English Literature

  Q01. Discuss Sophocles as a playwright. Q02. Write the major theme of Oedipus Rex. Q03. Give a character sketch of Oedipus Rex. Q04. Discuss Kalidas as a playwright. Q05. Discuss the plot construction of Abhigyan Shakuntalam. Q06. Discuss the role of Nature in Abhigyan Shakuntalam. Q07. Give a character sketch of Shakuntala. Q08. Give a character sketch of Dushyanta. Q09. Discuss Shakespeare as a great tragedian. Q10. Discuss Shakespeare as a great playwright of comedies. Q11. Discuss Hamlet as a tragedy. Q12. Discuss Hamlet's madness. Q13. Discuss the importance of soliloquies in Hamlet. Q14. Discuss Hamlet's problem. Q15. Discuss Hamlet's delay. Q16. Give a character sketch of Hamlet. Q17. Write a note on the significance of the Ghost in Hamlet. Q18. Give a character sketch of Ophelia. Q19. Give a character sketch of Claudius. Q20. Discuss King Lear as a tragedy. Q21. Give a character sketch of King Lear. Q22. Give a character sketch of Cordelia. Q23. Write a n...

Kavi Kulguru Kalidasa is the greatest playwright and poet of Ancient India. He is the archetype for Sanskrit literary world. His Abhigyan Shakuntalam, a play, is appreciated in the entire world. This play is a play about a beautiful damsel named Shakuntala. She is at the centre of the play. The entire play revolves round this character. Shakuntala is a unique creation of Kalidasa. She is the daughter of sage Vishwamitra and Menaka. She lives in the hermitage of the sage Kanva. Kalidasa presents her as an embodiment of innate chastity, beauty, grace, Indian womanhood, patience and sacrifice. She is simple and innocent. She is an ideal woman like Sita and Savitri. In this play Shakuntala is so beautiful that Dushyanta at first sight is attracted to her. He hides himself behind trees to enjoy the sweetness of her voice. He is so impressed by her beauty that he exclaimes: ‘A flower no one has smelled, a bud no fingers have plucked, an uncut jewel, honey untested, unbroken fruits of ...

Abhigyan shakuntalam is one of the best plays in the entire world. It is a well-known Sanskrit Play by Kavi Kalidasa. Here Kalidasa has dramatised the story of Shakuntala told in the epic Mahabharata. It is considered the best play by Kalidasa. His works include Ritusamharam, Meghdootam, Kumarsambhavam, Malvikagnimitram, Vikramorvashiam and Abhigyan Shakuntalam. It is the last play by Kalidasa. It is divided into seven acts. The title means recognition of Shakuntala. This fantastic play is a beautiful tale of love and romance. Shakuntala was the daughter of Rishi Vishwamitra and Menaka. After her birth she is left alone in the dense forest. The birds protect and take care of the new born baby. By chance sage Kanva gets her and names her Shakuntala. Shakuntala grows up. She is as beautiful as nature. One day, King Dushyant arrives in the forest on hunt. To seek the blessings of Sage Kanva, he stops at his cottage. There he finds Shakuntala. He is mesmerized by her beauty. But h...

Kalidasa is a Classical Sanskrit author of the 5th century CE. He is considered the greatest playwright and poet of Ancient India. He is the archetype for Sanskrit literary world. He is acknowledged as the Kavi Kulguru in Indian Literature. Little is known about Kalidasa as a person. The meaning of his name is the devotee of Kali, the goddess. Kalidasa is known as one of the nine gems at the court of the fabulous and legendary king Vikramaditya of Ujjain. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas . His notable works are Abhijnanashakuntala (The Recognition of Shakuntala), Kumarasambhava (Birth of the War God), Malavikagnimitra  (Malavika and Agnimitra), Meghaduta (Cloud Messenger), Raghuvamsha (Dynasty of Raghu), Ritusamhara (The Garland of the Seasons) and Vikramorvashi (Urvashi Won by Valour). Abhijnanashakuntala is a beautiful play in seven acts by Kalidasa. Here the story of Shakuntala of the Mahabharata ...

Olivia is the second best character of Twelfth Night, a romantic comedy by Shakespeare. Her character is more complex than that of Viola. She is very sentimental. She is self-willed in her conduct, and conventional in her character. She is the paragon of beauty. She is an august lady of free and serious mind. She is like a princess of romance. Olivia is woman of unusual beauty. It is that beauty which makes the Duke crazy and love-sick. Viola too is deeply impressed by her physical appearance. When she walks heaven walks on earth. Malvolio and Sebastian are also impressed by her physical beauty. When Viola meets her for the first time she bursts out spontaneously: ‘Tis Beauty truly blent, whose red and white Nature’s own sweet and cunning hand laid on. Olivia is a dignified lady and commands respect from one and all. She lives a life of virtue and self-restraint. She does not surrender before Duke. She loves Cesario (Viola) deeply but to maintain her dignity she does not express...

Viola is the most vital character of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a romantic comedy. She is the heroine of this play. In the play she appears late but the entire play revolves round her. She is Shakespeare’s idol of perfect love. In sweet feminine attributes, Viola is most charming character in the world of Shakespeare. Viola’s appearance is charming. Her beauty makes her wildly sweet. People are amazed and stunned to see her. Wherever she goes she wins the heart with her ravishing and enchanting beauty. She is beautiful physically as well as mentally. That’s why almost all the characters admire her personal charms and dashing beauty. When Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, sees her for the first time in disguise, he exclaims: Diana’s lip Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe Is as the maiden’s organ, shrill and sound, And all is semblative a woman’s part. Viola wins Olivia’s heart by her beauty. Olivia is intoxicated by amorous feelings for her. She admires: Thy tongue, thy f...

William Shakespeare has composed several fantastic comedies. Twelfth Night is one of them. It is a beautiful romantic comedy of five acts. Its story is very interesting. The Scene I of Act 1 opens in the Duke’s palace in Illyria. The name of the Duke is Orsino. He has deep love for a countess named Lady Olivia. That’s why he sends proposal of marriage to her. But Olivia rejects his offer of marriage because she is sorry and she is in mourning for her dead brother. The Scene II of this Act takes the readers to sea-coast of Illyria. It has been shown that on the sea-coast a captain and some sailors are landing. With them there is a beautiful unmarried young lady named Viola who plays the pivotal role in this play. All these persons are the victims of a shipwreck. Viola’s twin brother Sebastian was also voyaging by that ill fated ship. Sebastian was seen by the captain struggling against the strong waves after the shipwreck. But no one knows whether he is alive or dead. The captain t...

Introduction: Abhigyan Shakuntalam is an excellent drama by Mahakavi Kalidas. It has acclaimed international acclaim. It consists of seven acts that deal with well known love story of King Dushyant and the maiden Shakuntala.This love story has been presented artistically. It is the pictorial presentation of human feelings. Its every word is the music as created by the Veena. Title: This marvelous play has been named after its heroine. Here Shakuntala has played a significant role. Her lover King Dushyant is the hero of this play. If Shakuntala is a beautiful picture of womanhood, Dushyant is the sublime hero. The heroine of the play is a youthful maiden between fifteen and eighteen. The hero of the play appears to be young between thirty and thirty five. Shakuntala had heavenly beauty. It was inherited from her mother, Menaka. Dushyant was also youthful, handsome, and majestic and of sweet address. Being a paragon of beauty, Shakuntala fascinated the heart of king Dushyant. Shaku...

Introduction : William Shakespeare is a great playwright. Twelfth Night is one of the best romantic comedies by him. It can be compared with The Merchant of Venice , Much Ado about Nothing and As you Like It . It deals with the light and trivial incidents of life. It combines romantic elements with comic elements. It has a happy ending. Happiness through Marriages : Twelfth Night possesses certain features which are common to all romantic comedies of Shakespeare. It is based on love leading to marriage. Almost all the characters are the patients of the same disease - love. The fifth act brings them all happiness through marriage. The Duke gets Viola, Olivia gets Sebastian and Sir Toby feels content with Maria. The entire fifth act echoes with the wedding bells and offers a happy ending. Female Dominance : In Shakespearean romantic comedies female characters play important role. This predominance gives the play an air of romance. In this play the entire story revolves round the...

Introduction : The Renaissance gave birth a new age in England. It cleared off the cobwebs of ignorance and superstition. It made the way clear for the diffusion of new thoughts and new ideals. It developed the passion for knowledge infinite and love for more and more power. Deep learning began to find flavour. People of this age began to take interest in the exploration of new world and in the adventure. Literature, music, dance and mirth played a significant role in the general life of the people of this age. Interest in science, nature and geography stirred the people of the age. Dr. Faustus : The Renaissance inspired the writers of the age to give expressions to the values that the Renaissance had brought in its wake. Marlowe also showed his love for the Renaissance spirit. His Dr. Faustus reflects all the important features of the Renaissance. The hero of the play is a great Renaissance figure. His career may be described as the 'Microcosm of Renaissance humanism'. In ...

Marlowe is a great dramatist. He is called the man of Renaissance. He holds a unique place in the realm of English literature. He is a great innovator of techniques. He has put a new life in the blank verse. His mighty lines are as famous as the pyramids of Egypt are. Dr. Faustus is Marlowe's masterpiece. It has been composed in blank verse. It deals with the dramatization of the medieval legend of Dr. Faustus . He was a necromancer of the 16th century. Marlowe has taken this legendary character as the principal character of this play. He has added to it the note of hunger for infinite power. This is the major theme of this drama. Its plot or structure is loose and weak. But the interest and appeal of the play depends upon its unity of the character. Dr. Faustus himself is a living play with living acts, scenes, incidents and episodes. In the play Dr. Faustus is fond of study. He wavers among many subjects. But at last he decides to study magic and necromancy to gain power, we...

The drama before Shakespeare found its full flowering with the dramatists called the University Wits . These dramatists were well-educated scholars. They wrote in the closing years of the 16th century. This name was given to them because they were nearly all educated at Oxford or Cambridge University. Wit was the synonym for scholar. All the contributors of University Wits have several features in common. They had stormy careers. All of them were actively associated with the theatre. They were usually actors as well as dramatists. They understood the requirements of the stage and felt the pulse of the audience. They often worked in collaboration with each other. Their stored material was also common. With these dramatists English drama acquired the highest point of glory. In many ways they developed English drama. Christopher Marlowe was most shining star among the University Wits. Others were Lyly, Peele, Greene, Lodge, Nashe and Kyd. John Lyly: As a dramatist Lyly occupies a p...

Marlowe is a great dramatist. He is called the man of Renaissance. He holds a unique place in the realm of English literature. He is a great innovator of techniques. He has put a new life in the blank verse. His mighty lines are as famous as the pyramids of Egypt are. Dr. Faustus is Marlowe's masterpiece. It has been composed in blank verse. It deals with the dramatization of the medieval legend of Dr. Faustus . He was a necromancer of the 16th century. Marlowe has taken this legendary character as the principal character of this play. He has added to it the note of hunger for infinite power. This is the major theme of this drama. Its plot or structure is loose and weak. But the interest and appeal of the play depends upon its unity of the character. Dr. Faustus himself is a living play with living acts, scenes, incidents and episodes. In the play Dr. Faustus is fond of study. He wavers among many subjects. But at last he decides to study magic and necromancy to gain powe...