Introduction to Literary Studies — DU B. A. (Hons) English Previous Year Question Papers

3. Candidates have to answer ALL the questions in Part A and ANY THREE questions in Part B. 4. Questions in Part A carry 10 marks each and questions in Part B carry 20 marks each. 1. (a) Examine the importance of the opening line of Pride and Prejudice in setting the tone and themes of the novel. (b) How, according to A.N. Kaul, did Henry Fielding attempt to define the form of the novel in his prefatory writing? 2. (a) ...silent, bare, Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie Open unto the fields, and to the sky; All bright and glittering in the smokeless air, (i) Identify the poem and the poet. (i) What do "Ships, towers, domes. theatres, and temnles" renresents (iii) Is the poet's admiration for the city in the poem unconditional, or does it come with certain qualifications? Explain. (b) Briefly describe the introduction and the evolution of the sonnet form in English poetry. (a) What role does Bharati, the mother of the twins, play in shaping Tara's life? (b) Write a short note on Tanvir's understanding of language and movement and its effect on theatre. 4. (a) Analyze the role of women and marriage in Pride and Prejudice. How does Austen both conform to and challenge the gender expectations of her time? (b) Elaborate upon the role of the narrator with reference to Gerald. J. Prince. 5. (a) Discuss how the use of imagery, diction, and poetic form can convey the transformation of human emotion. Elaborate with examples from your paper. (b) In "On His Blindness," Milton reflects on his personal loss of sight and his relationship with God's will. Discuss. 6. (a) Mahesh Dattani's Tara is as much about family and identity as it is about societal conditioning. Discuss this statement with close reference to the text. (b) Comment on the use of the physical nature of the stage with reference to 7. (a) How does the choice of form in literature shape the way meaning is created, communicated, and experienced by readers? Illustrate your answer with suitable examples from the texts you have studied. (b) How do literary works reflect, respond to, or resist the social, political, and cultural conditions of their time through their artistic form and style? Discuss with reference to any iwo writers or texts you have studied, illustrating how historical circumstances shape literary expression.