Modern Poetry - Short Questions and Their Answers (From Sargodha University Past Papers) MA English Literature Part 2

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2022

Q1: Compare and contrast the persistent traits of Romantic Poetry with Classical Poetry. 

Classical Poetry is the poetry of reason, of elevated ideas and is objective in nature. Romantic Poetry while carrying a wrighty diction, on the other hand, is the poetry of emotions, of common day experiences, and is subjective. While the diction used in Romantic Poetry is fairly simple. 

Q2: According to Williams Wordsworth, what type of diction should be employed in poetry?

Wordsworth favours simple and instinctive poetic diction broadcasted through the people living near the landscapes of Nature. For Wordsworth thinks instinctive diction represents the whole mankind. 

Q3: Definite Ode. Give example. 

Already answered in Q6 of 2017

Q4: What's the central idea of the poem, "A Poison Tree"? 

The main idea of "A Poison Tree" revolves around the fatal aftermaths of the accumulation of negative emotions without their release. 

Q5: What change does Wordsworth feel after his visit to Tintern Abbey? 

Wordsworth feels that he can understand the wonderwork of Nature instead of just looking mindlessly at them five years ago. 

Q6: Why does Keats consider Nightingale an immortal bird? 

Keats considers Nightingale an immortal bird because all nightingales sing the exact song as their previous generations sing. 

Q7: What's the theme of the poem, "Ambulances". 

"Ambulances" is a poem which, through ambulance, demonstrates that death knows the path to every doorstep but its final knock is determined by time. 

Q8: How does Eliot demonstrate the trails of Modern Man through "Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"? 

Elio6 in "Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" represents the sensitive and hopeless personality of the modern human. 

Q9: Explain the given lines by mentioning the name of the poet and the poem: 

A prophecy: Poetic numbers came

Spontaneously and cloth'd in priestly robe

Poem: The Prelude

Poet: William Wordsworth

In the very two lines, the poet is hinting on the intuition of the subjects or objects of Nature he has to cover in his poetry as he sits in isolation among the leaves of Nature. 

Q10: Explain the given lines by mentioning the name of the poet and the poem: 

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard

Are sweeter, therefore, Ye soft pipes, play on. 

Poem: Ode on a Grecian Urn

Poet: John Keats

These lines signify that drawn pictures have the ability to speak, not literally but through the imagination of the on-looker. 

2021

Q1: Describe the distinctive features of Romantic Poetry.

Already answered below

Q2: Define alliteration. Give an example.

Alliteration is the repetition of the consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a verse. 

Example: 

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

Q3: What is the central idea of the poem "The Chimney Sweepers" by William Blake? 

The central idea of the Chimney Sweepers is to highlight the innocent desires of liberty from the sooty profession of the chimney sweepers as this kind of dangerous work is not suitable for small children. 

Q4: What type of memories does Wordsworth recall in the "Prelude"?

Wordsworth recalls the memories of his childhood by spending most of his time in the lap of Nature in the "Prelude". 

Q5: Why does John Keats call the Grecian Urn "Sylvan Historian"? 

Already answered below

Q6: What is the theme of the poem "When You Are Old" by W.B Yeats?

The prominent theme of this poem is the temporal significance of beauty. 

Q7: What type of impression do we gather about Philip Larkin's personality after reading his poem "Mr. Bleaney"?

Just like the dull and dreary life of Mr. Bleaney, we get the impression that Philip Larkin must have the same personality too. But Larkin's life was marked with pain of cancer that eventually took his life. 

Q8: What does West Wind' symbolize?

The West Wind symbolizes for the beginning of a new order after the end of the previous life. It can also be interpreted as a symbol of change and revolution. 

Q9: Explain the given lines with reference to the poem and the Poet.

And the round ocean and the living air,

And the blue sky, and in the mind of man;

A Motion and a Spirit, that impels.

Poem: Tintern Abbey

Poet: William Wordsworth

Through the very lines, the poet gives a clear idea of the spirit of Nature. The presence of the monarchy of Nature can be found everywhere. Be it the round ocean, the blue sky or even in the mind of the poet. 

Q10: Explain the given lines with reference to the poem and the Poet.

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains

My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk

Poem: Ode to a Nightingale

Poet: John Keats

These lines have been taken from the beginning of the poem. In these lines, the poet shows his condition of the excess of pain that has been inflicted upon him through the "fever and fret" of life. The pain is so intense that the poet is unable to feel it. 

2020

Q1: Define the Romantic Age in your own words.  

Romantic Age was a literary and artistic movement of the late 1700s that aimed at showcasing and finding escape in nature and illustrating personal emotions attached to it.  

Q2: What is the major theme in "The Little Black Boy"? 

There are two major themes of this poem by William Blake. The first one is the earthly equality that the boy perceives for the Divine Love while the second theme gives importance to life and love to claim a good spot in the afterlife. View Critical Analysis 

Q3: What is the central idea of the poem, "To a Skylark".  

The main idea hidden in this poem is to relish the freedom like a skylark that flies and to enjoy the song of Nature. Source 

Q4: What kind of memories does Wordsworth reveal in "Tintern Abbey"? 

William Wordsworth reveal his memories of childhood in his long poem, "Tintern Abbey". He recalls playing in the lap of Nature and visiting the abbey with his sister.  

Q5: Explain the following lines in your own words along with the name of the poem and the poet:  

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever 

Its loveliness increase, it will never pass into nothingness" 

Poem: Endymion 

Poet: John Keats 

These lines indicate that the beauty of a thing lives beyond a person's death. If a person dies that does not mean beautiful things associated with him shall wither away with hands of time.  

Q6: Explain the following lines in your own words along with the name of poem and the poet:  

"Where are the songs of spring?  Ay, where are they?  

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too." 

Poem: Ode to Autumn 

Poet: John Keats 

These lines are used to pay a tribute to autumn. Keats admire the way autumn plays the music of its own.  

Q7: What is the main idea of the poem "The Divine Image"? 

The Divine Image conveys its main idea of establishing a divine relationship between God and Man through four virtues that are Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love. Source 

Q8: What is the central idea of the poem "When You are Old"? 

When You are Old is a poem by W. B. Yeats in which he underlines a bleak idea of aging. He suggests that as soon as we begin to age, our youthful beauty starts to fade away. Source 

Q9: Write a note on Philip Larkin's poetry in your own words.  

Larkin's poetry gives us a slight hint at the pessimism lurking in the twentieth century. His poetry mostly centred around religion, isolation, social chaos, love and nature. Source 

Q10: What is the main idea of the poem "Church Going"? 

"Church Going" is a poem by Philip Larkin in which he discusses the theme of tension between religion and spirituality as well as the relationship between humans and nature. Source 

 

2019 

 

Q1: Define the Romantic Age in your own words.  

Already defined in 2020 

Q2: What is the major theme in the poem "The Divine Image"? 

Already answered in 2020 

Q3: What is the central idea of the poem Tintern Abbey? 

The central idea in Wordsworth Tintern Abbey revolves around remembering Wordsworth's childhood memories and Man's association with nature.  

Q4: What kind of memories do Wordsworth reveal in The Prelude?  

Wordsworth reveals his memories of his childhood and school time in The Prelude and how did he grow up in the lap of Nature.  

Q5: Explain the given lines with the name of the poem and the poet in your own words:  

"but still will keep 

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep 

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing." 

Poem: Endymion 

Poet: John Keats 

In these lines, the poet suggests that beauty is like a shelter or a shadow of a tree which helps us plunge into our world of dreams. Source 

Q6: Explain the following lines in your own words along with the name of the poem and the poet:  

"Where are the songs of spring?  Ay, where are they?  

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too." 

Already explained in 2020 

Q7: What is negative capability? 

Negative capability is the ability to remove one's self from a piece of writing and to become like the nightingale of Keats as a whole.  

Q8: What is the central idea of the poem Wild Swans at Coole? 

The central idea of this poem by WB Yeats is how time progresses. The poet is saddened to realize how much has changed since he began counting swans nineteen years ago. Source 

Q9: Write a note on Philip Larkin's life in your own words.  

Philip Larkin was born in 1922 and died in 1985. He was a well-recognized poet both in his country and abroad. But he avoided public gatherings and modern American Poetry. Source 

Q10: What is the central idea of the poem Mr. Bleany? 

Mr. Bleaney is a poem by Philip Larkin in which he opens up the shallowness of life and loneliness of humans. Source 

 

2018 

 

Q1: What is dualism in Black's poetry? 

Dualism in Blake's poetry is his treatment of the same topic from the perspective of both innocence as well as experience. 

Q2: Define symbolism.  

Symbolism is a process of using symbols in a literary work, be it poetry, novel, drama or prose. While a symbol is a literary device that stands for something else beyond its literal meaning. Source 

Q3: Define realism.  

Realism is the depiction of the reality of everyday life through the life-like personages in literature. Source 

Q4: Explain the term "experience" used in Blake's poetry.  

According to Blake, experience is contrary to innocence but both are essential for a soul to function. Experience is what makes us tackle with the challenges of life. View Discussion 

Q5: Why did Wordsworth visit Tintern Abbey in 1798? 

Wordsworth visited Tintern Abbey on 13 July 1798 due to the social and political turmoil during French Revolution, Wordsworth fled from France to save his life. Source 

Q6: Why does Shelley call the West Wind "Destroyer and Preserver"? 

Shelley calls the West Wind both the destroyer and preserver in his ode. The wind is a destroyer in a sense because it puts an end to the lives of different plants and small birds in cold winter. It is a preserver in the form of the gentle breeze of Spring that breathes a new life into the plants, flowers and birds. Source 

Q7: Explain the following:  

"Heard Melodies are Sweet 

But those unheard are Sweeter" 

In these two lines, Keats wants to state that beauty is not limited to the concrete world that surrounds us. It can live inside our would of imagination. Just like the unheard music player by the pipers inscribed on the Grecian urn that can be heard through the imaginative ears of ours.  

Q8: Why does T. S. Eliot call London an "Unreal City"? 

TS Eliot calls London "Unreal City" because of the people living in this city who lack warmth and the ability to connect with each other. Source 

Q9: How does Larkin show his disrespect to the Church? 

Philip Larkin shows his disrespect for the Church by mounting the pulpit and mocking the ceremony of the Church. Source 

Q10: Define the "Spiritus Mundi" in "The Second Coming" by W. B. Yeats.  

Spiritus Mundi, according to W. B. Yeats means a "muse" that bestows upon the poets and writers to write. He thinks that Spiritus Mundi is a primary source for "images" and "symbols". Source 

 

2017 

 

Q1: What is mysticism? 

Mysticism is a person's spiritual association with God or the Absolute. In my humble opinion, mysticism is something that takes us away from the concrete world to a spiritual realm where there is no monarchy of the time. Read more 

Q2: What do “Songs of Innocence” signify?  

The Songs of Innocence signify the innocent fears and actions of a child and how he needs the experience to get into practical life when he grows into adulthood.  

Q3: Define romanticism.  

Romanticism was a literary movement in the 18th century that emphasized at the subjectivity, importance of nature and primacy of the individual.  

Q4: Define pantheism. 

Pantheism is a doctrine of religion and philosophy that is used by a large number of literary figures who believe that God is present everywhere in nature. They think that God and nature are the same. Source 

Q5: Why did Wordsworth pay his first visit to Tintern Abbey in 1793?  

Already answered.  

Q6: Define Ode.  

Ode is a lyrical poem that is an address to a living being, an inanimate object or an abstract thing. For example, Ode to West Wind, Ode to Immortality.  

Q7: Why does Keats call urn “Sylvan Historian”?  

Keats calls the urn a Sylvan Historian because of the image printed on it. The image portrays a pagan festival in which people are surrounded by wooden trees. Because the word "Sylvan" means "wooden".  

Q8: Explain “Those were pearls that were his eyes”.  

This line appears in T. S. Eliot's Wasteland. This line hints at Ariel's Song in Shakespeare's "The Tempest". Probably as a symbol to highlight the ruins after World War 1. Source 

Q9: What is the significance of “Uneven Lines”? 

The word "Uneven lines" in Larkin's poem "MCMXIV" (1914) has been used as a symbol for the people who had been signing up for the participation in World War First. Source 

Q10: Why does Shelley call the west wind “destroyer and preserver”? 

Already answered.  

 

2016 

 

Q1: What are the four divine qualities in “The Divine Image”? 

These qualities are mercy, pity, peace and love.  

Q2: Define mysticism. 

Already answered.  

Q3: Why did Wordsworth visit Tintern Abbey in 1793? 

Already answered.  

Q4: What does Wordsworth mean by Nature?  

Wordsworth conceived nature as a living being; as a source of joy and as a great teacher. Wordsworth worshipped Nature due to the very qualities that he gave to Nature. Source 

Q5: What is the underlying message in “Ode to the West Wind”?  

Ode to the West Wind gives the message of both destruction and creation. Life is a continuous process that is marked by destructive as well as creative activities. After the destruction of Winter comes the creativity in the Summer.  

Q6: How is the Urn “Sylvan historian"? 

Already answered.  

Q7: Define escapism.  

Escapism is the desire of a romantic poet to flee from the harsh realities of life into the lap of Nature.  

Q8: What type of man is Prufrock?  

Prufrock is the man of our modern time. He is a voice of disillusionment and loneliness who becomes bald at the head. Source 

Q9: How does Yeats compare Ireland with Troy? 

Yeats compares Ireland and Troy through the characters of Gonne and Helen. Just like Helen was partially responsible for the burning of the city of Troy in Homer's Iliad during Trojan War. According to Yeats, Gonne was partially responsible for the revolution taking place in Ireland.  

Q10: What is Larkin’s attitude to World War-I in 1914?  

Larkin's views on First World War were stern as he wrote that it was the death of innocence and illusions. 

 

2015 

 

Q1: Define mysticism. 

Already answered 

Q2: Define romanticism.  

Already answered 

Q3. Why is Blake called a visionary poet? 

Blake is called a great visionary poet because he can visualize things through his sharp imagination. He himself claimed that he had seen the vision of God when he was only four years old. Source 

Q4. Define ode.  

Already answered 

Q5. Define pantheism.  

Already answered 

Q6. Define absurdism. 

Absurdism is an internal conflict between finding the inherent value and meaning of life and the incapability to find it. Source 

Q7. What is negative capability? 

Already answered 

Q8. Why does Eliot call the modern civilization ‘Wasteland’? 

Eliot calls modern civilization "Waste land" because of their social and moral decay. Eliot uses it as a symbol to demonstrate how much ruinous the modern civilization has become intoxicated in their national pride. Source 

Q9. What do the ‘dark-clothed’ children signify in Larkin’s poem MCMXIV (1914)? 

"Dark-clothed" children signify the time period in which the war was going to be fought.  

Q10. Why does Keats call the Urn ‘Sylvan Historian’? 

Already answered