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Classical Drama – Short Questions and Their
Answers (From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA
English Literature Part 1

By Asad Imran
August 29, 2020
Categories: Drama, Short Questions

to England to present the tragedy of

a famous Jew merchant of Malta. 
View Long
Q4: Who says that the sudden death
Questions/preview/button/#000000
of Barabas is very strange?
2021 Bosco says that the sudden death of
Barnabas is very strange when his
Q1: Why does Apollo punish the dead body is presented before
Thebes? Ferneze.  
Apollo punishes the city of Thebes Q5: How does Iago make himself
because they did not find the look favourable in Othello’s eyes?
murderer of the former king of At first, Iago hatches the seeds of
Thebes when Oedipus took power.  anger against Brabantio’s daughter
Q2: How does Jocasta end her life? and then uses the information about
Jocasta ends her life by hanging Brabantio’s anger to establish trust
herself over the bed where Oedipus in Othello’s eyes. 
unknowingly committed incest with Q6: Why was Bianca angry with
Jocasta.  Cassio?
Q3: According to Machiavelli, why Bianca was angry with Cassio
has he come to England? because after she got the sight of
In the Prologue to the play, Othello’s handkerchief, she thought
Machiavelli claims that he has come
that he was cheating on her and was might turned out to be the son of a
in love with another woman.  slave. 
Q7: On what grounds does Prospero
Q2: How does Oedipus kill Jocasta?
agree to release his prisoners?
Prospero agrees to release the Possible Answer 1: Oedipus does

prisoners on one condition that they not kill Jocasta directly but she
will not hatch any plots.  hangs herself when Oedipus’ “fated”
Q8: Name the speaker (The guilt is revealed. 
Tempest): “He that dies pays all Possible Answer 2: Tiresias and
debts.” Jocasta tried their best not to
Stephano speaks these lines.  proceed the ongoing investigation
Q9: According to Algernon, what is about the man at fault but he resists
the essence of romance? and kept on to reveal the curiosity.
According to Algernon, the essence
When the way was being made
of romance is uncertainty. 
cleared and the disclosure was
Q10: What do the main characters in
ready to be revealed then Jocasta
The Importance of Being Earnest’
realized that Oedipus is leading him
think about the lower classes?
and herself to a blind alley. So she
They think that the lower classes are
skipped out of the scene and hanged
less ostentatious and more humble
herself. In this sense, it can be said
as compared to their aristocratic
that Oedipus became the main
counterparts. 
source for her suicide and in this
2020 sense, he can be considered her
killer. (Originally answered by Zahid
Q1: What does Oedipus think when Shabeer) Learn more
Jocasta forbids him to explore more
Q3: What had Ithamore been doing
about his identity? 
before Barabas bought him? 
Oedipus thinks that Jocasta might
Ithamore was as callous as Barabas
be worried about his lineage as he
or even surpassed him in certain
“arts”. Ithamore had been involved in Two hidden but tracible motifs of
poisoning wells; cutting throats of The Tempest are as thus: 
Christian travelers and maimed
1. Music
pilgrims in Jerusalem. 
2. Mysterious noises
Q4: Why is Barnardine grieved by 3. Drawing
Abigail’s death? Q8: In what way does Caliban
Barnardine is grieved by Abigail’s mention his mental and moral
death because he did not have degradation?
enjoyed her physical “grace”. He
Caliban, the “fish-like monster”
shows his grief as thus in a
mentions his mental and moral
response to Friar Jacomo:
degradation as thus when he is
“And a virgin too.” thrashed by Prospero,

Q5: Why did Othello strip Cassio of Thou didst prevent me. I had
his rank? peopled else

Othello stripped Cassio of his rank of This isle with Calibans.

Lieutenant on his fierce fight with
Q9: How does Jack’s cigarette case
Rodrigo and Lodovico, cunningly
betray his identity to Algernon?
provoked by Rodrigo as a plot of
Jack unintentionally leaves his
Iago. 
cigarette case to Algernon’s lodgings
Q6: What pattern is present on on which Jack’s true name is written.
Othello’s handkerchief? View Source
The pattern present on Othello’s
Q10: What is Lady Bracknell’s initial
handkerchief is of strawberries. The
opinion about Cecily?
colour of strawberries signifies the
Lady Bracknell’s initial opinion about
power of love. 
Cecily is that she belongs to a poor
Q7: Mention two motifs in The
family. But when she learns about
Tempest. 
Cecily’s wealth, her stern attitude
against her changes to a moderate Q8: Who is Sycorax?
Sycorax is the name of a witch who gave birth to
one.  a beast Caliban and overtook the throne of the
lonely island where Prospero and his daughter
2019
took shelter.
Q1: How many odes are present in Oedipus Rex?
Q9: What is a Dandy with a reference to ‘The
There are 4 odes present after every scene of
Importance of Being Earnest’?
Oedipus Rex.
A dandy is a person who pays excessive
Q2: Why is Oedipus reluctant to go to Corinth
attention to his dress, looks and lifestyle, while
after the death of King Polybus?
pinpointing his society’s dual identities through
Oedipus fears to go back to Corinth as he might
his wit. Jack and Algernon are those two dandies
fulfil the second part of the oracle of committing
in The Importance of Being Earnest. View Source
the crime of incest.
Q10: Define artificial comedy:
Q3: What is Act 2 Scene 1 in Jew of Malta
Artificial comedy is just another term for comedy
mainly about?
of manners, where a playwright decides to
Act 2 Scene 1 is mainly about Abigail throwing
satirize the behaviour of a particular social
the bags full of gold and money and Barabas
group, which is normally upper class in some
catches his “bliss” and hugs his moneybags
way. (Copied from eNotes)
while standing in an alley of his counting-house
which is turned into a nunnery. 2018
Q4: What does Barabas’ nose symbolize for? Q1: How was Lais murdered?
Barabas’ nose symbolizes for humour and satire. King Laius was murdered by his own son,
It is a common symbol for a Jew to have a long Oedipus the King in the place where three roads
pointing nose. met. Oedipus killed the old man with his youthful
Q5: What is Brabantio’s warning to Othello about might, taking the old man for merely a stranger.
Desdemona? Q2: Who was called the son of Labdakos?
Brabantio who is much dejected by the marriage Oedipus was called the son of Labdakos by the
of his gentle Desdemona with “An Old Black Chorus in Ode 1 in the following line: Labdakos’
Ram”, warns Othello that she has deceived her line, and the son of Polybos
father by marrying and she might deceive the Q3: What is Oedipus’ request to Creon in the
Moor too. ending scene of the play?
Q6: How did Vince treat Othello before he was Oedipus requests his brother-in-law Creon after
dispatched for Cyprus? his tragedy is unfolded before him that his sons
Venice treated the “Valiant Moor” in an engaging shall grow up in the warm winds of the society
manner and wished for his victory in silent but his daughters shall not withstand these
prayers. warm winds and they have no one except their
Q7: How are Ariel and Caliban different? uncle Creon to fall back upon.
Ariel is a faithful servant spirit of Prospero while Q4: Why is Othello sent to Cyprus?
Caliban is rude in his behaviour towards his Othello is sent to Cyprus by the Venetian Senator
master and he was born out of wedlock through to combat with a possible Turkish invasion
the womb of a witch. prevailing in Cyprus.
Q5: How is Rodrigo befooled by Iago? Q2: How does Creon treat blind Oedipus in the
Lago uses his stealthy and fatal weapon of his end?
persuasive tongue and convinces Roderigo to Creon treats the blind Oedipus as a true brother-
“put money in thy purse” for him to attain in-law and uses every possible mean to make
Desdemona for his sexual satisfaction but Iago Oedipus stay in his Theban palace.
stabs him back after “serving for his own Q3: What is meant by the Machiavellian
purposes”. statement “End justifies the means”?
Q6: Why does Desdemona marry Othello? This Machiavellian statement indicates that a
Desdemona marries Othello after learning about person’s death reveals all his concealed intrigues
his dangerous military ventures and she so as his follower Barabas reveals his own
professes to love Othello’s occupation as a policies before his arch-enemy, Ferneze, when he
general. I, as a reader, assume that she might falls in his own “dainty gallery”.
have married Othello in order to serve Othello as Q4: Why is Barabas angry with the three Jews?
his companion in his ordeals. Barabas is angry with three Jews as they have
Q7: Who is Bunbury in the play “Importance of arrived to seek Barabas’ help on the arrival of
Being Ernest”? Turkish galleys and Barabas only cares about his
Algernon is Bunbury in the play The Importance own gold and coffer.
of Being Earnest as Jack’s invalid brother, Q5: Why does Desdemona marry Othello?
Earnest just to escape from his responsibilities Already Answered
in his society. View Source Q6: Who is the first character to refer to Othello
Q8: Why does Miss Prism fear from Lady by name?
Bracknell? Duke of Venice refers to “Valiant Othello” in Act I
Miss Prism fear from Lady Bracknell as she scene ii.
might be questioned for stealing a baby from Q7: Who, in “The Tempest’, says: “He that dies
Bracknell’s house. View Source pays all debts”?
Q9: Why does Barabas decide to kill Ithamore? Stephano speaks these lines in The Tempest in
Barabas decides to kill Ithamore because he Act III Scene ii.
“knows too much” about Barabas’ vengeance Q8: Introduce Boatswain in the Tempest:
and he might confess to Ferneze. Thus Barabas Boatswain is in charge of running the ship in the
decides to poison his “heir”. storm. He has no time for time-wasters and does
Q10: Who is Ceres? not bother to shackle his tongue when talking to
Ceres is one of Prospero’s spirits (likely Ariel) landlubbers coming on deck and getting in the
representing the goddess of the harvest in the way. (Copied)
masque. She joins Juno to bless Ferdinand and Q9: How is Algernon a dandy in ‘The Importance
Miranda’s union. (Copied) of Being Earnest’?

2017 Algernon serves as a dandy in The Importance of

Being Earnest because he remains conscious
Q1: What is the other name of Apollo used in
about good clothes and spends lavishly on
“Oedipus Rex’?
throwing parties.
Another name used for god Apollo in Oedipus
Rex is Phoebus, a dazzling ray of light.
Q10: When is Cecily bad and good for lady the ocean to make the being-revenged
Bracknell? submissive for once they used their influences to
Initially, Cecily is bad for Lady Bracknell because throw Prospero and his newly born daughter in
she is a niece of the Lady’s poor sister’s son, the ocean.
Jack. But the Lady takes Cecily good when it is Q8: Mention some ambitions of Caliban.
revealed that she is wealthy. View Source Caliban, the “fish-like monster” wants to kill

2016 Prospero to rule over his mother’s island and for

this ambition, he instruments Stephano, a
Q1: How does Oedipus become the king of
“heavenly-drunkard” to accomplish the monster’s
Thebes?
long-cherished desire.
Oedipus becomes the king of Thebes by solving
Q9: On what grounds, do you dislike Lady
the mind-wrenching riddle of Sphinx. He
Bracknell?
achieves the monarchy as a reward of solving
I dislike Lady Bracknell for her interfering,
the puzzle.
authoritative and hypocrite behaviour. She wants
Q2: What are the charges of Oedipus against
everyone to press under her thumb. Her
Creon?
obsessed vision of the three Cs (Cash, Caste and
Oedipus charges Creon for plotting the murder of
Character) creates detest against her in our
King Laius with the companionship of “Child of
heart.
Endless Night”.
Q10: Define Artificial Comedy.
Q3: Who says in “Jew of Malta”: “I count religion
Already Answered.
but a childish toy”?
This sentence is uttered by the soul of 2015
Machiavelli who prologues to present “the Q1: Why does Oedipus run away from Corinth?
tragedy of a Jew”. Oedipus has run away from Corinth in order to
Q4: What does Ithamore reveal about his past flee from his destined fate of committing the
deeds to Barabas? crimes of patricide and incest towards his
Ithamore reveals about his cruel profession of (adopting) parents.
slaining and poisoning the innocent people and Q2: What are the traits of Apollo?
he hates Christians as his master does. Apollo is an ancient Greek god, son of Zeus and
Q5: Why does Iago turn against Othello? Leto. He is a god of oracles, fertility, diseases
Iago turns against Othello for not promoting him and cure.
as Othello’s lieutenant and giving his seat to Q3: How does Ferneze treat Basso when Basso
Cassio who is “mere prattle without practice”. demands tribute?
Q6: What is called “a green-eyed monster”? Ferneze replies bluntly upon Basso’s demand of
Jealousy is personified as “a green-eyed ten years’ unpaid tribute that he shall have no
monster” by the Bard of Avon. tribute from Malta, thus treating him worthlessly.
Q7: Why is ‘The Tempest’ called a play about Q4: With whom is Abigail in love with?
revenge? Abigail is in love with Don Mathias.
‘The Tempest’ is called a play about revenge Q5: What is Othello’s opinion about unexposed
because this theme prevails right after the play Iago?
begins and Prospero’s Ariel creates a tempest on
Othello considers his ancient honest as he is beast where Prospero and his daughter lodged
unaware of the knavery which is about to take in.
his faith away. Q9: What do you know about Lane in ‘The
Q6: Why is Brabantio dismayed about Importance of Being Earnest”?
Desdemona? Lane is Algernon’s butler who knows pretty much
Brabantio is dismayed about Desdemona’s everything about his master. He even saves his
marriage with Othello because of his black master from Lady Bracknell’s possible insult
complexation. when his master eats sandwiches “unethically”.
Q7: What is the reaction of Prospero when he View Source
notices Ferdinand in love with Marinda? Q10: What picture of Lord Bracknell is created
Prospero rejoices, noticing signs of affections by the things Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen say
between Ferdinand, Prince of Naples and about him?
Miranda, Queen of Milan. But he plans to put The The picture of Lord Bracknell is painted through
Prince on test as “too light winning make the his wife Lady Bracknell and his daughter
prize light”. Gwendolen as another aristocrat who remains
Q8: How was Caliban begotten? absent in functions of the family. View source
Caliban was begotten through his mother. She
died on the island while giving birth to a half-

Prose – Short Questions and Their Answers (From

Sargodha University Past Papers) MA English
Literature Part 1

By Asad Imran
August 29, 2020
Categories: Prose, Short Questions

Q1: What is meant by empiricism?

 
The word empiricism hints at a
theory which asserts that all the
View Long knowledge is accumulated by the
Questions/preview/button/#000000 experiences attained through the
use of five senses. 

Q2: What are the fruits of friendship

2021 as described in Bacon’s 0f
Friendship? He discusses the importance of
Exchange and exhaling of feelings Philosophy for modern society to
and emotion establish the value of a person as a
Acquisition of clarity when confused human and as a citizen. 
Assistance and aid in many aspects Q7: What is Imperialism?
of life Source Imperialism is the utilization of
Q3: What evil passions have harmed people and resources of a weak
mankind (Russell)? nation by a strong nation for their
own benefits. 
Selfishness
Q8: Point out the prominent
Envy
Renaissance elements in Bacon’s
Jealousy
essays. 
False religious, political and
superstitious beliefs Love for Knowledge and Art

Q4: How Bacon’s idealism is Machiavellous materialism

reflected in his essay ‘Of Great Q9: What was the name given to
Places7 Florence Nightingale?
Bacon, being himself a bureaucrat, Lady with the Lamp
reflects his own approach to Q10: Why Mis Florence Nightingale
bureaucratic as well as political was admired?
landscape. His essay, “Of Great Florence Nightingale was admired
Place” aptly demonstrates that a for her services as a nurse and her
bureaucrat is thrice a servant of his contribution to the profession of
own ambition to climb up in nursing.
hierarchy, to the upper hierarchy as
well as the public. Source 2020
Q5: What is the reason behind using
Q1: What are the chief advantages
‘of’ in the titles of Bacon’s essays?
of studies as discussed by Bacon?
Already answered 
Q6: What does Russell discuss in Already answered in 2019 section
“The Philosophy for Laymen”? 
Q2: How is Bacon ‘meanest of parliamentary participants dance on
mankind’? tight ropes to attain a seat in the
parliament. View Source
He is called the meanest of mankind
because of his utilitarian approach Q5: What is the difference between
towards everything and even in Simulation and Dissemination?
matters of the heart. For instance, Already answered in 2016 section
Bacon prosecuted agaiinst his
Q6: What is culture, according to
patron, Earl of Essex to claim the
Edward Said?
favour of Queen Elizabeth I. 
According to Edward Said, culture is
Q3: Who is Gulliver’s worst enemy at
an identity for a country. View
the Lilliputian court?
Source
The king himself is the worst enemy
Q7: What are a couple of qualifies of
of Gulliver because he is the most
Russell’s prose style?
powerful person in the Lilliput and
the king’s disgust against Gulliver Already answered in 2015 section
increases when he refuses to Q8: What are Strachey’s targets of
destroy the Blefuscu fleet. View irony?
Source
Strachey’s target of irony is the
Q4: What are some of the shows eminent Victorians who were
Gulliver sees and participates and showcased as flawless beings. 
how do high government officials
Q9: How did Florence Nightingale
participate in them?
prepare for her life as a nurse?
Gulliver participates in various
Florence Nightingale put her leaning
acrobatic shows. So as the
of nursery to test during Crimean
government officials to get
Wars when she focused on
themselves promoted. One of these
cleanliness and healthy welfare for
shows is rope dancing. It is a
the soldiers. 
dangerous acrobatic show in which
Q10: Why was General Gordon given Edward Said’s idea about the plight of Palestine
is the imperialism of superpowers and lack of
the nickname ‘Chinese’?  communication between the U.S. and Arab
countries.
General Gordon was given the title of
Q6: Why is Russell called a prophet?
Chinese Gordon for rendering his Russell is called a prophet because his
services during the Tipang Rebellion predictions regarding the world and politics went
true.
in 1863. 
Q7: What are Russell’s views on religion?
Russell did not believe in any God or in any
2019
religion or in the afterlife. He termed Puritanism
Q1: What are the chief advantages of studies
as fanaticism.
discussed by Bacon?
Q8: In his preface, what does Strachey claim are
Studies, according to Francis Bacon, serve
his goals in writing ‘Eminent Victorians’?
usefully as a delight in a person’s solitude,
Strachey says that he has attempted to present
decorate his conversation and develops
some Victorian visions to the modern eye. His
practicality in worldly pursuits.
choice has been determined by simple motives
Q2: How is Gulliver fed?
of convenience and of art. His purpose is to
Gulliver is fed through many a small people,
illustrate rather than to explain. He claims a
carrying meat in buckets and they use ladders to
brevity which excludes everything that is
reach Gulliver’s mouth.
redundant and nothing that is significant.
Q3: What does Gulliver’s Travels suggest about
(Copied)
the relationship between ‘Reason’ and
Q9: How did Florence get the title “Lady with the
‘Brutality’?
Lamp”?
Gulliver’s Travels suggests that the relationship
Florence Nightingale attained the eminent title
between Reason and Brutality can be switched
for rendering her services in Crimean War to the
from one creature to the other. For instance,
wounded soldiers along with other nurses,
Houyhnhnms are rational horses while Yahoos
trained by her while carrying a lamp in the night.
are vileful brutal creatures, detesting each other
Q10: What services did General Gordon as the
as contrary to the world of human beings.
governor general of Sudan?
Q4: Comment how the voyage to Lilliput shows
As the governor general of Sudan, Gordon
smallness of man?
rendered many services. He mapped the upper
The voyage to Lilliput exhibits smallness of man
Nile River and established a line of stations
over his small achievements that humans can
along the river. He established his ascendancy
devise as many reasons to draw daggers as
over this vast area, crushing rebellions and
Lilliputians used to fight with their enemies over
suppressing the slave trade. (Copied)
the issue of breaking an egg. If a person of the
present age is physically taller but morally, he is 2018
a Lilliputian. Q1: What are three great advantages of
Q5: What is Edward Said’s idea about the plight simulation and dissimulation?
of Palestine?
 1. They envelop suspicion and surprise the Q8: Why does America involve itself in the
other party. affairs of Third World Countries?
2. They help a person to show a fair America involves itself in the affairs of Third
retreat, if he thinks he cannot achieve World Countries to get hold of their geographical,
his aim. cultural as well as economical resources.
3. Concealment of one’s intentions paves Q9: How was General Gordon killed?
the way to know about other’s In 1884 Gordon was again sent to Sudan by the
intentions. British government to evacuate Egyptian forces
Q2: What is Bacon’s contribution in essay from Khartoum. Khartoum came under siege a
writing? month later, and on January 26, 1885, the
Sir Francis Bacon is the one who fathered ‘essay’ Mahdists broke into the city and killed General
linguistically and regionally for he converted the Gordon at the Governor-General palace about an
French word ‘assay’ for the one we are hour before dawn. The manner of his death is
acquainted with and he pioneered essay writing uncertain. (Copied)
in English language and region. Q10: Why is Lytton Strachey accused of being a
Q3: What does Allegory mean? partial biographer?
An Allegory is the story with another layer of the Lytton Strachey is accused of being a partial
hidden story. An allegory is a literary work which biographer because of his method of selective
conveys a hidden moral, social, situational and scrutiny of the “Eminent Victorians”. His
historical ideas through living characters. selective approach faintly magnifies the truth.
Q4: What is mock-utopia? Yet his biographies hold a trusting identity
Mock-utopia is the mockery of an ideal among literary people and historians despite
government. It is rendered as fictitious by the being “partially impartial”. (Answered with the
masses just like no one will believe in rational help of Sir Mohsin and some literary Reddit users
governance of Houyhnhnms. from r/AskLiteraryStudies)
Q5: Why does Russell prefer American victory?
2017
Russell prefers American victory as the U.S.
Q1: What is meant by terse and epigrammatic
offers freedom of speech and propaganda than
style?
the confiscated atmosphere in Russia.
Terse means brief and to-the-point statement
Q6: What does Russell say about liberalism?
while an epigram is a joyful statement, carrying a
“Liberalism is not so much a creed as a
moral lesson in it. The style of writing which is
disposition. It is, indeed, opposed to creeds. But
brief, enjoyable and lesson giving at the same
the liberal attitude does not say that you should
time is termed as terse and epigrammatic style.
oppose authority.” says Russell that liberality and
Q2: Give an example of Bacon’s terse and
freedom of expression must be allowed but it
epigrammatic style.
should be limited through law.
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be
Q7: What is imperialism?
swallowed, and some few to be chewed and
Imperialism is the gainity of a nation’s territory
digested” (Of Studies)
through the dint of military invasion or political
Q3: What is the question debated at the grand
interruption for one’s personal pursuits.
assembly of the Houyhnhnms?
At the grand assembly of the Houyhnhnms, the Q1: What is meant by simulation and
question debated is whether to exterminate the dissimulation?
Yahoos. (Copied) Simulation means to pretend like someone and
Q4: How does the Emperor of Blefuscu receive dissimulation means concealment of one’s
Gulliver? intentions and emotions.
The emperor of Blefuscu receives Gulliver Q2: “The rising unto place is laborious” Explain
warmly who has escaped death from Lilliput the statement.
successfully. The king refuses to send Gulliver Francis Bacon asserts the fact in his essay, ‘Of
back to the little tyrants. Great Place’ that attainment of a higher position
Q5: What was the argument between (here in this essay, place means position or rank)
Tramecksan and Slamecksa about? requires extensive the struggle of the head, heart
Tramecken requested the people to wear the and a Machiavellian policy.
shoes of high heels as he argumented that it was Q3:  What is Horatian satire?
a demand of time while Slamecksa demanded Horatian satire is a mild satire on the follies of
the people to wear small heeled shoes as of man-kind, sounding tolerant, witty and amusing
modern time. sentences. Roman Satirist, Horace fathered this
Q6: What are the Three possible Scenarios for type of satire.
the future of mankind? Q4: In Gulliver’s fourth voyage, what is the name
Russell asserts three possible scenarios in his of the ship Gulliver captain?
one ‘Unpopular Essay’, “The Future of Mankind”. The name of a Portages ship’s captain, who
The first prediction is the human race might go gives Gulliver his finest suits and twenty pounds
extinct the second scenario might be seen in for his after-voyage in England.
reversal of humanistic barbarism while the third Q5: What is the fault in humanity that Gulliver
scenario might end up in the establishment of a cannot be patient with-even though he is not
singular global government. provoked by pickpockets, fools, gamesters,
Q7: What are the chief advantages of studies as whoremongers, lawyers, colonels, and
discussed by Bacon? physicians?
Beep Boop! Already answered. The fault of humanity which provokes Gulliver
Q8: What is imperialism? despite other ‘small’ evils is humans’ lust for
Can’t sing the melody already sung. power and their shady overture of utilizing
Q9: Define prose. weapons and imposing wars and other forms of
Prose is a simple flow of language devoid of any imperialism. In short, Gulliver hates humanity for
metrical or rhyming structure but embroidered cutting the heads of itself.
with grammatical structure. Q6: What, according to Russell, is the main
Q10: What is the physical appearance of General purpose of writing his essays?
Gordon. According to Russell, the main purpose behind
General Gordon was short-statured with grey writing his “Unpopular Essays” is to combat
whiskers and hair. His face was brick-red along dogmatism from both Left and Right side (of the
with shining but large blue eyes. world).

2016
Q7: Explain the quote “When he sits in place he example, the essay ‘Of Truth’ deals with the
is another man’ (of great place). cultural association of truth as well as lies.
Francis Bacon wants to evaluate the statement Q3: Discuss that the charge of misanthropy
that when a person joins a high seat, he has to against Swift is a serious misunderstanding.
forget his previous leisure-self and he has to It is Gulliver who shows misanthropy against the
make himself ready for a careful rather civilized Yahoos. But Gulliver’s author Jonathan
responsible ruler for once he was carefree. Swift is a philanthrope as he presents Gulliver’s
Q8: Why does Said refer to various novelists? hatred, for reformation of mankind so that they
Said refers to various novelists as according to might refrain from cutting each other’s head.
The Professor, novels or fiction depict the Q4: How Gulliver’s Travels is a political allegory?
imperialistic society far better than any genre of The first voyage to the island of Lilliput is a
writing. View Source political allegory. The rope dancing allegorizes
Q9: What is the etymological root of Walpole’s tactics and political intrigues while the
Houyhnhnm or horse in the Houyhnhnm conflict between Low Heels and High Heels
language? symbolize the tug of war between two political
The etymological root of the word ‘Houyhnhnms’ parties Whig and Tories. View Source
is watered through its meaning in Houyhnhnms’ Q5: What are some of the autobiographical
language which reads “perfection of Nature”. The elements found in Lamb’s essays?
actions of these utopian rational horses were Not in our syllabus
directed through Nature and reason Q6: What according to Ruskin is The Crown of
Q10: What do you know about the Bloomsbury Wild Olive stand for?
group? Not in our syllabus
Bloomsbury is a group of some renowned Q7: What is the message of War given by
Cambridge graduates including Lytton Strachey Ruskin?
who utilized their philosophical and intellectual Not in our syllabus
forces in their prosaic creations. Q8: What are a couple of qualities of Russell’s

2015 prose style?

Russell’s prose style is lucid and simple enough
Q1: How, according to Bacon, men are servant
that the sentences are understood by every Tom,
and how they are master in Of Great Place?
Dick and Harry while the subject matter is a hard
In essay ‘Of Great Place’, Bacon asserts the fact
pill to swallow. To understand the meanings of
that men are servants of state, fame and
his essays, one has to reread several sentences.
business. The one who rises to a high place, one
Q9: Why is Russell called a prophet?
becomes a servant to one’s self and master of
Already answered
one’s employs. View Source
Q10: What is postcolonialism, according to
Q2: Why Bacon used “OF” before starting his
Edward Said?
essays?
Post colonialism, according to Edward Said, is
Bacon has used the preposition ‘Of’ in place of
the philosophical as well as historical studies of
‘about’ to signify or pivot the reader’s attention
colonial motives, accomplishments and its
on the topic presented by the author. For
aftermaths. Before Said’s ‘Postcolonial Theory’, it
was loosely known as ‘Colonial Discourse
Studies’. View Source

Classical Novel – Short Questions and Their Answers

(From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA English
Literature Part 1

By Asad Imran
August 29, 2020
Categories: Novel, Short Questions

falls for Joseph similarly like Lady

Booby.
 View Long
Q3: What is a comic-epic in prose?
Questions/preview/button/#000000
A comic epic in prose is a fusion of
  the core elements of novel, epic,
comedy and romance. It holds the
2021 adventure of romance at the length of
an epic and is written in prose.
Q1: What type of character is Lady
Q4: Who is Mr Collins?
Booby?
Already answered in Q3 of 2017.
Lady Booby is a round character with
Q5: Who is George Wickham?
a complex sense of control. She
George Wickham is a cousin of
wants to control over her footman for
Fitzwilliam Darcy, who lures Lydia
her sensual pleasures while she
Bennett into elopement. Darcy saves
cannot control her own passions
the grace of the Bennett family by
when she learns that Joseph is about
providing financial support to the
to be knotted with Fanny.
couple.
Q2: Who is Mrs. Slipslop?
Q6: Who is John Barsard?
The character of Mrs. Slipslops serves
John Barsard is an English spy who
as a foil to Lady Booby. She is vein and
roams the streets for Marquis St. 
Evremonde. He escapes to England Caroline Bingley is the jealous sister
when Paris burns under the fire of of Charles Bingley. 
revolution.
Q4: Who is Georgina?
Q7: Who is Madame Defarge?
Madame Defarge is the prominent Georgiana is the twelve years

force behind the revolutionary younger sister of Mr. Darcy. She is a

activities in Paris. She seeks shy teenager but an able musician. 

vengeance on Marquis St Evremonde Q5: What is Dover Beach?
for the rape of her sister (long ago).
Dover Beach is the beach that links
Q8: Who is Philip Wakem?
England to France. 
Philip Wakem is the son of the arch-
rival of Tullivers, Mr. Wakem. Though Q6: Who is Jerry Cruncher?
physically disabled, Philip Wakem Already answered in 2017 section
shares his artistic and intellectual
Q7: Who is Lawyer Wakem?
interests (including books) with
Maggie Tulliver. Lawyer Wakem is a cunning and
Q9: Who is Mr. John Durbyfield? opportunist lawyer who takes away
Already answered in Q9 of 2017. the Dorlcote Mill from Mr. Tulliver. 
Q10: What is the significance of Q8: Who is Bob Jakin?
knitting?
Already answered in 2017 section
Already answered in Q5 of 2017.
Q9: Who is Mrs. John Durbeyfield?
2020
Already answered in 2016 section
Q1: Who is Betty? Q10: Who is Reverend Clare?
Already answered in 2017 section Already answered in 2017 section
Q2: Who is Mrs. Lady Booby? 2017
Q1: Who is Mrs. Slipslop?
Already answered in 2018 section
Mrs. Slipslop is an attendant of Lady Booby. Just
Q3: Who is Caroline Bingley? like her Lady, she has some evil intentions on
poor Joseph too. Unlike her rigid and dry lady, Bob helps Tom to make money through his
she is colourful in her tongue manners. financial resources.
Q2: Who is Betty? Q9: Who is Mr. John Durbyfield?
Betty is a chamber-maid in Tow-Wouse inn. She John Durbyfield who is also known as Jack is
recommends of Joseph’s treatment and takes Tess drunk and lazy father. When he discovers
herself as Joseph’s nurse. She is also smitten by about his noble lineage, he devises many
the physical grace of the boy and plans to have schemes, excuses and grand ideas to get the
an illicit relation with him which Joseph rejects. most of his noble line. View Source
Q3: Who is Mr. Collins? Q10: Who is Reverend Clare?
Mr. William Collins is a distant cousin of Mr. Mr. Clare is a low Church clergyman who
Bennet who is a clergyman by profession and punished his son by refusing to send him to
manages the estate of his patron lady Catherine university because he refused to take religious
de Bourgh. As Mr. Bennet is not blessed with a orders. (Copied)
son, Mr. Collins will be a heir for their estate of
2018
Longbourn. View Source
Q1: What do you know about Mr. Fitzwilliam
Q4: Who is Mrs. Bennet?
Darcy in Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and
Mrs. Bennet who was once a paragon of beauty,
Prejudice?
is the mother of five unmarried daughters who
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is one of the central
can go to any limit to get her daughters married
characters of the novels. He is of proud and
to the wealthy suitors.
snobbish nature who, at first, rejects Elizabeth’s
Q5: What is the significance of knitting?
beauty by terming her merely “tolerable”. But his
Madam Defarge’s knitting through a needle and a
character changes and he secretly helps Bennet
thread on a piece of cloths determine the fate of
family to protect their honour by forcing
the victims of a so-called newly established
Wickham to marry Lydia who has eloped with
republic. Her knitting is a symbol of cold-
each other.
bloodedness and cruelty. View Source
Q2: Can you briefly portray Mrs. Bennet’s
Q6: Who is Jerry Cruncher?
character?
Jerry Cruncher is an old employer in Tillson’s
Already portrayed.
Bank. He hoarse-voiced, superstitious and a
Q3: Introduce the character of Lucy Deane.
harsh fellow. He gains his income through
Already introduced.
digging up the graves and selling the dead
Q4: Who is Sir Stephen Wakem?
bodies to medical scientists. View Source
Stephen is an upper-class suitor of Maggie and
Q7: Who is Lucy Deane?
he convinces her for an elopement but the lady
Lucy Deane is Tom and Maggie’s kin and younger
ends up showing her affections for Philip.
than Maggie. She is the daughter of Susan
Stephen still grieves when Lucy dies.
Deane. She is kind and compassionate. View
Q5: Who is Alec e’Urberville?
Source
Alec e’Urberville is rich, arrogant, lustful and
Q8: Who is Bob Jakin?
proud-some person who ruins Tess life earlier in
Bob Jakin is Tom’s friend since his childhood but
the novel but later helps her to meet her material
Tom rejected his friendship for a quarrel. Later,
requisites.
Q6: Describe ‘The Slopes’. Charlotte Lucas is Elizabeth Bennet’s dear friend
‘The Slopes’ is a purely artificial construct, a who takes marriage for security than love. View
fake farm, where the unrealities of Alec’s Source
ancestry are played out, bringing destruction Q4: Who is Mr. Collins?
and turmoil to Tess. (Originally screenshotted by: Already answered
Nut Xhut > M.A ENGLISH(Annual System) Q5: What is the significance of knitting?
University of Sargodha(UOS)) Already answered
Q7: Where was Mr. Jarvis Lorry traveling? Q6: Who is Miss Pross?
Mr. Jarvis Lorry was travelling towards Paris Miss Pross is a friend of Lucie Menattee. She
during the callous French Revolution to protect manages to take Lucie to France to set her father
the branch and important documents of Tillson’s free from the eighteen years of imprisonment. In
Bank in Paris in 1792. View Source the end, she becomes deaf due to a pistol-shot
Q8: Where was Alexander Manettee imprisoned fired by Madame Defarge. View Source
and how long? Q7: Who is Lucy Deane?
Alexander Manette was imprisoned in the Already answered
Bastille for eighteen years. View Source Q8: Who is Stephen Guest?
Q9: Who is Parson Adams? Stephen Guest is willing to marry Lucy Deane. He
Parson Adams is a clergyman of Lady Booby’s is the son of the senior partner Guest & Co.
parish estate. He is the one who secures the Where Tom and Mr. Deane work. He is
“stripped” and “abducted” Joseph and Fenny handsome statured. Although he loves Lucy but
respectively. He serves himself as a picaresque his heart is drawn at Maggie for her distinctive
companion for Joseph. He is the most humorous character. View Source
character of all the English books of literature. Q9: Who is Izz Huett?
Q10: Write an introduction of Lady Booby. Izz works honestly in a dairy farm. She is a friend
Lady Booby is the wife of Sir Thomas Booby. of Tess. She falls in love with Angel and accepts
After the death of her husband, she holds the his invitation to accompany him in Brazil. View
control of the Booby estate. She has her evil Source
designs on poor Joseph and urges him to submit Q10: Who is Reverend Clare?
to her lustful intentions but the embodiment of Already answered
morale refuses. She sets him to his picaresque
2016
journey and creates many hurdles between
Q1: Who is Beau Didapper?
Joseph and Fanny to win his flesh.
Beau Didapper is a rogue, provoked by Lady
2019 Booby to rape Fanny Goodwill so that Joseph
Q1: Who is Mrs. Slipslop? marriage might be affected.
Already answered Q2: Who is Parson Barnabas?
Q2: Who is Peter Pounce? Parson Barnabas is a clergyman who takes
Mr. Peter Pounce is a gluttonous steward of Lady much interests in the materials than spiritual
Booby who gives loans to the servants on higher purity. He takes pleasures in drinking punch (an
interest rates. View Source alcoholic drink). He mocks the injured Joseph to
Q3: Who is Charlotte Lucas? be dead.
Q3: What is relation of Mr. Collins with Bennet Fanny Goodwill is the “picaresque reward” of
Family? Joseph. She is a living paragon of beauty. She is
Already Answered nineteen of age with delicate posture and her
Q4: Who is Lydia? Why did she elope? milk-white skin attract everyone.
Lydia is the middle daughter of the Bennet Q4: Who is Charles Bingley?
family. She elopes with Wickham as a result of Charles Bingley is a striking youth and well-
his black magic of persuasive power. He mannered industrious person. His life partner,
becomes successful in seducing the gentle lady Jane parallels him in manners too. But Mr.
morally. Bingley is easily swayed by others. Just as Darcy
Q5: Who is Miss Pross? creates complications while courting his
Already answered beloved, Jane Bennet. View Source
Q6: Who is Mrs. Joan Durbeyfield? Q5: Who is Charlotte Lucas?
Mrs. Joan Durbeyfield is the mother of Tess. She Already answered
is blessed with many children and many duties. Q6: Who is Jerry Cruncher?
She is superstitious and she is often seen Already answered
consulting with her book, Compleat Fortune- Q7: What is the role of Sydney Carton?
Teller. View Source Sydney Carton is twinned as Charles Darnay. He
Q7: Who is Reverend Clare? is a lawyer by profession but drinks heavily. He
Already answered falls in love with Lucie and his passion is so
Rest of the questions were not found in the past strong that he sacrifices his life to save her loved
paper. ones. View Source

2015 Q8: Who is Bob Jakin?

Already answered
Q1: What is comic epic in prose?
Q9: Describe the Personality of Mr. Tom Tulliver.
A Comic epic in prose is literary genre innovated
Mr. Tom Tulliver is the brother of Maggie and a
by Henry Fielding housing the elements of an
central character of the novel. He is arrogant,
epic, romance and comedy. Fielding did not feel
sympathetic, rude with his sister outwardly but
it right to call it straight a novel because of its
inwardly, he loves her. His hard work leads his
scattered reputation. View Source
family out of the clutches of debt. View Source
Q2: Who is Lady Booby?
Q10: Who is Jack Derbifield?
Already answered
Already answered
Q3: Who is Fanny? Describe her personality in
your own words.

Classical Poetry – Short Questions and Their

Answers (From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA
English Literature Part 1

By Asad Imran
August 29, 2020
Categories: Classical Poetry, Short Questions

Monologue. 
Q9: At whose suggestion did Pope write “The Rape of The
Lock?
View Long Pope wrote this Burlesqual poem after being requested by
his friends to reunite the families of Lord Petre and Lady
Questions/preview/button/#000000
Fermor. 
Q10: Who has been called the “Fairest of Mortals” in “The
Download Literary Rape of The Lock?

Devices/download/button/#000000 Belinda has been called the “Fairest of the Mortals” in “The
Rape of the Lock”. 

Know More about

Poetry/preview/button/#000000 2020

2021
Q1: What is Classicism?

Already answered. 
Q1: Define Prologue.
A Prologue is an introduction to the characters and events
contained in a literary work. For example, in Prologue to the
Q2: Define Metaphor. Give
Canterbury Tales, Chaucer introduces the characters who
examples. 
will narrate their tales when they set their carriages to the
Canterbury. 
Q2: Where did the pilgrims stay on their way to Canterbury?
Already answered. 
The pilgrims stayed at the Tabard Inn on their way to
Canterbury.  Q3: What is meant by Allegory?
Q3: What was the task entrusted to the knight of the Red
Cross by The Fairy Queen? Already answered. 
Queen Gloriana entrusted the Red Cross Knight with the task
to kill the fierce Dragon.  Q4: Define Metaphysical conceit.
Q4: Who is the Shepherd in the very opening lines of
“Paradise Lost Book 1? Give examples. 
Moses is the Shepherd in the very opening lines of “Paradise
Lost – Book 1”.  A far fetched comparison of a
Q5: Who was next to Satan in power?
Beelzebub was next to Satan in power. 
common phenomenon to something
Q6: What is the age of Shakespeare known as?
beyond the matter of the universe to
Most of the works of Shakespeare belonged within the
timeframe of the Elizabethan Era.  a spiritual level can be regarded as a
Q7: Which age did John Donne belong to?
The age of John Donne lies between the Shakespearean Era metaphysical conceit. For instance,
and the Jacobean Era. 
when Donne compares the room in
Q8: What is a dramatic monologue?
A fictional character in a novel or a play revealing about his which he makes love with his
hidden intentions to the audience is called Dramatic
beloved to the whole earth, he is will”, eloquent oration, excessive
implying a metaphysical conceit.  pride and disobedience. 

Q5: What is meant by Mock Epic? Q10: Why did Baron sever Balinda’s

A mock-epic is a relatively long lock?

poem, implying techniques used in a Already answered. 

normal epic to present something
2019
trivial, grand.  Q1: Define humour. Give illustration.
Humour is a literary device which makes people
Q6: Mention the characters
laugh or intends to make them laugh. Its main
associated with Church in Chaucer’s purpose is to make a reader relax or break his

“Prologue to the Canterbury Tales”.  tension. Chaucer is a humourist. For example,

Wife of Bath’s headdress wight of ten pounds is
Characters associated with the somewhat a humourous statement. Such
exaggerated statement makes people laugh.
church in the Prologue are the
View Source
Parson, the Prioress, the Summoner Q2: What is a Sonnet? Give examples.
and the Pardoner.  A sonnet is a fourteen-line lyrical poem in which
a poet expresses his emotions for someone or
Q7: Define Cynical Love.  something.
Examples:
Already answered.  When I have fears by Keats
Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day
Q8: What does Red Cross Knight
Q3: Define Blank verse. Give an example.
symbolize in “The Faerie Queene” Blank verse is that kind of verse which is
by Spenser? composed of un-rhymed mono-stitches and
usually follow the iambic-pentametre rhythmic
Already answered.  pattern, with ten syllables in each line.
Example:
Q9: What are the prominent traits of Daylight changes, and it is time to take
Satan in “Paradise Lost” by John Q4: What is meant by alliteration?
Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning
Milton?
of words is known as alliteration.
Q5: What is a ballad? Give an example.
The prominent traits of Satan are
A ballad is a story in verse, arranged in quatrains;
marked with his “unconquerable narrated through a common person and noted by
a highly skilled person is known as a ballad.
Example: The Rime of Ancient Mariner by S. T. Q3: Define simile.
Coleridge. A comparison of two objects by using words like
Q6: What is the aim of Paradise Lost? or as. But these two words have different use
The aim of Paradise Lost is to justify the First cases:
Disobedience of Man which was provoked by Like: This simile is used when a person or a thing
Satan to Adam and Eve and which deprived them is, as a whole, compared with other person or
of Paradise. View Source thing as a whole. For example: Ali is like his
Q7: Why is Spenser called the Poets’ Poet? brother.
Spenser is called Poets’ Poet because of his As: This simile is used when a specific quality of
innovation of Spenserian Stanza which is used a person or a thing is compared with another
by many eminent poets including John Keats person or a thing. For example: Ali is as honest
and P. B. Shelley. as his brother.
Q8: Mention three moods of love according to Q4: What is a heroic couplet?
John Donne. Heroic couplet is a collection of two iambic-
The three moods of love in Donne’s poetry are pentametre mono-stiches which end on rhyming
cynical love (anti-woman), conjugal love(married words. Heroic couplets are largely used by
life) and Platonic love(spiritual love). Copied Chaucer and Shakespearean Sonnets end in
Q9: How much importance did Belinda attach to heroic couplet. View Source
her lap dog? Q5: What is a sonnet?
Belinda attached immense importance to her lap Already answered
dog named as “Shock” as an alarm clock who Q6: Why were pilgrims going to Canterbury?
would wake her up through his sweet kisses. Already answered
View Source Q7: Who is called poets’ poet?
Q10: Why were pilgrims going to Canterbury? Edmund Spenser while the rest of the answer is
Pilgrims were going to Canterbury as a religious listed above.
journey to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Q8: Who is called champion of metaphysical
order to say thanks for their successful trade of poetry?
life even in the presence of pestilence. John Donne is called champion of metaphysical

2018 poetry. View Source

Q9: What is the importance of Hampton Court?
Q1: What is classicism?
In Rape of the Lock, the poet has asserted the
Classicism is the implication of ancient Greek
fact that Hampton Court was an important place
and Roman mythology and style of art in an
for state-affairs were discussed under Queen
author’s work. View Source View Complete
Anne taking tea. View Source
Essay
Q10: To which class does Squire represent?
Q2: What is epic?
Although Squire represents the chivalric class,
An epic is a long narrative poem depicting heroic
yet he stands for its decline for he is indulge in
deeds of warriors and ancient gods; in a vast
playing and composing musical notes unlike his
battlefield (which is the entire universe in some
father (Sir Knight) who is proficient in his
cases); composed in grand style to illustrate the
techniques of warfare who takes part in battles
epic deeds of an epic hero. Source
for religion and country, and Squire hardly takes Lord Petre was the actual face behind Baron who
part in battles for his beloved. took part in cutting a lock of Arabella, a

2017 prominent personality of the Roman Catholic

Church. Which created a rift of relation between
Q1: Explain “O cherub! To be weak is miserable”.
the two families. That is why, Lord Petre’s
Satan provokes his fallen angels to give an after-
allegorical association with Baron served
shock of the defeat (God forbids) inflicted by the
Belinda’s Lock. View Source
sole Emperor of Heaven and Paradise. He says
to his companion that being weak and just lying 2016
in burning hell will not avenge their defeat. They Q1: Why were the pilgrims going to Canterbury?
have to do something. View Source Already answered
Q2: Define epic. Q2: Name the three ideal characters in “The
Already answered Prologue”.
Q3: Why were the pilgrims going to Canterbury? There are three characters portrayed as ideal in
Already answered “The Prologue” and these are Sir Knight, Clerk of
Q4: What does knight Redcross symbolize? Oxford and Parson.
Red Cross Knight symbolizes for the virtue Q3: Define allegory.
holiness and Anglican Church. View Source Already defined
Q5: Define allegory. Q4: What does the dwarf symbolize?
An allegory is a literary work which conveys a Dwarf, who is seen carrying the luggage of Lady
hidden moral, social, situational and historical Una and articles of warfare of Red Cross Knight,
ideas through living characters. symbolizes humility for he serves under truth
Q6: What is cynical love? and holiness. If humility does not follow the two,
Cynicism is a scornful attitude towards persons, it will be denounced to hypocrisy. (Originally
ideas and things. So the cynical love is the answered by Sir Mohsin)
avengeful temptation of a person to his beloved Q5: Why did Lord Peter server Belinda’s lock?
to form an illicit and materialistic relationship. Already answered. 
View Source Q6: Define the term ‘metaphysical’.
Q7: Define satire? Metaphysical is a philosophical term, utilized in
Satire is a literary device which is utilized to literature to elaborate things which are beyond
expose the follies of mankind through existence in physical world. This conception was
exaggeration, burlesque, humour, irony and mostly used in poetry in the seventeenth century.
ridicule. The main purpose of satire is to reform View Source
the human race. View Source Q7: What is cynical love?
Q8: Define Oxymoron Already answered
Two opposite words, coined together side-by- Q8: Define irony.
side to give it a distinctive and dramatic make- Typically humorous in nature, expression of one’s
over form Oxymoron. meanings by using the language which normally
Q9: Define heroic couplet. signifies the opposite is known as irony.
Already defined Q9: Why does Shakespeare compare his
Q10: Why did Lord Peter serve Belinda’s Lock? beloved to a summer’s day?
Shakespeare compares his beloved to a Archimago was an evil magician in the guise of
summer’s day as she is as gentle as the an old man who played monstrous tricks to
sunshine is, as temperate as the summers in the demoralize Red Cross Knight and to separate
United Kingdom and as beautiful as the green Una from the Gentle Knight.
fields that yield in summer. View Source Q6: Where did Belinda’s lock finally go?
Q10: Define satire. Belinda’s lock finally made its way to the lunar
Already defined world and would shine as a star, as told by the

2015 narrator of the mock-epic. View Source #1 View

Source #2
Q1: What was the plan of Canterbury Tales?
Q7: Define wit
It was planned that every pilgrim would have to
Wit is a literary device which is implied to make
narrate two story while heading towards
readers and onlookers laugh. It falls back upon
Canterbury and two more stories on their way
pun, conceit, paradox and metaphors to
back home. The one who told the most
outwardly praise but inwardly mocking of an
interesting tale would be rewarded with a dainty
idea, a person or an object. View Source
meal by the Host.
Q8: What is sensuous love?
Q2: Define allegory.
Sensuous love is that kind of love which is
Already defined
celebrated physically and sexually. It is also
Q3: Define epic.
known as physical love.
Already defined
Q9: Why did Satan tempt?
Q4: Why was Knight Recross accompanying
Satan tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of
Una?
knowledge to complete his revenge of being sent
Red Cross Knight was accompanying Una as her
to the deep hell for disobeying God.
parents’ territory was confiscated by an evil and
Q10: Write the rhyme scheme of a
formidable dragon, to free the land of Una’s
Shakespearean sonnet.
parents from the tyrant clutches of Dragon.
The rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean Sonnet
Q5: Who was Archimago?
is abab, cdcd, efef and gg.

American Literature – Short Questions and Their

Answers (From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA
English Literature Part 1

By Asad Imran
August 29, 2020
Categories: American Literature, Short Questions

 
 View Long uncle who was disowned for having
Questions/preview/button/#000000 an affair with a nursemaid and
expelling her, pregnant. 

Q5: Who is called Wild in the novel

2021 Jazz?
Q1: Why does Mrs. Putnam believe A lady who wanders in the woods is
that there are witches in Salem? called Wild for biting Golden Gray,
After the death of her seven babies who helped her deliver the child. The
and her daughter suffering from lady is linked as a mother to Joe
illness, she believes that the reason Trace, though it is not confirmed. 
behind her misfortune is the Q6: What do you know about Golden
presence of witches.  Gray?
Q2: What “confession” did Elizabeth Already answered in Q6 of 2016. 
make to John? Q7: What is the opinion of Miss Van
She confessed that she was a little Campen on the cause of Henry’s
bit responsible for the affair of John suffering from jaundice?
with Abigail.  She thinks Henry’s habit of drinking
Q3: What is the physical appearance liquor is the reason behind the cause
of Christine, the mother of Lavinia? of Henry’s suffering from jaundice.
By age, Christine Mannon is forty She even goes as far to assume that
years old but she appears as if she Henry may have self-inflicted the
were younger than her age, because particular illness to avoid going into
of her tall but straight stature, dark the fierce battlefield. 
velvet blue eyes, a handsome face Q8: Who is an Antagonist?
with partly copper brown partly An Antagonist is a character in
bronze hold hair.  fiction or play who stands against
Q4: What does Seth Beckwith tell the protagonist, and tries to win over
Lavinia about Captain Adam Brant? the protagonist. 
Seth tells Lavinia that Adam Brant Q9: Describe the first meeting of
might be the illegitimate child of her Henry with Catherine. 
The first initial meeting between family?
Henry and Catherine goes well, Captain Adam Brant wants to
though, much struck by Catherine’s avenge on the Mannon family
beauty, he tries to kiss her which is because Ezra’s brother, David
answered by a slap. But Catherine Mannon had an illicit relation with
apologies and asks him, “Will you be his mother and when he was born,
good? ” Thus, their first meeting sets David threw out Brant’s mother from
the seeds for their deep rooted love David’s home. 
to flourish and then to crumble under Q4: On what grounds does Lavinia
the heavy rain.  refuse to marry Peter?
Q10: Define Personification.
Lavinia refuses to marry Peter
A literary device in which attributing
because she thinks that her father
the qualities of humans to non-living
needs her care and love more than
and inanimate objects is called
Peter. 
Personification.
Q5: Where did Joe Violet get
2020 married? 
Q1: Who calls Reverend Hale for the Joe and Violet get got married in
treatment of Betty? Virginia. View Source
Mr. Parris summons Reverend Hale Q6: Does Morrison use the phrase
for the treatment of bewitched  “The City” for Harlem? 
Q2: How does John Proctor accuse No, she uses the particular phrase
Parris when he accuses him of poor for New York. 
church attendance? Q7: How did military officers make
When Parris accuses John of fun of the priest?
attending Church poorly, Proctor Military officers used to make fun of
then accuses him of practising the priest by provoking him 
witchcraft.  Q8: Who is Miss Ferguson?
Q3: Why does Captain Adam Brant Already answered
want to avenge on the Mannon’s Q9: What is personification?
Already answered in Classical Poetry Catherine Barkley serves as a nurse in the Italian
war fronts. Later, she serves the wounded-in-war
Q10: Define dramatic monologue.  Henry in Milan.
Already answered in Classical Poetry Q8: Who introduced Frederic Henry to Miss
Barkley?
2019
Surgeon Rinaldi introduced the lieutenant Henry
Q1: What is the relation of Abigail Williams with
to Catherine Barkley.
Reverend Parris?
Q9: What is a simile?
Abigail Williams is Reverend Parris’ niece.
Already answered in Classical Poetry.
Q2: Which one of the Ten commandments does
Q10: Define Alliteration.
John Proctor forget when he is called upon to
Already defined in Classical Poetry.
recall Ten Commandments?
John Proctor ironically forgets the 2018
Commandment of Adultery, “Thou shalt not Q1: Why does Abigail run away in the end?
covet thy neighbor’s wife.”, when he is asked to Abigail Williams runs away from Salem to the
recall the Ten Commandments in Christianity. town of Andover in order to save herself from the
Q3: Which war-front does Erza Mannon come possible punishment which might be inflicted
back from? upon her by the court for having an illicit relation
Ezra Mannon, who is Brigadier General in the with John Proctor and for a possible accusation
army, comes back from the  civil war, prevailing of witchcraft. View Source
in New England to his unhappy wife Christine Q2: What is the significance of the title The
and loving daughter, Lavinia. Crucible?
Q4: For how long does Joe and Dorcas’ love Arthur Miller has implied the title to illustrate
affair last? metaphorically the sudden plights of John and
Joe and Dorcas’ love affair lasts for three his wife Elizabeth Proctor who are thrown in the
months. crucible made of feign witch trials instead of
Q5: On what pretext does Christine go to New ceramic. View Source
York and there she meets her paramour Adam Q3: Why does Adam hate the Mannon family?
Brant? Adam Brant hates the Mannon family because
Christine goes to New York on the pretext of his father (and brother of Ezra Mannon) David
seeing her ailing father but actually, she meets Mannon send his mother away after she got
her lover Adam Brant. View Source pregnant with David’s child. View Source
Q6: Who called Joe’s mother as wild? Q4: How does O’Neill symbolize hair and eyes in
Henry called Joe’s mother as wild when she was his play Mourning Becomes Electra?
suffering from the intense pain in labor. He If male characters’ masks are taken for being
leaned over the woman to tend her but she bit Puritans, then women’s hair and eyes symbolize
his cheek and hand. So he named her wild. View physical beauty and grace which is interlinked
Source with the islands Christine and Lavinia have
Q7: Where does Catherine Barkley serve as a visited. More Short Questions
nurse? Q5: What is the effect of the City on African
Americans?
The City effects African Americans significantly, Q2: Why did ABIGAIL accuse Proctor’s wife?
positively and negatively. They find ample Abigail accused John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth
livelihood and satisfaction of sexual gratification Proctor for two reasons. Firstly, Abigail had an
which leads to many other problems caused by affair with John and she was “deeply” in love
the intermingling of the white and black people. with him. So, accusing his wife would clear up
Q6: What is the sad memory of Dorcas? the way for her. Secondly, John would stop
The sad memory of Dorcas is the burning of condemning other women of witchcraft when he
wooden dolls in her house in riots between black would find his wife practising the same thing.
and white people. View Source View Source
Q7: Who is Rinaldi in A Farewell to Arms? Q3: What is the meaning of Mourning Becomes
Rinaldi is a skilled surgeon who plays a key role Electra?
in creating a sense of the relation between Henry The play’s title holds its roots to a historic level,
and Catherine Barkley for he is Henry’s spanning way back to 2500 years BC when
roommate. He is loyal towards Henry but he is Aeschylus wrote a tragedy named Oresteia,
disloyal towards the women he showers his describing the destruction of the whole family in
sensuous love. View Source which only Electra (Orestes’ sister) is left to
Q8: What is the Priest’s definition of love in A mourn. Similarly, on the destruction of the
Farewell to Arms? Mannon family, only Lavinia is left who locks
Mr. Priest is the only one who prefers spiritual herself in Mannon house to mourn until her life
love to sensuous love and he defines love to ends because she is “not bound away”. View
Henry as thus: “When you love, you wish to do Source
things for. You wish to sacrifice for. You wish to Q4: Why does Lavinia hate her mother?
serve. “ Lavinia hates her mother (Christine) because she
Q9: What is a sonnet? committed the act of adultery with Adam Brant, a
Already answered in Classical Poetry. ship captain. Who, according to Christine, looked
Q10: What is modernism? like the younger portrait of Ezra Mannon (her
Modernism is a self-conscious break from husband).
adopting traditional paths in writing prose and Q5: What is Harlem Renaissance in Jazz?
poetry. The movement flourished in 19th and Harlem Renaissance is an artistic and social
20th century in Europe and North America under movement, which took place in Harlem,
the slogan of Ezra Pound, “Make it new”. View Manhattan, New York City in the years of 1925.
Source Its prime focus was to showcase “black is

2017 beautiful”. This movement was an answer to the

racism found in white people. Harlem
Q1: Why is Betty lying unconscious?
Renaissance in Jazz is the prosperity which the
Betty might be lying unconscious for her father
novel’s characters attained after migrating from
caught her red handed in the woods “dancing like
the South. View Source
heathen”. Or she is pretending to be unconscious
Q6: Why is Vera Louise Gray thrown out of her
for she wants to save herself from being caught
home?
in The Crucible of witchcraft and die in the end.
View Source
Vera Louise Gray is thrown out of her home on Q4: Why does Adam Brant take revenge on Ezra
account of giving birth to a golden coloured child Mannon?
by taking liberties with a slave. View Character Adam Brant takes revenge on Ezra Mannon
Stats because he hates Mannon family.
Q7: What is the meaning of the title a Farewell to Q5: Why is there a tension between Joe and
ARMS? Violet?
A Farewell to Arms has a duality of meaning. Joe and Violet are each other’s life partner. Both
One for bidding a farewell to the arms which hold are brought up motherless and the presence of
the beloved and other for saying a farewell to another person creates tension among the two
weapons used in the war. which results in the murder of the “other” person.
Q8: Why does HENRY Jump into the river View Source
TAGLIAMENTO? Q6: Who is Golden Gray and why is he named
Henry jumps into the river Tagliamento to save so?
himself from the crucible of military police who Golden Gray is the son of Vera Louise Gray who
is killing every officer who is responsible for the gave birth to him by taking liberties with a black
giant retreat. slave. Golden Gray is named so because of his
Q9: Define poetry. golden colour.
Poetry is rhythmical form of words, which Q7: Who is Rinaldi?
express imaginative, emotional and intellectual Already answered.
experience of a writer. Q8: What does rain symbolize in A farewell to
Q10: What is ASHBERY’s wish in the Painter? Arms?
John Ashbery wishes to paint the sea’s portrait. Rain in literature symbolizes for fertility and
Which means he wants to paint life in a modern growth but Ernest Hemingway treats rain
manner. But the people living in buildings stop differently in A Farewell to Arms. Rain, in this
him from doing so. View More Short Questions novel, symbolizes for destruction and disease

2016 which is brought on both the protagonists and

minor characters as well.
Q1: Why does Abigail run away in the end?
Q9: What does the sea symbolize in The
Already answered
Painter?
Q2: What do you know about Tituba?
The sea symbolizes for new horizons, ideas and
Tituba is Reverend Perris’ slave brought from
life in The Painter.
Barbados. She is confesses of practicing
Q10: What is the theme of O Captain! My
witchcraft under the pressure of Abigail
Captain.
Williams. But she has fallen a victim to racism.
The major theme of this poem revolves around
View Source
Abraham Lincoln who was killed during the Civil
Q3: Why does Lavinia say, “I hate love”?
War. The poet says that the captain (the
Lavinia says “I hate love” over the inquiry of Peter
president) has safely anchored the ship (the
because she was brought up by her parents with
country of the United States) at the cost of his
no love and after seeing the Brant-Christine
life. View Source
triangle, she strictly disbelieves in love. View
More Questions 2015
Q1: Why does John Proctor confess his act of Q6: Name the parents of Joe Trace.
adultery? It is hard for us to name the parents of Joe for
John Proctor confesses his act of adultery with they left him without a trace. (I will change the
Abigail in order to defend his wife, Elizabeth and answer once I find them out)
to remove the gentle veil of Abigail. View Source Q7: Who is Ferguson in A Farewell to Arms?
Q2: What does Hale mean when he says, Helen Ferguson is a Scottish nurse and a close
“Cleave to no faith brings blood”? friend of Catherine Barkley. In the beginning, she
Here Reverend Hale possibly wants to convey his befriends with Frederic Henry but Catherine
message to Elizabeth that she and her husband comes in the scene. When she learns that
must tell “lies” in order to save their lives as the Catherine is having a child of Henry without
court is pillared with lies and God will forgive marriage, she bluntly rebukes Henry and calls
them as these acts were not originally him “a snake” in Italian uniform.
accomplished by them. Q8: How does Henry save his life from Italian
Q3: Why does Adam hate Mannon family? Military Police?
Already answered Henry saves his life from the Italian Military
Q4: How does Ezra Mannon meet his tragic Police by being baptized in river Tagliamanto.
death? Q9: What is a Sonnet?
Ezra Mannon meets his tragic death through his Already answered
wife Christine as she gives him poison in place Q10: What is the theme of The Road Not Taken?
of his heart medicine, which is brought by Adam The theme of The Road Not Taken is no matter
Brant. how successful a person might be in his life, he
Q5: Why are relations estranged between Joe still wants to run on the opposite road when he
and Violet? was only presented with two roads to ride on.
Already answered

Modern Drama – Short Questions and Their Answers

(From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA English
Literature Part 2

By Asad Imran
May 24, 2021
Categories: Modern Drama, Short Questions

Q1: Describe the physical

personality of Hedda Gabler? 
2021
Hedda has pale eyes while she lacks
an abundance of hair. 
Q2: What is the attitude of Hedda Q7: Where does Bluntschli hide
Ciabler towards other female himself? 
characters in the play “Hedda Bluntschli hides himself in the room
Gabler”?  of Raina who is the daughter of his
Already answered below enemy’s major. 
Q3: What changes take place in the Q8: Why do Vladimir and Estragon
physical personalities of Pozzo and want to commit suicide?
Lucky in Act-II?  The tramps want to commit suicide
Pozzo turns blind and Lucky loses in order to “pass the time”. 
speech in Act II.  Q9: What is the setting of the play
Q4: Define tragi-comedy giving two “The Sea”?
examples of this particular genre?  The Sea takes place in the year of
Tragi-comedy is a play in which the 1907 on an unknown village coast,
comic and tragic elements are near East Anglia. 
woven in the play.  Q10: Who is Mr. Evans?
Examples:  Evans is the philosophical voice of
“The Sea”. At the end of the play,
Waiting for Godot by Samuel
Evans suggests that suffering is the
Beckett
only language to exist as a human. 
Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov
2020 
Q5: What is the relation of Varya to

Q1: In what two ways the theme of motherhood

Mrs. Ranevsky?
is introduced in Hedda Gabler? 
Already answered below The theme of motherhood is signified through
the characters of Thea and Hedda. Thea has
Q6: What is the opinion of Sergius
been presented as a mother who can reconstruct
about the art of soldiering? her burnt child while Hedda has been depicted
as a force to destroy children of others
According to Sergius, soldiering is a (manuscript) and of her own. Because she does
coward’s art of “attacking not want any responsibilities. View Source 
Q2: Why is Hedda so cruel towards other female
mercilessly” when an army is at an characters in the play?  
Hedda is cruel towards other female characters
advantageous place while hiding for
because of her inability to do man like activities
life when the other army is powerful.  and she is jealous at the success accomplished
by other female characters, especially Thea for not relate to the scale of a play but it rather
successfully shaping a man’s destiny. View emphasizes the presentation of a world that is
Source  identical to the actual political and social world
Q3: From what class struggle does Louka pass?  of the audience.  
The problem of Louka is that she wants to climb Q10: Mention the major fears of Mrs. Rafi.  
the social ladder from the working class to the The major fear of Mrs. Rafi is losing
elite class. Louka does not want to remain a
servant throughout her life. Thus her struggle is her authority as soon as she grows
to get out of the servant class into the
old. 
respectable upper class. View Source 
Q4: What is primarily anti-romantic in “Arms  
and the Man”?  2019 
War is primarily an anti-romantic theme in “Arms  
and the Man”. Shaw debunks the romantic ideas Q1: What is the importance of home in Hedda
about war through the mouthpiece of Bluntschli Gabler? 
that every soldier is afraid of death and he can The importance of home in “Hedda Gabler” is felt
go to extremes to save his life.   differently by different characters. Hedda feels
Q5: Compare the thematic and structural unity as if she is trapped forever and she does not like
in “Waiting for Godot”.   the house Tesman has bought for her. While
Thematic unity in “Waiting for Godot”, well, lies in Tesman thinks that it is their “dream
waiting for Godot. While the structural unity of house”. View Source 
this play has been demonstrated through the pair Q2: Why does Judge Brack never marry? 
of characters and the choices they have been Judge Brack does not marry in the play because
given. For instance, the pair of Tramps is given he does not want to encage himself in
the choice to eat a turnip or a carrot. View responsibilities that would eliminate his
Source  freedom. The second reason might be his
Q6: How is a carrot used as a symbol in “Waiting inclination to be a good “trusted friend” of the
for Godot”?   ones who are married. View Source 
Carrot has been used as a symbol of life as Q3: What is Naturalism? 
Estragon puts it: “The more you eat the more Already answered in 2020. 
worse it gets. ” View Source  Q4: Why does Raina prefer Bluntschli over
Q7: What does falling of axe signify in Cherry Sergius? 
Orchard?  Raina prefers Bluntschli over Sergius because of
Striking of the axe in Act IV serves as a symbolic his practical thoughts about war and love. Unlike
significance for the fall of aristocratic class in Sergius, Bluntschli does not change his centre of
Russia and an end of the Cherry Orchard in literal love. That is what impresses Raina regarding
sense. More Short Questions  Bluntschli.  
Q8: Define Naturalism  Q5: What is the importance of tree in “Waiting
Naturalism is a literary movement that sprang for Godot”? 
out of another literary movement, realism. The importance of the tree in this play may vary
Naturalists believed that humans were fighting a from person to person. The tree serves as an
constant battle of survival against their social identification mark for Estragon and Viladmir to
customs, society and the environment in which wait for Godot. While the tree also serves as a
they had been living. View Source  symbol of peace but its growth is not noticed by
Q9: Briefly introduce Epic Theatre.   the tramps so it is difficult to interpret tree as a
Epic Theatre was also a dramatic movement that symbol of hope in this play. Source1 Source2 
took place in the 20th century. Epic Theatre does
Q6: Why is there no climax in “Waiting for abundant”. View Other Short Questions regarding
Godot”?  Hedda Gabler 
There is no climax in Waiting for Godot because Q2: From where do Hedda and George return
the main action is yet to be performed by Godot when the play opens? 
who does not arrive. Another reason behind this Hedda and George return from their six months
might be Beckett’s intention to assert that life long but boring honeymoon when the play
has no climax. Source  opens.  
Q7: Who can be called the spokesman of Q3: Why is G. B. Shaw call an iconoclast? 
Chekov in “Cherry Orchard” and why?  Bernard Shaw is called an iconoclast because he
Trofimov is the spokesman of Chekov in his questioned old set traditions and customs and
“Cherry Orchard” because he alludes to the criticized certain beliefs.  
significance of the changes taking place in the Q4: Who says this dialogue in Arms and the
Cherry Orchard or in Russia symbolically. Source  Man? “Soldiering, my dear madam, is the
Q8: What is the main character flaw in Trofimov coward’s art of attacking mercilessly when you
in “Cherry Orchard”?  are strong, and keeping out of harm’s way when
Trofimov’s noticeable flaw in his personality is you are weak. “ 
his lack of sensitive feelings. Under the strong Sergius in Act II 
intoxication of new ideology emerging in Russia, Q5: Why is “Waiting for Godot” written in only
he cannot sense from what grief Madame two acts? 
Ranevsky will go through after losing access to “Waiting for Godot” is only written in two acts
her orchard. Source  because everything in this play is divided into
Q9: How do Willy and Rose create their personal two: Two tramps, a pair of Lucky and Pozzo,
maturity?  arrival of Messenger boy for two times. Source 
Both the couple create their personal maturity by Q6: Why do Viladmir and Estragon want to
learning solutions to the problems that are being commit suicide? 
faced by their society. Recommended Reading  Estragon and Viladmir want to commit suicide in
Q10: Briefly describe Bond’s concept of order to “pass the time” and as a means of
violence.   recreation. 
Q7: What are the major themes of Bond’s
Bond suggests that violence is
plays? 
necessary for humans to shape their The major themes in Bond’s plays are man’s
ability to survive the worst as well as the uphill
society. Without violence, they have
task of changing the world. Source 
no future. Source Q8: What does sea in “The Sea” symbolize? 
  Already answered in 2015.  
2018 Q9: Give a brief estimate of Yasha.  
  Yasha is the male servant of Madame Ranevsky
Q1: Describe the physical features of Hedda and grandson of Firs. He travels to France but
Gabler.   returns back to Russia with Madame Ranevsky.
The physical appearance of Hedda Gabler adds He is drawn towards physical pleasures and
up to her personality as a cold-hearted woman. cigar. View Source 
Hedda is a woman of “face and figure show Q10: Who does purchase “Cherry Orchard”?
refinement and distinction. Her complexion is What does it signify?  
pale and opaque. Her steel-grey eyes express a Lopakhin purchases the “Cherry Orchard”. His
cold, unruffled repose. Her hair is of an purchasing signifies the rise of middle-class
agreeable brown, but not particularly workers after the revolution while the fall of the
aristocratic class. Source 
  LOPAKHIN 
2017  Q8: What did Anya do in Paris? 
  This question shall be answered after a thorough
Q1: Mention Hedda’s life before and after reading of the play.  
marriage.   Q9: Differentiate between theme and motif. 
Hedda’s life before marriage was an A theme is the prominent message of a literary
adventurous affair of time. She and Loevborg piece of writing while a motif is the idea or a
used to chat with each other when General repeating pattern of certain ideas or images to
Gabler was reading a newspaper. Her life after illustrate the certain theme. Source 
marriage was marked with boredom as she Q10: Give a pen-picture of Rose with reference
could not enjoy the bookish company of her to ‘The Sea’. 
husband.  
In the play, Rose is “pale and tired”. 
Q2: Why is Hedda called “a female Hamlet” in
 
‘Hedda Gabler’? 
2016 
Hedda Gabler is called the “Female Hamlet”
 
because she is caught in almost the same
Q1: Describe the physical appearance of Hedda 
circumstances as the Danish Prince. She cannot
Already answered in 2018 
lead a life of independence because her society
Q2: Why is Hedda so cruel to other females in
prohibits doing manly work. She is forced to
“Hedda Gabler”? 
marry a person out of her own necessity. Source 
Already answered in 2020 
Q3: How does Act 1 of ‘Arms and the Man’
Q3: What is Raina’s nickname for Bluntschli? 
introduce the themes of the play?  
Raina calls Bluntschli with the nickname of
Act 1 of ‘Arms and the Man’ mainly introduces us
“Chocolate Cream Soldier”.  
to the theme of war and its true nature through
Q4: In what ways is Captain Bluntschli an Anti-
the defeat of the Serbian army and a fugitive
hero? 
hurling in Raina’s bedroom to save his life.  
Bluntschli is an anti-hero because of his anti-
Q4: Who says in ‘Arms and the Man’: “Act as if
heroic traits in his character. Typical heroes are
you expected to have your own way, not as if
usually portrayed as brave, courageous and of
you expected to be ordered about”? 
higher rank. But Captain Bluntschli is an
Nikola. 
outwardly coward person and belongs to a
Q5: What does Lucky’s “Dance in a Net’
noticeably lower class.  
symbolize? 
Q5: Discuss Beckett’s attitude toward hope in
When Lucky dances on the command of his
“Waiting for Godot”. 
master Pozzo in Act 1, Pozzo says that Lucky
Beckett’s attitude towards hope is like hope
dances as “if he is entangled in a net”. Thus,
against hope. To simply put, he is not hoping for
Lucky’s dance symbolizes the entanglement in
hope. This play is about consistent waiting,
life caused by some circumstances. View
waiting for someone who will not come.  
Source 
Q6: What is the function of the boy in “Waiting
Q6: What benefit does Pozzo get from his
for Godot”? 
blindness? 
The function of the boy in “Waiting for Godot” is
Pozzo hears life from a new angle and sees how
to give a glimpse of hope for Estragon and
meaningless life repeats its cycle every
Viladmir concerning the arrival of Godot. The boy
day. Source 
serves as a messenger in between Godot and
Q7: Who says in “The Cherry Orchard”: “Well,
the pair of tramps.  
good-bye, old man. It’s time to get. Here we
Q7: What is Varya’s relation to Mrs. Ranavksy? 
stand pulling one another’s noses, but life goes
its own way all the time”. 
Varya is the adopted daughter of Mrs. Q3: How does Shaw employ irony in the opening
Ranavksy. Source  lines of “Arms and The Man’? 
Q8: Why does Trophimov not accept Lopakhin’s Shaw opens the play with a line from Virgil’s epic
money?  “The Aeneid.”, “Of Arms and Man I Sing”. While
Virgil is glorifying war, Shaw is using this mono-
Trophimov does not accept money
stich to ridicule romantic ideas about war in his
from Lopakhin to retain his freedom “pleasant play. ” Source 
Q4: How did Petkoff become a major? 
as according to him, it is money that
Petkoff became major on account of the wealth
enslaves people to people.  he possessed. Not because he was good at
Q9: What are the Vicar’s views about Colin?   warfare. Source 
Vicar thought that he was being summoned by Q5: Why is “Waiting for Godot” in two acts? 
Gabriel.   Already answered.  
Q10: How does Bond criticize religion with Q6: Explain the idea of pairing throughout
regard to the aristocratic class?  “Waiting for Godot’. 
Already answered in 2020.  
Bond criticises religion through the Q7: What is the metaphoric significance of sea
character of Mrs. Rafi who attache in “The Sea”? 
Sea in “The Sea” has been used as a metaphor of
an ostentative importance to destruction and as a challenge of human survival
in the very play. Source 
religious rites but does not care
Q8: Why does Mrs. Rafi arrange a play? 
about the ones who are in need (of Mrs. Rafi arranges a play in order to satisfy her
aristocratic feeling as well as to collect charity
money like Mr. Hatch).  for the coast guards.  
  Q9: What does Charlotta’s character represent
2015  in “The Cherry Orchard”? 
  The character of Charlotta represents the free
Q1: For what physical feature does Hedda not thinking of common people who holds a firm
like Thea?  belief in “the whole Russia is our
Hedda does not like Thea because of her orchard”. Source 
abundant hair. Hedda often shows her desire to Q10: How is Dunyasha an especially Ironic
burn Thea’s hair.   Character? 
Q2: In what extraordinary way does Hedda greet Dunyasha is ironic in a way she longs for
Judge Brack. When he comes to tell about the becoming a member of an aristocratic class and
purchase of a villa?  the way she powders herself to look alike an
Hedda points her pistol at Brack and shoots at aristocratic lady.
the sky, scaring Brack.  

Modern Poetry – Short Questions and Their Answers

(From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA English
Literature Part 2

By Asad Imran
July 2, 2021
Categories: Modern Poetry, Short Questions

same personality too. But Larkin’s

life was marked with pain of cancer
that eventually took his life. 
Q8: What does West Wind’
symbolize?
2021 The West Wind symbolizes for the
beginning of a new order after the
end of the previous life. It can also
Q1: Describe the distinctive features be interpreted as a symbol of
of Romantic Poetry. change and revolution. 
Already answered below Q9: Explain the given lines with
Q2: Define alliteration. Give an reference to the poem and the Poet.
example. And the round ocean and the living air,
Alliteration is the repetition of the And the blue sky, and in the mind of
consonant sounds at the beginning man;
of words in a verse.  A Motion and a Spirit, that impels.
Example:  Poem: Tintern Abbey
From forth the fatal loins of these Poet: William Wordsworth
two foes Through the very lines, the poet
Q3: What is the central idea of the gives a clear idea of the spirit of
poem “The Chimney Sweepers” by Nature. The presence of the
William Blake?  monarchy of Nature can be found
The central idea of the Chimney everywhere. Be it the round ocean,
Sweepers is to highlight the innocent the blue sky or even in the mind of
desires of liberty from the sooty the poet. 
profession of the chimney sweepers Q10: Explain the given lines with
as this kind of dangerous work is not reference to the poem and the Poet.
suitable for small children.  My heart aches, and a drowsy
Q4: What type of memories does numbness pains
Wordsworth recall in the “Prelude”? My sense, as though of hemlock I had
Wordsworth recalls the memories of drunk
his childhood by spending most of Poem: Ode to a Nightingale
his time in the lap of Nature in the Poet: John Keats
“Prelude”.  These lines have been taken from
Q5: Why does John Keats call the the beginning of the poem. In these
Grecian Urn “Sylvan Historian”?  lines, the poet shows his condition
Already answered below of the excess of pain that has been
Q6: What is the theme of the poem inflicted upon him through the “fever
“When You Are Old” by W.B Yeats? and fret” of life. The pain is so
The prominent theme of this poem is intense that the poet is unable to
the temporal significance of beauty.  feel it. 
Q7: What type of impression do we
gather about Philip Larkin’s
personality after reading his poem 2020
“Mr. Bleaney”?
Just like the dull and dreary life of
Mr. Bleaney, we get the impression

that Philip Larkin must have the

Q1: Define the Romantic Age in your own Q7: What is the main idea of the poem “The
words.   Divine Image”? 
Romantic Age was a literary and artistic The Divine Image conveys its main idea of
movement of the late 1700s that aimed at establishing a divine relationship between God
showcasing and finding escape in nature and and Man through four virtues that are Mercy,
illustrating personal emotions attached to it.   Pity, Peace and Love. Source 
Q2: What is the major theme in “The Little Black Q8: What is the central idea of the poem “When
Boy”?  You are Old”? 
There are two major themes of this poem by When You are Old is a poem by W. B. Yeats in
William Blake. The first one is the earthly equality which he underlines a bleak idea of aging. He
that the boy perceives for the Divine Love while suggests that as soon as we begin to age, our
the second theme gives importance to life and youthful beauty starts to fade away. Source 
love to claim a good spot in the afterlife. View Q9: Write a note on Philip Larkin’s poetry in your
Critical Analysis  own words.  
Q3: What is the central idea of the poem, “To a Larkin’s poetry gives us a slight hint at the
Skylark”.   pessimism lurking in the twentieth century. His
The main idea hidden in this poem is to relish the poetry mostly centred around religion, isolation,
freedom like a skylark that flies and to enjoy the social chaos, love and nature. Source 
song of Nature. Source  Q10: What is the main idea of the poem “Church
Q4: What kind of memories does Wordsworth Going”? 
reveal in “Tintern Abbey”?  “Church Going” is a poem by Philip Larkin in
William Wordsworth reveal his memories of which he discusses the theme of tension
childhood in his long poem, “Tintern Abbey”. He between religion and spirituality as well as the
recalls playing in the lap of Nature and visiting relationship between humans and
the abbey with his sister.   nature. Source 
Q5: Explain the following lines in your own  
words along with the name of the poem and the 2019 
poet:    
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever  Q1: Define the Romantic Age in your own
Its loveliness increase, it will never pass into words.  
nothingness”  Already defined in 2020 
Poem: Endymion  Q2: What is the major theme in the poem “The
Poet: John Keats  Divine Image”? 
These lines indicate that the beauty of a thing Already answered in 2020 
lives beyond a person’s death. If a person dies Q3: What is the central idea of the poem Tintern
that does not mean beautiful things associated Abbey? 
with him shall wither away with hands of time.   The central idea in Wordsworth Tintern Abbey
Q6: Explain the following lines in your own revolves around remembering Wordsworth’s
words along with the name of poem and the childhood memories and Man’s association with
poet:   nature.  
“Where are the songs of spring?  Ay, where are Q4: What kind of memories do Wordsworth
they?   reveal in The Prelude?  
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too.”  Wordsworth reveals his memories of his
Poem: Ode to Autumn  childhood and school time in The Prelude and
Poet: John Keats  how did he grow up in the lap of Nature.  
These lines are used to pay a tribute to autumn. Q5: Explain the given lines with the name of the
Keats admire the way autumn plays the music of poem and the poet in your own words:  
its own.   “but still will keep 
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep 
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet Symbolism is a process of using symbols in a
breathing.”  literary work, be it poetry, novel, drama or prose.
Poem: Endymion  While a symbol is a literary device that stands for
Poet: John Keats  something else beyond its literal
In these lines, the poet suggests that beauty is meaning. Source 
like a shelter or a shadow of a tree which helps Q3: Define realism.  
us plunge into our world of dreams. Source  Realism is the depiction of the reality of everyday
Q6: Explain the following lines in your own life through the life-like personages in
words along with the name of the poem and the literature. Source 
poet:   Q4: Explain the term “experience” used in
“Where are the songs of spring?  Ay, where are Blake’s poetry.  
they?   According to Blake, experience is contrary to
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too.”  innocence but both are essential for a soul to
Already explained in 2020  function. Experience is what makes us tackle
Q7: What is negative capability?  with the challenges of life. View Discussion 
Negative capability is the ability to remove one’s Q5: Why did Wordsworth visit Tintern Abbey in
self from a piece of writing and to become like 1798? 
the nightingale of Keats as a whole.   Wordsworth visited Tintern Abbey on 13 July
Q8: What is the central idea of the poem Wild 1798 due to the social and political turmoil
Swans at Coole?  during French Revolution, Wordsworth fled from
The central idea of this poem by WB Yeats is France to save his life. Source 
how time progresses. The poet is saddened to Q6: Why does Shelley call the West Wind
realize how much has changed since he began “Destroyer and Preserver”? 
counting swans nineteen years ago. Source  Shelley calls the West Wind both the destroyer
Q9: Write a note on Philip Larkin’s life in your and preserver in his ode. The wind is a destroyer
own words.   in a sense because it puts an end to the lives of
Philip Larkin was born in 1922 and died in 1985. different plants and small birds in cold winter. It
He was a well-recognized poet both in his is a preserver in the form of the gentle breeze of
country and abroad. But he avoided public Spring that breathes a new life into the plants,
gatherings and modern American flowers and birds. Source 
Poetry. Source  Q7: Explain the following:  
Q10: What is the central idea of the poem Mr. “Heard Melodies are Sweet 
Bleany?  But those unheard are Sweeter” 
Mr. Bleaney is a poem by Philip Larkin in which In these two lines, Keats wants to state that
he opens up the shallowness of life and beauty is not limited to the concrete world that
loneliness of humans. Source  surrounds us. It can live inside our would of
  imagination. Just like the unheard music player
2018  by the pipers inscribed on the Grecian urn that
  can be heard through the imaginative ears of
Q1: What is dualism in Black’s poetry?  ours.  
Q8: Why does T. S. Eliot call London an “Unreal
Dualism in Blake’s poetry is his
City”? 
treatment of the same topic from TS Eliot calls London “Unreal City” because of
the people living in this city who lack warmth and
the perspective of both innocence as the ability to connect with each other. Source 
well as experience.  Q9: How does Larkin show his disrespect to the
Church? 
Q2: Define symbolism.  
Philip Larkin shows his disrespect for the Church
by mounting the pulpit and mocking the
ceremony of the Church. Source  Q8: Explain “Those were pearls that were his
Q10: Define the “Spiritus Mundi” in “The Second eyes”.  
Coming” by W. B. Yeats.   This line appears in T. S. Eliot’s Wasteland. This
Spiritus Mundi, according to W. B. Yeats means line hints at Ariel’s Song in Shakespeare’s “The
a “muse” that bestows upon the poets and Tempest”. Probably as a symbol to highlight the
writers to write. He thinks that Spiritus Mundi is ruins after World War 1. Source 
a primary source for “images” and Q9: What is the significance of “Uneven Lines”? 
“symbols”. Source  The word “Uneven lines” in Larkin’s poem
  “MCMXIV” (1914) has been used as a symbol for
2017  the people who had been signing up for the
  participation in World War First. Source 
Q1: What is mysticism?  Q10: Why does Shelley call the west wind
Mysticism is a person’s spiritual association with “destroyer and preserver”? 
God or the Absolute. In my humble opinion, Already answered.  
mysticism is something that takes us away from  
the concrete world to a spiritual realm where 2016 
there is no monarchy of the time. Read more   
Q2: What do “Songs of Innocence” signify?   Q1: What are the four divine qualities in “The
The Songs of Innocence signify the innocent Divine Image”? 
fears and actions of a child and how he needs These qualities are mercy, pity, peace and love.  
the experience to get into practical life when he Q2: Define mysticism. 
grows into adulthood.   Already answered.  
Q3: Define romanticism.   Q3: Why did Wordsworth visit Tintern Abbey in
Romanticism was a literary movement in the 1793? 
18th century that emphasized at the subjectivity, Already answered.  
importance of nature and primacy of the Q4: What does Wordsworth mean by Nature?  
individual.   Wordsworth conceived nature as a living being;
Q4: Define pantheism.  as a source of joy and as a great teacher.
Pantheism is a doctrine of religion and Wordsworth worshipped Nature due to the very
philosophy that is used by a large number of qualities that he gave to Nature. Source 
literary figures who believe that God is present Q5: What is the underlying message in “Ode to
everywhere in nature. They think that God and the West Wind”?  
nature are the same. Source  Ode to the West Wind gives the message of both
Q5: Why did Wordsworth pay his first visit to destruction and creation. Life is a continuous
Tintern Abbey in 1793?   process that is marked by destructive as well as
Already answered.   creative activities. After the destruction of Winter
Q6: Define Ode.   comes the creativity in the Summer.  
Ode is a lyrical poem that is an address to a Q6: How is the Urn “Sylvan historian”? 
living being, an inanimate object or an abstract Already answered.  
thing. For example, Ode to West Wind, Ode to Q7: Define escapism.  
Immortality.   Escapism is the desire of a romantic poet to flee
Q7: Why does Keats call urn “Sylvan from the harsh realities of life into the lap of
Historian”?   Nature.  
Keats calls the urn a Sylvan Historian because of Q8: What type of man is Prufrock?  
the image printed on it. The image portrays a Prufrock is the man of our modern time. He is a
pagan festival in which people are surrounded by voice of disillusionment and loneliness who
wooden trees. Because the word “Sylvan” means becomes bald at the head. Source 
“wooden”.   Q9: How does Yeats compare Ireland with
Troy? 
Yeats compares Ireland and Troy through the Q4. Define ode.  
characters of Gonne and Helen. Just like Helen Already answered 
was partially responsible for the burning of the Q5. Define pantheism.  
city of Troy in Homer’s Iliad during Trojan War. Already answered 
According to Yeats, Gonne was partially Q6. Define absurdism. 
responsible for the revolution taking place in Absurdism is an internal conflict between finding
Ireland.   the inherent value and meaning of life and the
Q10: What is Larkin’s attitude to World War-I in incapability to find it. Source 
1914?   Q7. What is negative capability? 
Larkin’s views on First World War were stern as Already answered 
he wrote that it was the death of innocence and Q8. Why does Eliot call the modern civilization
illusions.  ‘Wasteland’? 
  Eliot calls modern civilization “Waste land”
2015  because of their social and moral decay. Eliot
  uses it as a symbol to demonstrate how much
Q1: Define mysticism.  ruinous the modern civilization has become
Already answered  intoxicated in their national pride. Source 
Q2: Define romanticism.   Q9. What do the ‘dark-clothed’ children signify
Already answered  in Larkin’s poem MCMXIV (1914)? 
Q3. Why is Blake called a visionary poet?  “Dark-clothed” children signify the time period in
Blake is called a great visionary poet because he which the war was going to be fought.  
can visualize things through his sharp Q10. Why does Keats call the Urn ‘Sylvan
imagination. He himself claimed that he had Historian’? 
seen the vision of God when he was only four Already answered 
years old. Source 

Modern Novel – Short Questions and Their Answers

(From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA English
Literature Part 2

By Asad Imran
August 26, 2021
Categories: Modern Novel, Short Questions

The lighthouse serves as a symbol

2021 of human desires that can only be
Q1: What is the symbolic fulfilled at an appropriate time. 
significance of the lighthouse in the

novel To the Lighthouse?

Q2: Comment on the economic thoughtfulness. Whereas, the
condition of Mr. Morel at the time of European (imperialists) are
his marriage. portrayed as manipulative and
exploitative. 
Being a coal miner, the financial

condition of Walter Morel was not Q5: What are the reasons for
good during the time of his Nwoye’s conversion to Christianity?
marriage. He was under debt and the

rent of the furniture had not been Nwoye concerts to Christianity to

paid.  atone for his father’s unjust butchery
of his adopted son, Ikemefuna. 
Q3: What is the symbolic

significance of the Congo river in Q6: Who rescues the boys from the
Heart of Darkness? island in Lord of the Flies?

The Congo River signifies as a It is a naval officer who rescues the

symbol of a channel that connects a lost boys from the lost and unknown
civilization with ‘primitiveness’. island. 
However, the river also doubles as a

driving force that strives its best to Q7: Who is Ezinma in Things Fall
send the civilized Europeans away Apart?
from the darkness. 

Ezimna is the daughter from

Q4: How are Africans and the Okonkwo’s second wife, Ekwefi.
Europeans presented in Hean of Ezimna is greatly favoured by
Darkness? Okonkwo because of her ‘menlike’
nature. 
The Africans are presented as the

ones who lack language, culture and

Q8: Who was Simon in Lord of the Q2: Why is Mr. Morel despised by his
wife? 
Flies? Paul Morel is hated by Gertrude on
account of his excessive drinking, his
being poor and his unurbane language.  
Simon was the voice of reason and Q3: What was the reality of the beast in
rationality in Lord of the Flies. It was Lord of the Flies? 
The reality of the beast in Lord of the Flies
he who identified the boar’s skull as was Simons who was confused for the
the lord of the flies during his beast by the pack of Jack. He is killed.
Another mistaken instance of the beast is
hallucination.  observed when the boys consider the
dead body of the piolet, a beast. View
Source 
Q9: Who is Gertrude Morel in Sons Q4: State the dominant traits of Jack in
and Lovers? Lord of the Flies? 
Jack, the opponent to Ralph, is a
determined, jealous and power-seeking
boy. He is violent by temperament and
Gertrude Morel is the wife of Walter
knows the art of taming small boys for his
Morel. She belongs to the noble own purposes. View Source 
Q5: What are some of the major themes
middle class. She is the driving force
in the literary works of D.H. Lawrence? 
in the establishment of the Oedipus The major themes in the novels written by
D. H. Lawrence are issues related to
complex in her sons. 
emotional as well as mental health,
relationships and sexuality. Source 
Q6: Why was Ikemefuna killed in the
Q10: List the names of three
novel Things Fall Apart? 
sections of To the Lighthouse. Ikemefuna is killed because his killing
was part of a promise and treaty. Also,
Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna in order to prove
Already answered his manhood before his tribe.  
Q7: Define stream of consciousness.  
2020
Stream of Consciousness is a literary
 
technique in which the events are
Q1: Give a brief character sketch of Lily narrated as they appear in one’s mind
Brisco as presented in the novel To the without any chronological sequence.  
Lighthouse.  Q8: How is Nwoye different from his
Lilly Brisco is one of the guests in To the father in Things Fall Apart? 
Lighthouse. She is a painter. From the Novoye is entirely different from his
beginning of the novel till the end, Lily father because he inherits his traits from
preoccupies herself with painting. View his grandfather Unoka. He is usually a
Source  weak-hearted person but when Okonkwo
kills Ikemefuna, Novoye is utterly
dismayed by his father and joins for killing a woman from Umofia. Source 
missionaries to show his Q6: How is Mrs. Ramsay’s outlook
vengeance. Source  towards life different from that of her
Q9: What were the last words of Kurtz? husband in To the lighthouse? 
What do they mean?  Mrs. Ramsay’s outlook for life is much
The last words of Kurtz were “Horror! different and even opposite to what we
Horror! ” Kurtz basically accepted his observe through Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Ramsay
demonic endeavours in the dark continent is utterly realistic and does not want any
of Africa and accepted the horrors mingling of *hopeful” lie in it. While Mrs.
associated with it.   Ramsay can consider adding a hopeful lie
Q10: Who is the narrator in Heart of to console someone.  
Darkness?  Q7: Give a brief character sketch of Mr.
We do not know much about the un- Tansley. 
named narrator who opens the novel but Charles Tansley is the student of Mr.
the second narrator who tells us about his Ramsay who is invited as a guest. He
adventures in Congo and in the Sea. He is remains insecure of his humble
Marlow and he is said to be the voice of background. Although Mrs. Ramsay do
Conrad.   not like him, still her magic works on him
  and he begins to like her. Source 
2019  Q8: Who are the Littluns in Lord of the
  Flies? 
Q1: How did Marlow manage to get a job Littluns are a group of small kids. They
with the Belgian company?   represent helpless members of a society.
Marlow managed to get the job as a They are used to gain more authoritative
captain in the Belgian company through power. Source 
the influence of his aunt.   Q9: Give some traits of the character of
Q2: What is the name of the ship in the Ralph in Lord of the Flies. 
Thames where Marlow tells his story?  Ralph is the voice of wisdom, order and
The name of the ship is The authority. He is elected as the leader of
Nellie. Source  the boys in the beginning. He is sensible,
Q3: What is the reason of the inhibited caring, wise and authoritative. Source 
relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Q10: Why does Okonkwo kill himself in
Morel?  Things Fall Apart? 
Already answered  Okonkwo kills himself because of the
Q4: How would you describe the grief of betrayal from the members of his
relationship between Paul and Miriam?  tribe who refused to fight against the
Paul Miriam relationship is a complex Englishmen. Out of his stern values of
affair. On one side, we see Miriam manhood, Okonkwo commits suicide.  
showing her desire to learn and be  
educated through Paul. While Paul is 2018 
agitated by her aggressive “chastity”.    
Q5: Who is Ikemefuna in Things Fall Q1: Describe the picture painted by Kurtz
Apart?  in Africa. 
Ikemefuna is a fifteen years old boy who Kurtz painted a picture at the front of a
is given to the Umofia tribe as a sacrifice house that depicted a lady carrying a
torch. Here, the torch has been used as a The role of Simon in Lord of the Flies is to
symbol of spreading the light of depict the religious saintness of truth and
civilization by Kurtz. Source  light.  
Q2: What do the two ladies Marlow met Q10: When and where was William
at Brussels symbolize?   Golding born? 
Two knitting women whom Marlow saw William Golding was born in Newquay,
in Brussels were knitting through a black United Kingdom in 1911.  
thread. The two women symbolize for the  
Fates in Greek mythology, spinning their 2017 
thread of life and cut it at their own  
will. Source  Q1: What is the symbolic significance of
Q3: What is ‘The Bottoms’ in ‘Sons and the voyage of Marlow into the heart of
Lovers’ by D. H. Lawrence?   Africa? 
The Bottoms is a neighbouring place of According to some critical estimates, the
Bestwood. This place is particularly journey of Marlow into the darkness of
known for the residence of the Morel Congo can be considered as a symbol of
family. Source  the redemption of evil or sin through the
Q4: Describe the setting of the novel light of goodness (mainly for
‘Sons and Lovers’ by D. H. Lawrence.  Kurtz). Source 
The novel mostly revolves around Q2: How does Marlow dispose of the
Bestwood, the mining area and the Willy African helmsman’s body? 
Farms in which Paul, for the first time, Marlow disposes the dead body of the
eye-witnesses his beloved for the first helmsman to the side of a ship. His action
time.   results in the morning of the cannibals for
Q5: What is the age of Lily Briscoe when the loss of meal. Source 
the novel opens?  Q3: How did Mrs. Morel die? 
Gertrude Morel was given a medicine by
Lily is 34 years old when the novel opens. 
her children that ended her life because
Q6: How did Prue Ramsay die?  her children, especially her son could not
Prue Ramsay died during a disease while see her in pain.  
giving birth to her child.   Q4: Why does Paul waver in his feelings
Q7: When and why was the Feast of the toward Miriam? 
New Yam held?   Paul puts a halt to his feelings towards
The Feast of the New Yam was held Miriam due to his close association with
before harvest to honour the goddess of his mother and Miriam’s inability to fulfil
the earth. Source  his sexual needs.  
Q8: What advice was given to Okonkwo Q5: Who is William Bankes in To The
by Ezeudu?  Lighthouse? 
Ezeudu, a village elder gave advice to William Bankes is a friend of Mr. Ramsay
Okonkwo to abstain from killing who knows about Mr. Ramsay from his
Ikemefuna because the boy regarded childhood. He has no children and is a
Okonkwo as his father. Source  widower. He befriends Lily Briscoe while
Q9: What is the role of Simon in ‘Lord of inwardly, he ‘adores’ Mrs. Ramsay. View
the Flies’?  Source 
Q6: Write the title of the three sections in the colonizing powers to lose their minds
to The Lighthouse.  and their plung into “the horror”. Source 
The sections in To the Lighthouse are Q3: What advice did Okonkwo give to
written below:   Ezinma when they were in Mbanta? 
The Window  Okonkwo advised his daughter not to
Time Passes  follow the footsteps of Novoye by
To the Lighthouse  changing the religion. He also asked her
not to marry until they return
Q7: What was the most significant trait of
Umophia. Source 
Mr. Brown in Things Fall Apart? 
Q4: What were the name given to the first
Mr. Brown was the first white Englishman
two children, Okonkwo got in Mbanta? 
who began Christianity missions in
The first child was given the name of
Umophia. He was a kind person who paid
Nneka which meant “Mother is Supreme”
respect to the religious customs of the
while the second child was named Nwofia
Umophian people than the new
which translated as “Born in the
missionary leader. Source 
Wilderness”.  
Q8: What does Okonkwo think about his
Q5: Who were the important intellectuals
son Novoye? 
included in the Bloomsbury group? 
Okonkwo thinks that his son lacks the
The important intellectuals who were
traits of masculinity.  
included in the Bloomsbury group were
Q9: What is the use of Conch for the boys
Virginia Woolf, her husband Leonard
is Lord of the Flies? 
Woolf, a biographer Lytton Strachey,
Conch has been used as an indication for
Virginia’s sister Vanessa Bell.  
the call of assembling the lost boys and
Q6: After Mrs. Ramsay’s death, who
children in the lost island. The Conch
seemed to be the uniting force in “To The
shell also symbolizes for power and
Lighthouse”? 
authority.  
It was Lily Briscoe who seemed to be a
Q10: Who killed Simon? 
uniting force after the death of Mrs.
The pack of Jack killed Simon by taking
Ramsay because she rather kept the
him for the ‘concerned’ terrifying beast.  
 
presence of Mrs. Ramsay through her
painting.  
2016 
  Q7: What was Ralph’s father? 
Q1: Why was Marlow’s aunt triumphant?  According to Ralph, his father was a
Marlowe’s aunt was triumphant on the commander in the navy. He thought that
colonization of the Congo. She believed his father would come there and rescue
that the savages were being made them as he took a leave from his
civilized through the colonial power of job. Source 
Europe. Source  Q8: What was the significance of the
Q2: What was Marlow referring to when shell according to Piggy? 
he said that there was a touch of insanity According to Piggy, the conch shell can
in the proceeding?  serve as a tool to ‘call an assembly’ of the
Marlowe was referring to the captivating lost boys. Piggy sees the Conch as a tool
madness of the African jungle which lured of democratic gathering.  
Q9: What did Mrs. Morel discover about
her husband after marriage? 
After marriage, Gertrude Morel discovered Q5: List the name of three sections of To
that her husband had not paid rent of the the Lighthouse.  
house and did not clear the bill of the See Q6 in 2017.  
furniture. She also learned that her Q6: How did the Children feel about Mr.
husband was badly in debt and he was Tansley? 
not a wealthy person.   Children felt as if Mr. Tansley was in a
Q10: How did Mrs. Morel die?  miserable condition or a “sarcastic brut”.
Already answered  Children used to mock Mr. Tansley
  because of his funny appearance. Source 
2015  Q7: Concisely describe the argument of
  boys regarding beast in Lord of the
Q1: Why does the Russian nurse Kurtz Flies? 
through two illnesses in Heart of Kindly refer to Q3 in 2020 
Darkness?  Q8: Why is Simon the only one to doubt
The Russian harlequin nurses Kurtz the existence of the beast? 
during his illness because he is a great Simon is the only one in the pack who
admirer of Kurtz. According to him, Kurtz uses his ‘thinking hat’ for the critical
is civilizing the African Natives. Therefore, evaluation of certain situations.
he does not want to let Kurtz die.   Therefore, he is quick to think of the
Q2: Why does Kurtz give Marlow papers doubt because he does not deem its
before he dies?  presence logical. Source 
Kurtz gives Marlow some confidential Q9: Why doesn’t Okonkwo have any
papers to be kept safe because Kurtz patience with his father in Things Fall
does not want his leftovers to be Apart? 
occupied by the manager. More Short Okonkwo does not show any patience for
Questions  his father due to his excessive drinking
Q3: What first job did William get?  and lack of masculine traits.  
William got appointment as a clerk in Q10: Evaluate Okonkwo’s reputation in
London at first. Source  the nine villages of Umuofia. 
Q4: Why doesn’t Mrs. Morel get any help Okonkwo is known as a powerful person
from her in-laws?  who is good at wrestling. He once threw a
Gertrude Morel does not seek financial seven year champion Amalinze the Cat
aid from her in-laws because of their which further increased his reputation as
dismal financial conditions as her in-laws a strong wrestler. Source 
already think that Morels are leading a
good financial life. Source 

Literary Criticism – Short Questions and Their

Answers (From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA
English Literature Part 2

By Asad Imran
September 20, 2021
Categories: Literary Criticism, Short Questions

The subjectivity in romanticism

dismays him the most. 
View Even More Short Questions for Q4: What is T.S. Eliot’s view about
Literary Criticism/preview/button Wordsworth’s theory of
“Spontaneous overflow of powerful
2021 emotions”?
Eliot rejects the Wordsworthian
Q1: What is Aristotle’s concept of an
conception of poetry. He considers
ideal tragic hero?
poetry as an organization of the
According to Aristotle, an ideal tragic
feelings collected through objective
hero: 
observation. 
Must belong to the noble class Q5: What are three kinds of texts
His downfall must be sudden mentioned by Belsey in her book
His downfall must be governed by critical practice?
his tragic flaw Already answered
Q2: What do you know about the Q6: How does Belsey draw the
term “Peripeteia” about Plot in analogy between a reader and a
Aristotle’s poetics? consumer in her book critical
Already answered practice?
Q3: Why does Eliot oppose the Belsey draws the comparison
romantic conceptions in his famous between a reader and a consumer
theory of impersonality in Art? through the analogy of books being
Eliot opposes the romantic commodities. 
conception because he thinks poetry Q7: What is the worst kind of tragic
should be an outcome of the plot according to Aristotle?
impersonal experience of the poet. The episodic plot is the worst kind of
tragic plot, according to Aristotle. 
Q8: What is Belsey’s view about situation and the discovery of the
classical realism?  hero’s actions which later transform
According to Belsey, Classical into tragedy.  
Realism is a reader’s own ideological Q2: Define the term “Anagnorisis”
interpretation of the realism shown given in Poetics. 
in the text he/she is reading.  Anagnorisis is the discovery of
Q9: What is Sir Philips Sidney view something which turns the
about poetry? ignorance of the tragic hero into
Already answered below knowledge and puts the event
Q10: What were the charges of the upside down against the favour of a
puritan against poetry which Sidney tragic hero.  
answers? Q3: How does Aristotle define
The charges include the following:  “Comedy in Poetics? 
Aristotle defines Comedy as
Poetry is the mother of lies. 
something which depicts human
Poetry is a nurse of abuse. 
beings as “worse”  than they actually
Poetry is a waste of time. 
are in real life. Aristotle does not
Plato had tightly banished poets
mean evil. But ridiculous and
from his Republic. 
laughable. Source 
2020 Q4: What are the three kinds of
texts mentioned by Belsey? 
Q1: Differentiate between Simple According to Catherine Besley, there
and Complex plot as suggested in are three kinds of text:  
Poetics? 
Declarative Text: Which declare a
Simple plot means which does not
certain ideology in it 
follow a sudden reversal of situation
Imperative Text: Which compels a
and discovery of the hero’s actions
reader to think against a certain
that result in his tragedy. In a
ideology 
complex plot, the story is governed
by the sudden reversal of the
 Interrogative Text: The text which According to Sidney, a poet is a
makes a reader question the way “maker” because he makes his own
a text is constricted and the world in his poetry. 
ideology which comes with Q9: Why, according to Eliot
it. Source  “emotions recollected in
tranquillity” is an inexact formula? 
Q5: Where does ideology exist in
T. S. Eliot considers the
Belsey’s view? 
Wordsworthian maxim of poetry
According to Belsey, Ideology exists
inexact because he thinks poetry
in the text. It’s upon the reader to
has no relations with tranquillity and
discover it. Source 
emotions. He considers poetry as an
Q6: What does Belsey mean by the
outcome of experiences that are not
term “Common Sense”? 
subjective. Source 
Common Sense is the natural
Q10: What does Eliot want from a
understanding of the text that
poet?  
comes out of the particular text,
Eliot wants from a poet to compose
suggests Belsey.  
his work based on his collected
Q7: How has Sidney established
experiences. During the poetic
that poetry is antique and universal
process, he should completely
in nature? 
remove himself from the poetry. 
Sidney asserts that the end goal of
poetry is to teach someone while
2019
providing delight. Poetry uses
examples from the past and present Q1: Enumerate the essential
to explain ideas. That is how it has qualities of a good critic? 
achieved antiquity and According to T. S. Eliot, a good critic
universality. Source  is the one who remains completely
Q8: What does Sidney mean by a impartial, objective and unprejudiced
poet as a “maker”?  in his approach, has a highly trained
sensibility as well as has a
knowledge of structural own imaginary senses while reading
principles. Source  a piece of text. 
Q2: Define “Tradition” in the light of Q5: What is the role of the poet’s
Eliot’s essay Tradition and the mind in the creative process? 
Individual Talent.  The role of a poet’s mind is to
According to Eliot, tradition is the compose a poem without the
living of the present, formulated by indulgence of the poetic personality,
the incidents of the past and much like the role of catalyst in a
history.   chemical reaction.  
Q3: What is the role of a reader in Q6: What kind of understanding
reading the text as suggested by about poetry was felt in Sidney’s
Belsey?  time? 
According to Belsey, the role of a Under the influence of Stephen
reader is to interpret the text based Gosson, poetry was considered to be
on his experiences and intellectual a mother of all lies and a nurse of
skills. So far, this theory has been abuse.  
rejected because not everyone has Q7: List out the differences between
enough intellectual power to meet Tragedy and Epic poetry as given in
the requirements of a text to be Poetics? 
interpreted. (Originally answered by Aristotle mostly considers epic and
Ajwa and Samreen in M.A tragedy the same as both depict
ENGLISH(Annual System) University heroic deeds in elevated manner and
of Sargodha(UOS)) both the heroes of epic and tragedy
Q4: Define “Expressive Realism” as suffer. The key difference between
per Belsey?  the two is epic showcases incidents
According to Belsey, expressive through the means of language
realism is a reader’s own version of while a tragedy is exhibited through
realism experienced by his or her actions.  
Q8: How does Aristotle describe evaluation, interpretation and a
plot as a whole?  quest to find hidden meanings of
Aristotle considers plot as a whole any piece of literature.  
because according to him, plot Q2: What does the term “Peripety”
carries all the necessary bits to mean? 
display a proper sequence of Peripety is a term used in a tragedy,
incidents in a tragedy.   signifying the sudden reversal of
Q9: Define poetry as per Philip circumstances that become
Sidney’s view.  adversely unfavourable for the tragic
Sidney defines poetry as thus,   hero.  
Poetry is an art of imitation, a Q3: Why, according to Eliot,
representing, counterfeiting, or “emotion recollected in tranquillity”
figuring forth; to speak is an inexact formula? 
metaphorically, a speaking picture, Already answered in Q9 of 2020 
with this end ,—to teach and Q4: What does “deconstruction”
delight. Source  mean in the light of Belsey’s Critical
Q10: What does the term “Hamartia” Practice? 
mean?  Through deconstruction, Belsey
Hamartia, a term in tragedy, means a means the attainment of the
flaw in the hero (also his error of meaning of the text after splitting
judgement) of a tragedy which leads the text into the chunks based on its
to his downfall. Source characteristics.  
Q5: How poetry is more
2018 philosophical than history in
Aristotle’s opinion? 
Q1: How literary criticism is
According to Aristotle’s opinion,
different from fiction? 
poetry is more philosophical than
While fiction only deals with a
history because poetry is universal
narration of a fictional account of
life, literary criticism is the
as opposed to history which focuses Q10: State briefly Sidney’s strong
on the particular. Source  claim about the poet?  
Q6: List out four essential qualities Sidney claims that a poet paints the
of an Aristotelian tragic hero.  most truthful picture as compared to
The four essential qualities of the a historian. 
Aristotelian tragic hero are given
below:  
2017

Essentially good  Q1: What type of man is suitable for

Should belong to a noble class  imitation in Aristotelian Tragedy? 
Should bear exceptional suffering  Already answered in Q6 of 2018
His downfall should be sudden  Q2: What is the importance of Plot

Q7: What does Belsey mean by in structuring tragedy? 

“Ideology”?  According to Aristotle, plot is the

Belsey means “ideology” as “the very soul of a tragedy as the proper

condition of our existence in the sequence of events grants the

universe”. Source: Critical Practice meaning of endurance in a tragedy.  

by Catherine Besley  Q3: Define the term “Anagnorisis”

Q8: What is Belsey’s view of “New given in poetics. 

Criticism”?  Already answered in Q2 of 2020

Belsey states in her book that New Q4: What does Sidney say about

Criticism is a “contradictory” Epic Poetry? 

movement as on one side, it favours Sidney says that epic is the “best”

liberation from authority but on the form of poetry, compelling people to

contrary, gives considerable weight learn heroism through the portrayal

to observation. Source: Critical of heroic deeds. Source 

Practice by Catherine Besley  Q5: According to Sidney what is the

Q9: What does Aristotle mean by utility of comedy other than

the term “Comedy”?  providing mere delight?  

Already answered in Q3 of 2020 

Sidney asserts that comedy can be Belsey compares language with a
utilized as a vehicle to teach sheet of paper. She considers
something delightfully.   language a side of the paper and
Q6: How does Sidney condemn the thought its other side. Source 
tragic comedy?  Q10: Define the term “Catharsis”. 
Sidney condemns tragic comedy by Catharsis means the purgation of
claiming that mingling of the two un- one’s thoughts from the excess of
elevates the tragic dignity of a play.   the emotions of pity and fear
Q7: Why does T.S. Eliot reject the through art (particularly tragedy).  
theory of “Spontaneous overflow of
powerful feelings” by Wordsworth?  2016
Eliot rejects the Wordsworthian
Q1: According to Aristotle, what
notion of poetry because he thinks
aspects of life are represented by
that the uncontrolled emotions can
comedy?  
give rise to chaotic literature and
Aristotle asserts that in comedy,
also, he asserts that poetry is not
characters are “worse than real life”
about personal emotions but about
but not necessarily evil. But in
the impersonal experience. Source 
comedy, ridiculous (and funny)
Q8: How does Belsey see the
aspects of life are depicted.  
function of a reader in a literary
Q2: What are the six elements that
text? 
make up tragedy? 
Belsey sees the reader as an
According to Aristotle, there are six
interpreter of the literary text
formulative elements of a tragedy
according to his own version of
which are listed below:  
realism derived from the text.  
Q9: What is the relationship Plot 

between language and thought Character 

according to Belsey in her book Thought 

critical practice?  Language or Diction 

Song 
 Spectacle or Background  Q8: What is the function of tragedy
according to Sidney? 
Q3: What is the main difference
According to Sidney, the function of
between Epic and Tragedy? 
a tragedy is to stir admiration and
Already answered in Q7 of 2019 
commiseration (a fancy word for
Q4: Eliot used the term “objective
pity).  
co-relative” what does it mean? 
Q9: What is Belsey’s views about
Objective correlative is a term
classical realism? 
deviced by Eliot which means
Already answered in Q4 of 2019 
objectives, events and chain of
Q10: What is the relationship
situations which will arouse
between language and thought
particular emotion in the reader.  
explained by Belsey? 
Q5: What is T.S Eliot’s opinion about
Already answered in Q9 of 2017 
Wordsworth’s theory of poetry? 
Already answered in Q7 of 2017 
2015
Q6: Why does Sidney prefer poetry
to philosophy?   Q1: What type of plot does Aristotle
Sidney prefers poetry over prefer to capture the attention of
philosophy because, to him, it is only the audience? 
the poetry that can guide people to Aristotle prefers a complex plot with
what “should be done” instead of the sudden downfall of the tragic
what “will be done”  as is the case hero through peripety and
with philosophy.   anagnorisis to capture the attention
Q7: How does Sidney define of the audience.  
comedy?  Q2: Define the term “Perripetcia”
Sidney defines Comedy as ‘an and “Anagnorisis” given in Poetics. 
imitation of common errors of life’ Already answered in Q2 of 2018 and
displayed in a ridiculous and Q2 of 2020.  
scornful manner. Source  Q3: How much importance does
Aristotle give spectacle’, the
element of tragedy?   by T.S Eliot? 
Aristotle gives spectacle the least Already answered in Q4 of 2016 
importance in the elements of Q8: Why does Eliot regard Milton as
tragedy because he asserts that a bad influence on classical poetry? 
tragedy can also be narrated through Eliot regards Milton as a bad
text (much like an epic). Source  influence on Classical Poetry
Q4: What is Sidney’s opinion about because of:  
the heroic or Epic poetry?  
His lack of eyesight 
Already answered in Q4 of 2017 
His use of archaic or dead
Q5: Sidney says “comedy is not
language 
merely to provide delight” what is
His style is not classical. Source 
the other utility of comedy? 
Q9: Does T.S. Eliot accept
Already answered in Q5 of 2017 
Wordsworth’s theory of poetry is a
Q6: What is the origin of poetry
“Spontaneous overflow of powerful
according to Aristotle?  
feelings”? 
Aristotle claims that poetry
No, he does not. The reason is
originated from the soul of humanity
already stated in Q7 of 2017.  
with an instinct of imitation and
Q10: What is Belsey’s view about
harmony. Source 
classical realism? 
Q7: What do you mean by the
Already answered in Q4 of 2019 
phrase “objective correlative” used

Literary Criticism – Short Questions – MA English

Literature – Sargodha University

By Asad Imran
May 22, 2022
Categories: Literary Criticism, Short Questions

Aristotle’s Poetics
1 What is literary criticism?  Aristotle defines poetry as an art of
imitating the world through the help
The process of weighing a certain
of words only.  
piece of literature, be it in the form of
prose or poetry, under certain 6 In what three ways does Aristotle
theories and practices is called differentiate various art forms from
literary criticism.   one another? 

2 What does Plato say about poetry?  Aristotle differentiates between

various forms of arts through their
Plato despised poetry on account of
object/subject matter, medium and
being used for spreading “immorality”
manner of imitation. For example,
and “lies about gods”. He called poetry
epic and tragedy may look similar as
the imitation of an imitation, twice
these two forms depict the heroic
removed from reality.  
deeds of a valiant person. However,
3 The subject of ‘Republic’ is politics.
their distinction can be measured by
Comment. 
their medium and manner of
The subject of Plato’s Republic is not imitation. The manner of imitation of
politics. The book is based on the epic and tragedy is narration and
dialogues of Socrates on how to live action respectively.  
life justly and happily, and in
7 What is the difference between
explaining justice, he also adds
epic poetry and tragedy? 
political strain to it. Source 
According to Aristotle’s Poetics, the
4 What does ‘Poetics’ deal with? 
difference between epic poetry and
The subject matter of Aristotle’s tragedy lies in how these two
Poetics is Tragedy, its elements and approach the seriousness of a given
its function on the onlookers of situation. Epic poetry can include a
tragedy.   variety of settings and time spans
5 How does Aristotle define poetry?  whereas tragedy is limited to few
settings. However, the limitation of
epic is narration as action in tragedy are the imitation of god’s image of the
is more immersive than narration.   poet’s world.  

8 Why does Aristotle value Homer so 11 Define the term ‘mock epic’. 
highly as a poet in ‘Poetics’?  Narrating a trivial happening in the
Aristotle admires Homer because of guise of the grandeur and diction of a
the reduction of his own narration. classical epic is called mock-epic.  
Instead of the narrator bringing the
12 What is the main difference
story forward, the characters in his
between poetry and history? 
epic move the story ahead. Source 
As suggested by Aristotle, history
9 How does Aristotle define ‘the
narrates facts of a certain frame of
universal’? 
time whereas poetry converts these
Aristotle defines “the universal” as a facts into universal truths.  
phenomenon mutually acceptable 13 What are the six parts every
among the people of all ages and tragedy must-have? Which,
time.   according to Aristotle, is the most
10 What are the three meanings of important? 
imitation? 
Aristotle asserts that every tragedy
According to Aristotle, god has 6 formative elements. These
constructed the universe in his own elements are:  
image. The universe created by him Plot 
was the exact imitation of his own Character 
idea. Similarly, a poet creates his own Thought 
image of the world around him and Diction 
uses words to recreate it. Thus, the Spectacle 
recreation of a poem is based on a Song 
poet’s own imitation of his
Out of the 6 elements listed above,
surroundings and his surroundings
Aristotle deems plot as the most
important element as, according to
him, plot helps drive action in a more important than the characters
tragedy.   inhabiting it.  

14 What, according to Aristotle, is 18 What is the opinion of Aristotle

the primary purpose of tragedy?  about three unities in the play? 

Aristotle considers arousing the Aristotle did not introduce the idea of
emotions of pity and fear among the three unities. He only mentioned one
audience and catharsis of such unity and that was Unity of Action. By
emotions as the main function of a Unity of Action, Aristotle asserts that
tragedy. Thus making them a tragedy must be centred around a
understand the ways of gods and men closely-knit sequence of events and
as they leave the theatre. Source  actions that takes a hero to his final
downfall.  
15 What is the place of catharsis in
tragedy?   19 What is the place of suffering in
tragedy? 
Catharsis holds an integral place in
tragedy as Aristotle calls it the main The final scene of suffering of the
function of a tragedy.   hero despite his sincere efforts to

16 What is ‘anti-climax’ in drama?  solve the problem, helps a great deal

among the audience to feel
Anti-climax is the unsatisfactory and
sympathetic for the downfall of the
ludicrous result/outcome of a serious
hero which leads to the catharsis of
and climax-building situation that
harmful emotions.  
ends up in a disappointed or a boring
20 Among the three unities, which
one. Source 
one is called Aristotelian? 
17 What is the importance of plot in
tragedy?  Among the unity of action, time and
place, unity of action the only
Aristotle considers plot as the soul of
dramatic unity that is suggested by
tragedy. Plot helps a tragedy move the
Aristotle.  
action forward. Aristotle deems plot
21 What are the characteristics of an Hamartia means the error of
ideal tragic hero?  judgment of the tragic hero that leads
to his tragic downfall.  View Poll
An ideal tragic hero must be:  

Noble  25 What is the Probable Impossibility

Susceptible to tragic flaws  as discussed by Aristotle? 

His downfall must be the result of Probable Impossibility can be a

peripety and anagnorisis Source  possibility that can be interpreted as
impossible by the audience but can be
22 Why does Aristotle consider a
made possible with science.
saintly figure inappropriate to be a
(Correction will be
tragic hero? 
appreciated) Source 
Aristotle considers a saintly figure to
26 Why is plot more important than
be an inappropriate tragic hero as his
character or speech in a tragedy? 
downfall, due to his excessive
goodness will not arouse the feelings Aristotle deems plot to be preferable
of pity among the audience as his to character. As controversial a
sacrifice will be seen as a spiritual statement as it may sound, by plot,
one. However, T. S. Eliot, in his Murder Aristotle means action. Action is the
of Cathedral has proven that even a most important factor in a tragedy.
saint can be a suitable tragic hero.   Characters or dramatic personages

23 What does Aristotle mean by the can exit in theory by their names but it

singleness in tragedy?  is action or what they do that makes

them alive to the audience.  
By the singleness in a tragedy,
27 What are ‘recognition’
Aristotle means to assert that a
(anagnorisis) and ‘reversal’
tragedy must follow a single organic
(peripeteia)? 
unity of events, from the beginning, to
the middle and till the end.   Peripeteia means the reversal of a

24 What does the term hamartia particular situation whereas

mean?  anagnorisis is the discovery of the

reversal, that is not in favour of the Appropriate 
tragic hero and leads to his tragic
downfall.   An Apology for Poetry by
Sir Philip Sidney
28 What role does language play in
the development of epic and 1 Who was Philip Sidney? 
tragedy? 
Sir Philip Sidney was an influential
The role of language or diction in epic literary figure of the Elizabethan Era.
or tragedy is largely determined by its Sir Philip Sidney is known for
use in the prestigious genres of story- his Astrophel and Stella and his
telling. Language in an epic is Defense of Poetry against the unjust
tweaked in such a way that is suitable charges of Stephen Gusson. Source 

for narration. However, in a tragedy, 2 What was the purpose of writing

language is moulded in such a manner “An Apology for Poetry”? 
that makes a tragedy presentable on
The purpose behind “An Apology to
stage.  
Poetry” was to retort the false
29 What is peripety? What is a charges of a puritan, named Stephen
discovery? What is the best form of Gusson, on poetry and contemporary
discovery?  literature that used poetry as a
Already answered in Q27. The best manner of imitation.  
form of discovery is the one that is 3 Define the term Renaissance. 
proceeded by reversal, without any
Renaissance is a term which is used
gaps, for an acute tragic effect.  
as an indication of the period of the
30 What are the four requirements of revival of knowledge and learning in
a character?  Europe after the darkness of the
A character in a tragedy must be:  Medieval Era   

Essentially good  4 What two ideas does “An Apology

True to life  for Poetry” deal with? 
Consistent 
“An Apology to Poetry” not only deals poetry is antique and universal in
with refuting the charges levelled nature? 
against poetry but also highlights the
Sidney asserts that poetry is the most
importance as well as superiority of
antique form of knowledge and
poetry.  

expression among Greeks and

5 What is the origin and meaning of
Romans. Similarly, poetry was
the word “poet”? 
universally adopted and nurtured
The word “Poet” comes from the from Red Indians to Englishmen as
Greek word “poiētēs” which means “to well. Source  

make”. The Greeks revered poets as 9 What, according to Sidney, is the

“Makers”. Source  
relationship between pleasure and
6 What is the nature and function of learning? 
poetry according to Sidney?  According to Sidney, the relationship
The nature and function of poetry, between pleasure and learning is
according to Sidney, is to imitate the essential for knowledge. Poetry has
objects of Nature and to make it more the ability to make someone learn
serene.    
sciences and arts with pleasure.  

7 How is poetry superior to 10 How does the poet’s art differ

philosophy and history?  from that of the astronomer,
geometrician, moral philosopher,
According to Sidney, poetry is
rhetorician, and others? 
superior to philosophy and history as
history deals with a particular event A poet’s art differs from others as he
whereas poetry converts it into a draws his inspiration from his
universal one. Similarly, philosophy everyday experience of his
suggests what may happen but poetry surroundings. Whereas an
also adds example to the perception astronomer or a mathematician might
devised under philosophy.  
be inefficient in his findings.  

8 How has Sidney established that 11 What, according to Sidney, did

Greeks mean by the philosophical delightfulness in their
term architectonike?  compositions.   

According to Greeks, the term 14 What is Elegy? 

architectonike was used to denote An elegy is a kind of subjective poem,
the structural unity of a piece of that is sombre or serious in nature
literature.    and revolves around a person who is
12 Is Sidney’s idea of mimesis dead. For example, the poem, O
Platonic or Aristotelian?  Captain! My Captain! is an elegy
composed by Whitman on the
Sidney’s idea of mimesis is
departure of Abraham Lincoln.  
Aristotelian. Sidney follows the
concept of Aristotle in defining poetry 15 What is the essence of Sidney’s
as an imitation of the poet’s creative defence against poetry?  
facility but he also adds the element
Sidney asserts that poetry is not a
of teaching as a purpose of poetry
waste of time as it is the most fruitful
other than delight.  

form of learning. He further suggests

13 What are the three kinds of poetry
that poetry is not a mother of lies as
according to Sidney? 
he thinks a poet is the most truthful
Sidney asserts that there are three being. Answering the charge of poetry
kinds of poetry which are listed spreading immorality, he says that it
below:   is a poet’s fault to use poetry for

Religious Poetry: The most notable immoral purposes. Lastly, he answers

form of poetry that revolves around that Plato was not against poets but

the “inconceivable excellencies of the bad use of poetry.  

God”  16 What is Sidney’s opinion about the

Philosophical Poetry:   heroic or Epic poetry? 
Imaginative Poetry: This kind of
Sidney is of the view that Epic or
poetry is composed by the poets
heroic poetry is the greatest form of
who provide learning and
poetry that compels readers to learn
heroic deeds through the heroes of Sidney asserts that rhyme and
great merit.   versification alone cannot make one a
poet. It is his ability to fuse images of
17 Why does Sidney says, “Comedy is
virtues and vices with the intention of
not merely to provide laughter”. 
making readers learn that makes him
Sidney suggests that comedy should
a poet.  
also provide delight with learning.  
21 How does Sidney refute the
18 What are the main objections
allegation against poetry that it is
brought against poetry by its
bound up with “rhyming and
enemies? 
versing”? 
Stephen Gosson, in his School of
Sidney refutes poetry being tied to
Abuse, levels out these charges
“rhyming and versing” by presenting
against poetry:  
the Bible of the Old Testament as an
Poetry is a waste of time.   example of poetry. Be it Song of
Poetry is a mother of lies.   Songs by Solomon, Psalms of David or
Poetry is a nurse of abuse.   the Book of Job. Sidney also believes
Plato had rightly banished poets that it is a person’s ability to imitate
from his Republic.   the world that makes him a poet.  

19 To what extent, ultimately, does 22 How does Sidney refute the

Sidney agree with Horace about the allegation against poetry being the
aim or “end” of poetry?  waste of time? 
Horace famously asserts that the aim Sidney rebuts the first allegation of
of poetry is to teach and provide poetry being a waste of time by
delightfulness. Sidney also agrees to asserting that poetry is the noblest
Horace but he adds morality to the and most fruitful form of learning. By
mix.  learning, he means virtuous deeds
20 Does “rhyming and versing” make and actions.  
a poet, according to Sidney?  23 How does Sidney refute the
allegation against poetry being the
mother of lies?  explained that Plato was against the
immorality and disrespectfulness of
Sidney answers that a poet is the
gods in his Republic. Sidney assumed
least a liar. Unlike astronauts,
Plato is a patron of poets.  
physicians or historians, who strive to
elaborate what is and what is not, a 26 Why has England grown so hard a
poet simply tells what should be and step-mother to poets? Asks Sidney. 
what should not be.   Sidney himself answers the question
24 How does Sidney refute the asked above by asserting that
allegation against poetry being the England has no good poets as the
nurse of abuse?  poets of England try to produce
poetry like a product in a factory.
Puritans like Gusson considered
They lack the genuine instinct of a
poetry as a nurse of abuse as,
poet. Source 
according to them, it would arouse
lustful feelings among the readers. 27 What should be the qualities of a
Sidney replies that it is not the fault of tragedy according to Sidney? 
poetry for being considered as a
According to Sidney, a tragedy
medium of immorality, it is the fault of
should:  
those poets who infact their poetry
Imitate a noble action 
with immorality.  
The noble action should stir the
25 What was Sidney’s approach on admiration and sympathy for the
Plato’s banishment of poets from his hero among the audience 
ideal republic? 
28 What should be the qualities of a
It was considered by Puritans that
comedy according to Sidney? 
Plato rightfully banished poets from
Sidney suggests that a comedy
his ideal Republic because of their
should:  
immoral poetry. Sidney answered that
Plato’s own republic was based on Imitate common errors of life in a
many immoral ideas (i.e allowing ridiculous manner 
sexual relationships). Sidney further
 Provoke the audience to avoid such is also important for defending poetry
errors  against the unjust allegations of
Promote delightful learning Source  Stephen Gosson.  

29 What argument does Sidney make

Tradition and Individual
concerning the unity of place? Does
Talent by TS Eliot
his comment seem fitting? Why or
why not?  1 Why does Eliot oppose the
While mentioning Unity of Place, romantic conceptions in his famous
Sidney maintains that the rapid theory of impersonality in Art?
change of place or setting should be Eliot opposes the romantic
avoided. He thinks that usage of the conception because he thinks poetry
same stage for a garden, cave or a should be an outcome of the
pitched field can render a play impersonal experience of the poet.
unnatural. According to my feeble The subjectivity in romanticism
judgement, the comment of Sidney on dismays him the most. 
Unity of Place does not seem fitting
2 What is T.S. Eliot’s view about
as the audience of the play can
Wordsworth’s theory of
overcome the rapid shift of places on
“Spontaneous overflow of powerful
the same stage by unconsciously
emotions”?
applying willing suspension of
disbelief when watching a Eliot rejects the Wordsworthian
play. Source  conception of poetry. He considers
poetry as an organization of the
30 What is the value of Sidney’s
feelings collected through objective
criticism? 
observation. 
Sidney’s criticism holds a strong value
3 Why, according to Eliot “emotions
among the other critics preceding
recollected in tranquillity” is an
next to him as he not only presented
inexact formula? 
sound theories but elaborated them
with practical criticism. His criticism
T. S. Eliot considers the 7 Why does T.S. Eliot reject the
Wordsworthian maxim of poetry theory of “Spontaneous overflow of
inexact because he thinks poetry has powerful feelings” by Wordsworth? 
no relations with tranquillity and
Eliot rejects the Wordsworthian
emotions. He considers poetry as an
notion of poetry because he thinks
outcome of experiences that are not
that the uncontrolled emotions can
subjective.
give rise to chaotic literature and also,
4 What does Eliot want from a poet?   he asserts that poetry is not about

Eliot wants from a poet to compose personal emotions but about the

his work based on his collected impersonal experience.

experiences. During the poetic 8 Eliot used the term “objective co-
process, he should completely relative” what does it mean? 
remove himself from the poetry. 
Objective correlative is a term
5 Enumerate the essential qualities deviced by Eliot which means
of a good critic?  objectives, events and chain of
situations which will arouse particular
According to T. S. Eliot, a good critic
emotion in the reader.  
is the one who remains completely
impartial, objective and unprejudiced 9 Why does Eliot regard Milton as a
in his approach, has a highly trained bad influence on classical poetry? 
sensibility as well as has a knowledge Eliot regards Milton as a bad influence
of structural principles.  on Classical Poetry because of:  
6 Define “Tradition” in the light of
His lack of eyesight 
Eliot’s essay Tradition and the
His use of archaic or dead
Individual Talent. 
language 
According to Eliot, tradition is the His style is not classical
living of the present, formulated by
the incidents of the past and history.   Critical Practise by
Catherine Belsey
1 Who was Catherine Belsey?  discourse which enables other
individuals to recognise it as true. ” 
Catherine Belsey was a professor and
a literary critic whose work centred Belsey, by Expressive Realism, means
around post-structuralism.   to suggest that reality lies in text as

2 What subject does Belsey deal in perceived by a reader. Who, then,

Critical Practice?  passes his experience of reality to

others. “
In Critical Practice, Catherine Belsey
5 How much the common-sense
discusses different theories to
view of literature is justified?
approach the meaning of a literary
Discuss with reference to Belsey’s
text.  
arguments. 
3 What is Belsey’s view about
The common-sense view of literature
Classical Realism? 
is partly justified and partly refuted by
According to Belsey, Classical
Belsey. Belsey, at first, accepts it as a
Realism tends to display individuals
natural response of a reader to a
as characters whose development are
literary text. But, later, she rejects it
throttled by their choices. She thinks
as the learning or response of the
that this kind of realism was a tool to
common sense of a reader can prove
propagate certain agendas in the
insignificant once the author chooses
eighteenth and nineteenth
a different set of words to express the
centuries.  
same idea.  
4 What does Belsey mean by
6 What relationship does Belsey
Expressive Realism? 
establish between criticism and
Belsey defines Expressive Realism as common sense? 
thus,  
Belsey draws relationship between
“The theory that literature reflects the Criticism and Common Sense through
reality of experience, as it is perceived the journey from natural acquisition
by one individual, who expresses it in a of meaning to something that is
obvious within the text. 
7 What, according to Belsey, is the to the illusionary version of the
difference between common sense signified. For instance, in French, the
and literary theory?  word (signifier) “mouton” is used to
refer to the two different signifieds,
According to Belsey, the difference
muton and sheep simultaneously.
between common sense and literary
Thus the dual meaning of the
theory 
aforementioned signifier is illusionary
How does Belsey discuss the
as it may hint incorrectly hint at the
authority of common sense with
meat when the author intended for
respect to Saussure’s view of
sheep.  
linguistic theory? 
10 What is post-structuralism? 
8 What is Belsey’s opinion about
Post-structuralism is a term that is
Saussure’s theory? 
used to refer to the rejection of ideas
Belsey’s opinion regarding Saussure’s
and theories offered and proposed by
theory which argued that the lingual
the structuralists. Source 
analysis of a word should be
11 What are the three kinds of the
performed according to a specific
texts mention by Belsey? 
period of time, is mostly positive. She
asserts that Saussure’s linguistic Declarative Text: Which declares a
approach has eradicated the certain ideology in it  
obscurities between the relationship Imperative Text: Which compels a
of a language with the ideology of a reader to think against a certain
certain word.   ideology  

9 Explain the Post- Interrogative Text: The text which

Saussurean notion that the makes a reader question the way a

transparency of language is an text is constricted and the ideology

illusion.  which comes with it. 

12 What do you understand by

According to this notion, the
Dialectical Text? 
transparency of the signifier can lead
Dialectical Text showcases the Lucan suggests three stages of child
address of a speaker to a specific set development:  
of people in the form of text. The
The Real: The fulfilment of a child’s
speaker attempts to bring home his
need through his movements of
philosophical and logical stance by
urge.  
asking and answering. Source 
The Imaginative Order: In this
13 Differentiate between Dialectical stage, a child’s need may turn into
and the Rhetorical Text.  (fantastic) demands as he learns to

Dialectical text may only appeal a differentiate between himself and

specific number of people, Rhetorical others as he looks into the mirror

Text is intended to be read by a large and tries to control his

number of people. Source  (Imaginative) image 

The Symbolic Order: A child’s
14 Critical Practice is produced with
acceptance of the rules of the
a bias in favour of the Interrogative
language of his society and his
Text. Do you agree? 
ability to communicate regarding
Critical Practice is written in such a his desires to the people around
way that it seems as if it is biased him. Source 
against favouring Interrogative Text,
17 In what ways did New Critics
especially her rejecting Expressive
change the approach of criticism
Realism and her keen interest in
towards a literary text? 
deconstruction.  
Before New Criticism, the meaning of
15 Discuss the concept of split and
the text was approached through its
unfixed subject with reference to the
social and moral context. New Critics
Interrogative Text.   
emphasized that the meaning of the
Will be answered later.  text lied in the structure of the text
16 What, according to Lacan, are the itself. They put text at the forefront of
three stages of child development?  criticism.  
18 How can meaning be constructed language. Ideology, however, is the
by reproducing what is familiar?  structure of beliefs and customs
which binds certain people together.
Deriving a meaning out of a familiar
Discourse helps in providing ideology,
word through its reproduction can be
a concrete shape of words while
done by looking into its usage by the
ideology serves a key role in shaping
people at a time.  
one’s discourse. Read more 
19 Discuss Belsey’s arguments in the
favour of structural criticism.  22 How does ideology shape the
subject? 
Belsey favours Structural Criticism by
Ideology shapes the subject by
arguing that the meaning of a text lies
infusing itself into the text, without a
in the structure of the ideology of a
reader realizing it.  
society. For her, what matters is not
text but how and why the meaning is 23 Can the subject find its way out of
extracted out of the text. ideology? 

20 What are the three features that Ideology holds a firm grip in language
describe a Classic Realist text?  and a subject is also expressed in that

1. It suppresses contradictions  language, the subject cannot find its

2. Compels a reader to assume the way out of a certain ideology.  

position that whatever he read is 24 “There is no criticism without

obvious  ideology”. How does Belsey argue
3. It is mystical (and enigmatic) by its this thesis? 
constructive nature.  
Belsey asserts that ideological beliefs
21 Define the terms ideology and are personal and personal
discourse and explain their interpretation of a text can be
relationship to each other.  illusionary. In short, she rejects this

In literature, discourse is a term that notion.  

is used to highlight the process of the 25 What is the influence of Marx and
presentation of one’s thought through Althusser on literary criticism? 
Althusser believed that ideological 29 Discuss the methods of
propagation in a text was only devised extracting meanings out of a
to achieve the goal of controlling the creative text as described by Belsey. 
narrative of the people. He introduced
Belsey proposes the following
the ideological effects of a text in
methods:  
literary criticism. Source 
Analytical Criticism: In which a
26 What is Deconstruction method? reader evaluates the different
How has it changed the concept of images presented in the text.  
modern criticism?  Evaluating Criticism: In which the
Deconstruction is a close (structural) facts contained in the text are
study of the text. Deconstruction, in evaluated.  
criticism, shifted the authority of the
30 What are the problems involved in
author to the authority of the reader
the production of text? 
in interpreting his text.  
The chief problem involved in the
27 Explain the deconstruction of the
production of text is the allocation of
text with reference to Barthes
an author’s intended meaning inside
and Macherey. 
it. As meaning may differ from a
Barthes, in reference to reader who is casually reading his text
deconstruction, claimed in his “Death to a critic who is evaluating his text on
of the Author” that the author knew the basis of factual raw materials in
about the book he wrote no more than his text.  
the reader.   31 What are the major drawbacks
28 Where does the meaning lie: in preventing the attainment of a new
the text, the reader, the writer, or and productive critical practice?  
the structure? 
The evaluation of the text will not be
Belsey asserts that the meaning of a up to the mark of the current
text lise in the structure of social necessities of the time.  
formation.