Prepare MEG 05 Literary Criticism and Theory

Syllabus, Analysis, Strategy, Notes, Lectures, Previous year questions and everything you need to pass or ace the MEG-5 Literary Criticism and Theory.

A subject with combination of all that you have learned in your first year course and compulsory subject of IGNOU MA English course and most important for UGC NET aspirants as well.

Design with Ease

Its a tough subject and I am trying to provide every thing at one place, Now it's on your how much time you are investing on reading this post and learning this course.

We have divided the strategy in two styles

1. To pass(40-50 score) and finish the Masters course at the earliest. (PASS)

2. To ace a career in the field of literature and need (70+ score ). (MERIT)

(Pass only 80:20 rule)

Just cover these units, you are done with 80% of syllabus in 20% of time.

Block 1:unit5

Block2: unit2,3,4

Block3:unit2,3,4

Block4:unit1,2,4

Block5:unit2,3,6

Block6:unit2,3,4,5

Block7:unit1,2,4,5

Block8:unit2,3,4

Question Paper Pattern

Q1. SHORT NOTES (to be done for PASS & MERIT )

( -5 Short-notes will be given, you have to attempt any 2 ,

- Maximum from BLOCK 1 & Sometimes from OTHER BLOCKS)

Q2. BLOCK 2 - " CLASSICAL CRUTICISM" PASS & MERIT

Q3. BLOCK 3 - "ROMANTIC CRITISIM" PASS & MERIT

Q4. BLOCK 4 - "NEW CRITICISM" only for MERIT

Q5. BLOCK 5 - "MARXIST VIEW OF LITERATURE"

Q6. BLOCK 6 - "FEMINIST THEORIES" PASSMERIT

Q7. BLOCK 7 - "DECONSTRUCTION"

Or sometimes from

BLOCK 8 - "CONTEMPORARY LITERARY THEORY" Only for MERIT

Q8.BLOCK 8 - "CONTEMPORARY LITERARY THEORY"

Important topics or questions in every block

• SHORT NOTES. 30min / 1hr for each

1. Rasa

2. Dhvani

3. Alamkara

4. Ethos (Character)

5. Hamartia

6. Signifier and Signified

7. Myth (Plot)

8. Poetic Diction

9. Gyno text (Gyno Critisim)

10. Sphota Theory

11. Superstructure and Base

12. Ideology

13. The intentinal fallacy

14. Irony

15. Auchitya

16. Objective

17. Correlative

18. Orientalism

19. Sphota theory BLOCK 1 - " AN INTRODUCTION " Sphota Theory, by Sanskrit theoretician Acc.

20. To Mathew Arnold is the function of criticism Structuralism -meaning -functions 4. Literary Criticism -meaning -theories -uses -functions 5. Rasa 6. Dhavni 7. Alamkara 8. Ideology 9. Achutiya 10. Linguistic sign BLOCK 2 - “CLASSICAL CRUTICISM" 1. Aristotle and Plato. 4 hrs. - Compare and contrast in your words Plato and Aristotle As Literary theorists - Mimesis in Light of Plato and Aristotle's Postulation - Theory of Imitation - Theory of Mimesis - Diff. B/w Plato and Aristotle Approach to Imitation - for Plato the term Imitation (Mimesis) arrives a negative connotation: to produce a copy a version that is less than the original. Comment 2. Six Elements of tragedy according to Aristotle (with examples) 2 hr + 30-45 min =3 hrs 3. Ethos and Mythos. 30min for each - Aristotle views on mythos (plot) and ethos - Acc. To Aristotle is Plots more important than Characters in Tragedy 4. Catharsis in Tragedy 30min 5. Hamartia. 30 min 6. Reason for Plato's Hostility towards Art. Explain. 1hr 7. Salient features of Plato's attack on poetry. 1hr 8. Why he was hostile towards the poet's (diff. In narrative views) 45min - 1hr 9. Tragic falling and Explain how it leads to Tragedy 45min- 1hr BLOCK 3 - "ROMANTIC CRITISIM" 1. William Wordsworth. 2hrs - Wordsworth's 'Preface to the Lyrical Ballads' , (1800) as an attack on the "inane phraseology" of many 18th century with examples - Outline Wordsworth Theory of Poetic Diction with special reference to 'Lyrical Ballad' - Role of spontaneity, emotion and personality have in Wordsworth's theory of poetry? Elucidate - Poetic Diction 2. Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 1hr 30min-2hrs - Diff. b/w fancy and imagination by Coleridge in Biographia literaria - Coleridge theory of Imagination - power of poetic imagination 3. Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) 1hr 30 min - 2 hr - P.B Shelley's "Defense of Poetry" - Shelley assign to poets in the 19th century - Romantic Theory of Art 4. Present in your words the Romantic theory of knowledge 1hr BLOCK 4 - "NEW CRITICISM" 1. Features of New Criticism. 1hr +30min 2. T. S. Eliot mean by "The dissociation of sensibility” 1hr 30min 3. I. A. Richard. 2 hrs. - 3 hrs. - 4 Obstacles to proper response that I. A. Richards Catalogues in Practical Criticism - Richard's Contribution to Literary Criticism

4. Wimsatt. 1 hr - Wimsatt's notion of 'Intentional Fallacy' - 'intentional Fallacy, respond to the concept of New critic of Wimsatt

5. T. S. Eliot. 2 hr 30min - Eliot means by the 'Dissociation of sensibility ' with respect to 17th century Ethos : Elaborate. - Two Seminal Critical concepts formulated by Eliot - Eliot relate tradition to Impersonality. Explain in lightvof his idea of 'historical sense'

6. Ideas expressed by Cleanthes Brooks in his essay 'Irony as a Principle of structure' 1hr 7. John Crowe Ransom. 1hr 30 min - Role of literary Critic in the Modern World acc. to John Crowe Ransom - 'Duties' of a critic acc. to John Crowe Ransom - Ransom mean who he advocates Criticism Inc. : !? 8. Objective Correlative 9. Irony BLOCK 5 - "MARXIST VIEW OF LITERATURE" 1. Relation b/w Literature and Ideology 2. Role of Ideology in literary production following the Marxist critical theory 3. Marx's view of the Base - superstructure relationship. Hw does an artist become conscious of it in his/her creations 4. Marxian concept of Base - superstructure, examples 5. Marxist Literary Theory area the aspect that should identify and locate in literature / (essentials of literary theory or Freudian Psychoanalysis) 6. Essay on Marxism is opposed to both Idealism and Mechanical Materialism 7. Essay on Marxism has influenced many critics in 20th Century, example 8. Role of ideology in literary production following the Marxist critical theory BLOCK 6 - "FEMINIST THEORIES" 1. Mary Wollstonecraft's - Wollstonecraft's contribution to women's right and their Education - Nature of the revolution in women's education proposed by Wollstonecraft - 'From the tyranny of man.... the greater no. Of females Follies proceed'. In the light of this statement evaluate Wollstonecraft thoughts on women. 2. Gyno text

3. Elaine Showalter's contribution to feminist criticism - Elaine Showalter's feminist concerns in literature 4. - Sex and gender - Implications of the distinction b/w Ex and Gender theories 5. - Significance of Simon De Beauvoir's 'The Second Sex' - Beauvoir's thesis indicate (a) its strength (b) its limitations 7. - Major concerns of feminist theory - Feminist theories do not give sufficient attention to class conflict in society. Discuss 8. Virginia Woolf - Virginia Woolf as a feminist critic - 'Room of One's Own ' by Virginia Woolf 9. Ideologies set forth by Wollstonecraft and Virginia Woolf as Pioneer Feminists

BLOCK 7 - "DECONSTRUCTION" 1. Roland Barthes - "Work" and "Text" •Roland Barthes idea on "Work" and "Text" in her essay "From Work to Text" Or •Barthes differentiate a "Work" from a "Text'. Explain in ur own words Or •Acc. To Barthes is difference b/w "work" and "text" (Image - Music - Text) 1977 - Reader Text - Writerly Text - Main ideas in Barthes essay 'The Death of the Author'. 2. Signifier and signified 3. - Structuralism - approaches of Structuralism to theory of sign-system - deconstructive reading of a poem different from a structuralism reading of it. 4. - Deconstruction - Is 'deconstruction ‘an effective tool For analysis a literary text. Reason? - Drama as a form lends itself well to the deconstruction approach. Discuss with reference to the drama text in your course 5. Annalise John Donne's 'the Canonization' with the tools of 'Deconstruction' 6. Examine how 'Waiting for Godot' problematizes the meaningless - shortness of life 7. Why does Derrida resist definitions? Reason?

BLOCK 8 - "CONTEMPORARY LITERARY THEORY" 1. Postmodernism - Define Post modernism? Discuss with reference to Lyotard. - Post modernism differ from modernism - Attempt a critique of Midnight's children as a Postmodernist text 2. Post-Colonial - Main concerns of Post-Colonial - Historical importance of Post-Colonial for the third world - the seminal issues that Post-Colonial theory addresses - Two major Post-Colonial critics and their contribution to our understanding of literature 3. Lacan - Lacan's main contribution to critical theory - Lacan has said that unconscious is structured like a language. Discuss

- 'Lack' and 'Desire' closely connected in Lacan's theory 4.Theory of Psychological Criticism 5. Critically interpret Edward Said's concept of Orientalism 6. Foucault's view on discourse and power? Explain 7. Emergence of Cultural studies with reference to the theories of Edward Said, Spivak and Bhabha 8. Spivak mean by 'Subalternity' (with examples) 9. Raymond William's contribution to Cultural studies.

Past Papers

GROUP 1

Short Notes (200 words)

1. Signifier and signified (J15, J17, D18)

2. Objective Correlative (J15, D17)

3.Rasa (J16, J17, J18)

4.Dhvani (J16, D16, D18)

5. Sphota (J16, D17)

6. Alamkara (J17, D17)

7. Sruti (D16, D17)

GROUP 2.

1. Explain Aristotle's theory of Mimesis. (June 2020)

2. Explain how Plato views art twice removed from reality. (Dec 2019)

3. Explain how Aristotle argues favour of "drama as a larger and heigher form of art" (June 2019)

4. Discuss 'mimesis' in the light of plato and Aristotle's postulations. (Dec 2018)

5. Enumerate six elements of tragedy according to Aristotle and explain any two of them with suitable example. (June 2018)

6. Why does Plato declares the role of the poet as subversive. (Dec 2017)

7. Discuss Aristotle's view of plot in tragedy. (June 2017)

8. Write a critical note on Aristotle's concept of tragedy. (Dec 2016)

9. What is the reason for Plato's hostility towards art? Explain. (June 2016)

10.Explain briefly any three elements of tragedy according to Aristotle (dec 2015).

11. Discuss Aristotle's theory of tragedy and it's different elements.

GROUP 3:

1. What is meant by 'superstructure' in Marxist Theory? How would you interpret it? (J20)

2. What is superstructure in Marxist criticism? Provide examples of superstructure. How do they function? (D19)

3. Explain in your own words Marx's views of the base - superstructure relationship. How does an artist become conscious of it in his/her creations? (J18)

4. Write a critical note on essentials of Marxist literary theory OR Freudian psychoanalysis. (D17)

5. With the help of suitable examples, the Marxian concept of base and superstructure. (J17)

6. Explain Marx's idea of dialectical materialism. How does it help us in understanding literature? (D16)

7. Write a short essay explaining how Marxism is opposed to both idealism and Mechanical Materialism. (J16)

8. Write a short essay showing how Marxism had influenced many critics in 20th century. Illustrated your answer with suitable examples. (D15)

GROUP 4

1. Critically examine S. T. Coleridge's views on the esemplastic power of poetic imagination. (D19)

2. Critically examine Wordsworth's view that "all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings". (J19)

3. Romantics assert that " imagination transcends reason". Discuss. (D18)

4. Briefly outline Wordsworth's theory of poetic diction with special reference to Preface to Lyrical Ballads. (J18)

5. What does Wordsworth think of the distinction between the language of prose and metrical composition? (D17)

6. What does Shelly assign to poets in 19th century? Explain (J17)

7. Evaluate Wordsworth's 'Preface' to the Lyrical Ballads (1800) as an attack on the "inane phraseology" Of many 18th century writers. (D16)

8. What role do spontaneity, emotion and personality have in Wordsworth's theory of poetry? Elucidate (J16)

9. Elaborate the basic distinction between Fancy and Imagination as brought out by Coleridge in Biographia Literaria. (D15)

GROUP 5:

1. Critically interpret Edward Said's concept of Orientalism. (D15)

2. Lacan has said that unconcious is structures like a language. Discuss (J16)

3. How are lack and desire closely connected to Lacan's theory? (D16)

4. Briefly introduce two major post-colonial critics and their contribution to our understanding of literature. (J17)

5. What are major concerns of postcolonial theorists? (J18)

6. What does Spivakmean by Subalternity? Explain with examples. (D19)

7.Attempt a critique of post-colonial theory with special reference to Said, Spivak and Bhabha (J20)

GROUP 6

1. Comment on the implications of The Death of Author by Roland Barthes. (D16)

2.What is meant by death of the author in critical theory? (J20)

3. How does Roland Barthes differentiate a Work from a Text? Explain in your own words. (J19)

4.State Ronald Barthes ideas on work and text in his essay From Work to Text. (J18)

5. What according to Barthes are is the difference between work and text? Explain (J17)

GROUP 7:

1. Feminist theories give sufficient attention to class conflict in society. Discuss(D15)

2. Assess Mary Wollstonecraft's contribution to women's right and their education. (D16)

3. Why does Derrida resist definitions? Give reason to your answer. (D17)

4. Discuss the major concerns of feminist theory. (D18)

5. 'From the tyranny of man... the greater number of female fillies proceed'. In the light of this of statement evaluate Mary Wollstonecraft's thought on women. (J19)

6. Evaluate Elain Showalter's contribution to feminist criticism. (D19)

GROUP 8:

1.Give an account of Sphota theory as explained by Sanskrit theoreticians. (J19)

2. Attempt a critique of Rasa as understood in ancient Indian literature. (D19)

The syllabus contains 8 blocks and if you click on topics below, you can download complete IGNOU eBook of that block.

Block-1 An Introduction

Block-2 Classical Criticism

Block-3 Romantic Criticism

Block-4 New Criticism

Block-5 Marxist View of Literature

Block-6 Feminist Theories

Block-7 Deconstruction

Block-8 Contemporary Literary theory

Block wise break-up for the units present

Block-1

An Introduction

Unit-1 Literature, Criticism and Theory

Unit-2 Overview of Western Critical Thought

Unit-3 Twentieth Century Developments

Unit-4 The Function of Criticism

Unit-5 Indian Aesthetics

Unit-6 Resistance to Theory/How to Read a Reader

Block-2

Classical Criticism

Unit-1 Features of Classical Criticism

Unit-2 Plato on Imitation and Art

Unit-3 Aristotle’s Theory of Imitation

Unit-4 Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy-I

Unit-5 Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy-II

Unit-6 Criticism as Dialogue

Block-3

Romantic Criticism

Unit-1 Romanticism

Unit-2 Words Worth: Preface to the Lyrical Ballads

Unit-3 Coleridge: Biographia Literaria

Unit-4 P.B.Shelley: A Defiance of Poetry Block-4

New Criticism

Unit-1 I.A.Richards

Unit-2 T.S.Eliot

Unit-3 F.R.Leavis

Unit-4 John Crowe Ransom and Cleanth Brooks

Unit-5 W.K.Wimsatt

Unit-6 Conclusion

Block-5

Marxist View of Literature

Unit-1 Marxism and Literature

Unit-2 Society and History: Marxist View

Unit-3 Representing and Critiquing SOCIETY: Superstructures

Unit-4 Commitment in Literature

Unit-5 Autonomy in Literature

Unit-6 Literature and Ideology

Block-6

Feminist Theories

Unit-1 Features of Feminist Criticism

Unit-2 Mary Wollstonecraft: A Vindication of the Rights of woman

Unit-3 Virginia Woolf: A Room of One’s Own

Unit-4 Simone de Beauvoir: The Second Sex

Unit-5 Elaine Showalter: ‘Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness’

Unit-6 Feminist Concerns in India Today

Block-7

Deconstruction

Unit-1 Roots: New Criticism and Structuralism

Unit-2 Beginning Deconstruction

Unit-3 Implications

Unit-4 Deconstructing Poetry

Unit-5 Deconstructing Drama

Unit-6 Re-Assessing Deconstruction Block-8

Contemporary Literary theory

Unit-1 Some Basic Issues

Unit-2 Postmodernism : The Basics

Unit-3 Psychoanalysis: Freud and Lacan

Unit-4 Postcolonial Theory: Said, Spivak and Bhabha

Unit-5 Beginnings of Cultural Studies and New Historicism

Unit-6 Literary Criticism and Theory: A Summing Up

Complete Analysis of Past papers MEG05

Block 1 Unit 2 Plato/Aristotle/ Longinus

Block 1 Unit 3

Marxism

Structuralism

Russian Formalist

Mikhail Bakhtin

Feminism, Feminist theory and feminist criticism

Post Structuralism

Derrida and Deconstruction

Michel Foucault

Deleuze and Guattari

Block 1 Unit 4

Literary Criticism Before Arnold

Arnold and Literary Criticism

What according to Matthew Arnold is the function of criticism ? Elucidate. Dec 2015

Eliot’s View of the Matter

Terry’s Eagleton’s Argument

Block 1 Unit 5

Religious Foundations

Non Spiritual Expressions

Mystic Function

Krishna (Rasa, Dhvani, Sphota, Alamkara, Aucitya, Sruti)

The Concept of theory in India

Block 1 Unit 6

Resistance to theory

Paul De Man’s Answer

Resistence at the present time

How to read a reader

Block 2 Classical Criticism

Unit 1: Features of Classical Criticism

Unit 2: Plato on Imitation and Art

Unit 3: Aristotle’s Theory of Imitation

Unit 4: Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy- Part 1

Unit 5: Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy- Part 2

Unit 6: Criticism as Dialogue

December

1. Comment upon Aristotle's views on 'mythos' and 'ethos' in Greek tragedy. Dec 2011

2. What is the difference between Plato's approach and Aristotle's approach to 'imitation'? Dec 2012

3. How does Aristotle meet plato's criticism of poets? Dec 2013

4. For Plato, the term 'imitation' (mimesis) carries a negative connotation: to imitate is to produce a copy, a version that is less than the original. Comment. Dec 2014

5. Explain briefly any three elements of Tragedy according to Aristotle. Dec 2015

6. Write a critical note on Aristotle's concept of tragedy. Dec 2016

7. Why does Plato declare the role of the poet as subversive? Dec 2017

8. Discuss 'mimesis' in the light of Plato and Aristotle's postulations. Dec 2018

9. Explain how Plato views art as twice removed from reality. Dec 2019

10. Compare and Contrast in your own words Plato and Aristotle as literary theorists. Dec 2020

June

1. Write a note on Catharsis in tragedy. June 2011

2. What are the reasons for the artist to be kept away from the ideal state of plato? June 2012

3. Write a critical note or 'mimesis' as the theory of representation in Classical criticism. June 2013

4. Discuss tragic falling and explain how it leads to tragedy. June 2014

5. Discuss Aristotle's theory of tragedy and its different elements. June 2015

6. What is the reason for Plato’s hostility towards art? Explain June 2016

7. Discuss Aristotle's view of the plot in tragedy. June 2017

8. Enumerate the six elements of tragedy according to Aristotle and explain any two of them with suitable examples. June 2018

9. Explain how Aristotle argues in favour of "drama as a larger and higher form of art". June 2019

10. Explain in your own words Aristotle's theory of mimesis. June 2020

Plato’s view on imitation\mimesis\Plato views art as twice removed from reality

Why does Plato declare the role of the poet as subversive

Reasons for the artist to be kept away from the ideal state of plato

Aristotle’s view on imitation/mimesis

Aristotle on defency of poetry

Aristotle's theory of tragedy and its different elements

Catharsis in Tragedy

Tragic falling leading to tragedy

Drama as a larger and higher form of art

Plato and Aristotle as literary theorist:

Block 3 Romantic Criticism

Unit 1 Romanticism

Unit 2: Wordsworth : Preface to Lyrical Ballads

Unit 3: Coleridge: Biographia Literaria

Unit 4: P B Shelley: Defense of Poetry

December

1. To generalise is to be an idiot. To particularise is the lone distinction of merit'. In the light of William Blake's observation comment on the Romantic epistemology. Dec 2011

2. Consider Wordsworth's 'Preface to Lyrical Ballads' as the manifesto of Romantic Literature. Dec 2012

3. Discuss the Romantic theory of art. Dec 2013

4. Discuss Coleridge's theory of 'Imagination'. Dec 2014

5. Elaborate the basic distinction between Fancy and Imagination as brought out by Coleridge in Biographia Literaria. Dec 2015

6. Evaluate Wordsworth's 'Preface' to the Lyrical Ballads (1800) as, an attack on the "inane phraseology" of many 18th century writers. Dec 2016

7. What does Wordsworth think of the distinction between the language of prose and metrical composition ? Dec 2017

8. Romantics assert that "imagination transcends reason". Discuss. Dec 2018

9. Critically examine S.T. Coleridge's views on the esemplastic power of the poetic imagination. Dec 2019

10. Present in your own words the Romantic theory of knowledge. Dec 2020

June

1. How does Coleridge deal with distinction between Fancy and Imagination? June 2011

2. What roles do spontaneity, emotion and personality have in Wordsworth's theory of

Poetry? June 2012, June 2016

3. Compare the theories of imagination as presented by Shelley and Coleridge. June 2013

4. Evaluate P. B. Shelley as a romantic critic June 2014

5. In higher poetry, we look for "the wisdom of the heart and the grandeur of the imagination". Examine the statement in the context of Wordsworth's Preface to the Lyrical Ballads. June 2015

6. What role does Shelley assign to poets in the nineteenth century? Explain. June 2017

7. Briefly outline Wordsworth's theory of poetic diction with special reference to the 'Preface' to the Lyrical Ballads. June 2018

8. Critically examine Wordsworth's view that "all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of

Powerful feelings". June 2019

Block 4 New Criticism

Unit 1: I.A Richards

Unit 2: T.S Eliot

Unit 3: F. R Leavis

Unit 4: John Crowne Ransom and Cleanth Brooks

Unit 5: W. K. Wimsatt

Unit 6: Conclusion

December

1. What does Ransom mean when he advocates 'Criticism Inc ! ? Dec 2011

2. Assess two of the seminal critical concept formulated by T.S. Eliot. Dec 2012

3. Evaluate Cleanth Brooks as a New Critic. Dec 2013

4. Comment briefly on any four obstacles to proper response that I.A. Richards catalogues in Practical Criticism. Dec 2015

5. The 'truth which the poet utters' according to Cleanth Brooks, 'can be approached only in terms of paradox'. Do you agree? Supply reasons for your answer. Dec 2016

6. Discuss the ideas expressed by Cleanth Brooks in his essay "Irony as a Principle of Structure". Dec 2017

7. Evaluate I.A. Richards's contribution to literary criticism. Dec 2018

8. New criticism' emphasizes the text, not the background. Comment. Dec 2019

9. What does T.S Eliot mean by dissociation of sensibility? Dec 2020

June

1. What are the common features of the critics associated with 'New criticism'? June 2011

2. What do you understand by 'The Affective Fallacy’? June 2012

3. How does the New Criticism make use of the model of 'practical criticism' initiated by

I.A. Richards? June 2013

4. What is meant by 'intentional fallacy? How would you respond to this concept of the

New Critics? June 2014

5. Critically examine Wimsatt's concept of "The Intentional Fallacy". June 2015

6. Explain Wimsatt’s notion of “affective Fallacy”. June 2016

7. What according to John Crowe Ransom are the "duties" of a critic? Explain. June 2017

8. Bring out the features of New Criticism. June 2018

9. What according to John Crowe Ransom is the role of the literary critic in the modern world?

Explain. June 2019

10. Briefly explain 'The intentional fallacy' and `The affective fallacy' June 2020

Block 5 Marxist View of Literature

Unit 1: Marxism and Literature

Unit 2: Society and History: Marxist View

Unit 3: Representing and Critiquing Society: Superstructures

Unit 4: Commitment and Literature

Unit 5: Autonomy in Literature

Unit 6: Literature and Ideology

December

1. How do Marx and Engels interpret literature? 2011

2. Show how literary criticism and theory have developed a materialistic dimension based on

Marxism. 2012

3. How does literature represent the social conditions and social structure? 2013

4. "Writers are unable to see the truth about their societies because they are caught up in the 'false consciousness' of ideology." Examine the statement in the context of the Marxist view of literature. 2014

5. Write a short essay showing how Marxism has influenced many critics in the 20th century. Illustrate your answer with suitable examples. 2015

6. Explain Marx's idea of dialectical materialism. How does it help us in understanding literature? 2016

7. Write a critical note on the essentials of Marxist literary theory OR Freudian psychoanalysis. 2017

8. What is superstructure in Marxist criticism? Provide examples of superstructures. How do they function? 2019

June

1. Critically appraise the ideas of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels about class relations and class ideology. 2012

2. Assess the impact of Marxism on subsequent literary/critical theories in the 20th century. 2013

3. In what sense is literature a form of Propaganda? 2014

4. Critically examine the role of ideology in literary production following the Marxist critical theory. 2015

5. Write a short essay explaining how Marxism is opposed to both Idealism and Mechanical Materialism. 2016

6. Explain with the help of suitable examples, the Marxian concept of base and superstructure. 2017

7. Explain in your own words Marx's views of the base — superstructure relationship. How does an artist become conscious of it in his/her creations? 2018

8. Attempt a short essay on the relation between literature and ideology. 2019

9. What is meant by 'superstructure' in Marxist Theory? How would you interpret it ? 2020

Block 6 Feminist Theories

Unit 1: Features of Feminist Criticism

Unit 2: Marry Wollstonecraft: A vindication of the rights of woman

Unit 3: Representing and Critiquing Society: Superstructures

Unit 4: Simone De Beauvoir: The Second Sex

Unit 5: Elaine Showalter: ‘Feminist criticism in the Wilderness’

Unit 6: Feminist Concerns in India Today

December

1. Analyse the components of Beauvoir's thesis to indicate (a) its strengths (b) its limitations. 2011

2. Give reasons for Elaine Showalter's discontent with existing feminist criticism. 2012

3. Explain the term gynocritic and give two examples. 2013

4. In placing woman as the 'other' of man, Simone de Beauvoir critically examines the issue of `alterity' in the context of women's identity. Substantiate your answer with reference to Beauvoir's The Second Sex. 2014

5. Feminist theories do not give sufficient attention to class conflict in society. Discuss. 2015

6. Assess Mary Wollstonecraft's contribution to Women's rights and their education. 2016

7. Comment on the significance of the title The Second Sex. 2017

8. Discuss the major concerns of feminist theory. 2018

9. Evaluate Elaine Showalter's contribution to feminist criticism. 2019

10. Discuss Elaine Showalter’s feminists concerns in literature. 2020

June

1. Evaluate gyno criticism against any one other critical mode. 2011

2. Examine Virginia Woolf's attitude to the canon i,e., ancestors in women's writings. 2012

3. Draw out the ideologies set forth by Mary Wollstonecraft and Virginia Woolf as pioneer feminists. 2013

4. Evaluate Virginia Woolf as a feminist critic. 2014

5. Evaluate Elain Showalter's `gynocriticism' and its value in the context of feminist criticism. 2015

6. What are the implications of the distinction between sex and gender as set by the feminist theories. Explain. 2016

7. Evaluate Elaine Showalter's contribution to feminist criticism. 2017

8. 'From the tyranny of man... the greater number of female follies proceed.' In the light of this statement evaluate Mary Wollstonecraft's thoughts on women. 2019

Block 7 Deconstruction

Unit 1: Roots: New Criticism and Structuralism

Unit 2: Beginning Deconstruction

Unit 3: Implications

Unit 4: Deconstructing Poetry

Unit 5: Deconstructing Drama

Unit 6: Re-assessing Deconstruction

( Lectures, Notes pdf, Handwritten notes, Previous year questions files are uploaded in library of MEG Mentors Channel. Kindly check Manual on YouTube channel of MEG Mentors for the lectures and method to download premium content as well )

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