A TO Z Literary Principles from History of English Literature: Note 101

 A Set of 26 Objective Questions & Answers

UGC NET ENGLISH QUESTION BANK

1. Which of the following plays is classified as a revenge tragedy?

(A) The Duchess of Malfi
(B) Oedipus Rex
(C) The Glass Menagerie
(D) A Midsummer Night's Dream
Answer: (A)
(The Duchess of Malfi, along with Hamlet and Gorboduc, exemplifies the themes and characteristics typical of revenge tragedies.)

2. What is the central theme of Alice Munro’s "Meneseteung"?

(A) Love and loss
(B) The passage of time
(C) Rural life and memory
(D) War and conflict
Answer: (C)
("Meneseteung" explores rural life and the memories that span several decades, focusing on personal histories.)

3. George Saunders's "Pastoralia" primarily depicts:

(A) A historical event
(B) A dystopian future where a man is trapped in a life he hates
(C) A romantic relationship
(D) A journey of self-discovery
Answer: (B)
(The story centers on a man stuck in a monotonous job within a dystopian setting, reflecting on his dissatisfaction.)

4. Kingsley Amis’s novel "You Can’t Do Both" is categorized as:

(A) A historical novel
(B) A science fiction novel
(C) A semi-autobiographical novel
(D) A romance novel
Answer: (C)
(It reflects personal experiences and themes concerning love and relationships in a modern context.)

5. Andrew Marvell’s "An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland" was written in which year?

(A) 1640
(B) 1650
(C) 1660
(D) 1670
Answer: (B)
(The poem was composed in 1650, during the time of the Commonwealth government in England.)

6. Match the following lines with their respective texts:

1. ‘If music be the food of love, play on’
2. “Hieronimo is mad again”
3. “Alone, alone, all all alone”
4. “Full fathom five thy father lies;...”

(A) Twelfth Night; The Waste Land; Rime of the Ancient Mariner; The Tempest
(B) Hamlet; The Tempest; The Waste Land; Rime of the Ancient Mariner
(C) The Tempest; Rime of the Ancient Mariner; The Waste Land; Twelfth Night
(D) Rime of the Ancient Mariner; The Tempest; Twelfth Night; The Waste Land
Answer: (A)
(The lines correspond to their respective works as noted.)

7. What is the primary theme of Rudyard Kipling’s Mowgli stories in "The Jungle Book"?

(A) Urban life
(B) Survival and nature
(C) Adventure and friendship
(D) Animal fables
Answer: (D)
(The Mowgli stories are followed by animal fables that reflect themes of friendship and morality.)

8. Which text is associated with its author/genre?

1. Lycidas -
2. Beowulf -
3. The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog -
4. Troilus and Criseyde -

(A) Milton; Anglo Saxon Epic; Dylan Thomas; Chaucer
(B) Chaucer; Milton; Thomas; Shakespeare
(C) Thomas; Milton; Chaucer; Shakespeare
(D) Milton; Chaucer; Thomas; Anglo Saxon Epic
Answer: (A)
(This matches the texts with their respective authors or genres accurately.)

9. What defines a manor house in historical context?

(A) A castle for royalty
(B) The administrative center of a manor
(C) A simple farmhouse
(D) A city dwelling
Answer: (B)
(A manor house historically served as the administrative center of a manor, reflecting its significance in the feudal system.)

10. According to Ezra Pound, what constitutes literature?

(A) Entertainment
(B) Language devoid of meaning
(C) Language charged with meaning
(D) Simple storytelling
Answer: (C)
(Pound emphasizes that literature is defined by its depth and the meaning conveyed through language.)

11. Which elements are essential characteristics of poetry?

(A) Dialogue and plot
(B) Imagery, sound, rhythm, and diction
(C) Action and setting
(D) Theme and character
Answer: (B)
(Poetry is characterized by its use of imagery, sound, rhythm, and diction to create emotional depth.)

12. Identify the popular examples of elegy in English literature:

(A) The Waste Land and The Bell Jar
(B) Lycidas, In Memoriam, and Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
(C) Paradise Lost and Beowulf
(D) Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations
Answer: (B)
(These works are well-known examples of elegiac poetry.)

13. Which elements define drama?

(A) Narrative and plot
(B) Action, plot, dialogue, characterization, and setting
(C) Theme and tone
(D) Prose and poetry
Answer: (B)
(Drama is fundamentally composed of these elements that contribute to its performance and narrative structure.)

14. What are defining features of the novel/prose fiction?

(A) Dialogue and poetry
(B) Story, plot, setting, and characterization
(C) Action and conflict
(D) Theme and allegory
Answer: (B)
(These components are essential for the structure and storytelling of novels.)

15. What are the primary impulses behind poetic literature?

(A) Economic and social
(B) Imitative, aesthetic/emotional, and musical
(C) Political and ideological
(D) Personal and reflective
Answer: (B)
(These impulses drive the creation and appreciation of poetry.)

16. Which of the following is NOT a definition of poetry?

(A) The language that expresses deep emotions
(B) The mere arrangement of words
(C) A rhythmic creation of beauty
(D) A spontaneous overflow of feelings
Answer: (B)
(This choice does not capture the essence of poetry as it suggests a lack of depth or meaning.)

17. What does kinaesthetic imagery evoke in poetry?

(A) Visual representations
(B) The perception of sound
(C) Movement or motion
(D) Emotional responses
Answer: (C)
(Kinaesthetic imagery appeals to the reader's sense of movement, creating dynamic imagery.)

18. Which of the following are characteristics of an epic?

(A) Personal struggles and small-scale stories
(B) Themes of love and friendship
(C) A grand narrative, heroism, and supernatural elements
(D) Simple language and short length
Answer: (C)
(Epics are distinguished by their grand narratives, significant heroes, and involvement of supernatural forces.)

19. Which of the following is a traditional example of an epic?

(A) The Canterbury Tales
(B) Paradise Lost
(C) The Iliad
(D) Moby Dick
Answer: (C)
(The Iliad is a classic example of a traditional epic from ancient literature.)

20. Who are considered Cavalier poets?

(A) Poets who supported the Parliament
(B) Poets who supported Charles I
(C) Poets known for their tragic themes
(D) Poets of the Victorian era
Answer: (B)
(Cavalier poets, including Ben Jonson and Robert Herrick, were supporters of Charles I and his court.)

21. Why are the years 1215 and 1337/1338 significant in English history?

(A) The signing of the Magna Carta and the start of the Hundred Years’ War
(B) The beginning of the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution
(C) The establishment of the Church of England
(D) The signing of the Treaty of Versailles
Answer: (A)
(1215 marks the signing of the Magna Carta, and 1337/1338 is the start of the Hundred Years' War with France.)

22. What historical events are marked by the years 1349 and 1381?

(A) The beginning of the Renaissance and the end of the Middle Ages
(B) The Plague (Black Death) and the Peasant Revolt
(C) The signing of the Magna Carta and the Reformation
(D) The establishment of universities and the rise of humanism
Answer: (B)
*(These years are significant for the impact of the Black Death and the Peasant Revolt in England

Read More A to Z (Objective Questions)    

 Ardhendu De

Ref: 1. History of English Literature- Albert     

2. The Concise Cambridge History of English Literature

3. UGC NET OLD QUESTION PAPERS

4. Baugh, A.C and Cable T (2001). A History of the English Language. 5^th ed. London: Routledge