PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by JANE AUSTEN Thematic Significance of the Title / Theme of Pride and Prejudice in Human Nature

How would you explain the title of Pride and Prejudice? Critically examine the events and characters in the light of the title of the novel. Pride in the main characters and the lack of it in Austens minor characters is a major theme in the novel. Substantiate. Elizabeth Bennet finds intricate characters amusing, but does she understand them? Elizabeth Bennets learning experience works convincingly and accomplishes a change of heart. Discuss. Darcy, through his learning experience, is reformed as a man with the right sort of pride. How far do your agree with this assessment of his character? Discuss the change that takes place in Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy as a result of their learning experience. The larger subject in Jane Austens novel is human nature. Elaborate this with reference to the two main characters, Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Jane Austen develops and then releases the antagonism between Elizabeth and Darcy in such a way that they themselves are made to realize the folly of their pride and prejudice. Discuss. Theme of Love and Romance In spite of her capacity for harsh irony, the romantic spirit is very much alive in Jane Austen. Discuss. Theme of Marriages and Social Concerns of the 18th century society (Marxist before Marx) Pride and Prejudice illustrates various roads to marriage, which is one of the major themes in Jane Austens novels. Discuss. Critically evaluate how Jane Austen has integrated the social concerns of her age in the novel. How far is it correct to label Jane Austen a Marxist before Marx?

Irony as a narrative technique in style Jane Austen has used irony as a part of her narrative technique. Irony is the most effective weapon Jane Austen has in her arsenal. Discuss. Humor and Amusement through comic characters Jane Austen treats her ridiculous characters in an unforgiving manner. Elaborate. William Collins is an ironical but unforgettable study in self-satisfied sycophancy (flattery) and pomposity. Comment. Jane Austen did not mean to instruct her readers; her aim was to draw a picture that amuses them. Comment. Write a critical note on Jane Austens humor. High Comedy and Satire on sophisticated genteel society Pride and Prejudice is simultaneously a high comedy, a devastating satire and a compassionate panorama. Critically comment. Jane Austens dramatic style Can Pride and Prejudice be called as a dramatic stay divided into five acts of high comedy? Jane Austens Art of subtle Characterization Jane Austens principal characters all feel and feel strongly. Want of feeling is the most serious accusation she can bring against anybody. Elaborate. Write a critical note on Jane Austens art of subtle characterization Male and Female characters Write a critical note on Jane Austens rendering of male characters in the novel. Compare and contrast the Bennet sisters in the novel. Jane Austen as a moralist/reformer and as a feminist Write a critical note on Jane Austen as a moralist.

It was Jane Austen who first brought to light what was to be one of the principal themes of later 19th century novel: the predicament of the individual, particularly of the woman, who requires personal fulfillment in the society, and finds that society imposes far more obstacles than opportunities for realizing the desire. How far do you agree with this view?

Jane Austens superb art as a novelist despite the limited range Faithful observation, personal detachment and a fine sense of ironic comedy are among Jane Austens chief characteristics as a writer. Discuss. Jane Austen was fully alive to her limitations. As such, she never touched a character or scene she did not thoroughly know. Discuss. Jane Austens world is limited but her art is superb. What makes Jane Austen such a great artist despite the proverbially limited range of her outlook and observation? I think I may boast myself to be, with all possible vanity, the most unlearned and uninformed female who ever dared to be an authoress. Do you agree with this self-deprecating remark of Jane Austen? It is said that Jane Austen brought the English novel as an art form, to its maturity and the wide range which that form covered later in the 19th century owed much to the imaginative assurance which she had given it. How far do you agree with this view? Write exhaustive critical note on Jane Austens place and appeal in literature as a novelist. Write a critical note on Jane Austens universal popularity and her position as a novelist in modern times. Jane Austens narrative style and techniques as a novelist Write a critical note on Jane Austens stylistic narrative techniques in her style.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES by CHARLES DICKENS Theme of Love and Sacrifice Enunciate the theme of love and sacrifice in the novel. Theme of Conflict of interests and Clash of characters A Tale of Two Cities is the story of conflict of interests and clash of characters. Discuss. Historical novel Write a critical note on A Tale of Two Cities as historical fiction. Dickens gives us a harsh exposure of the social and economic system of the age in his novel. Discuss. A Tale of Two Cities is Dickens most impersonal novel, especially because of the grand objectivity of historical events with which it deals. Discuss. Autobiographical element Write a critical note on the autobiographical element in the novel. There was a revolution in the life of Dickens which corresponded to the external revolution. Discuss. Show how the French Revolution and Dickens own life influenced the writing of A Tale of Two Cities. Picaresque element Examine in detail the picaresque elements in the novel. Dickens method of characterization

Compare Dickens methods of characterization with those of George Eliot. How do the different methods affect the readers attitude in each case? Irony and ironic elements Dickens heightens the underlying meaning of novel through his sophisticated use of irony in A Tale of Two Cities. Discuss.

Humor and comic characters Write a critical note on Dickens humor and his comic style in the novel through the employment of comic elements and characters. Tragic Elements and Pathos Write a critical note on Dickens pathos and the tragic element in the novel. Symbolism Discuss the symbolic treatment of La Guillotine by Dickens to convey the violence and bloodshed of the French Revolution. Symbolism lends additional meanings to those which are apparent on the surface in the novel. Discuss . Dickens panoramic novel and panoramic range as a novelist In ease and range there is surely no greater a master of English than Dickens, except Shakespeare. Is this a true estimate of Dickens as a novelist? Write a critical note on Dickens position as the greatest literary writer of his times and as a representative Victorian novelist. Among the English novelists, Dickens is neither the most consummate artist, nor the finest psychologist, nor the most accomplished realist, nor the most seductive of tale writers, but at best he is probably the most national, the most typical and the greatest of them all. Is this a true appraisal of Dickens work as a novelist? How far do you agree with this evaluation of Dickens work? Dickens narrative technique and style as a novelist The final stress may fall on Dickens command of word, phrase, rhythm and image. Elaborate.

Critically analyze Dickens narrative style and technique.

THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE by THOMAS HARDY Hardys pessimistic philosophy and tragic vision for mans disillusionment Hardys pessimism is not only a way of thinking, lived by his most instinctive sensibility, it imbibes all his visions; it is the very essence of his admirable poetry of nature. Discuss. Write an exhaustive note on Hardys tragic vision. Is life really as tragic as Hardy makes it out to be? How far may Hardys novel be described as a study in disillusionment? Role of Fate, Destiny and Chance in the tragedy To what extent do you think are fate, destiny and chance an integral part of the tragedy in Hardys work? Write a detailed analysis of the role of fate, destiny and chance in hardys novel. Do you agree with Hardy that fate or destiny is indifferent and often hostile to human happiness? Write a critical note on Hardys fatalism. Role of Free-Will and Choice in the tragedy Hardy related human disasters to weakness and lack of will. He is not a fatalist. Discuss. Role of Nature in the tragedy / Egdon Heath as the regional element of novel Egdon Heath symbolizes the whole cosmic order in which man is but an insignificant particle. Discuss.

The presence of the vast passionless heath puts the human movements into perspective as the senseless hurrying of arts. Discuss with reference to Hardys presentation of Egdon Heath. Write a critical note on nature as a backdrop in Hardys novels while critically examining the significance of Egdon Heath as the personification of nature. Hardy is particularly noted for his attention to visual and sensual detail. Critically evaluate this characteristic. Character of Clym Through a series of events over which Clym has very little control, he comes to feel responsible for the deaths of his mother and wife. Discuss. Clyms blindness is a physical manifestation, a symbol of his intellectual obtuseness and social maladjustment. Discuss. Characters of Eustacia and Wildeve Discuss the characters of Eustacia and Wildeve in detail. Minor characters Hardys minor characters are grouped together without being fully individualized. Discuss. Hardys minor characters are rich in the gathered wisdom of ancient days and have learnt to endure and accept. Substantiate.

ADAM BEDE by GEORGE ELIOT Theme of Native Sagacity/Communal Morality and Indomitable Sense of Justice The characters in Adam Bede are built up on the firm foundation of native sagacity and an indomitable sense of justice. Comment. How far do you think that the ending of the novel is effective? Theme of Conflict between Love and Duty Write an exhaustive note on the conflict between love and duty in George Eliots novel. Theme of Self-realization and Maturity through Emotional turmoil and Suffering Trace the development of Adam Bedes self-realization through a process of emotional turmoil within him. Tragic elements in the novel Discuss the tragic elements in the novel and pinpoint the agent responsible for Hettys tragedy. Character of Adam Bede Unlike Hetty, Adam Bede is a man we are called upon to understand in depth; where she is static and bewildered, he is evolving and aware.

The novel is nothing but Adams education and growth to maturity through a process of suffering. Substantiate. Character of Hetty Sorrel Unlike Adam Bede, Hetty Sorrels character is superficial and shallow in depth, static, non-evolving, unaware and bewildered. Discuss. Hetty lives simply by the coercive morality of the community and when this is broken, she is destroyed. Discuss. Hetty is profoundly and eternally selfish. Discuss. Character of Dinah Morris and its contrast with Hettys character Discuss Dinah Morris character and contrast it with Hetty Sorrels character.

Character of Arthur Donnithorne Being superior to Hetty both in years and in experience of the world, Arthurs responsibility is much greater for the suffering and tragedy of poor Hetty. Discuss. Arthur is too weak to follow his own conscience without being forced to do so. Discuss. George Eliots Art of Characterization Compare Dickens methods of characterization with those of George Eliot. How do the different methods affect the readers attitude in each case? Write a critical note on George Eliots art of characterization. George Eliots Realism Write a critical note on George Eliots realism in the novel. George Eliot as a moralist/reformer Discuss George Eliot as a moralist/reformer. George Eliots intellectual wisdom and psychological insight as a modern novelist

George Eliot is rich in mellow wisdom and sympathetic insight. Illustrate with reference to her intellectualism. George Eliots novel reflects her psychological insight into human character and motives, making her a psychological and a modern novelist. Discuss. Discuss the main characteristics of George Eliots writing that make her a modern novelist. George Eliots style and narrative technique as a novelist The novels of George Eliot are organic wholes in as much as the story, characters and the social environment are well integrated. Do you agree? Write a critical note on George Eliots narrative technique and her art of narration in novel-writing.

GENERAL QUESTIONS ON THE NOVEL AS AN ART FORM from the book THE ENGLISH NOVEL by WALTER ALLEN Definition of Novel A novel is a narrative of events which interlock to lead to one final and major event. How far does this definition justify your own idea of the term novel? In your answer, you may refer to as many novels as your have studied. Role of Novel in the moral exploration of life Do you agree with the view that the novel is a moral exploration of life? Discuss this subject in relevanct to some great novels you have read. Art of characterization as the hallmark of a great novelist The one gift necessary to the great novelist is the capacity to create living characters. Discuss with reference to all the novelists you have studied in your course. Write critical note on flat and round characters. Irony as a narrative technique in a novelists style

Write exhaustive critical note on irony as a technique of the novelist. Origin of The Novel Write a critical note on the origin of the novel. Art and Society in The Victorian Novel Write an exhaustive, critical note on art and society in Victorian novels (the novels of Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, George Eliot). The most massive achievement of English novel came between the years 1830 to 1880. Discuss the main novels that appeared during this period. Write a critical note on the novel in Victorian times and the main features of the Victorian novel. Your favorite novelist, and why? Of all the novelists that you have read, which one appeals to you the most and for what literary and artistic reasons?