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UGC NET English Literature - Eshwarya Lecture Notes

Jul 26, 2024

UGC NET English Literature Lecture Notes

Introduction

  • Welcome to UGC NET preparation by Eshwarya.
  • Today's focus is on previous year questions with an understanding-based approach.

Question Overview

  • Today's questions feature more factual questions, helping students understand how to attempt exam questions effectively.

Key Character: The Wife of Bath (Canterbury Tales)

  • Description: Character from Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales".
  • Appearance: Notably depicted with a gap between front teeth, which historically wasn't seen as attractive.
  • Personality Traits:
    • Very confident, especially about her sexuality.
    • Has been married five times (legally).
    • Justifies her marriages and expresses her thoughts on her husbands in her tale.
    • Undertook pilgrimages to Jerusalem three times.
  • Symbolism: Represents a challenge to traditional authority vs. experience debate in society.
  • Context: Emerged during a time of changing social orders due to events like the Black Death.
    • Authority in literature is contrasted with personal experience and life lessons.

Question Analysis

Example Questions

  1. Identify if the following is a revenge tragedy:
    • Notable works: "The Duchess of Malfi", "Hamlet", "Gorbuduc".
    • Correct Answer: The Duchess of Malfi is NOT a revenge tragedy.
  2. Inspiration of Elizabethan drama:
    • Influences: Greek, French, Latin dramas.
    • Right Answer: Latin (Seneca).

Concept of Miracle Plays

  • Definition: Plays based on the lives of saints and their miracles.
  • Development Chronology:
    • Miracle plays тЮФ Mystery plays тЮФ Morality plays.
    • Occurred during the medieval English drama cycle.
  • Characteristics: Incorporation of secular themes developed over time.

Important Authors and Their Works

  • Edmund Burke: Criticized the French Revolution in Reflections on the Revolution in France.
  • Samuel Johnson: Authored Preface to English Dictionary, Lives of English Poets, and worked on Life of Cowley.
  • Horace: Wrote Ars Poetica focusing on the art of poetry, emphasizing imagery.

Noteworthy Themes in Literature

  • Human Resilience: Highlighted in Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea where the mantra "A man can be destroyed but not defeated" is featured.
  • Character Analysis: Santiago embodies perseverance against all odds.
  • Short Stories vs Novellas:
    • Example: Snow of Kilimanjaro as a short story, while Old Man and the Sea is a novella.

Upcoming Class Announcements

  • Continuation of Q&A practice. Focus on previous year papers for better understanding.
  • Remain engaged and logical in answer attempts.

Conclusion

  • Exciting discussions ahead, especially regarding methodology and techniques for the upcoming exam.
  • Keep pushing forward, and don't hesitate with doubts.

Additional Resources

  • Participation in live classes for in-depth coverage of syllabus topics.
  • Access class recordings and PDFs for better learning enhancement.

Full transcript