IGNOU MEG-17 Solved Question Paper PDF Download

IGNOU MEG-17 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in Hindi

IGNOU MEG-17 Previous Year Solved Question Paper in English

Q1. Write short notes on the following : (a) Absurd drama (b) Expressionism (c) Naturalism (d) Farce

Ans. (a) Absurd drama Absurd Drama, also known as the Theatre of the Absurd , is a dramatic movement that emerged in Europe, particularly France, in the 1940s and 1950s. It was deeply influenced by the disillusionment following World War II and existentialist philosophy. Its central premise is the belief that the world is irrational, meaningless, and the human condition is futile. Key characteristics of Absurd Drama include:

• Irrational Plots: It lacks a traditional plot structure, and events are often circular or repetitive.
• Nonsensical Dialogue: Characters often engage in conversations that are incoherent, full of clichés, or nonsensical, highlighting the failure of communication.
• Existential Themes: It explores themes such as the meaning of life (or lack thereof), death, isolation, and the absence of God.
• A Mix of Comedy and Tragedy: It often blends elements of comedy and tragedy, a form known as ‘tragicomedy’.

Samuel Beckett

(

Waiting for Godot

) and

Eugène Ionesco

(

The Bald Soprano

) are the foremost playwrights of this movement. In American drama, the early plays of Edward Albee, such as

The Zoo Story

, show the influence of the Absurdist tradition.

(b) Expressionism Expressionism was a modernist movement that began in Germany in the early 20th century, reacting against realism and naturalism. Its primary goal was to express inner, subjective feelings and experiences rather than to depict external, objective reality. In Expressionist drama, the world is often presented in a distorted manner from the protagonist’s perspective, reflecting their mental or emotional state. Its features include:

• Subjective Reality: The plot and setting are distorted to mirror the character’s inner world.
• Symbolic Characters: Characters often represent ideas or social types rather than individuals.
• Telegraphic Dialogue: Dialogue is often short, fragmented, and intense.
• Unconventional Staging: Sets and lighting are used dramatically to symbolize the characters’ psychological states.

Influenced by European pioneers like

August Strindberg

, American playwright

Eugene O’Neill

extensively used expressionistic techniques in his plays.

The Emperor Jones

and

The Hairy Ape

are prime examples, where the external world becomes a nightmarish reflection of the protagonist’s internal fear and alienation.

(c) Naturalism Naturalism is a literary movement that originated in late 19th-century France, considered an extreme or more scientific form of realism. It was heavily influenced by the scientific principles of thinkers like Charles Darwin (heredity) and Hippolyte Taine (environment). Naturalism posits that human character and destiny are entirely determined by forces like heredity and socio-economic environment, over which individuals have no control. Its main tenets are:

• Determinism: Humans are seen as devoid of free will; their lives are governed by their biological inheritance and environment.
• Objectivity: The author plays the role of a detached scientist, presenting a “slice of life” without moral judgment.
• Focus on the Lower Class: Naturalistic works often depict the struggles of the lower echelons of society, struggling to survive in harsh conditions.
• Pessimistic Outlook: The story’s end is often tragic or bleak, highlighting the characters’ inability to escape their circumstances.

Émile Zola

was the leading theorist of the movement. In American drama, naturalistic elements are evident in the early plays of Eugene O’Neill, where characters are shown trapped by their inner drives and bleak surroundings.

(d) Farce Farce is a dramatic genre whose primary purpose is to entertain the audience through highly exaggerated and improbable situations. It relies heavily on plot and physical humour over character development or psychological depth. The humour in farce is generated by the absurdity of the situations, a fast pace, mistaken identities, wordplay, and slapstick comedy. The main characteristics of farce are:

• Improbable Plots: Plots are often complex and filled with misunderstandings, coincidences, and rapidly escalating complications.
• Stock Characters: The characters are often recognizable types rather than deeply developed individuals, such as the arrogant fool, the clever servant, or the jealous husband.
• Physical Humour: It often involves chasing, hiding, slamming doors, and other slapstick actions.
• Satirical Purpose: Beyond entertainment, farce can be used to satirize social behaviours, pretensions, or institutions.

Royall Tyler’s

play

The Contrast

, though a ‘comedy of manners’, exhibits strong elements of farce in its use of stock characters and exaggerated situations to poke fun at the contrast between European affectation and American simplicity.

Q2. What do you understand by Experimental Theatre ?

Ans. Experimental Theatre , often also called ‘avant-garde’ theatre, is a form of theatre that challenges and seeks to transgress the boundaries of traditional dramaturgy. It is a conscious departure from the established norms of realistic theatre, such as the linear plot, the well-made character, and the convention of the ‘fourth wall’. Its main objective is to explore new forms of artistic expression and redefine the audience-performer relationship. The key characteristics of experimental theatre are as follows:

• Rejection of Tradition: It discards conventional storytelling techniques. Plots can be non-linear, fragmented, or entirely absent. Dialogue might be replaced by sounds, physical movements, or visual spectacles.
• New Use of Space: Experimental theatre does not confine itself to the traditional proscenium stage. It embraces the concept of ‘environmental theatre’, where performances can take place in foundries, streets, warehouses, or any non-traditional space, thus breaking down the distance between the audience and the actors.
• The Role of the Audience: It attempts to make the audience an active participant rather than a passive observer. Actors might address the audience directly, involve them in the performance, or make them feel uncomfortable to provoke critical thought.
• Integration of Multimedia: It often incorporates various art forms, such as film, video, music, and digital technology, to enhance the performance experience.
• Subject Matter: Experimental plays often tackle controversial social, political, and philosophical issues that are neglected by mainstream theatre.

In the context of American drama,

Eugene O’Neill

made early experiments with his expressionistic plays. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, groups like

The Living Theatre

(Julian Beck and Judith Malina) and

The Performance Group

(Richard Schechner) defined American experimental theatre, drawing inspiration from European pioneers like

Antonin Artaud

(Theatre of Cruelty) and

Bertolt Brecht

(Epic Theatre). These groups aimed to provoke, challenge, and transform the audience rather than simply entertain them.

Q3. Critically comment on American Musical Theatre and its socio-cultural milieu.

Ans. American Musical Theatre is not merely a form of entertainment but a significant cultural artifact that both reflects and shapes the changing socio-cultural milieu of American society. Its journey from the light-hearted revues of minstrel shows and vaudeville to the complex and thought-provoking works of today has always been a reflection of the hopes, anxieties, and struggles of its time. Initially, musicals of the 1920s and 30s provided escapist entertainment. However, a significant turning point came in 1943 with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! . This show integrated song, dance, and story into a cohesive narrative, creating what became known as the “book musical.” It heralded the ‘Golden Age’ (1940s-1960s) of American Musical Theatre. Musicals of this era, like South Pacific and The King and I , celebrated American values, post-WWII optimism, and themes of national identity, though sometimes presenting racial and cultural issues through a simplistic lens. By the late 1950s, musical theatre began to comment on more serious social issues:

• West Side Story (1957) re-imagined Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in the context of New York City, tackling themes of racial tension, immigration, and youth violence.
• Hair (1967) brought the 1960s counter-culture movement to the stage, openly addressing the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and the rejection of traditional values. It was a landmark moment with its rock music and controversial content.
• A Chorus Line (1975) explored the tension between individualism and collective identity, offering a nuanced critique of the American Dream through the struggles and ambitions of performers.
• In more recent decades, Rent (1996) addressed the AIDS crisis, poverty, and bohemian lifestyles, while Hamilton (2015) used hip-hop music to retell America’s founding story, emphasizing the role of immigration, legacy, and race, making it deeply relevant to contemporary audiences.

Ultimately, American Musical Theatre functions as a dynamic mirror, reflecting the nation’s conversation on race, class, war, sexuality, and national identity. It is not just a product of its socio-cultural milieu but an active participant that helps to shape these very conversations.

Q4. Discuss Royall Tyler’s ‘The Contrast’ as a farce.

Ans. Royall Tyler’s 1787 play, The Contrast , holds a seminal place in American theatre history as the first American comedy to be professionally produced. While it is often classified as a ‘comedy of manners’ for its satire on social behaviour and affectation, its structure, characterization, and the nature of its humour align it very closely with the genre of farce . The defining characteristics of farce are an improbable and exaggerated plot, stock characters, and a prioritization of physical humour and situational comedy over psychological realism. The Contrast prominently displays all these elements:

1. Exaggerated Plot and Situations: The central plot revolves around the devious Billy Dimple attempting to woo three women—Maria, Charlotte, and Letitia—simultaneously. This gives rise to a series of deceptions, misunderstandings, and near-discoveries that are the hallmark of farce. The plot progresses through these comical entanglements rather than through the internal development of the characters.
2. Stock Characters: The characters in The Contrast are recognizable types rather than deeply developed individuals.
   • Billy Dimple: He is the affected ‘foppish dandy’ who apes European manners. His character is rooted in his silliness and pretension.
   • Jonathan: He is the naive, homespun ‘Yankee’ rustic who fails to grasp the complexities of city life. His experience of going to the theatre and his clumsy courtship of Jessamy is pure farce.
   • Colonel Manly: He is the upright, patriotic soldier, representing the virtues of the American republic. He serves as a moral foil to Dimple.
   • Charlotte and Letitia: They are fashion-obsessed, gossiping socialites, who are stock characters of the comedy of manners.
3. Nature of the Humour: Much of the play’s humour stems from situations rather than the wit of the characters’ dialogue. For example, when Jonathan mistakes a play for real life, or when Dimple has to scurry from one woman to another, the comedy relies on physical and situational comedy.

In conclusion, while

The Contrast

makes a serious social commentary on the “contrast” between the new American identity and European affectation, it uses the tools of farce to deliver its message. The exaggerated plot, use of stock characters, and its reliance on situational humour firmly establish it as a farce, perhaps more so than a pure ‘comedy of manners’.

Q5. Critically comment on Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ as a Marxist play.

Ans. Lorraine Hansberry’s landmark play, A Raisin in the Sun (1959), when viewed through a Marxist lens, emerges as a powerful critique of class struggle, economic determinism, and capitalist ideology in American society. Although the play is primarily centered on racial discrimination and the dreams of an African-American family, at its core are the economic forces that shape the characters’ lives, relationships, and choices. According to Marxist theory, the base of society is its economic structure, and culture, relationships, and ideologies are built upon this base. A Raisin in the Sun vividly illustrates this principle:

1. Economic Determinism: The Younger family’s entire existence is determined by their poverty. They live in a cramped apartment that is “choking” their dreams and their very souls. The $10,000 insurance check from the late Mr. Younger’s life insurance is not just money; it is the key to liberation, the sole chance for a better life. Each character’s dream—Lena’s house, Walter’s liquor store, and Beneatha’s medical education—is directly dependent on this money, demonstrating how economic status dictates every aspect of life in a capitalist society.
2. Class Struggle: The Younger family represents the proletariat struggling against the oppressive framework of the bourgeois society. When they try to improve their economic standing by buying a house in Clybourne Park, a white suburb, they are confronted by Karl Lindner . Lindner, representing the white bourgeoisie, attempts to maintain racial and class lines by offering them money to stay away. The family’s ultimate rejection of Lindner is not just an act of racial pride but also a class-based struggle, in which they challenge their own exploitation.
3. Alienation and False Consciousness: Walter Lee feels alienated by his menial job as a chauffeur for a wealthy man. He is cut off from the means of production and unable to realize his potential. His dream of owning a liquor store is a misguided desire to become a capitalist himself. This is an example of Marxist ‘false consciousness’, where an oppressed individual aspires to join the oppressor class, not realizing it is the very system that suppresses him.
4. Critique of the American Dream: The play critiques the capitalist ideology of the ‘American Dream’, exposing how it is largely inaccessible to African Americans due to systemic racism and economic barriers.

In conclusion,

A Raisin in the Sun

is a powerful Marxist play because it shows how economic forces and class structures profoundly shape individual destiny, family dynamics, and the struggle for human dignity.

Q6. Critically comment on Modernism in T. S. Eliot’s ‘A Family Reunion’.

Ans. T. S. Eliot’s verse play, A Family Reunion (1939), is a quintessential example of the principles and techniques of the Modernist literary movement. Modernism, characterized by post-World War I disillusionment, broke with traditional forms and focused on the fragmented, psychological, and subjective reality of the individual. Eliot masterfully weaves these concerns into this play. The key elements of Modernism in the play are as follows:

1. Psychological Depth and Fragmentation: The protagonist, Harry, Lord Monchensey , is a symbol of the modern, fragmented consciousness. He is haunted by guilt over the possible murder of his wife and suffers from a deep psychological torment. His reality is subjective, not understood by the other characters. This reflects the Modernist emphasis on the inner world, the subconscious, and mental anguish, heavily influenced by Freudian psychology.
2. The Mythical Method: Much like James Joyce in Ulysses , Eliot employs the “mythical method” to “give a shape and a significance to the immense panorama of futility and anarchy which is contemporary history.” He structures Harry’s story on the Greek myth of Orestes from Aeschylus’s The Oresteia . Harry is the modern-day Orestes, and the “Furies” (the Eumenides) that haunt him are a direct reference to the Greek myth. These Furies are both an external, symbolic projection of Harry’s inner guilt and a perfect blend of myth and modern psychology.
3. Poetic Language and the Chorus: Eliot rejects realistic prose and writes the play in verse, attempting to revive poetic drama. The language is dense, symbolic, and allusive. He also employs a Greek Chorus , formed by Harry’s uncomprehending uncles and aunts. However, unlike a traditional chorus, this is a chorus that is unable to understand the events, highlighting the spiritual hollowness and failure of communication in the modern world.
4. Theme of Alienation and Spiritual Emptiness: The family at Wishwood represents a spiritually barren and emotionally cold society. They are trapped in superficial formalities and are completely unable to understand or connect with Harry’s deep spiritual crisis. This mirrors the pervasive Modernist theme of alienation and meaninglessness in modern life, as seen in Eliot’s poem The Waste Land .

In conclusion,

A Family Reunion

is a complex and layered work that combines ancient myth, modern psychology, poetic form, and themes of spiritual quest, making it a significant Modernist experiment in T. S. Eliot’s dramatic canon.

Q7. Discuss Eugene O’ Neill as a pioneer of psychological drama in America.

Ans. Eugene O’Neill is rightly hailed as the father of American drama, and his most significant contribution was to move American theatre away from superficial melodrama and social realism and into the profound territory of psychological drama . He was the first American playwright to make the inner lives of his characters—their subconscious minds, hidden desires, and psychological torments—the central subject of his stories. Deeply influenced by the ideas of Sigmund Freud , Carl Jung , and European dramatists like August Strindberg , O’Neill used the theatre as a laboratory to explore the complexities of the human mind. O’Neill’s pioneering role in psychological drama is evident in several key plays:

• Strange Interlude (1928): In this ambitious, nine-act play, O’Neill employed a revolutionary technique: the ‘thought-asides’ . Characters not only speak to each other but also reveal their innermost, unspoken thoughts directly to the audience. This brought Freudian psychology directly onto the stage, allowing for the exploration of hidden motives, sexual frustrations, and subconscious desires like the Electra complex.
• Mourning Becomes Electra (1931): This play is a direct retelling of Aeschylus’s The Oresteia , set in post-Civil War New England. O’Neill transforms the Greek myth into a Freudian case study. The characters are driven not by fate or the gods, but by their own repressed sexual desires, unresolved Oedipal conflicts, and generational trauma. The destruction of the Mannon family is an inevitable result of their own psychological pathologies.
• The Emperor Jones (1920): This is an expressionistic play, but its core is psychological. The play charts the psychological disintegration of the protagonist, Brutus Jones. As he flees through the jungle, the beat of the drum intensifies, symbolizing his heartbeat and rising fear. He confronts the ghosts of his personal and collective past, and his layers of civilization are stripped away, leaving only primitive terror at the end. The entire play is an external projection of Jones’s mind.
• Long Day’s Journey into Night (1941; pub. 1956): This is O’Neill’s most personal and arguably greatest psychological work. This autobiographical play is a relentless dissection of the psychological wounds, addictions, guilt, and mutual resentments within the Tyrone family over the course of a single day. Each character is haunted by their past, trapped in a painful cycle of love and hate for one another. It is a profound psychological study of family dynamics.

In conclusion, Eugene O’Neill revolutionized American drama by using bold theatrical techniques and embracing Freudian principles. He turned the stage into a battlefield of the human psyche, paving the way for future playwrights like Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.

Q8. Write critical comment on American Avant-Garde movements’ with _ special reference to Drama. How far were the American playwrights indebted to the European predecessors ?

Ans. The American avant-garde or experimental theatre movements of the mid-20th century were a powerful rebellion against the commercialism and realism of mainstream Broadway theatre. Fueled by the social and political upheavals of the 1950s and 1960s (Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War), these movements questioned the very nature of drama, the purpose of performance, and the audience-performer relationship. While this movement was uniquely American in its spirit, it was deeply indebted to the theoretical and artistic innovations of its European predecessors. American Avant-Garde Movements: Several influential groups shaped this movement:

• The Living Theatre: Founded in 1947 by Julian Beck and Judith Malina , this group was known for its politically charged, confrontational, and ritualistic performances. They broke the ‘fourth wall’ completely, often directly engaging the audience in the performance. Their aim was to merge art with life and political activism.
• The Open Theatre: Led by Joseph Chaikin , this group focused on actor-centered, ensemble creation. They used workshop techniques to build stories through physical and vocal transformations.
• The Performance Group: Founded by Richard Schechner , this group was famous for its exploration of ‘environmental theatre’. They abandoned traditional stages and worked in specifically designed environments, integrating the audience within the performance space. Their Dionysus in 69 is a famous example.
• Robert Wilson: Wilson created a unique ‘theatre of images’, featuring slow-motion, stunning visual compositions, and non-linear narratives. His works, like Einstein on the Beach , are closer to visual art or opera than to traditional drama.

Indebtedness to European Predecessors:

The American avant-garde stood on the shoulders of European modernist pioneers.

• Antonin Artaud and the ‘Theatre of Cruelty’: Artaud’s idea was to reject a logic-based, literary theatre and create a visceral, sensory experience that would “assault” the spectator. This idea was a major inspiration for The Living Theatre and The Performance Group, who adopted Artaud’s principles in their ritualistic and confrontational performances.
• Bertolt Brecht and ‘Epic Theatre’: Brecht’s ‘alienation effect’ (Verfremdungseffekt), designed to make the audience think critically rather than empathize emotionally, profoundly influenced politically conscious American theatre.
• Jerzy Grotowski and the ‘Poor Theatre’: Grotowski’s idea was to strip theatre down to its essential elements—the actor and the audience—eliminating elaborate sets, costumes, or lighting. This heavily influenced the actor-centric work and training methods of groups like The Open Theatre.
• Absurdism: European playwrights like Beckett and Ionesco laid the groundwork for irrational, non-realistic drama, which paved the way for American playwrights like Edward Albee to explore their own existential and experimental plays.

Conclusion:

The American avant-garde drama movement did not arise in a vacuum. It was a vibrant response to the American social realities of its time, but it was profoundly informed and enabled by the radical ideas developed by European thinkers and artists. American dramatists adapted and transformed these European theories to their unique cultural context, creating a powerful and enduring theatrical legacy.