GYAN Bhava

  Christopher Marlowe did not seem to have a sense of plot construction. Most of his plays are without a plot. His play is mostly a one man show. The protagonist dominates the stage. Other characters play a very insignificant part. Doctor Faustus has often been criticized for being a weak play as regards its construction or structure.   The greatness of this play is diminished by its construction being loose. The plot of the play is not well-knit or well organised. In fact ,the play is without a plot. It is just a series of scenes,some splendid,some trivial ,loosely inter-connected in a time sequence. The plot is woven round the personality of Doctor Faustus. Our whole interest centres round the mind and life of Faustus.   Doctor Faustus has neither unity of time nor unity of place .The actions of the play extends over a period of twenty-four years. The protagonist of the play is not confined to one place but travels from one place to another .The play even does not ...

 The characteristics of human language are as follows: 1.Human beings use sound signals for communication. Thus ,use of sound signals is an important characteristics of human language. Human beings can also transfer language to visual symbols (e.g.-as in the case of sign language, or writing) and tactile symbols (e.g.-as in the case of Braille). 2.In the case of human beings there is no logical relationship between the word (the signal) and the thing it symbolises (the message).  This property of human language is known as arbitrariness. The symbols used by human beings are arbitrary(except in the case of onomatopoeic words). 3.Human child reared in isolation does not acquire language. In order to acquire language human beings require a long exposure to it and careful learning. They are born with an innate language acquisition device(LAD),but environment plays an important role in triggering this innate ability.  4.Human beings can talk about things and events that are pr...

    Morality Plays is one of the early forms of drama that emerged in the fourteenth Century and flourished in the fifteenth-sixteenth Century. It was developed specially in England. It progressed from the mystery and miracle plays of the late Middle ages. Miracle play is a dramatisation of the battle between the forces of sin and righteouness for the possession of the human soul. It conveys a moral lesson through personification and allegorical representation. In such plays virtues and vices were presented on the stage as allegorical creations.      It deals with inward spiritual struggle: man's search for salvation ,and the temptations which beset him on his pilgrimage through life to death.This is usually done by reminding  man of his morality and of the dangers of hell. The characters of the play personified moral qualities such as good or evil . Abstractions such as Justice, Mercy, Gluttony, and Vice are among the commonest characters  ...

     Murriel Spark uses a third person omniscient narrator in her novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie . The novel is written in a clear ,straightforward manner with no unnecessary descriptions or details .Spark uses the flash forward and flash backward technique in this novel. The various time shifts and simple character descriptions in the novel keeps the reader's attention focused. The novel focuses on the views held by the central figures, Miss Jean Brodie and Sandy Stranger. The reader thus experiences the actions of the novel through the eyes of many characters. It is specially through Sandy's sharp little eyes that the reader observes most of the action of the novel.      The narrative in the novel is very interesting. .It begins in 1936 but quickly reverts to the year 1930. Again the narrative goes forward to 1943 and then back to 1939. The narrative then returns to 1931 .It then jumps forward to 1959 and then back to 1931. So, instead of f...

Discuss the abundant use of the Christian symbols of evil with regard to Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. How does it reflect Bronte's views on religion.(Dec,19) Comment on Catherine as a subversive heroine in Wuthering Heights.(June,19) The location and setting of Wuthering Heights is a character in itself. Do you agree? Give reasons.(Dec,18) Discuss the narrative technique in Wuthering Heights..(June,18) Heathcliff and Hareton have been portrayed as characters with similar experiences but different responses. Discuss.(Dec,17) In what ways is the concept of marriage central to the Wuthering Heights? Discuss.(June,17) Discuss Heathcliff as a Byronic Hero.(Dec,16) In what ways is Wuthering Heights a Psychological novel?(June,16) Discuss Wuthering Heights as a novel of passion and revenge.(Dec,15) Do you think Nelly is a reliable narrator in Wuthering Heights? Support your answer with evidence from the text.(June,15) Does the novel Wuthering Heights present Heathcliff as a realistic ...

   The Picaresque novel had its origin in the sixteenth century in Spain. The word 'Picaresque' has been derived from Spanish word 'Picaro' ,which means 'a rascal'. The Picaresque novel is the story of adventures or misadventures of a picaro (or rascal) who wanders from one place to another in different social settings to earn his living. The central figure(picaro) is born of poor or degraded parents or he is illegitimate.       The objective of the novel is to delight and entertain. It is not concerned with moral lessons. It gives us a complete and realistic view of the contemporary society through variety of characters, settings and incidents. Characters of this type of novel comes from different strata of society. The plot is episodic and consists of a series of  thrilling events. These events are loosely connected together. The novel satirises the faults of its character or society in general. The picaresque novel became a common type in Fr...

Critically examine Dr. Faustus as a tragedy of human heroism. (Dec,2019) Dr. Faustus attempts to depart from a comedy of evil to become a tragedy of human heroism. Do you agree? Give a reasoned answer.(Dec,2018) Critically analyse Dr. Faustus as a Renaissance Tragedy.(June,2018) Tragic irresolution is the dramatic strength of Dr. Faustus. Discuss(Dec,2017) Examine Dr. Faustus as a tragedy of neurosis and relate it to the predicament of the contemporary man.(June,2017) "Homo, fuge :Whither should I fly?" Analyze Dr. Faustus in the context of this statement.(Dec,2016) Critically examine Dr. Faustus as a Renaissance Tragedy.(June,2016) Bring out the nature of tragic conflict of Dr. Faustus.(Dec,2015) Write short notes on Dr Faustus as the tragedy of a Renaissance man.(June,2015) Attempt a critical appreciation of Dr. Faustus as dramatic poetry.(Dec,2014) Discuss Dr. Faustus as essentially a Renaissance tragedy.(June,2014) Analyse the role of Mephistophilis in Dr. Faustus.(Dec, 2...

1)Discuss Fielding's narrative strategies in Tom Jones.(Dec,2019) 2)Discuss the feminist concerns in Tom Jones.(June,2019) 3)What attitudes towards marriage does Fielding illustrate in Tom Jones?(June,2018) 4)"Tom Jones is the story of a man's journey from innocence through experience to wisdom." Which events from the text best illustrates this?(Dec,2017) 5)What do you understand by 'typical and individual characters '?Elucidate with reference to Tom Jones.(June,2017) 6)Examine the importance of the narrator in Tom Jones.(Dec,2016) 7)Discuss how Tom Jones is a novel about 'the division of life in segments'.(June,2016) 8)How does Henry Fielding realistically mirror the eighteenth century society in Tom Jones?(Dec,2015) 9)In Tom Jones,does Fielding see marriage as a socio-economic alliance?Elucidate.(June,2015) 10)Write a note on female representation in the novel Tom Jones.(Dec,2014) 11)Fielding is not as sympathetic towards women as he is towards men.G...

1)Bring out the major themes in Middlemarch.(Dec,2019) 2)What do you understand by 'authorial control'?How is this evident in Middlemarch?(June,2019) 3)How does George Eliot depict society in transition in Middlemarch?(Dec,2018) 4)Write briefly on the social and gender concerns in Middlemarch.(June,2018) 5)Bring out the reasons for Dorothea's attraction for Casaubon.What is your opinion of Dorothea?(Dec,2017) 6)Discuss the 'Woman Question' as illustrated in Middlemarch.(June,2017) 7)Discuss the main themes present in Middlemarch.(Dec,2016) 8)Comment on the portrayal of women in Middlemarch.(June,2016) 9)Discuss how George Eliot constructs a web-like overlapping between the domestic front and the public spheres.(Dec,2015) 10)How do conflicting attitudes to money determine the relationship between Lydgate and Rosamond in Middlemarch.(June,2015) 11)Analyse the significance of the Casaubon-Dorothea relationship in the novel Middlemarch.(Dec,2014) 12)Do you agree that ch...

     Porphyria's Lover is a poem written by a Victorian poet Robert Browning . It was published in the year 1836. The poem is written in a dramatic monologue form. The rhyming scheme of the poem is ababb .The poetry follows an extremely regular meter of iambic tetrameter. The poem deals with the subject of horror, which was a contemporary subject in Browning's time. The setting of the poem is a cottage out in the countryside. The cold ,rainy and stormy night outside provides the congenial atmosphere of the story. The narration is first person with the story being told from the mind of the psycho lover. The themes of the poem are: love, class and  abnormal psychology. The language of the monologue is clear and lucid.    The poem is about the speaker murdering his lover, Porphyria, who breaks all societal conventions to come to meet her lover in his house. Porphyria is a young  beautiful lady with long, blonde hair.  Her dressing shows that she b...

Discuss the theme of race in the novel Heart of Darkness.(Dec,2019) Discuss the omniscient point of view in Heart of Darkness.(June,2019) Comment on Conrad's depiction of women inn Heart of Darkness.(Dec,2018) Comment on Marlow's shifting opinions in Heart of Darkness.(June,2018) What is the role of 'The Intended' in Heart of Darkness?(Dec,2017) Comment on the aptness of the title Heart of Darkness.(June,2017) The issue of race and gender are central to the Heart of Darkness.Justify.(Dec,2016) Analyse Heart of Darkness as a novel of the colonial encounter.(June,2016) Show how Conrad's  Heart of Darkness is a journey into the inner recesses of the human heart of darkness.(Dec,2015) Comment on the appropriateness of the title of the novel Heart of Darkness.(June,2015) How does the structure of the novel Heart of Darkness contribute to our understanding of the text?(Dec,2014) Marlow and Kurtz occupy two different ideological positions in Heart of Darkness.Discuss.(June...

1)In what respect can The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie be called an autobiographical novel?(Dec,2019) 2)What are elements of autobiography in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie?Illustrate?(June,2019) 3)Write a note on characterisation in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.(Dec,2018) 4)Trace the development of Realism and its expression in the British novel of the 1960s with specific reference to The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.(June,2018) 5)The major characters in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie reflect different aspects of moral and psychological growth. Illustrate with examples from the text.(Dec,2017) 6)What are the issues raised by the author in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie?Exemplify.(June,2017) 7)Comment upon the narrative technique in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie(Dec,2016) 8)Muriel Sparks 'deals with the psychological development of characters.'Discuss with reference to The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.(June,2016) 9)Discuss the various elements of modernism in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie...

1)How does A Passage to India delineate a romantic landscape?(Dec,2019) 2)Write a note on the dominant motifs in A Passage to India.(June,2019) 3)Comment upon Forster's representation of India in A Passage to India.(Dec,2018) 4)Examine Forster's portrayal of  women ,with specific reference to Mrs Moore and Adela in A Passage  to India.(June,2018) 5)Analyse the role of race in shaping the behaviour of  Aziz, Godbole and Fielding in A Passage to India.(Dec,2017) 6)Discuss the character of Aziz in A Passage to India.(June,2017) 7)Comment upon Forster's representation of three major religions in the novel A Passage to India.(Dec,2016) 8)Discuss A Passage to India as a novel focusing on the East-West interface.(June,2016) 9)A Passage to India is a complex and layered interface between the rulers and the ruled. Discuss.(Dec,2015) 10)Critically examine the symbols used in the novel A Passage to India.(June,2015) 11)How does Forster use the character of Fielding as an instrument ...

  The Second Coming is a famous poem written by William Butler Yeats .It belongs to the later period of his career. It is a mature prophetic poem , significant for its visionary content . Inspired by a prophetic vision the poet predicts the dawn of an evil age. The Second Coming means the second coming of Jesus Christ.Yeats believes that the process of history is a cyclic one like the movement of rapidly rotating gyre.  In the first stanza ,the poet focuses attention on the present anarchic situation .There is destruction and chaos all around the world . The falconer has lost control over the falcon because of the distance between them. Things are falling apart so widely that even the centre fails to control them. Everywhere , there is violence and bloodshed .All finer values of life are lost due to this all-round disruption. The best people are lacking in idea and faith ,while the worst people are full of passionate intensity.  In the second stanza of the poem ,the poet...

  Sailing to Byzantium is a poem by William Butler Yeats . Yeats was deeply interested in the city of Byzantium . The city of Byzantium was merged into Constantinople.The city was known for its skill of craftsmanship and the beauty of  its buildings. Yeats was familiar with the art and beauty of Byzantium. According to him Byzantium is a symbol of spiritualism.  In the poem , the poet is saying that the country in which he is living ,which is most probably Ireland, is not fit for the old people. The young ones are busy in sensual pleasures. The birds in the trees, fishes in the rivers ,all animals and the young human beings on the land are engaged in sexual activities. They are so busy in the joy of the senses that they have no time for the old people. They even ignore the unageing art and architecture.  In the second stanza Yeats expresses his disgust for the condition of old people in his country. An old man according to him is as weak and helpless as a scarecrow....

  Sonnet is an interesting sub-piece of the lyric. Sonnets were originated in Italy with Dante who wrote a number of sonnets to his beloved Beatrice. Sonnets were of two forms-  the Italian or the Petrarchan form and the English or the Shakespearean type. During the Elizabethan period both kinds were flourished; the English kind  flourished to a greater extent.  Henry Howard , Earl of Surrey(1516-1547) - He introduced the English form of the sonnets. His poems are chiefly lyrical and include a few sonnets, the first of their kind,composed in the English or Shakespearean mode- an arrangement of three quatrains followed by a couplet..  Sir Thomas Wyatt(1503-1542 ) - In England sonnets were introduced by Sir Thomas Wyatt. He began with a group of the Italian sonnets. His most noteworthy 31 sonnets, were the first in English. They were written in the petrarchan form apart from the couplet endings ,which he introduced.  Edmund Spenser(1552-1599) - He is the mo...

  Gothic Novel is a  romance novel of terror based on the grisly, mystery and the supernatural. It originated in the mid eighteenth century England. It exhibits the typical gothic qualities of doom and gloom.  The Gothic novel has sombre, restless villain as the protagonist.  It is full of mystery and violent emotions with the presence of ghosts and satanic forces. There is descriptions of old and unhappy things. The scene is laid in a haunted castle ,dark forests or  ruined abbeys. Wild and desolate nature provides the congenial landscape. The thread of romantic love runs through the melo-dramatic matter. The love is sometimes destructively passionate love affairs  Horace Walpole (1717-1797)- His novel ' The Castle of Otranto '(1764) was the first Gothic novel of the terror school. The novel is set in the thirteenth century and describes a ghostly castle ,with walking skeletons ,pictures leaving their frames and other blood curdling incidents.  Willi...

  University Wits were the principal predecessors of Shakespeare in the history of the English Drama .These young men were associated with Oxford and Cambridge universities. These group of educated, ambitious and opportunistic youth  took to writing new types of dramas. Most of them led irregular and stormy lives. Professionally, they were first-class entertainers and they set the course for the latest Elizabethan school of drama.     They gave England the romantic comedy, the romantic tragedy, and the 'blank-verse'. The most famous of these are Christopher Marlowe,Thomas Lodge, Thomas Kyd ,Thomas Nash, Robert Greene, George Peele and  John Lyly.  Their plays had certain features in common such as- tragic heroic themes, long speeches, splendid descriptions, violent emotions and incidents, heroic style, use of blank verse, and a general lack of real humour.  John Lyly(1554-1606) - He was born in Kent and educated at Oxford. He was the foremost am...

   In 1625, Charles  I ascended the throne of England after the death of his father. The period of his rule(1625-49) is known as the Caroline period. There was a tremendous outburst of lyrical activity in this period. Most of the lyricists were connected to the royal court and supported King Charles I during the English Civil War. These lyricists are called as Cavalier Poets in the history of English literature. The Cavalier poets are lyrical poets and deal chiefly with love and war.          They have polish and ingenuity but  lack the emotional intensity of  Elizabethans.These poets created a fluent, sophisticated body of love lyrics in which the theme of 'seize the day' played a prominent role. Among the best known among them are Richard Lovelace, Sir John Suckling, Thomas Carew, Edmund Waller and Robert Herrick . Some features of Cavalier poetry are: the use of wit, praise of beloved's beauty and wisdom,smart respons...

 The true reflection of the Restoration Age is to be found  in the Restoration Comedy .   Restoration Comedy was essentially known as the 'comedy of manners'. It was influenced by the works of the French dramatist Molie're, whose works were the first true examples of the Comedy of Manners.It flourished under the patronage of the court and the aristocracy. It represented an experimental way of living.  The Comedy of Manners closely reflected the court life of the period.  It mirrored directly the manners, modes and morals of the upper-class society .It was full of liveliness and action. It was appreciated because it gave artistic pleasure. The dialogue was  extremely witty. The theme was mainly of courtiers and their class,their vices ,their love-intrigues and money grabbing. The characters were to a great extent humorous and their names revealed their disposition.  Restoration Comedy was nothing but a mocking image of a carefree life. It was critici...

  Metaphysical Poetry deals with meta physics , that which is  beyond physics or the material world. The term metaphysical poetry means poetry which is philosophical or based on abstract general reasoning. It is complex and subtle and makes frequent use of paradox. The term Metaphysical was first applied by John Dryden to the poetry of John Donne ,which is so rich in extravagant conceits. According to Dryden the poetry of Donne affects metaphysics. Later this term was coined by Dr. Samuel Johnson to describe a whole school of seventeenth century poets who wrote in imitation of Donne. They were the followers of John Donne and were  influenced by his religious poetry.  This school of poetry is characterised by witty ,ingenious metaphors drawn from widely disparate areas of life. The poetry is to a great extent lyrical with a forceful colloquial style .It is chiefly religious in subject, with sudden beauty of phrase and melody of diction. Some of the most importa...

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French Verbs  ending  with  -er with their meanings Parler   -   to speak Chanter  -   to sing Danser   -   to dance E'couter  -   to listen  Aimer  -   to lie Arriver   -   to arrive Ajouter   -  to add Casser   -  to break   Je  -  I Tu   -  You (singular) Il   -  He  Elle   -  She Nous   -  We Vous   -  You (plural) Ils  /  Elles   -  They   Je parl+e  =  Je parle     -    I speak / I am speaking Tu parl+es =  Tu parles    -   You speak / You are speaking Il / Elle parl+e  =  Il / Elle parle    -   He/She speaks // He /She is speaking Nous parl+ons  =  Nous parlons    -   We speak / We are speaking Vous parl+ez  =  Vous parlez   -   You speak / Y...