IGNOU BEGE-106-EEG-06 Solved Question Paper PDF Download

IGNOU BEGE-106-EEG-06 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in Hindi

IGNOU BEGE-106-EEG-06 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in English

(BEGE-106)

Section—A

Q1. Write notes on any two of the following: (a) American poets in the Eighteenth Century (b) Indian English Poetry (c) Pindaric Ode (d) Shakespearean sonnets (e) Synesthesia

Ans.

(a) American poets in the Eighteenth Century

American poetry in the eighteenth century was in its nascent stages, heavily influenced by British literary traditions, particularly Neoclassicism. Poets of this period navigated the dual task of adapting European forms while grappling with the formation of a new American identity.

Prominent among the poets of this era is Philip Freneau , often called the “Poet of the American Revolution.” His poetry blended political satire, American nationalism, and an emerging Romantic sensibility towards nature. Poems like “The Wild Honey Suckle” and “The Indian Burying Ground” show a focus on American themes and landscapes, marking a departure from purely European subjects.

Another significant group was the “Connecticut Wits,” which included poets like Joel Barlow, Timothy Dwight, and John Trumbull. They were Yale-educated and aimed to create an American epic. Joel Barlow’s “The Columbiad” is an ambitious, though ponderous, epic of American history and destiny. Their poetry was often didactic and nationalistic, reflecting the political and social concerns of the new republic.

The characteristics of the poetry of this period were:

• Neoclassical Influence: The use of balanced couplets and formal language, imitating English poets like Alexander Pope.
• Nationalistic Themes: Celebration of the Revolution, liberty, and the forging of a new national identity.
• Religious and Moral Tone: Many poems had a strong moral or didactic purpose, reflecting the lingering Puritan influence of the time.

Overall, the eighteenth-century American poets laid the groundwork for a distinct American literary tradition, even if their works often remained in the shadow of their British counterparts.

(d) Shakespearean sonnets

William Shakespeare’s collection of 154 sonnets, published in 1609, represents a pinnacle of lyric poetry in English literature. These sonnets extend the boundaries of traditional love poetry, offering complex explorations of themes such as love, beauty, time, death, and the immortality of art.

Structure: Shakespeare’s sonnets follow the English or Shakespearean sonnet form, which he popularized. Each sonnet consists of 14 lines written in iambic pentameter . The structure is as follows:

• Three Quatrains (four-line stanzas): A total of 12 lines, in which an idea or argument is developed. The rhyme scheme is typically abab cdcd efef .
• A Final Couplet: Two lines that rhyme together ( gg ). This couplet often provides a concluding commentary, a paradoxical twist, or a summary of the argument presented in the quatrains.

Themes and Sequences: The sonnets are traditionally divided into two main sequences:

1. The Fair Youth Sonnets (Sonnets 1-126): These are addressed to a young, beautiful, and aristocratic man. The poet urges the youth to marry and have children to preserve his beauty. Later, the poet argues that his verse alone will grant the youth immortality, far beyond the destructive effects of time.
2. The Dark Lady Sonnets (Sonnets 127-152): These sonnets are addressed to a mysterious, alluring but treacherous woman. Unlike in the Petrarchan tradition, where the beloved is idealized and chaste, Shakespeare’s ‘Dark Lady’ is physically and morally imperfect. She is a source of lust, jealousy, and anguish for the poet.

Shakespeare’s sonnets are extraordinary for their psychological depth, linguistic innovation, and profound exploration of human emotions. They are not just love poems but intense meditations on the human condition.

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Section—B

Q2. Critically examine with reference to the context any two of the following: 2xl0=20 (a) Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of Mankind is man. (b) These delights, of thou canst give, Mirth with thee, I mean to live. (c) Where, then, shall Hope and Fear their objects find? Must dull suspense corrupt the stagnant mind? (d) Passage to India! Struggles of many a captain-tales of many a sailor dead! Over my mood, stealing and spreading they come; Like clouds and cloudlets in the unreach’d sky.

Ans.

(a) Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of Mankind is man.

Context: These lines are the opening lines of the second epistle of Alexander Pope’s famous philosophical poem, “An Essay on Man” (1734). The poem was written during the Age of Enlightenment, which emphasized reason, intellect, and humanism.

Critical Examination: This couplet encapsulates the spirit of the Enlightenment.

1. Humanistic Focus: The first line, “Know then thyself, presume not God to scan,” offers a clear directive to humankind. It urges a focus on self-knowledge rather than speculating on the mysterious nature of God or cosmic plans. This was a significant shift from medieval theological contemplation, where the study of God was paramount. Pope argues that man’s limited intellect cannot grasp God’s infinity, so it is futile and arrogant to try.
2. The Proper Study of Man: The second line, “The proper study of Mankind is man,” reinforces this idea. It declares that the most appropriate and fruitful area of study for humanity is humanity itself—its nature, its morals, its place in society, and its limitations. This is a key tenet of Neoclassicism, which viewed human nature as universal and worthy of study.

Stylistically, the lines are a perfect example of a heroic couplet (two rhyming iambic pentameter lines), a form Pope mastered. The structure is balanced and epigrammatic, reflecting the clarity of the argument. The rhyme of “scan” and “man” creates a memorable and conclusive effect. In essence, these lines are a powerful manifesto for the centrality and importance of humanistic study, while acknowledging the limits of human reason.

(b) These delights, of thou canst give, Mirth with thee, I mean to live.

Context: These lines are from the end of John Milton’s poem “L’Allegro” (c. 1631). “L’Allegro,” Italian for “the cheerful man,” celebrates the pleasures of an active, social, and merry life. It is a companion piece to “Il Penseroso” (“the thoughtful man”), which praises a life of contemplation and solitude.

Critical Examination: These concluding lines serve as a beautiful summary of the entire poem’s theme and sentiment.

1. Personification of Joy: Throughout the poem, “Mirth” is personified as a goddess. The speaker has described the various “delights” that Mirth can offer—the beauty of rural landscapes, the music of shepherds, village festivities, and the enjoyment of theatre and music in the city. These lines refer back to all those pleasures.
2. A Conscious Choice: The declaration, “Mirth with thee, I mean to live,” is a conscious and determined resolution. It is not just a fleeting pleasure; the speaker intends to permanently adopt the way of life offered by Mirth. It is the choice of a life-philosophy—one that is active, optimistic, and engaged with the world.
3. Lyrical Quality: The lines, like the rest of the poem, have a light and musical rhythm. The short lines and simple rhyme (give/live) create a song-like quality that befits the poem’s cheerful tone.

This conclusion stands in direct contrast to the contemplative ending of “Il Penseroso.” While the speaker of “Il Penseroso” wishes to spend a life in solitary study and contemplation, the speaker of “L’Allegro” chooses a life filled with social engagement and sensory delights. Milton presents both lifestyles as valid and attractive, but in these lines, the choice for “L’Allegro” is made clear and enthusiastic.

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Section—C

Q3. Answer any three of the following questions: (a) Attempt a critical appreciation of the poem ‘Hawk’ by Keki N. Daruwala. (b) Critically comment on the obscurity of the poem ‘Church Going’. (c) What is your impression of the theory of poetry of William Wordsworth ? (d) Discuss the women characters and their importance in Shakespearean sonnets. (e) Write a critical essay on W. B. Yeats’ engagement with poetic modernism. (f) Comment on the novelty of Kamala Das’ poem, ‘An Introduction’.

Ans.

(c) What is your impression of the theory of poetry of William Wordsworth?

William Wordsworth’s theory of poetry, primarily outlined in his “Preface to Lyrical Ballads” (1800/1802) , was a revolutionary milestone in English literary criticism. It challenged the prevailing Neoclassical conventions and provided the theoretical foundation for the English Romantic movement. My impression is that his theory was a profound attempt to make poetry more democratic, emotional, and natural.

The main pillars of Wordsworth’s theory are as follows:

1. The Subject Matter of Poetry: Wordsworth argued that poetry should deal with “incidents and situations from common life,” particularly “humble and rustic life.” He believed that in these simple conditions, the essential passions and emotions are expressed more clearly and sincerely, untainted by artificial social conventions. This was a radical departure from the aristocratic subjects and heroic narratives of Neoclassicism.

2. Poetic Language: He rejected the artificial “poetic diction” of Neoclassical poets. Wordsworth insisted that poets should adopt the “language really used by men.” He believed that simple, direct language could convey emotion more effectively. However, he also added that the poet refines this language through selection and arrangement, giving it a poetic quality.

3. The Definition and Process of Poetry: Wordsworth’s most famous definition is that “all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” However, he immediately clarifies that poetry is not created in the immediate burst of emotion. The process is completed when these feelings are “recollected in tranquility.” The poet meditates on the emotions until a similar emotion is re-generated, and then he composes. This suggests a crucial balance between feeling and thought.

4. The Role of the Poet: For Wordsworth, the poet is not an ordinary person. He is “a man speaking to men,” but he is endowed with “more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness,” and has a “more comprehensive knowledge of human nature.” The poet is a mediator who perceives the deep truths of nature and human experience and communicates them to his readers.

In my opinion, Wordsworth’s theory succeeded in transforming poetry from an academic exercise into an essential part of human experience. It valorized emotion, imagination, and subjective experience, making poetry more accessible and relevant to the common person. While some have criticized his conception of “simple” language, his theory permanently altered the purpose and possibilities of poetry.

(e) Write a critical essay on W. B. Yeats’ engagement with poetic modernism.

William Butler Yeats is one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century, and his engagement with poetic modernism is complex and unique. He does not fit neatly into the mould of Modernists like Ezra Pound or T.S. Eliot, yet his poetry profoundly reflects the development and concerns of the modernist movement. Yeats is often considered a crucial bridge between the Victorian/Romantic tradition and Modernism.

Early Romantic and Symbolist Roots: Yeats’s early poetic career was steeped in the Celtic Twilight, characterized by Irish myth, folklore, and a mystical, dreamy aesthetic. Poems like “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” exemplify Romantic escapism and musical language. This phase was diametrically opposed to the modernist ethos, which was urban, fragmented, and disillusioned.

The Turn to Modernism: A significant shift occurred in Yeats’s style and subject matter in the early decades of the 20th century. This transformation was driven by several factors:

• Political Realities: The bitter realities of Irish politics, especially the Easter Rising of 1916, jolted Yeats out of his dream world. Poems like “Easter, 1916” display a new, harsher, and more realistic style, where “a terrible beauty is born.”
• Personal Disillusionment: His unrequited love for Maud Gonne and the process of aging brought a more personal, disillusioned, and self-analytical tone to his poetry.
• Ezra Pound’s Influence: During 1913-16, Ezra Pound served as Yeats’s secretary. Pound encouraged Yeats to make his language “harder” and more precise, pushing him away from abstractions and towards concrete imagery.

Yeats’s Modernist Characteristics:

1. Sense of Fragmentation and Disorder: One of Yeats’s most famous poems, “The Second Coming,” is an emblem of modernist anxiety. The lines “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;” capture the sense of social, political, and spiritual chaos in the post-World War I world.
2. Creation of a New Mythology: While T.S. Eliot shored up the “fragments” of the literary past to represent modern fragmentation in “The Waste Land,” Yeats sought to counter the chaos by constructing his own mythological system, “A Vision.” This cyclical theory of history and human personality was a grand attempt to find order and meaning in the modern world.
3. Symbolism and Imagery: Yeats used symbols in a modernist way. Recurring symbols like Byzantium, the tower, the gyre, and the falcon carry complex layers of personal and universal meaning.
4. Language and Form: Unlike Pound and Eliot, Yeats never fully embraced free verse. He continued to work within traditional meters and rhyme schemes. However, he infused these forms with a modern, colloquial, and energetic rhythm. Poems like “Sailing to Byzantium” are formally exquisite, yet they grapple with the struggles of modern consciousness—aging, art, and immortality.

In conclusion, W. B. Yeats’s engagement with modernism was a dialogue, not a complete surrender. He shared the modernist disillusionment but never lost the Romantic belief that the poet could be a seer and that poetry could bring order to the world. He forged his unique style by blending traditional forms with a modern sensibility, making him one of the most enduring and influential voices of modernism.

(f) Comment on the novelty of Kamala Das’ poem, ‘An Introduction’.

Kamala Das’s poem “An Introduction,” published in her first collection “Summer in Calcutta” (1965), is a landmark work in Indian English poetry. Its novelty lies in its bold, frank, and unapologetically personal voice, which challenged the literary and social norms of its time. The poem was groundbreaking in several ways.

1. Confessional and Personal Tone: The first and most striking novelty of “An Introduction” is its confessional nature. Unlike most Indian English poets of the time (especially men), who often adopted a formal and impersonal tone, Kamala Das speaks directly and courageously about her personal identity, desires, and frustrations. The poem begins with “I” and takes the reader into the intimate world of the poet—from her political ignorance to her emotional and physical journey.

2. Articulation of a Feminist Consciousness: The poem is a powerful early manifesto of feminist consciousness in Indian English literature. Das openly criticizes the restrictions placed on women by a patriarchal society. She describes the moment she was told she had grown up and must “be a woman,” which meant the end of her individual freedom. The lines “Then… I wore a shirt and my / Brother’s trousers, cut my hair short and ignored / My womanliness” present a poignant picture of a young girl’s rebellion. She also writes about the lack of love in marriage and the suppression of her identity.

3. The Politics of Language: Another significant novelty of the poem is its direct address of the language issue. Das responds to the critics who tell her not to write in English: “Don’t write in English, they said, / English is not your mother-tongue.” Her reply is firm and powerful. She claims the language as her own, a tool to express her emotions and experiences: “The language I speak, / Becomes mine… it is half English, half / Indian, funny perhaps, but it is honest.” This is a bold assertion of a “two-tongued” identity and a rebellion against a colonial mindset.

4. Open Discussion of Sexuality: Kamala Das broke another barrier by openly discussing a taboo subject in Indian women’s writing—female sexuality. She writes candidly about puberty, the yearning for love, and an unfulfilling sexual life. This was a revolutionary act for its time and paved the way for a later generation of women writers.

In conclusion, the novelty of “An Introduction” lies in its presentation of a voice that was simultaneously personal, female, political, and linguistically rebellious. It is an introduction, as the title suggests, not just of the poet, but of a new kind of poetry—one that is honest, courageous, and committed to expressing the complexities of the Indian female experience.

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(EEG-06)

Q1. Critically appreciate any two poetic stanzas with brief comments of your own: (a) So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. (b) She’s all states, and all princes, I, / Nothing else is. (c) The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind! / If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Ans.

(a) So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Critical Appreciation: These lines form the concluding couplet of William Shakespeare’s famous Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) . They are the powerful conclusion to the poem’s central argument.

Comments:

• The Immortality of Art: Throughout the poem, the speaker has argued that the beloved’s beauty is more lovely and more lasting than a summer’s day. Summer’s days are transient and changeable, but the beloved’s “eternal summer” will not fade. This couplet provides the final explanation of how this immortality will be achieved.
• The Power of the Poem: The word “this” refers to the poem itself. Shakespeare is claiming that his verse has the power to preserve the beloved’s beauty forever. As long as human beings are alive and able to read (“So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see”), this poem will survive.
• Art as Life-Giving: The second line, “and this gives life to thee,” takes the idea further. The poem not only keeps the memory of the beloved alive, but it actually confers a kind of eternal life upon them. This shows a profound belief in the power of art to triumph over death and the decay of time.

Structurally, the couplet’s function in a Shakespearean sonnet is to provide a conclusion or a twist, and this couplet fulfills that role perfectly. It is a bold and confident claim, bringing the entire poem to a satisfying and memorable close.

(c) The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind! If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Critical Appreciation: These are the final lines of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s celebrated poem, “Ode to the West Wind.” They represent the emotional and philosophical climax of the ode.

Comments:

• The Role of the Poet: In the first line, the poet beseeches the West Wind to be his “trumpet of a prophecy.” The poet wants his verse to become a powerful force, to awaken the world and spread a message of social and political reform. He does not want to be a mere passive observer, but an active agent of change. This reflects the Romantic ideal of the poet as a seer and a prophet.
• The Cycle of Destruction and Regeneration: The second line, “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”, is a famous and powerful rhetorical question. Throughout the poem, the West Wind has been described as both a “destroyer and preserver”—it scatters the dead leaves (destruction) to allow new seeds to germinate (preservation). This line elevates that duality to a universal principle.
• Romantic Optimism: The question is a powerful statement of hope in a moment of despair. “Winter” stands for death, decay, and political oppression. “Spring” stands for rebirth, renewal, and freedom. Shelley suggests that even in the darkest of times, the potential for renewal and hope is always present. The line has become an emblem of the Romantic movement’s underlying optimism and faith in eventual progress after struggle and suffering.

This ending transforms the poem from a personal prayer into a universal manifesto, leaving the reader with an enduring feeling of hope and resolve.

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Q2. Write short notes on any two of the following: (a) Apostrophe (b) Metaphor (c) Sonnet (d) Ode

Ans.

(a) Apostrophe

Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the speaker directly addresses someone who is not present or cannot respond. This could be an absent person, a dead person, an inanimate object, or an abstract idea. The address is made as if the person or thing were present and capable of understanding.

The purpose of apostrophe is to express heightened emotion, such as grief, anger, love, or ecstasy, and to create a sense of drama. It directly involves the reader in the speaker’s emotional state.

Examples:

• In Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind,” the poet addresses the wind directly: “O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being.”
• In Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” Antony says over Caesar’s body: “O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth.”
• John Keats addresses an urn in his ode: “Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness.”

In all these examples, the address is to an entity that cannot participate in a dialogue, which adds a lyrical and emotional depth to the speech.

(c) Sonnet

A sonnet is a 14-line lyric poem with a specific structure, rhyme scheme, and meter, typically iambic pentameter. The form originated in Italy in the 13th century and spread across Europe, becoming a popular form for love poetry.

There are two main types of sonnets:

1. The Petrarchan (or Italian) Sonnet: Named after the Italian poet Petrarch. It is divided into two parts:
   • An Octave: The first eight lines, with a rhyme scheme of abbaabba . The octave presents a question, problem, or idea.
   • A Sestet: The final six lines, with a variable rhyme scheme like cdecde or cdcdcd . The sestet resolves the problem or answers the question.
2. The Shakespearean (or English) Sonnet: Popularized by William Shakespeare. It is divided into four parts:
   • Three Quatrains: Three four-line stanzas with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef . Each quatrain develops the idea or argument.
   • A Couplet: The final two lines, rhyming gg . The couplet provides a summary, a conclusion, or an unexpected twist.

Though traditionally about love, poets like John Donne and John Milton also used the sonnet to explore religious, political, and philosophical themes.

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Q6. What do you understand by Metaphysical poetry? Discuss the poetry of two Metaphysical poets of your choice.

Ans.

Metaphysical poetry is a style of poetry associated with a group of 17th-century English poets. The term “metaphysical” was first used pejoratively by Samuel Johnson, who criticized the intellectual and argumentative style of these poets. However, in the 20th century, critics like T.S. Eliot re-established the reputation of this poetry.

The main characteristics of Metaphysical poetry are:

• The Metaphysical Conceit: This is a far-fetched, argumentative, and often startling metaphor or simile that establishes an unexpected parallel between two very dissimilar things. For example, comparing the souls of lovers to a pair of compasses.
• Intellect and Wit: The poetry is highly intellectual as well as passionate. The poets use logic, philosophy, science, and theology to prove their points.
• Wide Range of Subjects: These poets explored profound subjects like love, death, religion, and human existence, often mixing the sacred with the profane.
• Colloquial Language and Dramatic Openings: Many poems begin with a casual, conversational tone and a dramatic, abrupt opening (in medias res), such as “For God’s sake hold your tongue, and let me love.”
• Unified Sensibility: According to T.S. Eliot, these poets possessed a “unified sensibility,” a capacity to integrate “thought and feeling.” For them, a thought was an experience; it modified their sensibility.

Two major Metaphysical poets of my choice are John Donne and Andrew Marvell .

1. John Donne:

Donne is considered the leader and most influential poet of the Metaphysical school. His poetry is a powerful blend of passion, wit, and complex argumentation.

In his poem “The Sun Rising,” he chides the sun as a foolish, interfering old man. He uses a brilliant conceit to argue that his beloved is “all states” and he is “all princes,” and therefore the sun only needs to shine on them to light up the entire world. It is a hyperbolic but intellectually clever claim of the all-sufficiency of love.

Similarly, in “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” he uses the famous conceit of the two legs of a compass to explain the connection between his and his wife’s souls. One leg stays fixed while the other roams, but they are always connected and dependent on each other. It is a beautiful and precise image of spiritual unity despite physical separation. Donne’s poetry challenges the reader both intellectually and emotionally.

2. Andrew Marvell:

Marvell’s poetry is more calm and polished than Donne’s, but it shares the same Metaphysical wit and rationality. His most famous poem, “To His Coy Mistress,” is a perfect example of Metaphysical argument.

The poem is structured as a classical syllogism:

• The First Part (If): If we had all the world and time, your coyness would be no crime. Here, he imagines spending centuries admiring his beloved.
• The Second Part (But): But we have limited time. He presents a chilling picture of time’s cruel march and the finality of death.
• The Third Part (Therefore): Therefore, we must make the most of our time and seize our passion now. “Let us roll all our strength and all / Our sweetness up into one ball.”

The poem presents a carpe diem (“seize the day”) theme through a logical, almost legalistic argument, which is a perfect Metaphysical blend of passion and intellect. Marvell’s poetry shows how the Metaphysical style could be used for various purposes, from light-hearted seduction to serious philosophical contemplation.