English Literature MCQs
English Literature MCQs encompass key literary periods, famous authors, genres, and literary techniques. Designed for university students and competitive exams like CSS and lecturers’ tests, these MCQs test knowledge on drama, prose, poetry, and criticism. Whether it's Chaucer, Shakespeare, Romantic poets, or modern literature, the questions help deepen literary analysis and appreciation. Perfect for academic revision and entrance test preparation.
Q: A Shakespearean sonnet has
A) 10 lines
B) 12 lines
C) 14 lines
D) 8 lines
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Shakespearean sonnet follows a 14-line structure with a specific rhyme scheme.
Q: Symbolism is central to the poetry of
A) Matthew Arnold
B) T.S. Eliot
C) Thomas Nash
D) Daniel Defoe
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Eliot’s poetry uses symbols to convey spiritual and cultural decay.
Q: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner was written by
A) Coleridge
B) Byron
C) Shelley
D) Blake
✅ Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote the narrative poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."
Q: Beowulf is classified as
A) Epic
B) Elegy
C) Ballad
D) Novel
✅ Correct Answer: A
Explanation: "Beowulf" is an Old English epic poem.
Q: Waiting for Godot is a play by
A) Ibsen
B) Beckett
C) O’Neill
D) Eliot
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Samuel Beckett wrote "Waiting for Godot," a hallmark of absurdist theatre.
Q: The Victorian Age is roughly from
A) 1600–1700
B) 1837–1901
C) 1910–1940
D) 1400–1500
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Victorian era corresponds to Queen Victoria’s reign.
Q: Blank verse consists of
A) Rhymed iambic pentameter
B) Rhymeless free verse
C) Unrhymed iambic pentameter
D) Haiku form
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Blank verse is unrhymed but maintains iambic pentameter rhythm.
Q: The Enlightenment emphasized
A) Emotion
B) Superstition
C) Reason
D) Faith
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Enlightenment was a movement valuing reason and logic.
Q: The Alchemist is a comedy by
A) Shakespeare
B) Marlowe
C) Ben Jonson
D) Milton
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Ben Jonson wrote the satirical comedy "The Alchemist."
Q: The Brontë sisters include
A) Emily, Jane, Mary
B) Charlotte, Anne, Emily
C) Elizabeth, Mary, Anne
D) Sarah, Emily, Charlotte
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë were notable 19th-century authors.