structures does Whitman use in his poetry?
Ans. Two of the most important structures in Whitman's poetry are the list and
the anecdote. He avoids structures like rhyme because he wants to show that his
is a truly American poetry, one that is fresh and new, and not indebted to
previous poets from other countries.
(v) What kind of vocabulary does Whitman use in his poetry?
Ans. Whitman's vocabulary borrows from these disciplines; anatomy, astronomy,
carpentry and construction, military and war terms, nautical terms and terms
related to the sea, business and professions, flora and fauna of America.
(vi) What are major themes in Whitman's poetry?
Ans. Democracy as a way of life, the cycle of growth and death, the beauty of the
individual, democratic nature of poetry, the body and soul, the natural world,
war, and eroticism are the major themes of Whitman's poetry.
(vii) What do plants symbolize in Whitman's poetry?
Ans. Throughout Whitman's poetry, plant life symbolize both growth and
multiplicity. Rapid, regular plant growth also stands in for the rapid, regular
expansion of the population of the United States.
(viii) What is the theme of 'There was a Child Went Forth'?
Ans. This poem expresses the poet's identification of his consciousness with all
objects and forms, and the list of things which he himself identifies with is large
and comprehensive and is a good example of Whitman's catalogs. The continual
process of becoming is at the heart of the poem.
(ix) What is the theme of 'I Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing'?
Ans. Even though we may have people in our lives, they can always be taken
away. Physical love is as elementary as the oak tree itself, but its luxuriant growth
is an organic metaphor for the development of manly love in the region of the
spirit.
(x) What are the major themes of 'One's-Self I Sing'?
Ans. The poem delves into the themes of the self, the all-encompassing "I",
sexuality, democracy, the human body, and what it means to live in the modern
world.
(xi) What is the theme of 'Poets to Come'?
Ans. Whitman's consciousness of the inadequacy of language to express the full
extent of his thought is revealed in this poem. His expectation that the future
poets will interpret his work for posterity clearly shows that he views the poet as
a seer and a builder of the bridge spanning time.
(xii) What is the theme of 'O Captain! My Captain!'?
Ans. The primary theme of the poem is masculine love; the speaker loves his
captain as his own father. Other themes are admiration, patriotism and suffering.
(xiii) What is the theme of 'To a Stranger'?
Ans. The speaker uses this poem as a silent address to a stranger passing by him
on the street. The relationship between body and soul is the major theme of the
poem. Whitman also invokes the theme of democratic self by leaving the
stranger's gender indeterminate.
(xiv) What is the theme of 'Shut Not Your Doors'?
Ans. In this poem, Whitman is by far identifying himself as a writer of writers. He
puts himself on a soap box and pats himself on the back. This poem is a good way
to express a writer's feelings about his own writings.
(xv) What is the theme of 'The Carols'?
Ans. In this poem the speaker describes various "carols" that arise from different
figures in the American working class as people go about their work. The theme of
the poem is individuality, productivity and happiness in one's station in life. The
poem also exemplifies the theme of musicality in Whitman's poetry.

John Ashbery
Answer the following questions.
(i) What are the basic themes in the poetry of John Ashbery?
Ans. John Ashbery's poetry is mainly about the play and process of the mind
interacting with the world. He is also concerned with the process of artistic
creation and appreciation. His themes are numerous since the mind perceiving
subjects is numerous. Other themes include, love, loss, alienation, the everyday,
painting, art, emotions, home eroticism, and emotions etc.
(ii) What are the major elements of modernity in John Ashbery's Poetry?
Ans. John Ashbery is chiefly known for the artistic perfection of his poetry. Stream
of consciousness, impressionism, expressionism, subjectivity, symbolism, simple
language and philosophical touch are the major elements of modernity in Jonh
Ashbery's poetry.
(iii) What is the symbolic significance of the title 'Melodic Trains'?
Ans. The title "Melodic Trains" suggests that it is about a train journey. It sets a
tone of harmony and concord. The trains are melodic not because the round of
the wheels is so rhythmic, but because Ashbery sees all passengers as his
brothers. There is also the rhythm of the thought process.
(iv) What is the main theme of 'Melodic Trains'?
Ans. The main theme of "Melodic Trains" by John Ashbery is that life is a
perpetual journey into the unconscious regions of human mind, which brings up a
new perspective each time an activity is stirred.
(v) What are the symbolic elements in 'Melodic Trains'?
Ans. Train, enameled fingernails of the little girl, toy wristwatch of the little girl,
stations, passengers at stations, taxi, and tower of Pisa are the major symbolic
elements in "Melodic Trains".
(vi) How is journey of train similar to journey of mind? (Melodic Trains)
Ans. The journey in real train is paralleled by a symbolic train of thoughts and
melodies, poetic ideas running through the mind. Life is a perpetual journey into
the unconscious regions of human mind, which brings up a new station each time
an activity is stirred.
(vii) What do the stations of train symbolize in 'Melodic Trains'?
Ans. Stations symbolize a temporary stopover. They are a midpoint between past
and future of our lives. They give us a sense of transition, of being between
worlds, between experiences. The human gathering at stations is like chorus
singing about various stages of the journey of life.
(viii) What is the main theme of the poem 'The Painter'?
Ans. The main theme of the poem "The Painter" by John Ashbery is that
innovator, modern and creative artists are crucified by the traditional and
conventional people.
(ix) How does Ashbery define art in 'The Painter'?
Ans. Ashbery's conception of art in "The Painter" is like that of a child's prayer
which is a direct relationship between the artist and the art like that of a prayee
to God. He says that objective representation of reality must be the basis of art.
Soul, spirit, vitality of life, and the essence of reality should be the features of art.
(x) What is Ashbery's wish in 'The Painter'?
Ans. Ashbery was himself a painter. In this poem, he wishes to paint an abstract
idea. He wants artistic perfection of his painting. Canvas is a symbol of life, he
wants to paint colours of truth on it, which is beyond his reach.
(xi) What are the major symbols in 'The Painter'?
Ans. "The Painter" is a highly symbolic poem. It is packed with symbols that it
seems like an allegory. The major symbols are; the sea, the buildings, the painter
and canvas.
(xii) What does the sea symbolize in 'The Painter'?
Ans. The sea in "The Painter" is a symbol of creativity and the unexplored depths
of human consciousness. It also resents the vitality and essence or life, with has
long been ignored.
(xiii) Why does the poet use the image of Tower of Pisa in 'Melodic Trains'?
Ans. The poet uses the image of Tower of Pisa to reflect the modern man's
psychological complexities.
(xiv) Trace political and religious allegory in 'The Painter'?
Ans. The pathetic state of the painter lends political and religious interpretations
of the poem. The line "Try using the brush for a means to an end" shows the
selfishness of the political gains. The word 'crucify' has religious connotation so
the poem becomes a religious allegory too.
(xv) Why does the painter not paint anything on the canvas?
Ans. The poem presents the situation of an artist who wants to paint the sea. He
wants that "nature, not art, might usurp the canvas". The artist is unable to
present reality and so "there was never any paint on the canvas".

'Mourning Becomes Electra'

Answer the following questions.
(i) What is trilogy?
Ans. Trilogy is a group of three literary works that together compose a larger
narrative. Early types of trilogy resulted from the common practice of Athenian
playwrights, who would submit tragedies as groups of three plays for
performance in the Dionysia. Examples include the Oresteia of Aeschylus and
Sophocles' trilogy of Oedipus Rex, Antigone, and Oedipus at Colona.
(ii) In what ways does mourning become Electra?
Ans. "Mourning" means the expression of sorrow for someone's death. The
Mannon family is marred with deaths. Whereas "Electra" is the name of the sister
of Orestes in Aeschylus's tragedy "The Oresteia", and that the play was all about
the destruction of a particular family. So "Electra" refers to Lavinia in the play who
is left alone after the destruction of her family.
(iii) What is the historical context of 'Mourning Becomes Electra'?
Ans. Born in 1888, Eugene O'Neill's life spanned some of the most important
events of contemporary history. The issues related to democracy and materialism
figure prominently in his plays. "Mourning Becomes Electra" explore the problems
confronting American society, particularly rampant materialism, loss of
individuality, lack of spiritual values, incest, sin and guilt.
(iv) Why has O'Neil used myth and legend as symbols in his play?
Ans. O'Neil has used myth and legend as symbols in his play "Mourning Becomes
Electra" to give a broad and universal significance to his theme. He has used the
Electra legend to achieve an approximation to the Greek sense of fate, such as
would appeal to modern audiences.
(v) How does O'Neil symbolize hair and eyes in 'Mourning Becomes Electra'?
Ans. If the mask like faces in "Mourning Becomes Electra" establish the puritan
male tradition, the woman's hair and eyes symbolize the opposing 'pagan' one.
The richness of the hair of Christine and Lavinia points to primitive and vigorous
sensuality. The eyes of the women link them with the islands.
(vi) What is the significance of the 'Blessed Islands'?
Ans. O'Neill has interwoven the "Blessed Islands" in "Mourning Becomes Electra" -
- influenced by Melville's Typee -- as the motif of an unattainable pipe-dream. The
Blessed Islands show the desire for love, harmony, and sexual freedom of all the
protagonists in the play. They are the counterpart of puritanism and civilization.
However, these islands do not really offer an escape.
(vii) What is the meaning of theme song 'Shenandoah'?
Ans. 'Shenandoah' is a traditional American folk song. It is the theme song in the
play "Mourning Becomes Electra". It occurs six times in the trilogy. The chanty
may be regarded as an equivalent of the choral songs in Greek tragedy. Some
believe that the song refers to the river of the same name while others suggest
that it is of Native American origin, for it tells the tale of Sally, the daughter of the
Indian Chief Shenandoah.
(viii) Who are the haunted in 'Mourning Becomes Electra'?
Ans. Almost all the characters are the haunted. They are emotionally death, the
house is a tomb. Death seems to be haunting everybody in the Mannon family,
and it catches up to all of them one way or another. Ezra Mannon and Adam
Brant are murdered. Christine and Orin commit suicide. Lavinia decides to punish
herself by living alone.
(ix) Why are the Mannons driven to their self destructive behaviour?
Ans. The Mannons in "Mourning Becomes Electra" are driven to their self-
destructive behaviour by inner needs, forbidden love, and compulsions they can
neither understand nor control.
(x) Why do every Mannon in 'Mourning Becomes Electra' seek escape from the
real world?
Ans. All Mannons in "Mourning Becomes Electra" seek refuge and escape from
the harsh realities of the real world by dreaming of starting a new life on a South
Pacific Island. They want to escape from their inner needs, forbidden love, and
compulsions they can neither understand nor control.
(xi) Why does Lavinia say, 'I hate love!'?
Ans. Lavinia is a queer girl who was not given any attention by her mother during
her childhood. Now she is turned indifferent to the social, ethical and moral
behaviour of the human mind. When Peter asks her if Orin really loves his sister
Hazel, she simply replies: "I hate love!" Lavinia lives up to this statement
throughout the play.
(xii) What kind of relationship does Lavinia have with her mother?
Ans. The relationship between Lavinia and her mother Christine is a complete lack
of understanding. Between the mother and daughter, there is a competition for
the love of Christine's son/Lavinia's brother, Orin. Lavinia sees Christine's new
love as a betrayed of her mother's relationship with her father. She also harbors a
deep desire for revenge upon her mother for killing her father.
(xiii) Why does Lavinia hate her mother?
Ans. Lavinia hates her mother for many reasons. Firstly, she was not given any
attention by her mother during her childhood. Secondly, she is extremely
possessive for her father. Thirdly, she hates her for her adulterous acts in New
York with Adam. Above all, she abhors her mother because she has poisoned her
father.
(xiv) Why does Lavinia hate Adam?
Ans. Lavinia is a puritan moralist in her attitude towards Christine and Adam. She
hates Adam on two counts. Firstly, she considers that he is the son of a low nurse.
Secondly, she hates him for his adulterous acts in New York with her mother,
Christine.
(xv) Why is Lavinia instead of committing suicide prepared to meet her
punishment by living a solitary life?
Ans. Convinced that the Mannon blood is tainted with evil, Lavinia resolves to
spend the rest of her days atoning for her guild in the Mannon house. Since there
is no one left to punish her, she decides to punish herself by living alone in the old
house with the ghosts of her ancestors.

'The Crucible'
Answer the following questions.
(i) What is a crucible?
Ans. A crucible is a container that can withstand very high temperatures and is
used for metal, glass, and pigment production as well as a number of modern
laboratory processes. It's a little container full of violent reactions. It is a good
metaphor for the violent hysteria that the little village of Salem contained during
the witch trials.
(ii) What is an overture? Why does Miller use on in 'The Crucible'?
Ans. An overture is a dramatic instrumental musical opening, and also a prelude.
In "The Crucible", the first Act is named "An Overture" because it is the beginning
of a series of dramatic events that will occur throughout the course of the play. It
provides relevant and interesting background information on the events that
occurred during the Salem witch trials.
(iii) Why did Arthur Miller write "The Crucible"?
Ans. The McCarthy hearings, which sought to root out communists in the U.S.
government during the early 1950s inspired Arthur Miller to write "The Crucible".
However, the most obvious reason Arthur wrote "The Crucible" is because he had
a story to tell. Without that, he would not have been inspired to write.
(iv) Why does Miller open Act IV of 'The Crucible' with a scene of madness?
Ans. By opening Act IV with its chilling, yet pitiful scene of madness among the
prisoners, as seen especially in Tituba's ravings, Miller powerfully conveys the
depth of the misery, suffering, and insanity wrought by the witchcraft trails. This
scene also creates a dark atmosphere and a somber tone of the tragic final events
that are about to unfold.
(v) Why was Abigail dismissed from her job at the Proctor's house?
Ans. Abigail was dismissed from her job at the Proctor's house when Elizabeth
discovered her affair with her husband John Proctor.
(vi) What does fire symbolize in 'The Crucible'?
Ans. The play's title is a reference to fire, in that a "crucible" is a vessel made to
withstand extremely high temperatures. The symbol of fire is a potent one for this
play. It symbolizes wild emotions, emotions suppressed, lust, sexual undertones,
sexual desires, chaos, vengeance, deceit and destruction.
(vii) Interpret 'Them that will not confess will hang'.
Ans. This line is from "The Crucible" spoken by Danforth when some people were
about to be hanged for witchcraft. People were asked to sign a crime list as a
confession to save their lives. John refused to confess to something he had not
done. The statement is ironic because none of them actually had committed
witchcraft. It means the lairs would live and the honest would be hanged.
(viii) How does Abigail thrives on the attention of all in the court and become
the centre of excitement?
Ans. Abigail thrives on the attention of all in the court and becomes the centre of
excitement by pretending witch hunting.
(ix) What does Abigail do when suspicion that she might be pretending falls on
her?
Ans. When Abigail is suspected of pretending, she denies it and actually threatens
Deputy Governor Danforth, the man presiding over these proceedings. She says
to him that he could be the next accused by her, that he is not exempt from the
Devil's power of hers. Moreover, Abigail turns against Mary Warren, claiming that
the girl has sent her spirit out.
(x) Why does Abigail accuse Proctor's wife?
Ans. Abigail accuses Proctor's wife of witchcraft, most likely because she is in love
with John Proctor. Accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft may get Elizabeth out of the
picture and make room for her. A second reason for accusing her of witchcraft
includes protection. If John's own wife is accused, he will be less inclined to
condemn all the girls.
(xi) What are Abigail's feelings towards John Proctor?
Ans. Abigail is in love with John Proctor. When she worked for the Proctors, she
and John had a brief affair. She has brooded over her sexual encounter with
Proctor for seven months. The more she thinks about the affair, the more Abigail
convinces herself that Proctor loves her but cannot express his love because of his
wife, Elizabeth.
(xii) Why does John Proctor confess his act of adultery?
Ans. Proctor confesses his act of adultery with Abigail to defend his wife,
Elizabeth; Abigail has a motive for wanting to accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft.
Moreover, he wants to discredit Abigail in the eyes of the court.
(xiii) Why has Proctor refused to let Parris baptize his third child?
Ans. Proctor has serious issues with Parris. He thinks that Parris is overly
concerned with money; he preaches about getting golden candlesticks, and wants
the mortgage to the meetinghouse. He does not really think that Parris is a good
representative of God so he refuses to let Parris baptize his third child.
(xiv) How has Proctor earned his death?
Ans. "The Crucible" ends with John Proctor marching off to a martyr's death. By
refusing to lie and confess to witchcraft, he sacrifices his life in the name of truth.
In fact, Proctor has in some way regained his goodness. Thus he has earned his
death by asserting his individuality against the authority of the court.
(xv) Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the puppet with
the needle in it?
Ans. Cheever has not once doubted the Proctors. He did not believe Abigail's story
that Elizabeth's spirit stabbed her in the stomach. When he finds the poppet, he is
astonished because it is evidence enough for him to believe that Abigail was
telling the truth and Elizabeth is a witch. He is afraid both by the thought of what
will happen to her and the thought of how rampant the witchcraft in his own
town.

'A Farewell to Arms'

Answer the following questions.
(i) What is the meaning of the title 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. There are two straightforward interpretations of the title "A Farewell to
Arms", with a pun on the word "Arms". The hero, Frederick Henry, bids farewell
to 'arms' as in weapons, and also, when Catherine dies, to the loving 'arms' of a
human being.
(ii) What is Hemingway's opinion about war?
Ans. Hemingway thinks that war is a setting in which the qualities of discipline,
competence and masculinity are constantly on display. However, war is a
senseless waste of life. It is a fundamentally unjust atrocity from which people
want to escape at all costs. Moreover, victory and defeat are meaningless terms.
(iii) How does love affect the characters' perception of war?
Ans. Lovers hate war. As the love between Henry and Catherine grows stronger
and more legitimate, Henry abandons the army. Lovers nurture a desire of home
and structured relations, therefore they dislike war which tends to break down
the normally held structures of traditional relationships, to the point where
doctrines such as marriage lose meaning and prostitution becomes the order of
the day.
(iv) What is the role of foreshadowing in 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. Foreshadowing is a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of
what is to come later in the story. The role of foreshadowing in 'A Farewell to
Arms' is to build anticipation in the minds of readers about what might happen
next and thus adding dramatic tension to the story. For example, rain has been
used to foreshadow bad events in the future.
(v) What kind of weather dominates the novel 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. Rainy weather dominates the novel 'A Farewell to Arms'. Rain symbolizing
bad events and death is presented to the reader in the first chapter and is
repeated throughout the entire novel. Although snowy weather has also been
presented, it is the dominant one.
(vi) What do lowlands and mountains symbolize in 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. The novel is crowded with the description of places. They all have their
symbolism in the novel. Among the places, the lowlands and mountains are two
important symbols in the story. The lowlands symbolize distraction, corruption,
death and war. And the mountains symbolize peace, happiness, family, love and
purity.
(vii) What does wine symbolize in 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. Like everything in the novel, wine is a complicated business. Most of the men
in the novel drink wine constantly. And often, when they do, wine seems to
represent survival. Wine also represents a momentary respite from the pressure
of war. Moreover, wine symbolizes spring, rebirth, art, fertility, sexual freedom
and orgiastic divine ecstasy.
(viii) What are the major conflicts in 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. (i) Love and war are a dangerous combination.
(ii) Henry's love for Catherine cannot quell his innate restlessness.
(iii) Reconciliation with reality is an unattainable as reconciliation with inner
desire.
(ix) What is the 'Lost Generation' in 'A Farewell to Arms'?
Ans. The "Lost Generation" was the generation that came of age during World
War I. The term was popularized by Hemingway, who used it as one of two
contrasting epigraphs for his novel "The Sun Also Rises". In "A Farewell to Arms",
Hemingway describes "lost generation" through the character of Frederic Henry
who thinks war is a senseless waste of life.
(x) Interpret 'I'm not brave anymore darling. I'm all broken. They've broken me.'
Ans. Catherine experiences a protracted and agonizing childbirth in the hospital.
Henry encourages her to be brave but she is dejected because she is broken by
'they'. It is not clear who the 'they' is that she is talking about. Perhaps she is
talking about people in her past, of whom no one knows. 'They' could be
Catherine's personification of the abstract forces working against her.
(xi) How is Frederic Henry?
Ans. Fredrick Henry is the narrator and protagonist of the novel "A Farewell to
Arms" by Hemingway. He is a young American ambulance driver in the Italian
army during World War I. He displays courage in battle, but his selfless
motivations undermine all sense of glory and heroism. His life lacks real passion
until he meets the beautiful Catherine Barkley.
(xii) Why is Frederic Henry in the ambulance service instead of a combat unit
like the soldier from Pittsburgh?
Ans. "A Farewell to Arms" is semi-autobiographical novel. When Hemingway
turned eighteen he tried to enlist in the army, but was deferred because of poor
vision. When he heard the Red Cross was taking volunteers as ambulance drivers
in World War I. he quickly signed up. That is why the hero of Hemingway i.e.
Frederic Henry is in the ambulance service instead of a combat unit.
(xiii) What type of rifle does Frederic has? What country is it from?
Ans. Frederic has a sniper rifle. It is a man-portable, high precision, shoulder-fired
rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer rangers than
other small arms. The rifle of Frederic is from Austria.
(xiv) Why does Frederic Henry plunge into the river The Tagliamento?
Ans. Frederic is arrested by Italian army, tied to a tree and about to be shot when
he breaks free and escapes to the relative safety of the water. He plunges into
Tagliamento river, where he hold onto a log. Fredric's plunge into the river is seen
by many as a baptism.
(xv) How is Henry wounded after he crawls out of the river?
Ans. When Henry crawls out of the river, he attempts to hide on a train to Milan.
In the attempt, he cuts his head.

'Jazz'
Answer the following questions.
(i) What is the symbolic significance of the title 'Jazz'?
Ans. Jazz is called Jazz because it is structured on a little musical form called ...
Jazz. The novel has alternating character voices that act like solos, repeating
refrains that keep it flowing in one general direction, a feeling of dissonance and
harmony at the same dang time -- all of which are attributes of a musical form
called Jazz.
(ii) Tell with reference to Jazz, what is Harlem Renaissance?
Ans. The Harlem Renaissance was the name given to the cultural, social, and
artistic explosion that took place in Harlem between the end of World War I and
the middle of the 1930s. During this period Harlem was a cultural center, drawing
black writers, artists, musicians, photographers, poets, and scholars.
(iii) Why was the Jazz music called the devil's music?
Ans. The reason why jazz was called "the devil's music" was because "Jazz" used
to be a slang word associated with sex. Also, jazz originally came out of the
brothels. So the more "wholesome" members of society did not want anything to
do with it.
(iv) What is the effect of Jazz on the lives of poor people?
Ans. Music is an art, entertainment and medicine for the soul and body. It is
intrinsic to all cultures. Jazz was invented by Blacks and made for the poor people.
Faced with racism, discrimination and segregation, the poor black people have
always found comfort and a sense of peace in Jazz music.
(v) Define feminism.
Ans. Feminism is a range of movements and ideologies that share a common goal:
to define, establish, and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and
social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for
women in education and employment. A feminist advocates or supports the
rights and equality of women.
(vi) Interpret 'Don't ever think I fell for you, or fell over you. I din't fall in love, I
rose in it.'
Ans. This line is from Toni Morrison's novel "Jazz". In this line, Joe Trace addresses
Dorcas directly in his imagination. Dorcas is already dead, but his is explaining
how he felt and still feels about her. He does not regret the relationship because
he freely chose it.
(vii) Interpret 'When they fall in love with a city, it is forever and it is like
forever.'
Ans. The context here is the arrival of Joe and Violet in Harlem in 1906, when they
arrived as part of the great migration north of black people, who were escaping
the racism of the South. They all fell in love with Harlem as a place where the
possibilities for them seem endless. So their love for Harlem will last forever.
(viii) Interpret 'A son ain't what a woman say. A son is what a man do.'
Ans. This line is, in fact, Henry's ultimatum that Golden Gray intends to live as his
son, the young man will have to become less of a prince, accept the physical
rigors of rural life and self-identify as a black person. This line also suggests that
masculine identity wholly depends on man's ability to act, to exercise his will.
(ix) Who is Violet?
Ans. Violet is a fifty-six year old woman living in Harlem with her husband Joe. She
is nicknamed "Violent" after she invades Dorcas' funeral to dishonor the girl's face
with a knife. An orphan raised by her grandmother in rural Virginia, Violet herself
has no children and, after several miscarriages, she longs for a child.
(x) Why does Violet release her encaged birds?
Ans. Violet releases her encaged birds after Dorcas dies. She rejects what she
holds dear, both in terms of the birds and in terms of her relationship with Joe.
(xi) Why does Violet plan to get herself a boyfriend?
Ans. Violet's husband Joe had a young girlfriend named Dorcas whom Joe killed at
a party. Violet is mean enough and good looking enough to think that even
without hips or youth she can punish Joe by getting herself a boyfriend in her own
house. She thinks it will dry his tears up and give her some satisfaction as well.
(xii) Who is Joe Trace?
Ans. Joe Trace is Violet's husband. He is a good looking man in his late fifties. He
works hard, shuttling between a job as a waiter and a cosmetic salesman. He
loves his wife but is hurt when she closes herself off from him because of her
depression. A sympathetic character, Joe is nonetheless a murderer and
adulterer, cheating his wife and then killing his lover.
(xiii) Name the parents of Joe Trace.
Ans. No one knows the real names of Joe's parents. When Joe is in school, he is
asked to supply a last name for himself and he comes up with Trace because his
adoptive mother has told him "O honey (your parents) disappeared without a
trace." Joe's mother is rumored to live around the town of Vienna, Virginia and is
named Wild.
(xiv) Why is there tension between Joe and Violet?
Ans. Joe and Violet are husband and wife. However, there is always tension
between their relationship. The main reason is the presence of "other" in both
characters. Moreover, both have grown up motherless. Violet's eccentricity and
depression on one hand and Joe's love and murder of Docras on the other hand
create tension between their relationship.
(xv) Why are Joe and Violet subject of ridicule in their community?
Ans. Joe and Violet are ridiculed in their community because they are old black
couple. Both have grown up motherless. Moreover, Violet makes little money as
an unlicensed hairdresser, arriving at her clients' residences.

LITERARY FORMS AND MOVEMENTS, SHORT ANSWERS

What is round character ?
A round character is a complex and dynamic. In this character
improvement and change occurs during the course of work .
What is a soliloquy?
Soliloquy is a device use in drama in which a character speaks to himself
or herself (thinking loud) by showing his feelings or thoughts to audience.
What is a Lyric?
Lyric is a short poem in which poet’s own feelings and emotions are
expressed normally having musical quality to sing.
What is heroic couplet?
A rhyming couplet written in iambic pentameter and it is traditionally used in
epic and narrative poetry.
What is Neo-classicism?
Neo-classicism is a eighteenth century western movement of art, literature
and architecture. They got inspiration from ancient Greece and ancient
Rome.
What is a mock-epic?
Mock-epic is a poem in which satire, exaggeration, irony and sarcasm is
used to mock the subject or used the epic style for the trivial subject etc.
What is a complex plot?
A complex plot according to Aristotle is that have ‘peripeteia’ (reversal) and
‘anagnorisis’ (denouement) without these is a simple plot.
What is novella?
Novella is a narrative fictional work longer than story and shorter than
novel.
What is interior monologue?
Interior monologue is the expression of internal thought, feelings and
emotions of a character in dramatic or narrative form.
What is blank verse?
Blank verse is a form of poetry that written in iambic pentameter but un-
rhymed.
What is Art for Arts’ sake?
“Art for Arts’ sake” is nineteenth century literary movement which gives
importance to aesthetic pleasure instead of moral, didactic or utilitarian
function of literature.
What is Epistolary novel?
Epistolary novel is a narrated work. In this type of novel the story is
narrated through letters sent by the observer or by those who participating
in the events. Example: 18th century’s novel ‘Richardson’s Pamela and
Clarissa etc.
Differentiate between novel and novella.
Difference between novel and novella is length of the narrative work.
Novella is shorter than novel and longer than short story but novel is long
narrated work.
Define sonnet? What is the structure of Shakespearian sonnet?
Sonnet is a fourteen line poetry written in iambic pentameter having some
rhyming scheme. Shakespearian sonnet consists of three quatrains and
final couplet with rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg.
What is the difference between “Open form poetry” and “Closed form
poetry”?
Close form poetry used the fix pattern of stanza, rhyme and meter etc. For
example: sonnet, limerick, haiku and sestina etc. Open form poetry does
not use these fix patterns.
What is the structure of Spenserian stanza?
Spenserian stanza consist of nine lines, eight lines are in iambic
pentameter and followed by single line in iambic hexameter. The last line is
called Alexandrine.
Differentiate between ‘Blank verse’ and ‘Free verse’.
‘Blank verse’ follows the fix meter like iambic pentameter and un-rhymed
but ‘Free verse’ is also un-rhymed and does not follow the fix meter.
How can you define “Pastoral elegy”?
Pastoral elegy is a poem about death. In this poem poet expresses his grief
for the dead in rural setting or about the shepherds.
What is ‘Point of View’?
‘Point of view’ is an opinion, judgment or attitude on a matter. It may be
against are in favor.
Define plot. What are its various elements?
Plot is a logical arrangement of events in a story or play. The exposition,
rising action, climax, falling action and resolution are the elements of plot.
What is conflict?
Conflict is a problem or struggle in a story or play. It occurs in rising action,
climax and falling action. It creates suspense and excitement in the story or
play.
How can you explain catharsis?
Term catharsis used by Aristotle in the definition of tragedy. It is the release
of emotions of pity and fear.
Define black comedy.
Black comedy is a humorous work in which human suffering regards as
absurd and funny.
What is comedy of manners?
Comedy of manners is a humorous work in which the manners of society or
class satirized. For example: “The importance of being Ernest” by Oscar
Wilde.
What do you mean by Theater of the absurd?
Theater of the absurd is one kind of drama in which absurdity emphasized
and lack realistic and logical structure. For example: “Waiting for Godot” by
Samuel Beckett.
How can you differentiate between flat and round characters?
A round character is a complex and dynamic. In this character
improvement and change occurs during the course of work but flat
character are uncomplicated and remains unchanged through the course of
work.
What was the Oxford movement?
Oxford movement starts in 1833 and for the revival of Catholic doctrine in
Anglican Church. It is against the conventional understanding of the
religion.
Define Puritanism?
Puritanism is the religious movement starts in sixteen century and the goal
of the movement is to purify the church of England from its Catholic
practices.
What is Imagism?
Imagism is a movement of Anglo-American poets started in early
nineteenth century in which they emphasize the use of clear images and
simple and sharp language.
What is meant by Stream of Consciousness?
Stream of Consciousness is a technique of narration in which the series of
thoughts in the mind of the character are presented. “To the Lighthouse” by
Virginia Woolf is one example.
What is your understanding about the word Renaissance?
Renaissance is a French word means rebirth. It is a literary movement of
fourteenth century to sixteenth century the revival of literature takes place
in this period. The Renaissance writers are Shakespeare, Christopher
Marlow etc.
What is meant by Gothic Novel?
Gothic Novel is one type of novel. In this type the cruel passions and
supernatural terror is presented. Example: Monastery or Haunted Castle
etc.
What is Metaphysical Poetry?
Metaphysical poetry is a highly intellectualized poetry with the use of wit,
imagery, conceits and paradox etc. It is obscure and rigid. For example:
“John Donne’s poetry