ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

(Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics)

WARNING
1. PLAGIARISMOR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE
ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF
DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENT(S) BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM
OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN
“AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.

Course: Classical Drama (9057) Semester: Autumn, 2023

Level: BS English

Please read the following instructions for writing your assignments. (AD, BS, B.Ed.
MA/MSc, MEd) (ODL Mode).
1. All questions are compulsory and carry equal marks but within a question the
marks are distributed according to its requirements.
2. Read the question carefully and then answer it according to the requirements of the
questions.
3. Avoid irrelevant discussion/information and reproducing from books, study guide
or allied material.
4. Handwritten scanned assignments are not acceptable.
5. Upload your typed (in Word or PDF format) assignments on or before the due date.
6. Your own analysis and synthesis will be appreciated.
7. Late assignments can’t be uploaded at LMS.
8. The students who attempt their assignments in Urdu/Arabic may upload a scanned
copy of their handwritten assignments (in PDF format) on University LMS. The
size of the file should not exceed 5MP.

Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 50

ASSIGNMENT No. 1
(Units 1-4)
Note: Attempt all questions. All questions carry equal marks.
Q.1 In what ways did Aristotle’s ‘Poetics’s influence the structural development of
classical drama? Support your arguments with suitable textual evidence. (20)
Q.2 How did classical drama address universal themes of fate, morality and the human
condition? Explore how these themes are reflected in ‘Oedipus Rex’by Sophocles.
(20)

1
Q.3 What ae the critical insights driven from the Greek tragedy ‘Oedipus Rex’ focusing
on the nature of truth, knowledge, and self-discovery? How does the search for
truth impact Oedipus and Jocasta and their lives? (20)
Q.4 Explore the themes of ambition and pursuit of knowledge as depicted in ‘Dr Faustus
‘and also discuss their destructive effects on Faustus leading him to moral decay,
despair and eternal damnation. (20)

Q.5 How does Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, ‘To be, or not to be’ reflect the central
themes of mortality, indecision and the nature of existence? Support your
arguments with suitable textual evidence. (20)

Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 50

ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(Units 5-9)

Q.1 Explore the theme of madness in ‘Hamlet’. To what extent is Hamlet truly mad,
and how does his feigned or real madness affect the characters and the overall plot
development of the play? (20)
Q.2 Explore the theme of madness in ‘King Lear’. How does the madness of characters
like Lear and Gloucester serve as a reflection of the chaos and moral decay in the
world of the play? (20)
Q.3 What is the nature of comic techniques and devices commonly employed by
Shakespear in his comedies and how do the contribute to aesthetic and comic
appeal of his comedies? (20)
Q.4 Discuss significance of the title ‘Twelfth Night’ and its interrelatedness with the
elements of disguise and mistaken identity. (20)

Q.5 Explore the element of gender and gender ambiguity in ‘Twelfth Night’. How does
the play challenge traditional gender roles and norms? (20)