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STORY OF ENGLISH
INDO EUROPEAN

WEST GERMANIC
MODERN INDIAN LANGUAGES

OLD ENGLISH HINDI, PUNJABI, BENGALI,

ASSAMESE, ORIYA, GUJARATI,
MIDDLE ENGLISH
MARATHI ETC

MODERN ENGLISH

BOOKS AND THEIR AUTHORS' NAME 33. Pamela – Richardson

34. The Prelude – William Wordsworth
1. A Passage to India – E. M. Forster 35. Julius Caesar – William Shakespeare
2. Piers the Plowman – Langland 36. The Serpent and the Rope – Raja Rao
3. King Lear – William Shakespeare 37. The Wasteland – T. S. Eliot
4. Murder in the Cathedral – T. S. Eliot 38. As You Like It – William Shakespeare
5. Untouchable – Mulk Raj Anand 39. The Ancient Mariner – S. T. Coleridge
6. Othello – William Shakespeare 40. Wuthering Heights – John Bunyan
7. Paradise Lost – John Milton 41. Waiting for Godot – Samuel Backett
8. Candida – G.B. Shaw 42. Mac Flecknoe – John Dryden
9. Gitanjali – Rabindranath Tagore 43. Kubla Khan – S. T. Coleridge
10. Godan – Premchand 44. Talisman – Walter Scott
11. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens 45. The Rainbow – D. H. Lawrence
12. Macbeth – William Shakespeare 46. Venus and Adonis – William Shakespeare
13. The Guide – R. K. Narayan 47. Lycidas – John Milton
14. Coolie – Mulk Raj Anand 48. Arrow of God – Chinua Achebe
15. Emma – Jane Austen 49. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
16. Tom Jones – Henry Fielding 50. The Bachelor of Arts – John Milton
17. Middle March – George Eliot 51. The Faiery Queene – Edmund Spenser
18. The Eve of St. Agnes – John Keats 52. Stella – John Milton
19. The Old Man and the Sea – Earnest Hemingway 53. Edward II – Christopher Marlowe
20. Le Morte d’ Arthur – Malory 54. Revolt of Islam – Shelly
21. A Bend in the Ganges – Manohar Malagaonkar 55. The Gulf – Derek Walcott
22. Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe 56. The Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
23. Arms and the Man – G. B. Shaw 57. The Country Wife – Wycherley
24. Kanthapura – Raja Rao 58. The Way of the World – Congreve
25. The Princess – Alfred Tennyson 59. She Stoops to Conquer – Oliver Goldsmith
26. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen 60. The Rape of Lucrece – William Shakespeare
27. The Rape of the Lock – Alexander Pope 61. Lamia – John Keats
28. Savitri – Sri Aurobindo Ghosh 62. In Memoriam – Alfred Tennyson
29. The Flood – Kamala Markandey 63. Peacock Pie – Walter De la Mare
30. The Canterbury Tales – Geoffrey Chaucer 64. Second Coming – W. B. Yeats
31. Train to Pakistan – Khushwant Singh 65. A Soul’s Prayer – Sarojini Naidu
32. Dunciad – Alexander Pope

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66. Justice – John Galsworthy 120. Mysteries of Utopia – Ann Radcliff

67. Family Reunion – T. S. Eliot 121. Pick Wick Papers – Charles Dickens
68. The Homecoming – Harold Pinter 122. Two Leaves and a Bird – Mulk Raj Anand
69. The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy 123. Azadi – Chamanwahab
70. The Blue Eye – Tonny Morrison 124. Lady's Not for Burning – Christopher Fry
71. The Apple Cart – G. B. Shaw 125. Some Inner Fury – Kamala Markandaya
72. The White Tiger – Arvind Alige
73. Voices in the City – Anita Desai  PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
74. Heaven of Freedom – Rabindra Nath Tagore
 Name the authors of the following:
75. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
76. Volpone – Ben Johnson 1. Arms and the Man
77. Lotus – Toru Dutt 2. Macbeth
78. The Rivals – Sheridan 3. Untouchable
79. Death of a Salesman – Arthur Miller 4. The Guide
80. The Paradise Regained – John Milton 5. A Passage to India
81. Widower’s Houses – George Bernard Shaw 6. David Copperfield
82. The Cocktail Party – T. S. Eliot 7. Emma
83. The Golden Gate – Vikram Seth 8. Piers the Plowman
84. The Cloud – Shelly 9. The Guide
85. Astrophel – Sir Philip Sidney 10. As You Like It
86. Four Pastorals – Alexander Pope 11. The Old Man and the Sea
87. My Love is Like a red-red Rose – Robert Burns 12. Pride and Prejudice
88. Tamburlaine the Great – Christopher Marlowe 13. Train to Pakistan
89. Shepherd’s Calendar – Edmund Spenser 14. The Wasteland
90. Hudibras – Samuel Butle 15. King Lear
91. Christabel – S.T. Coleridge 16. The Princess
92. Ode to Psyche – John Keats 17. The Rape of the Lock
93. Vision of Judgement – Byron 18. Paradise Lost
94. The Skylark – Shelly 19. The Merchant of Venice
95. Sohrab and Rustam – Matthew Arnold 20. The Gitanjali
96. Queen Mab – Shelly 21. Tom Jones
97. Pied Beauty – Gerard Manley Hopkins 22. Coolie
98. Wind Women – Armstron 23. In Memoriam
99. Adonais – Shelly 24. Othello
100. Poems from Prison – Wole Soyinke 25. The Canterbury Tales
101. Native Son – Richard Wright 26. Julius Caesar
102. Songs for Children – Walter de la Mare 27. Great Expectations
103. Among School Children – W. B. Yeats 28. Candida
104. The Scholar Gipsy – Matthew Arnold 29. Discovery of India
105. Ash Wednesday – T. S. Eliot 30. The Way of the World
106. Jaguar – Ted Hughes 31. Dr. Faustus
107. Songs of Radha – Sarojini Naidu 32. Hard Times
108. The Forest – Dabydeen 33. War and Peace
109. The Scholar Gipsy – Matthew Arnold 34. Hamlet
110. A Psalm of Life – Longfellow 35. For Whom The Belt Tolls
111. First People – Armstron 36. Kanthapura
112. Blood of My Country – Armstron 37. Waiting For Godot
113. Translation into Fiction – Harris 38. Chitra
114. Poems From Prison – Wole Soyinka 39. Pickwick Papers
115. A Dance of Forest – Wole Soyinka 40. Mac Flecknoe
116. The Lion and the Jewel – Wole Soyinka 41. Pygmalion
117. Hayavadana – Girish Karnad 42. ‘The Scholar Gipsy’ has been written by.........
118. The Tourist Mecca – Asif Currimbhoy (A) Matthew Arnold
119. Red Oleander – Rabindranath Tagore (B) W.B. Yeats

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(C) Robert Bridges (B) Henry James

(D) J. M. Synge (C) Earnest Hemingway
43. ‘The Wasteland’ has been composed by.......... (D) Mark Twain
(A) T.S. Eliot 54. Who wrote ‘A Passage to India’?
(B) W.H. Auden (A) E. M. Forster
(C) S.T. Coleridge (B) W. B. Yeats
(D) John Donne (C) T. S. Eliot
44. ‘Macbeth’ & ‘Julius Caesar’ are written by...... (D) D. H. Lawrence
(A) Johnson 55. Who wrote ‘Hyperion’ and ‘Endymion’?
(B) Goldsmith (A) William Wordsworth
(C) Shakespeare (B) John Keats
(D) Sheridan (C) P.B. Shelly
45. ‘Savitri’ is written by............ (D) S. T. Coleridge
(A) Aurobindo Ghosh
(B) Sarojini Naidu
OBJECTIVES | ONE LINER
(C) Rabindranath Tagore
(D) Toru Dutt  The story of English begins from AD 449.
46. ‘Piers the Plowman’ is written by............  The English language is much younger than
(A) Spenser Sanskrit, Greek and Latin.
(B) Milton  English came from the speech of the Germanic
(C) Langland Tribes: Angles, Saxons and Jutes.
(D) Congreve  Angles, Saxons and Jutes were together called
47. ‘The God of Small Things’ is written by........ ‘Anglo-Saxons’.
(A) Anita Desai  Germanic Tribes invaded England in the fifth
(B) Kamala Das century and gave the country its name and its
(C) Toru Dutt language.
(D) Arundhati Roy  From about AD 1000 the name ‘England’ came
48. ‘Lamia’ and ‘Hyperion’ are written by........... into use.
(A) William Wordsworth  Through Germanic English belongs to the ancient
(B) P.B. Shelly Indo-European family of languages.
(C) John Keats
(D) S.T. Coleridge  Periods in the History of English are−
49. ‘Tughlaq’ is written by............... (i) Old English : AD 449 - AD 1066
(A) Girish Karnad (ii) Middle English : AD 1150 - AD 1500
(B) R. N. Tagore (iii) Modern English : AD 1500 onwards
(C) B.C. Chattopadhyay  The Old English Period is known as the Dark Age.
(D) S.C Chatterjee  The Anglo-Saxons were Germanic people who
50. ‘Untouchabe’ and ‘Coolie’ are written by........ lived in North and West Europe present day
(A) R.K. Narayan Denmark, Germany and Holland.
(B) M.R. Anand  The languages Germanic Tribes used were
(C) B.C. Chattopadhyay Germanic or Teutonic which were closely related
(D) S.C Chatterjee to Latin, Greek, Sanskrit etc.
51. ‘Gitanjali’ is written by...........  Both the name of the country England, and the
(A) Shiv K. Kumar language, English, are not native to England.
(B) Jayanta Mahapatra  The Germanic invaders were called Saxons by
(C) A. K. Ramanujan the natives of England.
(D) R.N. Tagore  The Saxons called the native of England “Wealas”
52. ‘David Copperfield’ was written by.......... or foreigners.
(A) D.H. Lawrence  Mandarin Chinese is spoken by maximum
(B) Joseph Conrad number of people.
(C) Charles Dickens  Mandarin Chinese - Approximately 873, 000, 000 people
(D) Rudyard Kipling
 English - Approximately 309, 000, 000 people
53. Who wrote ‘Huckleberry Finn’?
 English is just about fifteen hundred years old.
(A) Herman Melville
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 English is used in and as−  ‘The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle’ is the first book of
 Mother Tongue/First Language(L1) : UK, USA, English prose.
Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and  The Old English period is characterized by
South Africa inflections.
 Second Language(L2) : India, Singapore,  Literature produced during the Old English
Malaysia, Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana etc period was not of much significance.
 English is also used as an L1 by the Anglo-Indian  We can distinguish four dialects in old English.
community of India. They are-
 Foreign Language(FL) : China, Japan, UAE, Saudi (i) Kentish
Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Eritrea, France, Germany, (ii) Northumbrian
Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil etc (iii) Mercian
 The Anglo-Saxons were fierce, war-like tribes (iv) West Saxon
from Europe and their invasion in 449 changed  In the old English Period the two major
Celtic Britain into Germanic England. influences were- Latin and Scandinavian.
 The Norman Conquest in AD 1066 resulted in the  The four manuscripts of the Old English that
infusion of a large number of French words into have survived are-
the vocabulary of English.
 The Beowulf
 The writing system used in the Old English was
 The Junius
the Runic Alphabet.
 The Exeter Book
 The Runic characters were composed of sharp
straight lines without curves.  The Vercelli Book
 The year 1066 marks the end of the Old English.
 The Norman Conquest made England into a
colony of France.
 French became the language of King's court,
justice, governance and education.
 The language of everyday speech among the
upper class in England was French.
 The Normans had no interest in developing and
 After the 6th Century, the spread of Christianity patronising English. However, the language of
led to the gradual use of the Roman script. the masses was English.
 In ancient times Latin had the status of a world  Due to close interaction and inter-marriages,
language. English began replacing French, first in the
 About AD 600 Christianity began to spread in homes and later in the offices and schools.
England together with the rise of literacy.  England was restored to English kings within 150
 The Christian missionaries translated a large years of the Norman Conquest.
number of Latin texts mostly in Northumbrian.  Middle English is known as a period of transition.
 The second major linguistic invasion of English  The first printing press was set in the Middle
was Scandinavian. English.
 The Scandinavian were the Germanic inhabitants  The first Printing Press was set up by William
of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Caxton at the Westminster Abbey, England in AD
 The Scandinavian were one time neighbours of 1476.
the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th Century. They were  It is impossible to think and imagine a world
closely related to them in blood and language. without the printing machine.
 The daring sea-faring people were called Vikings.  The printing press played a historic role in the
 Viking Age from the middle of the 8th Century to development of English.
the beginning of the 11th Century.  The printing press helped to standardize the
 The golden period of Old English literature was language.
the era of king Alfred.  The two significant events distinguish Middle
 King Alfred was a scholar, soldier, law-giver and English and Modern English are
ruler.  The introduction of printing technology
 The most notable work inspired by Alfred was  The Great Vowel Shift
'The Anglo-Saxons Chronicle'.  The Great Vowel Shift took place in Middle
English.

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 The Great Vowel Shift involved a series of  The first dictionary of English language was
changes in the pronunciation of English long published by Dr Samuel Johnson in 1755. This
vowels. dictionary contained over 40,000 words and their
 Middle English had five dialects. They were- meanings.
(i) Northern  It took seven years to complete this dictionary.
(ii) Southern  The story about the changes, growth and
(iii) East Midland development of English largely took place within
the area called the British Isles.
(iv) West Midland
 English is spoken over a much longer area of the
(v) Kentish
world than Chinese.
 Modern/Standard English has evolved from the
 English is the language of science and technology.
East Midland dialect.
 English is a ‘window’ to the world.
 The dominant influence on Middle English was
 The development of modern English was largely
that of French.
helped by the introduction of the printing
 The Middle English period witnessed extensive
technology in 1476.
and fundamental changes in the phonological
 English developed from the speech of the Anglo-
and grammatical system in English.
Saxon into a single, standard, Queen’s English.
 The second half of the 14th Century (AD 1340-
 Standard British speech came to be known as
1400) is known as the period of great individual
Received Pronunciation(RP).
writers.
 At first, the new words in English came mainly
 The notable writers of Middle English period are-
from European languages- Latin, Spanish,
Geoffrey Chaucer
Italian, French etc.
William Langland  The borrowing habit of English has made it the
Sir Thomas Malory most glorious language.
John Gower  English absorbed words and phrases from the
John Wyclif languages of all the countries that were colonized
 Geoffrey Chaucer is regarded as the father of by the British.
English poetry.  As the British Empire grew, so did the language.
 In the Middle English, there was no single  By the 18th century, England had become a very
literary standard and the language varied from powerful nation.
county to county.  It was said that “The sun never sets in the British
 From AD 1150 onwards English began to Empire”.
emerge as a language of literature.  New Englishes developed in countries where
 The Middle English was enriched through English was no a mother tongue, e.g. Indian
extensive borrowings from French and Latin. English, Nigerian English etc.
 No single language has influenced English as  'New Englishes' means new varieties of English.
much as Latin.  New Varieties of English differ in some respects
 The development of Modern English was largely from standard British English.
helped by the introduction of the printing  New Varieties of English are closer to British
technology. English than to American English.
 The two other works that helped in simplifying  Some words and sentence patterns developed by
English are ‘The authorized version of the Bible Indian English do not exist in British English.
and Shakespeare’s writings’.  Some Indian words are:
 New varieties of English that have emerged in Family Member  A member of the family
different parts of the world are known as ‘New
Match Box  A box of matches
Englishes’.
 Purists objected to the inflow of the foreign Chalk piece  A piece of chalk
words in English. Moneybag  Purse
 Today English is the official language in all world
Key bunch  A bunch of keys
forums.
 18th Century is known as the Augustan Age. Bandh  Labour stroke
 The needs of Dictionary and Grammar were felt Godown  Warehouse
greatly during the Augustan Age. Lakh  A hundred thousand

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Stir  Agitation Jewellery Jewelery

Backward class  Deprived Group Offence Offense

Himalayan Blunder  Grave mistake Speciality Specialty

Defence Defense
Military Hotel  Non-vegetarian hotel
Aeroplane Airplane
Pin-drop silence  Dead silence
Platform  Pavement or Sidewalk  Difference in pronunciation
 After America became free of British rule, they BRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH
developed a new variety of English and began to Can’t (कान्ट) Can’t (कॅन्‍ट)
call it 'American English'. Water (वाटऽ) Water (वाटर)
 Today, American English, like British English, is Plant (प्लान्ट) Plant (प्‍लॅन्‍ट)
recognised as a world language.
Bird (बऽड) Bird (बडड)
 Bask (बास्क) Bask (बॅस्‍क)

 The story of English is the story of the evolution of

modern man.
 Difference in words  About 800 years ago, Latin was a world language.
BRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH  Latin spread all over Europe as the Roman Empire
Ground floor First floor grew.
First floor Second floor  English is the language of international trade and
Rubbish Garbage commerce.
Petrol Gas  Geoffrey Chaucer did not use the Old English in
his poetic words.
Trousers Pants
 Nearly 200 years after Chaucer there was no
Biscuit Cookie
great literary work produced in England.
Holiday Vacation  During 15th century an intellectual movement
Let Rent called Renaissance swept Europe.
Railway Railroad  The word Renaissance means Rebirth.
Number plate Licence plate  The 17th century is called both an age of
Bonnet Hood transition and an age of revolution.
 18th Century is known as Augustan Age.
Post Mail
 Alexander Pope was the representative poet of
Maize Corn
Augustan Age.
Flat Apartment  Alexander Pope’s famous sayings−
Underground Subway “A little learning is a dangerous thing.”
Lift Elevator
“To err is human, to forgive divine.”
Candy floss Candy cotton
 In India poetry began to be written as early as
Queue Line
early part of the 19th century.
 Henry Lois Vivian Derozio, Kasi Prasad Ghosh,
 Difference in spelling Toru Dutt and Manmohan Ghosh, were the
BRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH pioneers.
Colour Color  Their major concerns were patriotism and the
Centre Center glorious past of India.
Cheque Check  Sarojini Naidu, one of the greatest Indian English
Theatre Theater poets, is called the Nightingale of India.
 Wole Soyinka was a Nigerian poet.
Grey Gray
 Wole Soyinka got Nobel Prize for literature in
Favourite Favorite
1986.
Programme Program  Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser and
Parlour Parlor William Shakespeare were the three great poets of
Apologise Apologize Elizabethan Period.
 Christopher Marlowe was basically a lyric poet.
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 Middle English Poets (AD 1150-AD 1500)  Armstron

 Geoffrey Chaucer  Harris
 William Langland  Dabydeen
 Sir Thomas Malory  Arnold Itwaru
 16th Century Poets  Margaret Atwood
 Christopher Marlowe  South African Poets of Modern English
 Edmund Spenser  Dennis Brutus
 William Shakespeare  Chinua Achebe
 Sir Philip Sidney  Wole Soyinka
 17th Century Poets  Derek Walcott
 John Milton  The word drama comes from a ‘Greek’ word
 John Dryden meaning ‘Thing done’.
 Samuel Butle  Drama offers us a direct presentation of its
 Group of Metaphysical Poets of 17th Century imaginative reality.
 John Donne  The words− drama and play are synonymous.
 George Herbert But in our country, the word drama is more
 Andrew Marvell popular than the word play.
 Richard Crashaw  The religious plays appeared in England soon
 Henry Vaughan after the Norman Conquest.
 18th Century Poet  These sacred plays were known as Miracle plays.
 Alexander Pope  The first English comedy entitled ‘Roister
 19th Century Poets Doister’ was written about 1550 by Nicholas
 Robert Burns Udall.
 Thomas Gray  The first English tragedy is ‘Gorboduc’. It was
 Bishop Percy written by Thomas Sackville and Thomas Norton.
 Romantic Revival in English poetry of 19th  The romantic form of drama was established by
Century Shakespeare’s immediate predecessors who
 William Wordsworth were known as the University wits.
 Samuel Taylor Coleridge  The University wits were−
 John Keats John Lily, Thomas Kyd, George Peele, Robert
 Byron
Greene and Christopher Marlowe
 Shelly
 William Shakespeare collaborated with Marlowe
 Alfred Tennyson
and was profoundly influenced by him.
 Mathew Arnold
 In the plays of Shakespeare man occupied centre
 Gerard Manley Hopkins
of creation.
 20th Century Poets
 Goldsmith and Sheridan made contribution to
 Walter de la Mare
the 18th century drama.
 W.B. Yeats
 George Bernard Shaw’s career was the longest in
 T.S. Eliot
English dramatic history.
 W.H. Auden
 T.S. Eliot revived the tradition of verse drama in
 Ted Hughes
the twentieth century.
 American Poets of Modern English
 W. H. Longfellow  Types of Drama
 Ezra Pound
1. Tragedy
 Wallace Stevens
2. Comedy
 William Carols Williams
3. Tragi-comedy
 E. E. Cummings
4. Farce : a dramatic work designed solely to
 Indian Poets of Modern English excite laughter
 Sarojini Naidu 5. Melodrama : a dramatic work designed
 Rabindranath Tagore solely to create sadness
 Aurobindo Ghosh 6. Masque : a form of dramatic entertainment which
 Kamala Das involves dances and disguises and which the
 Keki N. Daruwala spectacular and musical elements predominate
 Canadian Poets of Modern English over plot and character

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7. One Act play broader canvases.

 Walter Scott is the first English writer of the
 Dramatic Elements historical novel.
1. Plot  The novel made rapid progress in the Victorian
2. Character Age.
3. Dialogue  Novel reading became the chief occupation of
4. Gestures the educated class.
5. Scenic effect  The early Victorian period saw the heyday of the
6. Music English novel.
7. Soliloquy  The two most outstanding novelists of the
Victorian period were− Dickens and Thackeray
 Dramatic Structure  Dickens had the knack of combining humour
with pathos.
1. Exposition (initial incident)
 R. L. Stevenson introduced romantic adventures
2. Complication (rising action)
in the novels.
3. Crisis (turning point)
 The modern novel is psychological. It deals with
4. Denouement (falling action)
relation between loneliness and love.
5. Catastrophe (in a tragedy)
 The Indian novel reflects the social, political and
6. Conclusion (in a comedy)
cultural ambience of the time.
 Indian English novels have won worldwide
 16th Century Dramatist
recognition.
 William Shakespeare
 Bankim Chandra’s ‘Raj Mohan’s Wife’ written in
 20th Century Dramatists 1864 was the first Indian novel in English.
 John Galsworthy  The 30s saw the Indian movement for freedom
 George Bernard Shaw under Mahatma Gandhi. The three great
 T. S. Eliot novelists of the time were– Mulk Raj Anand, R.
 Christopher Fry K. Narayan and Raja Rao
 Samuel Beckett  Mulk Raj Anand wrote social novels and tried to
 Harold Pinter break the barriers of caste and creed.
 American Dramatists of 20th Century  M. R. Anand’s ‘Untouchable’ is an attempt to
 O’ Neill abolish the evil of untouchability.
 Arthur Miller  The Indian English fiction has won five Booker
 African Dramatist of 20th Century prize so far.
 Wole Soyinka  In America, Africans were brought as slaves to
 Indian Dramatists of 20th Century work on plantations. Gradually, they became free
 Asif Currimbhoy and used English for creative writing. The novels
 Rabindranath Tagore written by them are protests against oppression
 Grish Karnad and racial discrimination.
 A novel is a vital record of what we see, feel,  Afro-American women wrote excellent novels
think and learn from life. depicting the sufferings of the black women in
 A novel is an expression of life through the the American society.
medium of language.  The Faiery Queene is a romantic epic.
 The earliest forms of the novels are Greek  The three main periods in the history of English
Romances. are- Renaissance, Augustan Age, Romantic
 Bunyan is considered to be the pioneer of Revival
modern novel.  Modern English Novelists
 Richardson is called the father of modern novel.  Bunyan
 Oliver Goldsmith emphasized on the high  Daniel Defoe
principles and purity of domestic life.  Richardson
 Jane Austen infused good sense and balance  Henry Fielding
into the English novel.  Oliver Goldsmith
 Sir Walter Scott was the contemporary of Jane  Jane Austen
Austen.  Charles Dickens
 Walter Scott depicted pageantry of history on  Indian English Novelists
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 Bankim Chandra (C) American English (D) None of these

 Mulk Raj Anand 14. ‘Savitri’ is written by
 R. K. Narayan (A) Aurobindo Ghosh (B) Sarojini Naidu
 Raja Rao (C) R.N. Tagore (D) Toru Dutt
 Khushwant Singh 15. ‘Lamia’ and ‘Hyperion’ are written by
 Anita Desai (A) William Wordsworth (B) P.B. Shelly
 Manohar Malgaonkar (C) John Keats (D) S.T. Coleridge
 Vikram Seth 16. The development of..............was helped by the
 Arundhati Roy introduction of the printing technology.
(A) Middle English (B) Modern English
Objective Questions | PYQs (C) Old English (D) None of these
17. T.S. Eliot is a...............poet.
1. The word ‘drama’ comes from ............... a word. (A) Twentieth century (B) Seventeenth century
(A) Latin (B) Scandinavian (C) Eighteenth century (D) Sixteenth century
(C) Greek (D) American 18. ‘Tughlaq’ is written by
2. ‘Mac-Flecknoe’ has been written by (A) Girish Karnad (B) R. N. Tagore
(A) John Dryden (B) John Donne (C) B. C. Chattopadhyay (D) S. C. Chatterjee
(C) George Herbert (D) Alexander Pope 19. ‘Untouchable’ and ‘Coolie’ are written by
3. ............ is called the father of the modern novel. (A) R.K. Narayan (B) M.R. Anand
(A) Richardson (B) Fielding (C) R.N. Tagore (D) K.R. Naraynan
(C) Johnson (D) Dryden 20. The major linguistic change is known as.............
4. ‘Piers the Plowman’ is written by (A) Modern English (B) Old English
(A) Spenser (B) Milton (C) The Great Vowel Shift (D) Printing Technology
(C) Langland (D) Congreve 21. The ‘Romantic Revival’ is often associated with–
5. ‘The God of Small Things’ is written by (A) John Dryden (B) Alexander Pope
(A) Anita Desai (B) Kamala Das (C) William Wordsworth (D) John Milton
(C) Toru Dutt (D) Arundhati Roy 22. Standard British English speech came to be
6. The name ‘Augustan’ was given to the early known as..............
............century. (A) Second language (B) New English
(A) 17th (B) 18th (C) American English (D) Received Pronunciation
(C) 19th (D) 20th 23. English used from the 15th century is called
7. The year AD 1066 is taken to be the end of the (A) Old English (B) Modern English
............period. (C) Middle English (D) Post-modern English
(A) Middle English (B) Old English 24. Langland is a well known writer of.......literature.
(C) Modern English (D) None of the above (A) Old English (B) Modern English
8. The Great Vowel Shift took place during (C) American English (D) Middle English
(A) Modern English (B) Middle English 25. ‘The Gitanjali’ is written by
(C) Old English (D) British English (A) Shiv K. Kumar (B) Jayanta Mahapatra
9. ‘The Wasteland’ has been composed by (C) A.K. Ramanujan (D) Rabindranath Tagore
(A) T.S. Eliot (B) W.H. Auden 26. The Anglo-Saxons were...............people.
(C) S.T. Coleridge (D) John Donne (A) Persian (B) Germanic
10. English used since AD 1500 is called............... (C) Greek (D) Latin
(A) Old English (B) Modern English 27. English developed into a single, Standard...........
(C) Middle English (D) None of these (A) Queen’s English (B) King’s English
11. English language is...............than Sanskrit and (C) Prince’s English (D) Princess’ English
Persian. 28. ‘David Copperfield’ was written by
(A) older (B) younger (A) D.H. Lawrence (B) Joseph Conrad
(C) classical (D) None of these (C) Charles Dickens (D) Rudyard Kipling
12. ‘Macbeth’ & ‘Julius Caesar’ are written by 29. Goldsmith and Sheridan made contributions to
(A) Johnson (B) Goldsmith the................
(C) Shakespeare (D) Sheridan (A) Novel (B) Non-fiction writing
13. New varieties of English that have emerged in (C) Poetry (D) English Stage
different parts of the world is called............... 30. Wole Soyinka is a...............poet.
(A) Second language (B) New English (A) Nigerian (B) American
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(C) Indian (D) British changes in the...........of the English long vowels.
31. The old English period is characterised by (A) spelling (B) pronunciation
(A) Vocabulary (B) Mood (C) oral (D) written
(C) Inflections (D) Gender 47. The printing technology was introduced in
32. Who wrote ‘Huckleberry Finn’? English in the year
(A) Herman Melville (B) Henry James (A) 1066 (B) 1857
(C) Earnest Hemingway (D) Mark Twain (C) 1476 (D) 1605
33. Who gave the name ‘England’ and its language 48. English is a
‘English’? (A) window to the world
(A) Romans (B) Norman Conquests (B) hindrance in progress
(C) Anglo-Saxons (D) Scandinavians (C) blessing in disguise
34. The texts of which period are difficult to read (D) disgrace to the world
and understand ? 49. The language of Old English looks different
(A) Middle English (B) Old English because of its
(C) Modern English (D) Post Modern English (A) spelling and vocabulary
35. Langland and Chaucer belonged to the.....period. (B) oral language
(A) Old English (B) Modern English (C) linguistic appeal
(C) Post Modern English (D) Middle English (D) writing skills
36. Who wrote ‘A Passage to India’? 50. ‘Pick Wick Papers’ has been written by
(A) E. M. Forster (B) W. B. Yeats (A) Rudyard Kipling (B) Joseph Conrad
(C) T. S. Eliot (D) D. H. Lawrence (C) Charles Dickens (D) E. M. Forster
37. Spelling ‘color’ used in 51. English is used as a foreign language in
(A) Indian English (B) French (A) India (B) Africa
(C) British English (D) American English (C) China (D) New Zealand
38. The Anglo-Saxons invaded England in 52. The Anglo-Saxons used................language.
(A) 4th Century (B) 5th Century (A) Greek (B) Latin
(C) 7th Century (D) 10th Century (C) Germanic (D) Persian
39. Today, it is impossible to think and imagine a 53. New varieties of English emerged after the
world without the colonies of British empire acquired
(A) Old methods of agriculture (A) power (B) freedom
(B) Printing machine (C) joy (D) suppression
(C) Bullock-carts 54. Today..............English is recognised as a ‘World
(D) Illiterate people Language’.
40. The 18th century is known as the (A) American (B) French
(A) Cavalier Age (B) Jacobean Age (C) Scandinavian (D) Latin
(C) Augustan Age (D) Romantic Age 55. Mark Twain and Henry James are........novelists.
41. Oliver Goldsmith emphasised on the purity of (A) American (B) Australian
(A) City life (B) Village life (C) British (D) Canadian
(C) Town life (D) Domestic life 56. The Middle English had...............dialects.
42. Who wrote ‘Revolt of Islam’ ? (A) four (B) five
(A) Lord Byron (B) P. B. Shelly (C) fifty (D) three
(C) John Keats (D) William Langland 57. In the 18th century, ..........published a dictionary
43. Who wrote ‘Hyperion’ and ‘Endymion’? of the English language.
(A) William Wordsworth (B) John Keats (A) Samuel Johnson (B) William Caxton
(C) P. B. Shelly (D) S. T. Coleridge (C) Thomas Malory (D) Geoffrey Chaucer
44. Bankim Chandra wrote Raj Mohan’s wife, the 58. The history of English language is just about......
first Indian novel in English, in years old.
(A) 1857 (B) 1914 (A) fifteen hundred (B) sixteen hundred
(C) 1864 (D) 1847 (C) five hundred (D) seven hundred
45. The latest period in the growth and development 59. The golden period of the Old English literature
of the English language may be called the era of was the era of...............
(A) Ancient Englishes (B) Old Englishes (A) William Shakespeare (B) Queen Elizabeth
(C) Middle Englishes (D) New Englishes (C) Augustan Age (D) King Alfred
46. The Great Vowel Shift brought about a series of 60. About 800 years ago,........was a world language.
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(A) Latin (B) French 78. ‘Justice’ has been composed by

(C) Scandinavian (D) German (A) Alfred Tennyson (B) Sarojini Naidu
61. In a.......the conflict terminates in a catastrophe. (C) John Galsworthy (D) Derek Walcott
(A) comedy (B) tragedy 79. ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ has been composed by
(C) farce (D) melodrama (A) John Bunyan (B) Chinua Achebe
62. The............plays appeared in England soon after (C) Edmund Spenser (D) S. T. Coleridge
the Norman Conquest. 80. ‘As You Like It’ has been composed by
(A) comic (B) secular (A) William Shakespeare (B) Robert Burns
(C) religious (D) romantic (C) Sir Philip Sidney (D) Richardson
63. ‘Lycidas’ has been composed by 81. From Ad 1150 onwards English began to emerge
(A) John Milton (B) Shelly a language of............
(C) Derek Walcott (D) Congreve (A) agriculture (B) industry
64. ‘Kanthapura’ has been composed by (C) literature (D) technology
(A) M. R. Anand (B) Girish Karnard 82. The Great Vowel Shift took place during the........
(C) Raja Rao (D) Asif Currimbhoy (A) Old English (B) Middle English
65. ‘Venus and Adonis’ has been composed by (C) Modern English (D) Elizabethan Period
(A) John Milton (B) William Wordsworth 83. The first English dictionary was published in
(C) William Shakespeare (D) John Dryden (A) 1476 (B) 1755
66. ‘Great Expectations’ has been composed by (C) 1557 (D) 1625
(A) John Galsworthy (B) Sheridan 84. No single language has influenced English as
(C) Richardson (D) Charles Dickens much as.........
67. ‘The Faiery Queene’ has been composed by (A) French (B) Greek
(A) Edmund Spenser (B) John Bunyan (C) Germanic (D) Latin
(C) Wycherley (D) John Keats 85. Christopher Marlowe was a famous writer of......
68. ‘Vision of Judgement’ has been composed by (A) Augustan Age (B) Jacobean Age
(A) Byron (B) Shelly (C) Elizabethan Age (D) Victorian Age
(C) Armstron (D) Dabydeen 86. English is studied as a second language in
69. ‘Poems From Prison’ has been composed by (A) Germany (B) New Zealand
(A) Wole Soyinka (B) Chinua Achebe (C) South Africa (D) Singapore
(C) Mathew Arnold (D) Longfellow 87. The word ‘Subway’ is a word from
70. ‘Red Oleander’ has been composed by (A) British English (B) American English
(A) Girish Karnard (B) Asif Currimbhoy (C) Indian English (D) Australian English
(C) G. B. Shaw (D) R. N. Tagore 88. The spelling ‘Theatre’ is used in
71. ‘The Homecoming’ has been composed by (A) American English (B) British English
(A) Samuel Beckett (B) Christopher Fry (C) African English (D) Indian English
(C) Harold Pinter (D) John Osborn 89. The Germany invaders were called............by the
72. ‘The Tourist Mecca’ has been composed by natives of England.
(A) Girish Karnard (B) Asif Currimbhoy (A) Wealas (B) Saxons
(C) G. B. Shaw (D) R. N. Tagore (C) Purists (D) Foreigners
73. ‘Adonais’ has been composed by 90. Which period of English is known as the Dark
(A) Shelly (B) Dickens Age?
(C) Baron (D) Armstron (A) Middle English (B) Old English
74. ‘Christabel’ has been composed by (C) Modern English (D) Post Modern English
(A) Christopher Marlowe (B) Edmund Spenser 91. Old English had...............dialects.
(C) Samuel Butle (D) S. T. Coleridge (A) four (B) five
75. ‘Astrophel’ has been composed by (C) two (D) three
(A) Sir Philip Sidney (B) Robert Burns 92. ..................is the first book of English prose.
(C) Alexander Pope (D) G. B. Shaw (A) The Exeter Book
76. ‘Four Pastorals’ has been composed by (B) The Vercelli Book
(A) Sir Philip Sidney (B) Robert Burns (C) The Junius
(C) Alexander Pope (D) G. B. Shaw (D) The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
77. ‘The Cocktail Party’ has been composed by 93. Modern English has evolved from the......dialect.
(A) Vikram Seth (B) Sheridan (A) Northumbrian (B) East Midland
(C) T. S. Eliot (D) Ben Johnson (C) West Midland (D) Kentish
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94. ...................is a romantic epic. (A) Anglo-Saxons (B) French tribes

(A) Paradise Lost (B) Paradise Regained (C) Indian tribes (D) American tribes
(C) Faiery Queene (D) Hamlet 108. One who writes a drama is called..................
95. ............was the representative poet of Augustan (A) Essayist (B) Novelist
Age. (C) Comedian (D) Playwright
(A) William Shakespeare (B) Alexander Pope 109. Who is considered the greatest English
(C) John Milton (D) George Herbert dramatist?
96. Angles, Saxons and Jutes were together called (A) Geoffrey Chaucer (B) Wycliff
(A) Norman Conquest (B) Wealas (C) William Langland (D) Shakespeare
(C) Vikings (D) Anglo-Saxons 110. Which is the first Indian novel in English?
97. ..........is spoken by maximum number of people. (A) Rajmohan's Wife (B) Raja Harischandra
(A) English (B) Hindi (C) Mahabharata (D) The English Teacher
(C) Mandarin Chinese (D) French 111. The second effect of the spread of English was
98. ‘To err is human, to forgive divine’ is a famous the development of.................
saying of (A) Old Englishes (B) Middle Englishes
(A) Alexander Pope (B) Robert Burns (C) New Englishes (D) American Englishes
(C) Sir Philip Sidney (D) Richardson 112. In ancient times.............had the status of a
99. William Shakespeare was profoundly influenced world language.
by (A) Latin (B) Greek
(A) Thomas Kyd (B) George Peele (C) Spanish (D) French
(C) Robert Greene (D) Christopher Marlowe 113. The Saxons called their language as
100. The first real comedy was............ (A) Englisc (B) lengles
(A) Roister Doister (B) Gorboduc (C) langlis (D) Engglise
(C) Julius Caesar (D) Pride of Life 114. In which century did Indian English come into
101. .........has the largest number of native speakers. existence?
(A) English (B) Chinese (A) 18th (B) 20th
(C) Urdu (D) Tamil (C) 19th (D) 21st
102. 'King Lear' is a......... 115. Which language is not our native language?
(A) comedy (B) tragedy (A) English (B) Hindi
(C) tragi-comedy (D) mysterious play (C) Bengali (D) Marathi
103. In the last few decades of................, the English 116. In 17th century, the English society witnessed
language has seen rapid changes. political and...........struggles?
(A) 17th (B) 18th (A) religious (B) social
(C) 19th (D) 20th (C) domestic (D) racial
104. What has enriched the vocabulary of English? 117. The.............helped in simplifying English.
(A) Giving (B) Borrowing (A) Bible (B) Quran
(C) Withdrawing (D) Depositing (C) Mahabharata (D) Ramayana
105. ............was a dominant influence on Middle 118. English is used in China as a..............language.
English. (A) second (B) foreign
(A) Latin (B) Sanskrit (C) first (D) third
(C) Scandinavian (D) Greek 119. Nearly..............after Chaucer there was no great
106. The literature of the Anglo-Saxons is of............ literary work produced in English.
types. (A) 250 years (B) 300 years
(A) Political (B) Religious (C) 150 years (D) 200 years
(C) Comedy (D) Sentimental 120. During.............century an intellectual movement
107. The history of English began with the coming of called the Renaissance swept Europe.
the..............from Europe to mainland Britain. (A) 17th (B) 15th
(C) 18th (D) 16th

Note | Old English

The first period in the history of English is known as the Old English period. This period begins from AD 449.
English came from the speech of the Germanic Tribes- Angles, Saxons and Jutes together called Anglo-Saxons. As the
Anglo-Saxons became dominant in England their language replaced the languages of Roman Britain, Celtic and Latin.

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Old English was a mixture of dialects. It had four main dialects- Kentish, Northumbrian, Mercian and West Saxon. The
writing system of Old English was different from what we find with today. It had no grammar. It was not a standard
language. Its words were written and pronounced differently. The writing system used in Old English was the Runic
alphabet. The Runic characters were sharp straight lines without curves. Many of these letters are found on weapons.
Old English period was the childhood of English which was from AD 449 to AD 1066.

Note | Middle English

The second stage in the history of English is known as the Middle English period. This period begins from AD
1150. This period was dialectical. It had five main dialects- Northern, Southern, East Midland, West Midland, Kentish. In
this period, the first ‘Printing Press’ was set up by William Caxton. The invention of printing press played a historic role
in the development of English. It helped to standardize the language. This period was marked by intensive and
fundamental changes in the phonological and grammatical systems of English. The most important feature of Middle
English was its great variety that was used in spoken as well as written. Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland and Sir
Thomas Malory are important writers of this period. This period is called the rising period of English language. This
period was from AD 1150 to AD 1500.

Note | Modern English

th
The English which started from 15 century till now is called Modern English. Modern English is also known as
Standard English. This period absorbed words from fifty different languages. It is spoken and written in the same way
in the larger parts of the world. It has its own standard pronunciation. It is different from Old English mainly in the
spelling of words. In this period, the first English Dictionary was published by Dr Samuel in 1755. The two works which
has helped simplifying Modern English are the authorized version of the Bible and Shakespeare’s writings. This period
has seen many poets, novelists and dramatists. This period is considered the golden era for English language. Today,
Modern English has become the means of expression and communication. Modern English is a window of success.

Note | Global English

English is a global language because it is spoken and read in the large number of countries. It is the official
language in the entire world forum such as UNO and its subsidiary units-WHO, IMF, SAARC, ILO etc. It has got recognition
of being an international language. It is the mother tongue of many countries like England, Australia, America, Canada,
New Zealand etc. It has borrowed many words from many languages. The borrowing habit of English has made it the
most glorious language. Naturally, it has become the language of international trade, commerce, science, technology
and diplomacy. So, undoubtedly we can say that English is a global language.

Note | English is an International Language

Nowadays English is spoken almost all parts of the world. The majority of people use it in written as well as
spoken. It is used as the first language or mother tongue in the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and
South Africa. It is used as a second official language in many Asian and African countries such as India, Netherlands,
Finland, Norway, Singapore etc. It is used and studied as a foreign language in China, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
Iraq etc. It has great literature. It is the language of science, technology, commerce, diplomacy and international sports.
Thus, we can say that English is an international language.

Note | The Future of English in India

The future of English in India is very bright because of its utilization. It is becoming the link language of the
country. Now, it has reached not only metropolitan cities but also in small cities. It is used in day-to-day life. It enhances
the personality of a human being. It plays an important role for the development of a country. It is used in computer
field. It is the language of international trade and commerce. It creates many jobs such as call centres, customer cares
and many more. Today, the world has become globalized and English is its main language. One knows that India is
economically a rising country. So, to compete in this world Indians will have to learn this language. Thus, it can be said
that the future of English in India is very bright.

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Note | American English

English is an international language. There are mainly two types of English and they are British English and
American English. The use of English in the United States is a result of British colonization of the Americans. The first
wave of English speaking settlers arrived in North America during the 17th century, followed by further migrations in the
18th and 19th centuries. Since then America has developed into new dialects. There are many salient differences between
British English and American English. These differences are seen in spelling, grammar and pronunciation of words.
Today, both American English and British English are known as the world language.

Question-Answer

1. Who were known as the University Wits ? Write their names.

➢ William Shakespeare’s immediate predecessors who established romantic form of drama were known as the
University Wits. They were– Christopher Marlowe, John Lily, Thomas Kyd and Robert Greene.
2. Who is called the father of the modern novel?
➢ Richardson is called the father of the modern novel.
3. Name two major influences on the old English.
➢ The two major influences on the old English are Latin and Scandinavian.
4. What led English to borrowings?
➢ Initially, English language had lack of words. The world was changing and growing rapidly. So, to adopt new ideas
and techniques, English had to borrow words from different languages.
5. Write the name of Middle English dialects?
➢ Middle English had five dialects- Northern, Southern, East Midland, West Midland and Kentish.
6. Write the name of Old English dialects?
➢ Old English had four dialects- Kentish, Northumbrian, Mercian and West Saxon.
7. What are the three main periods in the history of English language?
➢ The three main periods in the history of English language are- Augustan Age, Romantic Revival and Renaissance.
8. What are the features of a drama?
➢ Drama is attractive, impactful and real as it presents characters along with natural and credible aspects. These
are the features of a novel.
9. What are the features of a novel?
➢ Novels are a combination of imaginations and intellect that express life in the form of a story. They show motives
and influences which govern human life. These are the features of a novel.
10. What is a novel?
➢ Novel is an expression of life through the medium of language.
11. What is a drama?
➢ Drama is a literary art that offers us a direct presentation of its imaginative reality.
12. What is difference between a drama and a novel?
➢ Drama is a literary art that offers us a direct presentation of its imaginative reality whereas Novel is an expression
of life through the medium of language.
13. What has made English the most glorious language?
➢ The borrowing habit of English has made it the most glorious language.
14. Name the areas where English is used as a second language.
➢ The areas where English is used as a second language are- India, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Indonesia, Finland,
Norway etc.
15. Why are the Indians quick learners of English?
➢ Financial point of view, India is a rising country and Indians are of sharp-minds. They know that English is a world
language and to compete in the world they must have to learn this language. So, from this point of view Indians are
quick learners of English.
16. What are dramatic elements?
➢ Dramatic elements are- Plot, Character, Dialogue, Gestures, Scenic effect, Music, Soliloquy.
17. What are dramatic structures?
➢ Dramatic structures are- Exposition, Complication, Crisis, Denouement, Catastrophe, Conclusion.
18. Name the types of dramas.

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➢ Types of dramas are- Tragedy, Comedy, Tragi-comedy, Farce, Melodrama, Masque, One act play.
19. Name two works of John Dryden.
➢ Two works of John Dryden are- All for Love, Mac Flecknoe.
20. Name two works of Shakespeare.
➢ Two works of Shakespeare are- Macbeth, King Lear.
21. Name two works of John Keats.
➢ Two works of John Keats are- Lamia, Hyperion.
22. Name two works of John Milton.
➢ Two works of John Milton are- Paradise Lost, Lycidas.
23. Name two works of William Wordsworth.
➢ Two works of William Wordsworth are- The Prelude, Lucy Gray.
24. Name dramatic structures of a tragedy.
➢ Dramatic structures of a tragedy are- Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Denouement.
25. Name two Indian English writers.
➢ Two Indian English writers are- Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu.
26. Name five modern English poets.
➢ Five modern English poets are- John Keats, T.S. Eliot, Walter de la Mare, W.H. Auden, William Wordsworth.
27. Name three Middle English poets.
➢ Three Middle English poets are- Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, Sir Thomas Malory.
28. Name five modern English dramatists.
➢ Five modern English dramatists are- William Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, John Galsworthy, Harold Pinter, G.B. Shaw.
29. Name five modern English novelists.
➢ Five modern English novelists are- Richardson, John Bunyan, Henry Fielding, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens.
30. Name metaphysical poets of 17th century.
➢ Metaphysical poets of 17th century are- John Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell, Richard Crashaw, Henry
Vaughan.
31. Name two Indian English novelists.
➢ Two Indian English novelists are- Mulk Raj Anand, Manohar Malgaonkar.
32. Name two Indian English poets.
➢ Two Indian English poets are- Keki N. Daruwala, Kamala Das.
33. Name two Indian English dramatists.
➢ Two Indian English dramatists are- Grish Karnad, Rabindranath Tagore.
34. Name two American poets.
➢ Two American poets are- Walt Whitman, Robert Frost.
35. Name two American dramatists.
➢ Two American dramatists are- O’Neill, Arthur Miller.
36. Write a short note on ‘Indian English Novel’.
➢ As far as Indian English Novel is concerned it was introduced in India in the nineteenth century. It is a part of the
Indian literature. It reflects the social, political and cultural ambience of the time. Bankim Chandra’s ‘Raj Mohan’s
Wife’ written in 1864 was the first Indian novel in English. The three great novelists of the 30s were- Mulk Raj Anand,
R K Narayan and Raja Rao. They represented different aspects of Indian life. Mulk Raj Anand’s ‘Untouchable’,Raja
Rao’s ‘Kanthapura’ and R. K. Narayan’s ‘The Guide’ were admired worldwide.
37. What is meant by ‘The Great Vowel Shift’?
➢ The Great Vowel Shift means a series of changes in the pronunciation of the English long vowels.
38. Write a note on Indian drama?
➢ In India, there has been a long tradition of writing plays. Asif Currimbhoy, Rabindranath Tagore and Girish Karnad
are considered the greatest dramatists of Indian English drama. Asif Currimbhoy has written many plays and has
won acclaim by his ‘The Tourist Mecca’. Rabindrnath Tagore translated many of his Bengali plays into English.
His ‘Chitra’ and ‘Red Oleander’ have been popular with the audiences. Similarly, Girish Karnad, the great Kannada
actor, director and playwright has translated his plays into English. His ‘Hayavadana’ and ‘Tughlaq’ have been
successful all over India.
39. Why did the old English period fail to produce literature of much significance?
➢ Some features of old English make it very difficult to read and understand the texts of this period. The language
looks different because of its alien spelling, unfamiliar vocabulary and a totally different grammatical structure.
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Old English was the initial stage of English which was unable to influence the people. That’s why the old English
period failed to produce literature of much significance.
40. Write a short note on William Shakespeare.
➢ William Shakespeare was born on 26 April 1564. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career
in London as an actor, writer and part-owner of a playing company. He was profoundly inspired by Christopher
Marlowe, one of the University Wits, and collaborated with him. Shakespeare produced most of his known works
between 1589 and 1613. He was a major writer of the Elizabethan Period. Some of his important works which
won acclaim worldwide are- Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. Shakespeare died at the age
of 52 on 23 April 1616. He is regarded as the greatest writer in English language and the world’s greatest dramatist.
41. Write a brief note on the dialects of Middle English.
➢ Middle English was dialectical and it had five main dialects. They were known as Northern, Southern, East Midland,
West Midland and Kentish. These dialects of Middle English existed in both spoken and written form. There was
no single literary standard and the language varied from country to country.
42. When did the Great Vowel Shift take place?
➢ The Great Vowel Shift took place primarily between AD 1400 and 1700.
43. Write the features of Runic Characters.
➢ The writing system used in the Old English was the Runic Alphabet. The Runic characters were composed of
sharp straight lines without curves. Many of these letters are found on weapons; such as arrows, axes, knife-
handles, swords etc.
44. What was the impact of the Norman conquest on vocabulary of English?
➢ The Norman Conquest in AD 1066 resulted in the infusion of a large number of French words into the vocabulary
of English from Europe to mainland Britain.
45. What were the three main objectives of the 18th century grammarians?
➢ The three main objectives of the 18th century grammarians were- (i) to codify the rules of English sentence
structure, (ii) to discuss points and decide cases of divided usage, (iii) to prescribe rules for correct usages.
46 What were the major concerns of the early Indian poets writing in English?
➢ In India poetry began to be written as early as early part of the 19th century. Henry Lois Vivian Derozio, Kasi
Prasad Ghosh, Toru Dutt and Manmohan Ghosh, were the pioneers. Their major concerns were patriotism and
the glorious past of India.
47 What were the two major concerns of the American poets writing in English?
➢ American poetry in English began from the American War of Independence. It was basically imitative patriotic but
imitative of English poetry. The two major concerns of the poets were- to define the 'self and to identify the
'nation'.
48. Name the areas where English is used as a foreign language.
➢ The areas where English is used as a foreign language are- China, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Eritrea,
France, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil etc
49. What is a farce?
➢ A farce is a dramatic work which is designed solely to excite laughter.
50. What is a melodrama?
➢ A melodrama is a dramatic work which is designed solely to create sadness.
51. What is a masque?
➢ A masque is a form of dramatic entertainment which involves dances and disguises and which the spectacular
and musical elements predominate over plot and character.
52. What are the earliest forms of the novel?
➢ The earliest forms of the novel are the Greek Romances.

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