Questions for MA English (Part 2) | Tragedy | Heart Of Darkness

Questions for MA English (Part 2) Paper 1 - Poetry Section A 1. S.T. Coleridge i. ii. iii. iv. v.

Coleridge as a poet of supernatural Coleridge as a romantic poet Moral of “The Ancient Mariner” Critical appreciation of three poems in the course Coleridge as a poet of nature & beauty

2. John Keats a. Questions on Keats’ Odes i.Keats’ odes (A general question on odes, i.e., development of thought, unity in Keats’ odes) ii.Critical appreciation of odes iii.Keats as an escapist iv.Keats as a Romantic Poet (poet of beauty, of nature) v.Sensuousness in Keats’ poetry vi.Keats’ negative capability vii.Keats’ Hellenism viii.Keats as pure poet b. Questions on “Hyperion” i. Autobiographical element in “Hyperion” ii. Theme of evolution iii. Symbolism in “Hyperion” iv. “Hyperion” as an Epic poem 2. William Blake i. ii. iii.

Critical Appreciation of poems Blake as a romantic poet (Blake’s mysticism) Comparison & Contrast of the poems of “The Song of Innocence” & “The Song of Experience”

Section B 1. Philip Larkin i.

Important features of Larkin’s poetry

ii. iii. iv. v. vi.

Larkin as a movement poet Larkin as a poet of realism Larkin’s attitude towards moderns Critical appreciation of poems Themes of Larkin’s poetry

2. Seamus Heaney i. ii. iii. iv.

Critical appreciation of poems Themes Symbolism in Heaney’s poetry Heaney as a poet of exile

3. Ted Hughes i. ii. iii.

Animal imagery in his poems Themes Critical appreciation of poems

Paper 2 – Drama 1. Henrik Ibsen – “Hedda Gabler” i. ii. iii.

“Hedda Gabler” as a tragic play Psychological problems of Hedda Gabler / Character sketch of “Hedda Gabler” “Hedda Gabler” as a tragic play

2. Beckett – “Waiting for Godot” i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii.

“Waiting for Godot” a play about absurd Human relationships in the play “Waiting for Godot” as an existentialist play Different themes in the play Use of Language / Role of Language “Waiting for Godot” as a tragi-comedy Who is Godot? Structure of the play

3. Anton Chekov – “The Cherry Orchard” i. ii. iii. iv. v.

Symbolism in “The Cherry Orchard” Theme of change “The Cherry Orchard” a comedy or a tragedy? Compare characters of Lopakhin and Trophimov “The Cherry Orchard” as a social or political play

4. Edward Bond – “The Sea” i. ii. iii. iv.

Symbolism in “The Sea” Theme of individual and society Character sketches of main characters (Mrs. Rafi, Mr. Hatch) “The Sea” as a tragic-comedy

Paper 3 – Novel 1. Joseph Conrad – “Heart of Darkness” i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Symbolism in “Heart of Darkness” Character sketch of Mr. Kurtz Character sketch of Marlow Marlow as detective of Human soul Conrad’s treatment of women Conrad’s style and technique Themes (imperialism, evil)

2. Achebe – “Things Fall Apart” i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi.

Significance of the Title / Theme / Impact of British arrival on Igbo Culture Okonkwo as tragic hero “Things Fall Apart” as a tragedy Achebe’s style Achebe’s treatment of women Comparison between “Heart of Darkness” and “Things Fall Apart”

3. Ahmad Ali – “Twilight in Delhi” i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Significance of the title “Twilight in Delhi” Impact of British imperialism on Muslim Culture of Delhi Characterstudy of Mir Nehal, Asghar Plight of Women Themes (marriage, imperialism etc.) Ahmad Ali as a novelist Symbolism in novel

4. James Joyce – “Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man” i. ii. iii.

James Joyce’s style & technique (stream of consciousness, myth, irony, pun, poetic diction etc.) Character sketch of Stephen Dedalus James Joyce’s aesthetic theory of art

5. Virginia Woolf – “To the Light House” i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi.

How has Virginia Woolf used stream of consciousness technique? Symbolism in “To the Light House” Compare & contrast the characters of Mr. & Mrs. Ramsay Virginia Woolf as a feminist writer Character study of Lime Brisko & symbolic importance of her paintings Themes of “To the Light House”

Paper 4 – Literary Criticism

1. Aristotle – “Poetics” i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Aristotle’s theory of imitation Catharsis Tragedy Plot-Character relationship Difference between epic & tragedy Ideal Tragic hero The tragic Plot

2. Philip Sidney – “An Apology for Poetry” i. ii. iii. iv. v.

Sidney’s arguments in favour of poetry Answers to the objections against poetry Sidney’s theory of poetry Contribution of Sidney as a critic Sidney as a renaissance epitome

3. T.S. Eliot– “The Critic (Tradition & Individual Talent)” i. ii. iii.

Eliot’s concept of tradition Theory of impersonality in poetry T.S. Eliot as a critic

4. Raymond Williams – “Modern Tragedy” i.

Summaries of 3 essays: a. Tradition & Tragedy b. Tragedy & contemporary ideas c. Rejection of tragedy

ii. iii.

Raymond William as a critic Raymond William’s concept of tragedy