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BLOCK-3
MAJOR PERIODS OF LITERATURE -2
UNIT-1
THE ROMANTIC AGE
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. Which literary period came before the romantic age?
Ans. The neo classical age
2. Who published Lyrical Ballads?.
Ans. William Wordsworth and Samuel tailor Coleridge
3. Whose works set the stage for the romantic poets?
Ans. Pre- romantics
4. What was the primary subject of romantic literature?
Ans. Nature
5. Why did poetry become a dominant genre in the romantic period?
Ans. Poetry was considered to be closer to emotional expression
6. Who are the Lake poets?
Ans. Wordsworth Coleridge and Southey
7. How did Wordsworth transform poetic language?
Ans. Why writing about everyday teams in the language of common folks
8. What is the name of Coleridge's critical treatise?
Ans. Biographia literaria
9. Which romantic poet is famous for powerful imagery and revolutionary zeal?
Ans. P.B. Shelly
10. What is the title of Byron's satirical response?
Ans. English bards and scotch reviewers
11. Which artistic concept did Keats explore?
Ans. Negative capability
12. Who are the important romantic prose-writers?
Ans. Lamp,Hazlitt and de quincy
13. Which style of novel focuses on terror and mysteries?
Ans. Gothic novels
14. What is the difference between the themes of Austen and Scott?
Ans. Austen and scott wrote domestic and historical fiction respectively
15. What kind of drama is The Cenci?
Ans. Closet drama
QUESTION ANSWERS
1. Write a short note on the salient features of romanticism in English literature?
Ans.(1) a reaction against neoclassicism
In the poem "Endymion", John Keats writes,
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever." The poem
refers to the delight brought on by the sight
of a beautiful object. Note the simplicity of
the language used. The focus is on an incident
taken from everyday life. This is an example
of the way that Romantic literature resisted
the neoclassical style of writing. Romanticism rejected the new classical emphasis on rules, order and convention. Instead of
the more lavish diction and themes favoured
by the neoclassical writers, the Romantic
writers turned their attention to common life.
More importance was given to spontaneity
and originality than to the imitation of classi
cal literature. Inspired by the message of the
French revolution, the Romantic movement
also leaned towards high idealism.
(ii) Emphasis on Imagination
The poem "Kubla Khan" opens with the fol-
lowing lines: "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan/A
stately pleasure-dome decree." Samuel Taylor
Coleridge composed it, based on an opium-in-
fluenced dream that he saw. The poem uses
fantasy and supernatural elements to great ef-
fect.
This illustrates the role of imagination in the
works of Romantic writers. They considered
imagination to be a powerful tool of the hu-
man mind. Often, it was defined as the op-
posite of intellect, which was celebrated in
neoclassical writings. The critical writings of
Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, to name
a few, discussed the power of the imagination
to 'create' and 'shape' reality.
its north-
(iii) Representation of Nature
Walter Scott describes the beauty of the Scot-
tish landscapes in his novel Rob Roy, "But cer-
tainly this noble lake, boasting innumerable
beautiful islands, of every varying form and
outline which fancy can frame,
ern extremity narrowing until it is lost among
dusky and retreating mountains,
while,
gradually widening as it extends southward,
it spreads its base around the indentures and
promontories of a fair and fertile land, affords
one of the most surprising, beautiful, and sub-
lime spectacles in nature..."
The romantic writers paid great attention tothe representation of nature in their works.
Since they were writing during a period of
heavy industrialisation, the writers of the age
stressed the need for returning 'back to nature'.
Nature was presented as a source of spiritual
renewal in their works. Accurate descriptions
of natural phenomena, natural beauty and the
appeal of nature to the senses are important
aspects in Romantic literature.
(iv) Significance of Emotion
William Wordsworth famously defined po-
etry as the "spontaneous overflow of power-
ful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion
recollected in tranquillity." As seen here, the
Romantic movement placed emotions as a vi-
tal part of literature. Feelings, intuitions and
impulses were celebrated in the works of the
Romantic authors. The literature of the period
came to be associated with expressing indi-
viduality and selfhood.
(v) Individuality
The unique, irrational and emotional per-
spectives of the 'individual' is crucial in the
romantic movement. It provided a variety
of subject matter. Further, romanticism also
viewed the artist or writer as an 'individual'
creator, whose output reflected his or her per-
sonality and mental state.
(vi) The Everyday and the Exotic
John Keats' poem "Ode to a Nightingale"
shares the speaker's experience of listening to
the beautiful song of a nightingale. The com-
mon, everyday incident is transformed into an
exotic one.
This is a case in point of the tendency of the
Romantic writers to intermix happenings
from common life with fantasy and mystery.
This technique allowed them to transform the
subject of their writings, often taken from ev-
eryday life, in a way that enriches their liter-
ary appeal.
(vii) Supernatural Elements
The supernatural and the occult were fre-
quently used in Romantic literature. Many
authors of the period presented elements that
seemed to exist outside the natural. For in-
stance, Lord Byron's poem "Darkness" has
a mysterious setting where "...the bright sun
was extinguished...
Romantic literature often contained stories
taken from supernatural and mythical sourc-
es. The imagery and symbols used in Roman-
tic poetry, too, displayed the same inspiration.
Castles, dark forests, magical beings, mysti-
cal visions and dreams would appear in these
works. These elements often provided a way
of exploring abstract, unexplainable ideas.
2. Explore the role of the lake poets in the history of romantic literature?
Ans.Robert Southey (1774-1843), a close associ-
ate of Wordsworth and Coleridge, composed
poems in the romantic style, such as "Thalaba
the Destroyer", "Madoc", "The Curse of Ke-
hama" and "Roderick the Last of the Goths".
He drew heavily from mythological and su-
pernatural sources for his works. A few of his
best-known short poems include, "The Schol-
ar", "Auld Cloots", "The Well of St. Keyne",
"The Inchcape Rock" and "Lodore". He was
made poet laureate in 1813.
Together with Wordsworth and Coleridge,Southey made up a trio of 'lake poets', so
named for their residence in the Lake District.
It must be noted that, even though all these
poets were initially inspired by the French
revolution, all of them would later condemn
the violence and terror unleashed during its
course. Rather than liberalism, their political
philosophies would shift towards conserva-
tive values.
UNIT-2
THE VICTORIAN PERIOD
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. Who ruled England during the Victorian Age?
Ans. Queen Victoria
2. What is the general time period of the Victorian Age
Ans. 1832 to 1901
3. Which class emerged as powerful during the Victorian Era?
Ans. Middle class
4. Which form of literature was considered important during this period?
Ans. Prose
5. What did Victorian writers consider to be the purpose of literature?
Ans. Both education and entertainment
6. What is the literary attempt to portray reality as it is, called?
Ans. Realism
7. What were women encouraged to be in Victorian society?
Ans. Angels in the home
8. Which poet shows a combination of reason and spirituality?
Ans. Lord Tennyson
9. Whose poems use 'dramatic monologue'?
Ans. Robert browning
10. What ideals did Arnold want to bring back?
Ans. Neoclassical ideals
11. Who are the two significant minor poets of the age?
Ans. Elizabeth barret Browning and arthor hugh clough
12. Why were the Pre-Raphaelite poets called the 'Fleshly school of poetry'?
Ans. There focus on realistic sensual depictions
13. Who wrote the work Nicholas Nickleby?
Ans. Charles Dickens
14. Who were the focus of Thackeray's novels?
Ans. Upper class society
15. What was the real name of George Eliot?
Ans. Mery Anne Evans
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Why was the period known as the age of prose
Ans.(a)Moral Purpose
Victorian literature aimed to provide a moral
education to the readers. This was because of
the social and religious controversies of the
time. Further, the Victorian writers also want-
ed to move away from the romantic way of
'entertaining' with literature.
(b) Focus on Practical Aspects of Life
In Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens,
the nine-year old Oliver is forced into labour at
a workhouse. The residents of the workhouse
are given very little food in return for their
labour. One day, an extremely hungry Oliver
goes up to the master who is serving food, and
says: "Please sir, I want some more." For this
'crime', he is beaten and scolded soundly.
This is an example of the Victorian focus on
the practical problems and interests of life.
The various literary works of the time promi-
nently represented experiences of industriali-
sation, poverty, class division, women's rights
and other social issues. This also represents
a shift away from the philosophical focus of
Romanticism.
(c)Realism
The Victorian novelist George Eliot (Mary
Ann Evans) suggested that truth and beauty t
can be found only through the humble and
truthful observation of the world around. In 1
her works of fiction, she presents the imper- 1
fections and moral failures of her characters.
In doing so, she tries not to exaggerate or ide-
alise reality.
This is a feature of the Victorian era, where
there was an attempt to mirror reality in litera-
ture. They rejected the idealisation or over-dra-
matisation of people, events or philosophies.
Instead, the emphasis was on reflecting the
world as it is.
(d)Crisis of Faith
In the poem "Dover Beach", written by Mat-
thew Amold, "The Sea of Faith" was initially
full and had covered the earth. The poet goes
on to say that now he can only hear "Its mel-
ancholy, long, withdrawing roar..."
This theme of the decreasing influence of
faith and religion is repeated in many signif-
icant Victorian works. It can be viewed as a
reaction to the rising importance of science in
society. There was a sense of doubt and pessi-
mism about the progress of science and tech-
nology which is reflected in several writings
of the period.
(e)Victorian Compromise
The Victorian period was an age of 'com-
promise' between different or conflicting as-
pects. On the one hand, there was a struggle
to maintain religion in the face of scientific
advancements. On the other hand, there was
a tendency to strictly follow social and cul-
tural conventions even as new reforms were
being introduced. Similarly, industrialisation
seemed to be increasing social ills just as
much as it brought prosperity.
2. Write a short essay detailing the literary features of the Victorian era?
Ans.Victorian prose carried the main features of
the age, such as moralism, realism and a shift
towards empiricism. However, the prose-writ-
ers of the age showed great originality in deal-
ing with characteristic themes, such as devel-
opment of science, geographical exploration
and economic change. Their works show a
great variety of styles, displaying seriousness
of tone and particularity. All the great prose
writers of the period appear to have these
qualities in common.
The dominant prose writer of the period was
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881). He has record-
ed his personal struggle between doubt and
belief, a feature of the Victorian age, in the
work Sartor Resartus. His other important
contributions include French Revolution, On
Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in His-
tory, Past and Present, Letters and Speeches
of Oliver Cromwell, Latter-day Pamphlets,
The Life of John Sterling and The History of
Frederick the Great.
To him, the purpose of prose was to root out
moral weakness and social ills. Elements of
modern life, such as materialism, empiricism,
and utilitarianism were rejected by him in fa-
vour of spirituality. His works make use of
certain techniques, such as the dropping of
certain parts of speech, converting nouns to
verbs, use of foreign words and literal En-
glish translation of foreign words. His style is
unique in English literature.
Another important name in prose literature is
John Ruskin (1819-1900). He gained fame as
an art-critic and social thinker during the age.
As a writer, he employed various literary forms
including poetry, treatises, a travelling guide
and letters. But it is the subject of his essaysthat are significant to us. They were diverse
and ranged from literature, education, myth,
architecture and botany to political economy.
One of his chief areas of interest was the con-
nection between art, nature and society.
UNIT-3
MODERN PERIOD
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. What is the chief mood of the modern period?
Ans. Rebellious
2. Why did traditional values start to fail?
Ans. Because of the two world wars
3. Which three modernist works were published in 1922?
Ans. Ulysses, the waste land and jacobs room
4. Which form of literature was considered important during this period?
Ans. Noval
5. Which artistic technique uses perception as the basis for reality?
Ans. Impressionism
6. What is symbolism?
Ans. Yusuf symbols to convey individual perspective or motion
7. Who wrote novels such as The Turn of the Screw and Daisy Miller?
Ans. Henry James
8. What did Conrad establish in the modern novel?
Ans. Psychological realism
9. Why was D.H. Lawrence's novels considered obscene?
Ans. Because of there Frank depiction of relationship and sex
10. Which technique is used by both James Joyce and Virginia Woolf?
Ans. Stream of consciousness
11. Who were the Trench poets?
Ans. French poets were poets who wrote about experience of World War 1
12. Which poet discussed god, nature and humankind?
Ans. Gerard manley Hopkins
13. Who were the two prominent modernist poets?
Ans. W. B. yeats and T. S. Eliot
14. Whose plays use Irish folklore?
Ans. J. M. synge
15. What does the plays of Beckett and Ionesco discuss?
Ans. Absurdity or meaninglessness of human life
QUESTIONS ANSWERS
1.what is the features of modern period?
Ans.(a). Strong and intentional break from
tradition
Modernism highlighted a movement away
from traditional and accepted literary styles
and themes.
(b)A new emphasis on subjectivity
The focus of modern literature was on how we
see things as opposed to what we see. There
was also a concern with the psychological life
of individuals.
(c) Rejection of objectivity
Modern literature moved away from objective
positions or the idea of an absolute truth.
(d) Blurring of boundaries between
genres
Established literary rules and classifications
were broken. For instance, novels may be
written in a lyrical style or poems may take on
a prose-form in modernist writings.
(E)Fragmented Forms
Modern literature used broken or fragmented
styles of writing to convey the disturbing ex-
perience of modern life. Narratives were often
non-linear or discontinuous, with unstable or
untruthful narrators.
(f) Reflexivity
Modern works of literature often commented
on their own nature as a poem, play or fiction.
(G)Experimentation
The literature of the period encouraged exper-
imentation in themes, writing style and form
2.what is symbolism?
ans.Symbolism is a movement that tried to expressindividual emotions using symbols, whetherin art or literature. In literature, this was seen in the works of French poets Baudelaire and Mallarme who inspired modernist writers In English.
3.what imagism
ans.Imagism is a movement that included English
and American poets who believed in using the
'exact word' to describe the subject of their
poetry. They would present the subject direct-
ly and would not use any word that did not
contribute to their description. The poems did
not follow any rhyme or metre.
4. what is stream of consciousness?
Stream of Consciousness' is a narrative tech-
nique in which the individual's point of view
is portrayed. This is usually done either as
an internal monologue or as a description of
the character's internal state. The subject's
thought-processes are revealed as they are
overheard in that person's mind or addressed
to themselves.
UNIT-4
POSTMODERN PERIOD
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
1. What precedes postmodernism?
Ans.modernism
2. What is celebrated in postmodernism?
Ans. Loss of faith and order
3. Which Argentinian writer influenced postmodernism?
Ans. Jorge luis Borges
4. Which sub-genre of fiction gained popularity in the postwar era?
Ans. Science fiction
5. Who wrote the novel The Power and the Glory?
Ans. Graham greene
6. Which postwar British novelist explores the human instinct to destroy that which is good?
Ans. William Golding
7. What has Orwell contributed to the English language?
Ans. Neologisms
8. What is the name of the heroine in The French Lieutenant's Woman?
Ans. Sarah woodruff
9. Who is the narrator of Waterland?
Ans. A history teacher
10. Which historical event is used as a backdrop in Atonement?
Ans.world war 2
11. What elements are intermixed in magic realism?
Ans. Magic /fantasy and realism
12. Who published The Death of a Naturalist?
Ans. Seamus heaney
13. Which British poet uses a wide variety of styles?
Ans .George Macbeth
14. Which movement was A.Mitchell part of?
Ans.'underground poetry '
15. Where did the Liverpool poets present their poetry?
Ans. In clubs and coffee bar
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1.what is the certain common threads in the post modernism
Ans.(a)Liberation
Postmodernism
from authority
celebrates liberation from an
age when faith and authority were intact.
(b)Fragmentation
fragmentation
Postmodernist literature moves towards
in all aspects of literature. To
achieve this effect, it uses collage-style forms,
non-linear use of time, and significant jumps
in character and place.
(c)Embrace of randomness
In the absence of absolute or universal mean-
ing and truth, postmodernist works use ran-
domness and disorder.
(d)Playfulness
Postmodern literary works use techniques,
such as black humour, wordplay, pun and iro--
ny to create layered narratives.
(e) Intertextuality
Postmodernists borrowed from previous literary and cultural texts to present interconnected meanings.
(f) Pastiche
Postmodernist works often put together dif-
ferent types of literature and texts to create a
pastiche or a new style made from the mixing
of different existing types.
(g) Metafiction
Postmodern literature emphasised the literary
nature of the text, bringing in commentary on
the constructedness of the work. This tenden-
cy of a work to refer to its own fictional nature
is known as metafiction.
(h)Open to multiple interpretations
Postmodern works often do not directly con-
vey meanings. Rather, they are ambiguous
and open to several interpretations.
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