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 villanelle contains
A) 10 lines
B) 14 lines
C) 19 lines
D) 12 lines
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The villanelle is a 19-line poetic form with fixed repetition.
Q: The protagonist of Jane Eyre is
A) Helen Burns
B) Diana Rivers
C) Bertha Mason
D) Jane Eyre
✅ Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The novel’s central character is Jane Eyre herself.
Q: A fable typically conveys
A) Scientific method
B) Moral lesson
C) Tragic flaw
D) Political theory
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Fables use animals to deliver moral teachings.
Q: George Eliot is the pen name of
A) Mary Evans
B) Elizabeth Barrett
C) Sarah James
D) Charlotte Lucas
✅ Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Mary Ann Evans wrote under the male pseudonym George Eliot.
Q: The climax of a story refers to
A) Exposition
B) Resolution
C) Rising action
D) Turning point
✅ Correct Answer: D
Explanation: The climax is the moment of highest tension and turning point.
Q: The setting in literature refers to
A) Time and place
B) Character traits
C) Dialogue
D) Theme
✅ Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The setting determines the environment in which the story occurs.
Q: A parody imitates
A) A tragedy
B) An original work
C) History
D) A novel
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Parody mocks or imitates another work for comic effect.
Q: John Keats is known for
A) Satirical prose
B) Romantic poetry
C) Free verse
D) Realism
✅ Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Keats was one of the major poets of the Romantic period.
Q: The narrator in The Great Gatsby is
A) Tom Buchanan
B) Jay Gatsby
C) Nick Carraway
D) Daisy Buchanan
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Nick Carraway narrates the story from his perspective.
Q: An elegy mourns
A) A victory
B) A marriage
C) A loss
D) A comedy
✅ Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Elegies are poems written to lament the dead.