PAPER – III – MAEN-CC-103 M. A. (Sem.-I) Examination,
December-2024 ENGLISH LITERATURE
Section A
- Why and where does the battle between insurance and modern take place in Swiss battle of the books ?
- “The Battle of the Books” is a short satire written by Jonathan Swift and published as part of the prolegomena to his A Tale of a Tub in 1704. It depicts a literal battle between books in the King’s Library (housed in St James’s Palace at the time of the writing), as ideas and authors struggle for supremacy. Because of the satire, “The Battle of the Books” has become a term for the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns. It is one of Swift’s earliest well-known works.
- Name the poets who lead the ancient side in the battle of the books?
- Homer and Pindar led the poets on the ancient side in Jonathan Swift’s “The Battle of the Books.
- Name any two important works john dryden?
- Absalom and Achitophel (1681): A celebrated political satire written in heroic couplets that allegorically addresses the Exclusion Crisis. Published in 1668, John Dryden’s An Essay of Dramatic Poesy is a foundational work of English literary criticism that defends modern English drama against classical and French traditions
- What biblical story is cast in the mood of political attire in absalom achitophel?
- The biblical story cast in the mood of political attire in John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel is the rebellion of Absalom against his father, King David. Specifically, the poem draws from the Old Testament in 2 Samuel, chapters 14-18, utilizing the narrative of Absalom—under the wicked instigation of Achitophel—seeking to usurp the throne of his father, King David.
- Define mock epic
- A poem that plays with the conventions of the epic to comment on a topic satirically. Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock” recasts a petty high-society scandal as a mythological battle for the virtue of an innocent.
- Why does baron want a lock of Belinda’s hair?
- In Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, the Baron desires a lock of Belinda’s hair as a romantic token and a trophy of her immense beauty, which he finds irresistible. Driven by infatuation and a desire to conquer, he views the curl as a “snare” or a prize that symbolizes his triumph over her, intending to keep it forever to boost his own reputation as a lover and a “warrior” in their shallow, fashionable society.
- Briefly analyse character of Tony lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer
- Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer is a mischievous, uneducated, and fun-loving country squire who serves as the play’s primary agent of chaos and comedy. As Mrs. Hardcastle’s spoiled son, he despises his arranged marriage to Constance Neville, instead preferring the local alehouse. His trickery drives the plot, notably deceiving Marlow into treating his home as an inn.
- Discuss relationship between Mr Hard Kessel and his daughter Kate
- the relationship between Mr. Hardcastle and his daughter, Kate Hardcastle, is characterized by mutual affection, trust, and a shared, sensible approach to life, contrasted against the chaotic, materialistic, or rebellious nature of other characters in the play.
- Who is being addressed and whom in the following lines?
:thou , who with hermit heart
disdained the wealth of art,- The lines are addressed to the Reverend Mr. Henry Goldsmith (the poet’s brother). The poem is spoken by Oliver Goldsmith, who is dedicating his work to his brother, highlighting his brother’s virtuous, quiet, and “hermit” nature compared to the pursuit of artistic fame.
- Summarize Thomas Gray’s views in Elegy written in country churchyard.
- Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” meditates on the inevitability of death, arguing that it is a universal equalizer that renders both humble lives and grand achievements ultimately equal. Gray honors the lives of common, rural people, suggesting their potential was limited only by poverty, and argues against scorning their unpolished lives.
Section B
2. The poem Absalom and Achitophel consists of a string of satirical portraits, cut and published like jewels and flashing malignant light from all their facers. Elucidate the statement.
Satirical Portraits in Absalom and Achitophel
John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel (1681) is a brilliant political satire written in heroic couplets. It retells the biblical tale of Absalom’s rebellion against King David to mock England’s Exclusion Crisis of 1679-1681. Dryden sides with King Charles II (David) against Whig rebels trying to exclude the Catholic James from the throne. The poem features a series of sharp character sketches of real people disguised as biblical figures. Sir Edmund Gosse praised them as “satirical portraits cut and published like jewels and flashing malignant light from all their facets.” This means each portrait is carefully shaped like a gemstone—polished, sparkling, and cutting—while hurling harsh, evil criticism from every angle.
जॉन ड्राइडन की अब्सलॉम एंड अचिटोफेल (1681) हीरोइक कपलेट्स में लिखी गई एक शानदार राजनीतिक व्यंग्य कविता है। यह बाइबिल की अब्सलॉम की राजा डेविड के खिलाफ विद्रोह की कहानी को दोहराती है ताकि इंग्लैंड के 1679-1681 के एक्सक्लूजन संकट का मजाक उड़ाया जाए। ड्राइडन राजा चार्ल्स द्वितीय (डेविड) का पक्ष लेते हैं विग विद्रोहियों के खिलाफ जो कैथोलिक जेम्स को सिंहासन से बाहर करने की कोशिश कर रहे थे। कविता में वास्तविक लोगों के बाइबिल चरित्रों के वेश में तीखे चित्रण हैं। सर एडमंड गोसे ने इन्हें “व्यंग्यात्मक चित्र जोरों की तरह काटे और प्रकाशित किए गए, सभी पहलुओं से दुर्भावनापूर्ण प्रकाश चमकाते हुए” कहा। इसका मतलब हर चित्र रत्न की तरह सावधानी से तराशा गया है—चमकदार, चमकीला और काटने वाला—जबकि हर कोण से कठोर, दुष्ट आलोचना फेंकता है।
These portraits shine like jewels because Dryden carves them with great skill and economy. No wasted words; every line drips with irony, wit, and vivid imagery. They “flash malignant light” by exposing the subjects’ flaws in a way that wounds deeply yet entertains royal readers. Just as a diamond’s facets catch light from all sides to dazzle, Dryden’s verses reveal hypocrisy, ambition, and folly from multiple views, making the satire both beautiful and brutal.
ये चित्र रत्नों की तरह चमकते हैं क्योंकि ड्राइडन इन्हें महारत और संक्षिप्तता से तराशते हैं। कोई शब्द बर्बाद नहीं; हर पंक्ति में विडंबना, बुद्धि और जीवंत चित्रण टपकता है। वे “दुर्भावनापूर्ण प्रकाश चमकाते” हैं विषयों की कमियों को उजागर करके जो गहराई से चोट पहुंचाते हैं लेकिन राजपरिवार के पाठकों को मनोरंजित करते हैं। जैसे हीरे के पहलू सभी तरफ से प्रकाश पकड़कर चकाचौंध पैदा करते हैं, ड्राइडन की पंक्तियां बहुल दृष्टिकोणों से पाखंड, महत्वाकांक्षा और मूर्खता प्रकट करती हैं, व्यंग्य को सुंदर और क्रूर दोनों बनाती हैं।
The star is Achitophel, standing for Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury—the sly Whig leader. Dryden introduces him grandly yet damningly: “Of these the false Achitophel was first, / A name to all succeeding ages curst.” He likens him to a fallen archangel: tall, ruined, but magnetically brilliant. Achitophel twists his genius into plots against the king, whispering rebellion to handsome Absalom (Monmouth). The portrait mixes grudging admiration for his mind with scorn for his malice—like praising a snake’s elegance before noting its venom. Every facet glints with Dryden’s contempt.
मुख्य आकर्षण अचिटोफेल है, जो एंथनी एश्ले कूपर, अर्ल ऑफ शाफ्ट्सबरी—चालाक विग नेता का प्रतीक है। ड्राइडन उसे भव्य लेकिन निंदात्मक ढंग से पेश करते हैं: “इनमें से झूठा अचिटोफेल पहला था, / आने वाली सभी युगों के लिए शापित नाम।” वे उसे गिरे हुए आर्कएंजेल से तुलना करते हैं: लंबा, बर्बाद लेकिन चुंबकीय रूप से प्रतिभाशाली। अचिटोफेल अपना प्रतिभा राजा के खिलाफ षड्यंत्रों में मोड़ देता है, सुंदर अब्सलॉम (मॉनमाउथ) को विद्रोह की फुसफुसाहट करता है। चित्र उसके मन की अनिच्छुक प्रशंसा को उसके दुर्भावना के लिए तिरस्कार के साथ मिलाता है—जैसे सांप की सुंदरता की प्रशंसा उसके विष को नोटिस करने से पहले। हर पहलू ड्राइडन के तिरस्कार से चमकता है।
Zimri (George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham) bursts with comic energy. Dryden mocks his shapeshifting life: “A man so various that he seemed to be / Not one, but all mankind’s epitome.” Zimri races through roles—brave fighter, lazy poet, rich lord, sudden pauper—never sticking to good or evil. This whirlwind portrait turns Buckingham’s flaws into a laughingstock, its facets flashing ridicule at his inconsistency.
जिमरी (जॉर्ज विलियर्स, ड्यूक ऑफ बकिंघम) हास्यपूर्ण ऊर्जा से फूटता है। ड्राइडन उसके रूप बदलने वाली जिंदगी का मजाक उड़ाते हैं: “एक ऐसा मनुष्य जो इतना विविध था कि लगता था / न एक, बल्कि全 मानवता का सार।” जिमरी भूमिकाओं से दौड़ता है—बहादुर योद्धा, आलसी कवि, अमीर लॉर्ड, अचानक गरीब—न कभी अच्छाई या बुराई पर टिकता। यह भंवर जैसा चित्र बकिंघम की कमियों को हास्य का पात्र बनाता है, उसके पहलू उसकी असंगति पर उपहास चमकाते हैं।
Shimei (Slings by Bethel, a miserly sheriff) and Corah (Titus Oates, the perjurer) suffer too. Shimei is a snarling dog: “Shimei, whose youth did early promise bring / Of zeal to God and hatred to his King.” Corah rants like a false priest. Dryden polishes their greed and lies into gem-like mockery, their vices glaring from all sides.
शिमेई (स्लिंग्सबी बेथेल, कंजूस शरीफ) और कोराह (टाइटस ओट्स, झूठा साक्षी) भी पीड़ित होते हैं। शिमेई गुर्राता कुत्ता है: “शिमेई, जिसकी जवानी ने जल्दी वादा किया / भगवान के प्रति उत्साह और राजा के प्रति घृणा का।” कोराह झूठे पुजारी की तरह चिल्लाता है। ड्राइडन उनकी लालच और झूठ को रत्न जैसी उपहास में पॉलिश करते हैं, उनकी बुराइयां सभी तरफ से चमकती हैं।
Even minor figures like Doeg (Elkanah Settle) and Og (Thomas Shadwell) get jeweled barbs. Doeg barks nonsense; Og bloats with dullness. These sketches string together like a necklace, dominating the poem after the main plot. Dryden defends the monarchy while slashing opponents, publishing amid crisis to rally loyalists. The portraits’ multifaceted brilliance—elegant yet poisonous—makes Absalom and Achitophel a masterpiece of Restoration satire, blending art with political warfare.
यहां तक कि छोटे चरित्र जैसे डोएग (एल्काना सेटल) और ओग (थॉमस शैडवेल) को भी रत्न जैसी चुभनें मिलती हैं। डोएग बकवास भौंकता है; ओग नीरसता से फूला होता है। ये स्केच हार की तरह जुड़ते हैं, मुख्य कथानक के बाद कविता पर हावी। ड्राइडन राजतंत्र की रक्षा करते हुए विरोधियों को काटते हैं, संकट के बीच प्रकाशित होकर वफादारों को एकजुट करते हैं। चित्रों की बहुपक्षीय चमक—शालीन लेकिन विषैली—अब्सलॉम एंड अचिटोफेल को रिस्टोरेशन व्यंग्य का शीर्षक बनाती है, कला को राजनीतिक युद्ध से जोड़ती है।
(Word count: 498)
Or
Explain with reference to the context
“With secret joy, indulgent David view’d
His youthful image in his son renew’d:
To all his wishes nothing he deni’d;
And made the charming Annabel his bride.
What faults he had (for who from faults is free?)
His father could not, or he would not see.
Some warm excesses, which the Law forbore,
Were constru’d youth that purged by boiling o’er:
And Amnon’s murther, by a specious name,
Was call’d a just revenge for injur’d fame.
Thus prais’d, and lov’d, the noble youth remain’d,
While David, undisturb’d, in Sion reign’d.
But life can never be sincerely blest:
Heav’n punishes the bad, and proves the best.
The Jews, a headstrong, moody, murm’ring race,
As ever tri’d th’extent and stretch of grace;
3. The battle of the books is a delightful fantasie, a burlesque, Discuss.
Or
Explain with reference to the context:
“Momus, having thus delivered himself, stayed not for an answer, but left the goddess to her own resentment. Up she rose in a rage, and, as it is the form on such occasions, began a soliloquy: “It is I” (said she) “who give wisdom to infants and idiots; by me children grow wiser than their parents, by me beaux become politicians, and school boys judges of philosophy; by me sophisters debate and conclude upon the depths of knowledge; and coffee-house wits, instinct by me, can correct an author’s style, and display his minutest errors. without understanding a syllable of his matter or his language; by me striplings spend their judgement, as they do their estate, before it comes into their hands. It is I who have deposed wit and knowledge from their empire over poetry, and advanced myself in their stead. And shall a few upstart Ancients dare to oppose me ? But come, my aged parent, and you, my children dear, and thou, my beauteous sister: let us ascend my chariot, and haste to assist our devout Moderns, who are now sacrificing to us a hecatomb, as I perceive by that grateful smell which from thence reaches my nostrils.”
4. The rib of the lock holds a mirror to the social life of 18th century men and women , Justify.
Or
Explain with reference to the context :
Trembling, begins the sacred rites of pride.
Unnumber’d treasures ope at once, and here
The various offerings of the world appear;
From each she nicely culls with curious toil,
And decks the goddess with the glitt’ring spoil.
This casket India’s glowing gems unlocks,
And all Arabia breathes from yonder box.
The tortoise here and elephant unite,
Transform’d to combs, the speckled and the white.
Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.
Now awful beauty puts on all its arms:
The fair each moment rises in her charms,
Repairs her smiles, awakens ev’ry grace,
And calls forth all the wonders of her face:
See by degrees a purer blush arise,
And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes.
The busy Sylphs surround their darling care;
These set the head, and those divide the hair.
Some fold the sleeve, whilst others plait the gown;
And Betty’s prais’d for labours not her own.
5. Discuss “She Stoops to Conquer” as an antisentimental comedy.
or
Explain with reference to the context:
HASTINGS. Thou dear dissembler! You must know, my constance, I have just seized this happy opportunity of my friend’s visit here to get admittance into the family. The horses that carried us down are now fatigued with their journey, but they’ll soon be refreshed; and then, if my dearest girl will trust in her faithful Hastings, we shall soon be landed in France, where even among slaves the laws of marriage are respected
MISS NEVILLE. I have often told you, that though ready to obey you, I yet should leave my little fortune behind with reluctance. The greatest part of it was left me by my uncle the India director, and chiefly consists in jewels. I have been for some time persuading my aunt to let me wear them. I fancy, I’m very near succeeding. The instant they are put into my possession, you shall find me ready to make them and myself yours.
HASTINGS: Perish the baubles! Your person is all I desire. In the mean time, my friend
Marlow must not be let into his mistake. I know the strange reserve of his temper is such, that
if abruptly informed of it, he would instantly quit the house before our plan was ripe for execution.
MISS NEVILLE. But how shall we keep him in the deception? Miss Hardcastle is just returned from walking; what if we still continue to deceive him? – This, this way – [They confer].
6. Collins and Gray form a bridge between the outgoing Neolassical poetry and upcoming Romantic poetry. Discuss. OR
Explain with reference to the context
Where’er we turn music is found,
With all its heaven-born power to charm,
To lull us with its soothing sound,
And shed around a holy balm –
Pure as the thrilling, heanvely strains
From angels’ harps, on Judah’s plains.
Shall man, rescued from death and hell,
Shall he alone refuse to raise
His feeble voice, the song to swell
Unto his great Creator’s praise ?
While seraphs and archangels join
The blissful harmony divine.
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