West Bengal State University
B. A. ENGLISH HONOURS
Paper VI
MODEL QUESTION
F.M. 100
TIME: 4 HOURS
Candidates are advised to write answers in their own language as far as practicable. Precise
answers will be given special credit. Spelling and grammatical errors will be penalised.
GROUP-A
(Q.1)Answer briefly any four of the following questions in about 200 words:
(4x5=20)
(a) What do you understand by the term “Drama of the Absurd”? Substantiate
your answer with two suitable examples.
(b)Who were the major dramatists in the Irish Literary Revival? Why was it so
named?
(c)Assess the contribution of John Galsworthy.
(d)What is meant by Problem Play? Name two dramatists writing in this genre
and mention their plays.
(e)Bring out the salient features of either T.S.Eliot’s or W.H.Auden’s plays.
(f)Differentiate between a radio play and a stage play.
GROUP-B
(Q.2)Answer any three of the following questions taking one question from
each play in about 500 words:
(3x15=45)
(a)How does Barbara rebel against traditional feminine roles in Major Barbara.
OR
(b)Comment on the representation of the Salvation Army in Major Barbara.
(c)Comment on the use of poetic symbolism and imagery in Synge’s Riders
tothe Sea.
OR
(d)Examine the roles of Cathleen and Nora in the play Riders to the Sea.
(e)Critically comment on the thematic aspect of the birthday party in Pinter’s
The Birthday Party.
OR
(f)Consider The Birthday Party as a political allegory.
GROUP-C
(Q.3)Locate and annotate any three of the following taking one from each
play in about 200 words:
(3x5=15)
(a)”They’re all gone now, and there isn’t anything more the sea can do to
me…“
OR
(b)”It’s the life of a young man to be going on the sea and who would listen to
an old woman with one thing… .”
(c)”Not at all. Well, the more destructive war becomes the more fascinating we
find it.”
OR
(d)”We have to win her; and we are neither of us Methodists.”
(e)”You’re dead.You can’t live,you can’t think, you can’t love. You’re dead.
You’re a plague gone bad. There’s no juice in you. You’re nothing but an
odor.”
OR
(f)”Let’s finish and go. Let’s get it over and go. Get the thing done. Let’s finish
the bloody thing. Let’s get the thing done and go!”
GROUP-D
(Q.4)Write a substance of the following passage/poem and critically
comment on the idea, language, style and technique in about 800 words:
(10+10=20)
(a)Man has been trying for long to fathom the mysteries of creation: scientists
too have been trying. But can he with his limited capacity truly grasp its full
power? The scientist cannot conceive of it, may be the philosopher thinks even
that to be possible. But to attain such a level, he must think that this very
physical frame itself is Maya and truly he himself is an inseparable part of the
Great Power. Of course in our country this line of thought has been propagated
in many forms—perhaps even now many do believe in it heart and soul. Once
someone comes to this realization we say about him. ‘Now he is liberated.’ The
scientist wonders where he has gone then! For he no longer has any links with
our world!
(b)O, reason not the need: our basest beggars
Are in the poorest thing superfluous:
Allow not nature more than nature needs,
Man’s life’s as cheap as beast’s: thou art a lady:
If only to go warm were gorgeous,
Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear’st,
Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But, for true need…
You heavens, give me that patience,
Patience I need!
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