A TO Z Literary Principles from History of English Literature: Note 102 (Miscellaneous)

A Set of 26 Objective Questions & Answers

UGC NET ENGLISH QUESTION BANK

1. Which two plays were written by Thomas Heywood?

(A) A Woman Killed With Kindness, The Royall King and the Loyall Subject
(B) The Revenger's Tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi
(C) King Lear, Othello
(D) The Alchemist, Volpone
Answer: (A)
(Thomas Heywood is known for these works, showcasing his contribution to English drama in the early 17th century.)

2. Who is the chief figure in John Webster's "The White Devil"?

(A) Brachiano
(B) Vittoria
(C) Isabella
(D) Commillo
Answer: (B)
(Vittoria is central to the plot, manipulating events leading to tragic outcomes.)

3. Which two dramatists collaborated on plays?

(A) John Webster and Thomas Middleton
(B) Beaumont and Fletcher
(C) Marlowe and Shakespeare
(D) Ben Jonson and Thomas Heywood
Answer: (B)
(Beaumont and Fletcher were a significant duo in the early 17th century, contributing many popular plays.)

4. Who is credited with introducing Revenge Tragedy to English Theatre?

(A) Shakespeare
(B) Thomas Kyd
(C) Christopher Marlowe
(D) Seneca
Answer: (D)
(Seneca's works influenced the development of Revenge Tragedy in England, exemplified by Kyd's and Shakespeare's later dramas.)

5. What is Thomas Sackville's significant work?

(A) The Complaint of Henry, Duke of Buckingham
(B) The Revenger's Tragedy
(C) The Faerie Queene
(D) The Duchess of Malfi
Answer: (A)
(Sackville's contribution is noted in his historical plays, particularly this one.)

6. What is significant about the years 1579 and 1587?

(A) The birth and death of Shakespeare
(B) The publication of Spenser's "The Shepherd's Calendar" and Marlowe's "Tamburlaine"
(C) The defeat of the Spanish Armada
(D) The publication of the King James Bible
Answer: (B)
(These years mark important milestones in the development of English literature.)

7. Why are the years 1588 and 1688 important in English history?

(A) The start of the English Civil War
(B) The defeat of the Spanish Armada and the Glorious Revolution
(C) The establishment of the Commonwealth
(D) The birth of Queen Anne
Answer: (B)
(These events shaped the political landscape of England and influenced literary themes.)

8.

What is significant about the years 1564 and 1616?

(A) The birth and death of John Milton
(B) The birth and death of Shakespeare
(C) The publication of "Paradise Lost"
(D) The beginning of the Renaissance
Answer: (B)
(Shakespeare’s life spanned these years, marking the height of English drama.)

9. Who wrote the sonnet sequences "Delia" and "Idea’s Mirror"?

(A) John Milton and Edmund Spenser
(B) Samuel Daniel and Michael Drayton
(C) William Shakespeare and Thomas Wyatt
(D) Christopher Marlowe and John Donne
Answer: (B)
(Daniel and Drayton were known for their contributions to the sonnet form during the Renaissance.)

10. Which two translations of the Bible into English are significant in the sixteenth century?

(A) Tyndale and Coverdale's Bible; King James Version
(B) Wycliffe's Bible; The Vulgate
(C) The Geneva Bible; The Douay-Rheims Bible
(D) The Authorized Version; The Septuagint
Answer: (A)
(These translations played a crucial role in shaping English literature and language.)

11. What is the main theme of Nabokov's "Signs and Symbols"?

(A) Love and loss
(B) Family and mental illness
(C) Adventure and discovery
(D) Crime and punishment
Answer: (B)
(The story explores the complexities of family relationships and mental health.)

12. What does Stephen King's "The Body" explore?

(A) The supernatural
(B) The horrors of war
(C) Friendship and loss
(D) The quest for power
Answer: (C)
(The narrative focuses on childhood friendships and the impact of tragic events.)

13. In Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," what is significant about Jim Smiley's horse?

(A) It always wins races
(B) It is very sickly but surprises everyone
(C) It never loses bets
(D) It is the fastest horse in town
Answer: (B)
(The horse's surprising performance highlights themes of deception and expectation in Twain's humor.)

14. Who is considered the first classical critic of England?

(A) John Dryden
(B) Ben Jonson
(C) Samuel Johnson
(D) Thomas Kyd
Answer: (B)
(Ben Jonson emphasized classical principles in literature, setting a standard for critique.)

15. Which classical models influenced Elizabethan writers?

(A) Homer and Virgil
(B) John Milton and Geoffrey Chaucer
(C) William Blake and William Wordsworth
(D) John Bunyan and John Donne
Answer: (A)
(These classical figures provided frameworks for epic poetry and drama.)

16. What does "The Diamond As Big as the Ritz" by F. Scott Fitzgerald explore?

(A) The pursuit of happiness
(B) The secrecy of wealth
(C) The emptiness of love
(D) The power of fame
Answer: (B)
(The story highlights the extremes to which a family will go to protect their wealth.)

17. What themes are dealt with in Katherine Mansfield's "The Fly"?

(A) Love and betrayal
(B) Death and the horrors of war
(C) Friendship and loyalty
(D) Hope and despair
Answer: (B)
(The narrative grapples with the implications of war and loss.)

18.

What lesson does O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" convey?

(A) The value of wealth
(B) The importance of sacrifice
(C) The significance of friendship
(D) The futility of love
Answer: (B)
(The story emphasizes that true love is reflected in selfless giving.)

19. What is the central theme of Jonathan Lethem's "The Happy Man"?

(A) The meaning of happiness
(B) The complexity of family dynamics
(C) The struggle between life and death
(D) The challenge of existence
Answer: (C)
(The narrative illustrates the man's unusual experiences with death.)

20. 

What does Flannery O’Connor's "The Lame Shall Enter First" illustrate?

(A) The consequences of greed
(B) The conflict between idealism and reality
(C) The importance of family
(D) The effects of poverty
Answer: (B)
(The story examines the protagonist's struggles between his ideals and personal responsibilities.)

21.Under what pen name did Washington Irving publish "The Sketch Book"?

(A) Ichabod Crane
(B) Geoffrey Crayon
(C) Diedrich Knickerbocker
(D) Rip Van Winkle
Answer: (B)
(Irving's use of this name allowed him to explore various themes in his essays and stories.)

22. What does "The Looking Glass" by Anton Chekhov explore?

(A) The complexities of marriage
(B) The supernatural
(C) Friendship
(D) Family relationships
Answer: (A)
(The story portrays a woman's obsession with her future and the role of marriage in her life.)

23. Why is Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" significant?

(A) It explores the concept of fate
(B) It critiques societal norms
(C) It discusses family dynamics
(D) It is a love story
Answer: (B)
(The story's shocking conclusion raises questions about tradition and conformity.)

24.

What type of stories is W. W. Jacobs best known for?

(A) Historical fiction
(B) Sea stories
(C) Gothic horror
(D) Romance
Answer: (B)
(His works often reflect maritime life and the experiences of sailors.)

25. 

Which two prose works are attributed to Francis Bacon?

(A) Novum Organum and The Advancement of Learning
(B) The Anatomy of Melancholy and The Prince
(C) Essays and History of Henry VII
(D) Utopia and The Republic
Answer: (C)
(Bacon's essays remain influential in philosophy and literature.)

26. Who are notable Elizabethan pamphleteers?

(A) Thomas Nash and Robert Greene
(B) John Milton and John Bunyan
(C) William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe
(D) Thomas More and Edmund Spenser
Answer: (A)
(Nash and Greene played vital roles in the pamphlet literature of the period.)
  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