Literary Criticism Solved Questions

Section Overview: This section focuses on the history of criticism from the Classical period (Plato, Aristotle) to the 20th Century (T.S. Eliot, I.A. Richards).

Q38. Which of the following titles/chapters appear in I. A. Richards’ Principles of Literary Criticism?
A. Poetry for Poetry's Sake
B. Critical principles: The indemonstrability of values
C. On Looking at a Picture
D. The Theory of Interpretation
E. The Analysis of a Poem
  • 1. A, C and E Only
  • 2. A, B and C Only
  • 3. C, D and E Only
  • 4. B, C and D Only
Correct Answer: 3. C, D and E Only

Detailed Explanation & Research:

Published in 1924, Principles of Literary Criticism is a foundational text for New Criticism. It attempts to establish a scientific basis for literary study.

  • C (Correct): "On Looking at a Picture" is Chapter 18, where Richards applies psychological theories to visual arts to illustrate aesthetic experiences.
  • D (Correct): "The Theory of Interpretation" relates to his core framework regarding "referential" vs. "emotive" language.
  • E (Correct): "The Analysis of a Poem" is Chapter 16, where he breaks down the "four kinds of meaning" (Sense, Feeling, Tone, Intention).

Why other options are incorrect:

  • A (Incorrect): "Poetry for Poetry's Sake" is a famous lecture by A.C. Bradley (1901), arguing for art's autonomy.
  • B (Incorrect): While Richards discusses values, this is not a specific chapter title in this volume.
Q39. Which of the following statements are correctly matched with the texts:
A. “(T)he poet is the food for the tenderest stomachs; the poet is indeed the right popular philosopher” – An Apology for Poetry
B. “This essay proposes to halt at the frontier of metaphysics or mysticism...” – The Metaphysical Poets
C. “The invaluable works of our elder writers... are driven into neglect by frantic novels, sickly and stupid German Tragedies...” – Preface to Lyrical Ballads
D. For “poetry the idea is everything; the rest is a world of illusion... Poetry attaches its emotion to the idea; the idea is the fact. - The Study of Poetry
E. “A fool might once himself alone expose/Now one in verse makes many more in prose.” – Essay on Man
  • 1. A, C and D Only
  • 2. A, B and D Only
  • 3. B, C and E Only
  • 4. C, D and E Only
Correct Answer: 1. A, C and D Only

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • A (Correct): Philip Sidney’s An Apology for Poetry (c. 1580s). He argues the poet is the best teacher because he provides moral examples digestible for the common man.
  • C (Correct): Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical Ballads (1800). A critique of the "degraded thirst" for Gothic novels and "sickly" tragedies of his time.
  • D (Correct): Matthew Arnold’s The Study of Poetry (1880). He argues that as religion fails, humanity will turn to poetry for "consolation and stay".

Why other options are incorrect:

  • B (Incorrect): This line is the opening of T.S. Eliot’s essay "The Function of Criticism" (1923), not The Metaphysical Poets.
  • E (Incorrect): This couplet is from Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism (1711), not Essay on Man.
Q40. Match the LIST-I (Concept) with LIST-II (Meaning)

LIST-I (Concept)
A. Aprastuta-Prasamsa
B. Vyajastuti
C. Nidarsanam
D. Sahokti

LIST-II (Meaning)
I. A statement conjunctively of the qualities and actions of things
II. Where a similar good or bad consequence is exhibited by connecting a thing with another object
III. Where the praise of an object with which one is not concerned is made
IV. Praise in the form of despair
  • 1. A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV
  • 2. A-I, B-III, C-IV, D-II
  • 3. A-IV, B-III, C-I, D-II
  • 4. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I
Correct Answer: 4. A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I

Detailed Explanation & Research:

This question focuses on Sanskrit Poetics (Alankara Shastra).

  • A-III: Aprastuta-Prasamsa (Praise of the Non-Contextual): A figure of speech where a description of an object not currently under discussion is used to imply something about the actual subject.
  • B-IV: Vyajastuti (Artful Praise): Ironical praise. A statement that seems to disparage/express despair but actually intends to praise (or vice versa).
  • C-II: Nidarsanam (Illustration): Establishing a relationship between two things to show a similar good or bad consequence, acting as a moral mirror.
  • D-I: Sahokti (Connected Description): When the qualities or actions of two different things are described in a single conjunctive statement (often using "with").

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Indian Aesthetics: The syllabus now includes Indian Poetics. You must be able to compare indigenous concepts (Alankara, Rasa) with Western rhetoric.
Q41. Assertion A: Sidney’s Apologie for Poetrie is in many ways a seminal text of literary criticism.
Reason R: It represents the first synthesis in the English language of the various strands and concerns of Renaissance literary criticism, drawing on Aristotle, Horace, and more recent writers such as Boccaccio and Julius Caesar Scaliger.
  • 1. Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A
  • 2. Both A and R are correct but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
  • 3. A is correct but R is not correct
  • 4. A is not correct but R is correct
Correct Answer: 1. Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • Assertion A (True): Sir Philip Sidney’s An Apology for Poetry (c. 1580) is the first major piece of English literary criticism, written as a response to Stephen Gosson's attack on poets.
  • Reason R (True & Explains A): The text is "seminal" because it synthesizes diverse traditions:
    • Aristotle: The concept of Mimesis (imitation).
    • Horace: The goal to "teach and delight" (docere et delectare).
    • Scaliger/Boccaccio: The idea of the poet as a "creator" (Vates) who improves upon nature.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Gateway Figure: Sidney is the bridge between Classical thought and English literature. This tests your grasp of Renaissance Humanism.
Q42. Which of the following critical works of Matthew Arnold does preach that “The Kingdom of God is within you”?
  • 1. Essays in Criticism
  • 2. Culture and Anarchy
  • 3. “The Study of Poetry”
  • 4. Literature and Dogma
Correct Answer: 4. Literature and Dogma

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • The Text: Literature and Dogma (1873) is Arnold's major work of religious criticism.
  • The Argument: He argues that the Bible should be read as poetry ("thrown out" at a vast object of consciousness) rather than scientific dogma.
  • The Phrase: By preaching "The Kingdom of God is within you," Arnold emphasizes that true religion is not found in external miracles but in an internalized sense of morality ("conduct" is three-fourths of life).

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Victorian Crisis of Faith: It tests if you understand Arnold's broader project: the belief that Poetry/Culture would replace Religion as the source of human values.
Q43. Which of the following issues is not focussed by Horace in his Ars Poetica?
  • 1. The detachment of a writer to his work, tradition, and custom
  • 2. The moral and social functions of poetry
  • 3. The contribution of an audience to the composition of poetry
  • 4. An awareness of literary history and historical change in language and genre
Correct Answer: 1. The detachment of a writer to his work, tradition, and custom

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • Why Option 1 is the Answer: Horace advises writers to be deeply rooted in tradition (Greek models) and connected to their emotions. He famously wrote: "Si vis me flere, dolendum est primum ipsi tibi" (If you want me to weep, you must first feel grief yourself). This contradicts the idea of "detachment."
  • Horace's Actual Focus:
    • Social Function: Docere et delectare (To teach and to delight).
    • Decorum: Appropriateness of style and genre.
    • Labor: The need for endless revision (the "limae labor").

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Classical vs. Modern: "Detachment" (Impersonality) is a modern concept (e.g., T.S. Eliot). The exam tests if you can distinguish this from the prescriptive and emotional nature of Classical criticism.
Q44. Which of the following seasons does Northrop Frye, in his Anatomy of Criticism, not indicate the correspondent genres?
  • 1. The mythos of spring: comedy
  • 2. The mythos of summer: romance
  • 3. The mythos of fall: tragedy
  • 4. The mythos of winter: satire
Correct Answer: [Analysis] All options listed are technically correct pairs.

Detailed Explanation & Research:

In Anatomy of Criticism (1957), Frye's "Theory of Myths" maps four narrative categories (mythoi) to the four seasons:

  • Spring (Comedy): Birth, revival, defeat of the old order.
  • Summer (Romance): The zenith of life, the quest, and the triumph of the hero.
  • Fall (Tragedy): The fall of the hero, death, and sacrifice.
  • Winter (Irony/Satire): Dissolution, chaos, and the absence of heroism.
Note: In a typical exam question, one of these would be mismatched (e.g., "Summer: Tragedy") to be the "not indicated" answer. As written, the question lists the four correct correspondences.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Archetypal Criticism: Frye is the central figure. This tests your knowledge of his systematic mapping of literature onto universal natural cycles.
Q45. Arrange the following works of criticism in chronological order:
A. T. S. Eliot, The Use of Poetry and the Use of Criticism
B. J.C. Smith, A Study of Wordsworth
C. D. G. James, Scepticism and Poetry
D. Marjorie L. Barstow, Wordsworth's Theory of Poetic Diction
E. Josephine Miles, Pathetic Fallacy in the Nineteenth Century
  • 1. D, A, C, E, B
  • 2. A, B, D, C, E
  • 3. C, A, E, B, D
  • 4. A, C, D, E, B
Correct Answer: 1. D, A, C, E, B

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  1. D. Marjorie L. Barstow (1917): Wordsworth's Theory of Poetic Diction. Early historical study of Wordsworth's linguistics.
  2. A. T. S. Eliot (1933): The Use of Poetry and the Use of Criticism. Lectures delivered at Harvard on the history of criticism.
  3. C. D. G. James (1937): Scepticism and Poetry. A philosophical essay on poetic imagination.
  4. E. Josephine Miles (1942): Pathetic Fallacy in the Nineteenth Century. A pioneer in quantitative stylistic analysis.
  5. B. J.C. Smith (1944): A Study of Wordsworth. A mid-century critical biography.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • History of Scholarship: It tests if you understand the succession of critical schools—from early 20th-century historical studies (Barstow) to Modernism (Eliot) to specialized thematic analysis (Miles).
Q46. Arrange the following levels of obliquity (Vakrokti) as conceived by Kuntaka in his treatise Vakrokti Jivitam:
A. Episodic
B. Compositional
C. Phonetic
D. Lexical
E. Grammatical
  • 1. A, B, C, D, E
  • 2. B, C, D, E, A
  • 3. C, D, E, A, B
  • 4. E, A, B, C, D
Correct Answer: 3. C, D, E, A, B

Detailed Explanation & Research:

Kuntaka (10th-century) proposed the theory of Vakrokti (oblique utterance) as the soul of poetry. He identified levels ranging from the smallest unit (sound) to the largest (entire text):

  1. C. Phonetic (Varna-vinyasa-vakrata): Arrangement of syllables/sounds (e.g., alliteration).
  2. D. Lexical (Pada-purvardha-vakrata): Obliquity in the base form of a word.
  3. E. Grammatical (Pada-parardha-vakrata): Obliquity in suffixes and grammatical markers.
  4. A. Episodic (Prakarana-vakrata): Obliquity in a specific incident or episode.
  5. B. Compositional (Prabandha-vakrata): Obliquity in the work as a whole (novel/play).

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Indian Poetics: This tests the structuralist hierarchy of the Vakrokti School. You must know the progression from Varna (Sound) to Prabandha (Composition).
Q47. Match the LIST-I (Archetype symbols) with LIST-II (Symbolic Meanings)

LIST-I (Archetype symbols)
A. The sea
B. Rivers
C. Sun
D. Serpent

LIST-II (Symbolic Meanings)
I. Creative Energy
II. Wisdom
III. The mother of all life
IV. Death and rebirth
  • 1. A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
  • 2. A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II
  • 3. A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV
  • 4. A-II, B-IV, C-III, D-I
Correct Answer: 2. A-III, B-IV, C-I, D-II

Detailed Explanation & Research:

Archetypal criticism (Jung/Frye) identifies universal symbols:

  • A-III: The Sea — The Mother of All Life: Represents the womb, origin, and the vast unconscious.
  • B-IV: Rivers — Death and Rebirth: The passage of time and the "circular" nature of existence.
  • C-I: Sun — Creative Energy: Source of light, consciousness, and paternal power.
  • D-II: Serpent — Wisdom: Represents secret knowledge and healing (e.g., the caduceus), unlike the Western association with evil.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Literary Theory: It tests knowledge of "primordial images" defined by critics like Maud Bodkin and Northrop Frye.
Q48. Match the LIST-I (Critical Essay) with LIST-II (Writer)

LIST-I (Critical Essay)
A. "Keats' Sylvan Historian: History without the Footnotes"
B. "Tools for Reading Poetry"
C. "Three Women's Texts and a Critique of Imperialism"
D. "The Linguistic Foundation"

LIST-II (Writer)
I. Gayatri C. Spivak
II. Cleanth Brooks
III. Herman Rapaport
IV. Jonathan Culler
  • 1. A-II, B-II, C-IV, D-I
  • 2. A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV
  • 3. A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
  • 4. A-IV, B-I, C-II, D-I
Correct Answer: 2. A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV

Detailed Explanation & Research:

  • A-II: Cleanth Brooks: "Keats' Sylvan Historian" is a famous chapter from The Well Wrought Urn (New Criticism), analyzing the "Ode on a Grecian Urn."
  • C-I: Gayatri C. Spivak: "Three Women's Texts..." (1985) is a foundational Postcolonial Feminist essay critiquing Jane Eyre.
  • D-IV: Jonathan Culler: "The Linguistic Foundation" explores Saussure's influence on Structuralism.
  • B-III: Herman Rapaport: A contemporary critic known for bridging traditional reading with complex theory.

Why this question is asked in UGC NET English:

  • Evolution of Theory: It pairs New Criticism (Brooks) with Postcolonialism (Spivak) and Structuralism (Culler), assessing your ability to distinguish between major movements.
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