Master Degree (M.A.) 2nd Semester Examination 2013 — English, Paper VIII (English Poetry: Romantic to Victorian).

M.A. 2nd Semester Examination, 2013

Subject: English
Paper – VIII (English Poetry: Romantic to Victorian)
Time: 3 Hours | Full Marks: 80

1. Answer any five questions (2×5=10)

(a) Which river does Wordsworth refer to in his poem 'Tintern Abbey'?
Ans: Wordsworth refers to the river Wye in his poem “Tintern Abbey.”

(b) State two of the major themes of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.
Ans: The two main themes are sin and repentance, and love for all living creatures as God’s creation.

(c) Define an image with suitable examples.
Ans: An image is a word or phrase that appeals to our senses to create a mental picture.
Example: “The moon doth with delight / Look round her when the heavens are bare.”

(d) State two characteristic traits of Matthew Arnold as a Victorian poet.
Ans: Arnold’s poetry shows deep moral reflection and melancholy caused by loss of faith in modern life.

(e) What is a dramatic monologue?
Ans: A dramatic monologue is a poem where a single speaker addresses a silent listener, revealing his own thoughts and character.
Example: Browning’s “My Last Duchess.”

(f) Mention two characteristics of Renaissance Art.
Ans: Renaissance art emphasized realism and human emotion, and it focused on individual beauty and nature.

2. Answer any three questions (4×3=12)

(a) How does Arnold view the idea of culture?
Ans: Arnold sees culture as the pursuit of perfection through knowledge, beauty, and moral improvement. It helps human beings to rise above materialism and develop a balanced mind guided by reason and compassion.

(b) State the important themes of 'Ode to the West Wind'.
Ans: The poem’s main themes are power of nature, destruction and renewal, and poetic inspiration. Shelley sees the West Wind as a symbol of change and wants it to spread his ideas for the regeneration of humanity.

(c) Discuss the significance of 'Lucy Poems'.
Ans: The Lucy Poems express Wordsworth’s love for Nature and deep human emotion. Lucy symbolizes Nature’s beauty and simplicity. Her death represents the transience of life and the poet’s sense of loss and immortality through nature.

(d) Comment on Coleridge’s poetic style from your reading of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.
Ans: Coleridge’s style is musical, imaginative, and rich in supernatural imagery. His language creates a dream-like atmosphere, blending mystery with moral teaching.

(e) Discuss the use of imagery in 'Ode to Autumn'.
Ans: Keats uses vivid visual and sensory imagery to describe the beauty of autumn — ripened fruits, buzzing bees, songs of gnats, and the warmth of sunlight. The imagery makes the season come alive with richness and peace.

3. Explain with reference to the context (6×3=18)

(a)
“Five years have past, five summers, with the length
Of five long winters! and again I hear
These waters, rolling from their mountain springs
With a soft inland murmur.”

Ans: These lines are from Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey.” The poet returns to the banks of the River Wye after five years. The repetition of time shows how deeply he missed the beauty of Nature. The “soft inland murmur” reflects peace and calmness that Nature brings to his mind and spirit.

(b)
“Farewell, farewell! but this I tell
To thee, thou Wedding Guest!
He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.”

Ans: These lines are from Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” The Mariner teaches the Wedding Guest the moral lesson that true prayer and blessing come from loving all of God’s creatures. The lines express the poem’s spiritual message — love and respect for all life.

(c)
“O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing.”

Ans: From Shelley’s “Ode to the West Wind.” The poet calls the West Wind a powerful, invisible spirit that drives away the dead leaves. The image of ghosts shows destruction, but Shelley also sees the wind as a force that clears the old to make way for the new — symbolizing transformation and hope.

(d)
“Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.”

Ans: These lines are from Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach.” The poet laments the loss of faith and spiritual certainty in the modern world. The “darkling plain” symbolizes confusion and hopelessness. People live in moral chaos, fighting blindly without truth or direction.

(e)
“…For Summer has o’er-brimmed their clammy cells;
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor.”

Ans: These lines are from Keats’s “To Autumn.” Autumn is personified as a woman resting after hard work, surrounded by ripened crops and full granaries. The lines show Keats’s deep appreciation for Nature’s abundance and the quiet satisfaction after harvest.

4. Answer any four questions (10×4=40)

(a) “In ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ Coleridge expresses his concern for moral and spiritual values.” Discuss.
Ans: Coleridge’s poem is a moral tale about sin, punishment, and redemption. The Mariner kills the Albatross, symbolizing disrespect toward God’s creation. His suffering and repentance show the moral truth that one must love all living beings. The poem’s spiritual value lies in its message of forgiveness and inner awakening. Coleridge uses the sea voyage as a journey of the soul from ignorance to enlightenment.

(b) Write a critical note on the autobiographical elements of ‘Tintern Abbey’.
Ans: Tintern Abbey reflects Wordsworth’s personal growth and emotional experience. It records three stages of his relationship with Nature — childhood joy, youthful passion, and mature reflection. The poem expresses his real visit to the River Wye after five years. His sister Dorothy represents his earlier self, and through her, he relives his own youthful love for Nature. Thus, the poem becomes both a personal confession and a record of spiritual development.

(c) Discuss the major thematic concerns of ‘Ode to the West Wind’.
Ans: Shelley’s poem explores the power of nature, change, and poetic inspiration. The West Wind is both destructive and creative — it destroys the old and gives birth to the new. Shelley wishes to become the Wind’s instrument so that his ideas may spread like seeds. The poem ends with a hopeful note — “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” — showing belief in renewal and revolution.

(d) Attempt a critical appreciation of ‘To Autumn’. How does the poet deal with the theme of time and permanence?
Ans: Keats’s “To Autumn” is a celebration of the beauty and abundance of Nature. The poem describes the maturity of the season and the calm satisfaction after the harvest. Though Autumn symbolizes the approach of death (Winter), it is filled with richness and warmth. Keats finds permanence in the eternal cycle of Nature — decay leads to rebirth. Thus, the poem blends joy and acceptance of life’s transience with beauty that never dies.

(e) How does Lippi’s painting mark a transition from Medieval to Renaissance painting? Do you think Browning sympathises with Renaissance art?
Ans: Fra Lippo Lippi’s art shows realism and love for human beauty, moving away from the spiritual, symbolic art of the Middle Ages. Browning’s “Fra Lippo Lippi” celebrates this new Renaissance spirit, which values the body and the world as expressions of God’s creation. Browning clearly sympathizes with Lippi’s belief that true art should show life as it is — full of color, emotion, and humanity.

(f) How does Arnold integrate the theme of loss of faith with the theme of love in ‘Dover Beach’?
Ans: Arnold’s “Dover Beach” expresses sadness over the loss of religious faith in the modern scientific age. The world appears dark and confused without spiritual guidance. Yet, the poet finds comfort in love, which he believes can replace lost faith. He appeals to his beloved to remain true and faithful, as love is the only light in an uncertain world. Thus, Arnold connects personal love with the need for moral and emotional stability.


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