English Literature MCQs
English Literature MCQs cover major literary periods, renowned authors, genres, and techniques. Ideal for CSS, lecturer tests, and academic exams, they enhance understanding of drama, poetry, prose, and criticism from Chaucer to modern literature.
Q: Chaucer’s "Canterbury Tales" is best classified as
A) Epic
B) Tragedy
C) Satirical narrative
D) Romance
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The tales use satire to critique social norms and human behavior in medieval England.
Q: The character of Hamlet first appeared in a play by
A) Marlowe
B) Jonson
C) Shakespeare
D) Webster
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: William Shakespeare created Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, in one of his most famous tragedies.
Q: The Romantic movement emphasized
A) Reason
B) Order
C) Emotion
D) Realism
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Romantic literature valued individual emotion, imagination, and nature over rationalism.
Q: In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", the mariner suffers due to
A) Love
B) Greed
C) Killing an albatross
D) Stealing treasure
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The mariner’s fate is sealed after he kills the albatross, symbolizing a violation of nature.
Q: T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land" reflects
A) Optimism
B) Religious devotion
C) Despair and fragmentation
D) Rural beauty
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: "The Waste Land" portrays spiritual desolation and cultural decay in post-World War I Europe.