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English Literature Past Paper MCQs
English Literature 2025 MCQs
1 / 20
Paradox is a literary device in which you make a statement that is:
A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth (e.g., "Less is more"). Irony (C) involves contrast between expectation and reality, but paradox is inherently self-contradictory.
2 / 20
Harold Pinter shows the loss of spiritual life in The Caretaker through the shattering of the statue of:
In Pinter’s The Caretaker, the broken Buddha statue symbolizes the characters’ fractured spirituality and the absence of moral or religious grounding in their lives.
3 / 20
William Congreve was an English poet and politician with a:
Congreve, a Restoration playwright (The Way of the World), aligned with the Whigs, who opposed absolute monarchy and supported constitutionalism.
4 / 20
In Greek mythology, Icarus is often seen as a symbol of:
Icarus embodies hubris (B) for ignoring Daedalus’ warnings and recklessness (C) in flying too close to the sun, leading to his fall.
5 / 20
"Where youth grows pale and spectre-thin and dies" is a line from Keats’ Ode to:
This line from Ode to a Nightingale reflects Keats’ meditation on mortality contrasted with the bird’s immortal song.
6 / 20
William Wordsworth is associated with which literary movement?
Wordsworth, a pioneer of Romanticism, emphasized emotion, nature, and individualism (e.g., Lyrical Ballads). The Renaissance (A) preceded Romanticism; Modernism (C) emerged later.
7 / 20
George Bernard Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in:
George Bernard Shaw received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925 for his work which is marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty. Though he won in 1925, he accepted the award in 1926.
8 / 20
Both Joyce and Murdoch are similar in their use of a literary motif of:
Joyce (Ulysses) and Murdoch (The Unicorn) use the labyrinth to symbolize existential confusion, moral complexity, and the search for meaning.
9 / 20
Which group of intellectuals constitutes a trinity in Postcolonial Theory?
The "Holy Trinity" of postcolonial theory includes Edward Said (Orientalism), Homi Bhabha (hybridity), and Gayatri Spivak ("Can the Subaltern Speak?").
10 / 20
Which character in 1984 works at the Ministry of Truth and is involved in rewriting history?
Winston Smith, the protagonist, alters historical records at the Ministry of Truth to align with the Party’s ever-changing version of reality, embodying Orwell’s theme of totalitarian control.
11 / 20
Philip Larkin was often associated with a post-war literary movement named:
Larkin was a key figure in The Movement, a 1950s group (including Kingsley Amis) that rejected modernism in favor of clarity and traditional forms.
12 / 20
In his essay Self-Reliance, Emerson stresses the importance of:
Emerson’s Self-Reliance champions individualism and intuition, urging readers to reject conformity ("Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist") and trust their inner voice.
13 / 20
Keats sees an intricate link between melancholy and:
In Ode on Melancholy, Keats writes, "Beauty that must die," linking melancholy to transient beauty. Joy and pain are intertwined in his aesthetic philosophy.
14 / 20
Tennyson’s poetry is characterized by his belief in:
Tennyson (e.g., Ulysses) celebrates the unflinching human spirit (A) and nobility of the soul (C), even amid doubt or suffering.
15 / 20
Which play is considered Shakespeare’s longest play?
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play at 4,042 lines. Macbeth (B) is one of his shortest (~2,500 lines).
16 / 20
What does the speaker learn from the leech-gatherer in Wordsworth’s poem?
In Wordsworth’s Resolution and Independence, the leech-gatherer symbolizes endurance and quiet resilience. The speaker, initially despairing, learns patience and perseverance from the old man’s dignified struggle against hardship.
17 / 20
"The Lotus Eater" by Maugham shares a similar theme of indulgence and pleasure with The Picture of Dorian Gray by:
Both stories explore hedonism and moral decay. Maugham’s protagonist abandons responsibility for pleasure, mirroring Dorian Gray’s pursuit of eternal youth and sensory gratification.
18 / 20
What does Gabriel Oak do to save Bathsheba’s farm during a violent storm?
In Far from the Madding Crowd, Gabriel Oak heroically covers the ricks (haystacks) with tarpaulins to protect Bathsheba’s harvest from the storm, proving his loyalty and practicality.
19 / 20
In Long Day’s Journey Into Night, the senior Tyrone has an obsession with:
James Tyrone’s frugality and obsession with real estate (buying cheap, worthless property) symbolize his misplaced priorities and familial neglect.
20 / 20
In The Waste Land, Eliot entreats his readers to come under the shadow of:
The "shadow of this red rock" (in The Waste Land) symbolizes spiritual refuge in a barren, post-war landscape.
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