The Sanskrit epic poem 'Shishupala Vadha' is one of the five 'Mahakavyas' and was written by:
- Kalidasa
- Bharavi
- Magha
- Sriharsha
Answer: Magha
Magha wrote 'Shishupala Vadha' in the 8th century. It is known for its complex linguistic acrobatics.
Literature – MCQ – GK Questions
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The famous Urdu poetry collection 'Naqsh-e-Faryadi' was authored by:
- Mirza Ghalib
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz
- Mir Taqi Mir
- Ahmad Faraz
Answer: Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmed Faiz published 'Naqsh-e-Faryadi' in 1941. It blends romanticism with revolutionary and Marxist themes.
Arundhati Roy's debut novel 'The God of Small Things' is set in which Indian state?
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
- West Bengal
- Goa
Answer: Kerala
The novel is set in Ayemenem, Kerala, and explores the strict caste system and social laws of the region.
A 'Petrarchan' sonnet is divided into an octave and a:
- Quatrain
- Sestet
- Couplet
- Tercet
Answer: Sestet
The Petrarchan sonnet consists of an eight-line octave (ABBAABBA) and a six-line sestet (CDCDCD or CDECDE).
Anton Chekhov's play 'The Cherry Orchard' is best described as a:
- Historical tragedy
- Comedy of manners and social change
- Surrealist farce
- Melodrama
Answer: Comedy of manners and social change
Chekhov insisted it was a comedy, though Stanislavski directed it as a tragedy. It depicts the decline of the Russian aristocracy.
Leo Tolstoy's final major novel, 'Resurrection', primarily critiques:
- The Russian Orthodox Church and the justice system
- The French Revolution
- The institution of marriage
- The rise of industrialization
Answer: The Russian Orthodox Church and the justice system
Published in 1899, 'Resurrection' explores the guilt of a nobleman and harshly criticizes the hypocrisy of the state and church.
Sunil Gangopadhyay's historical novel 'Sei Somoy' (Those Days) is set during which period?
- The Mughal Empire
- The 19th Century Bengal Renaissance
- The Partition of Bengal (1905)
- The Naxalite Movement
Answer: The 19th Century Bengal Renaissance
'Sei Somoy' covers the cultural and social awakening in Bengal during the 19th century, featuring figures like Vidyasagar and Ishwar Chandra.
The Hindi short story collection 'Parinde' (Birds), which deals with urban alienation, was written by:
- Nirmal Verma
- Kamleshwar
- Rajendra Yadav
- Mohan Rakesh
Answer: Nirmal Verma
Nirmal Verma, a pioneer of the 'Nayi Kahani' movement, wrote 'Parinde', highlighting the loneliness of modern urban life.
The Vayalar Award is a prestigious literary award given for works in which language?
- Tamil
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Telugu
Answer: Malayalam
The Vayalar Award is given annually for the best literary work in Malayalam.
A long narrative poem telling the adventures of heroic figures is known as an:
- Elegy
- Epic
- Ode
- Lyric
Answer: Epic
Epics like the 'Mahabharata' or 'Iliad' celebrate the deeds of heroes and often involve grand settings and divine intervention.
Which Charles Dickens novel opens with the famous case of 'Jarndyce and Jarndyce'?
- Oliver Twist
- Bleak House
- David Copperfield
- Great Expectations
Answer: Bleak House
'Bleak House' (1853) centers around a long-running Chancery court case that consumes the lives and fortunes of those involved.
In Jane Austen's novel 'Emma', the titular character's primary pastime is:
- Playing the pianoforte
- Matchmaking
- Writing poetry
- Painting landscapes
Answer: Matchmaking
Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, amuses herself by attempting to arrange marriages for her acquaintances.
Which historical novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay features the character Devi Chaudhurani?
- Durgeshnandini
- Kapalkundala
- Devi Chaudhurani
- Anandamath
Answer: Devi Chaudhurani
'Devi Chaudhurani' (1884) explores the role of women in society and the Sannyasi Rebellion.
The epic Hindi poem 'Rashmirathi', based on the life of Karna from the Mahabharata, was written by:
- Jaishankar Prasad
- Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
- Suryakant Tripathi Nirala
- Maithilisharan Gupt
Answer: Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, known as Rashtrakavi, published 'Rashmirathi' in 1952.
Which author has won the Booker Prize twice, for 'The Blind Assassin' and 'The Testaments'?
- Hilary Mantel
- Margaret Atwood
- J.M. Coetzee
- Peter Carey
Answer: Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood won the Booker Prize in 2000 and shared it in 2019. Hilary Mantel, J.M. Coetzee, and Peter Carey have also won it twice.
A traditional Japanese poem consisting of three phrases with a 5, 7, 5 syllable structure is called a:
- Sonnet
- Haiku
- Limerick
- Ode
Answer: Haiku
Haiku often focuses on nature and a specific moment in time. Matsuo Basho is one of its most famous practitioners.
Which novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez tells the story of Florentino Ariza's lifelong love for Fermina Daza?
- One Hundred Years of Solitude
- Love in the Time of Cholera
- Chronicle of a Death Foretold
- The Autumn of the Patriarch
Answer: Love in the Time of Cholera
Published in 1985, 'Love in the Time of Cholera' explores enduring love and aging.
The novel 'The Stranger' (L'Étranger), a classic of existentialist literature, was written by:
- Jean-Paul Sartre
- Albert Camus
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Andre Malraux
Answer: Albert Camus
Albert Camus published 'The Stranger' in 1942. It explores themes of absurdity and alienation through its protagonist, Meursault.
Which novel is the sequel to Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's 'Pather Panchali'?
- Aparajito
- Aranyak
- Ichhamati
- Debigan
Answer: Aparajito
'Aparajito' (The Unvanquished) continues the story of Apu, the protagonist of 'Pather Panchali'.
The Hindi novel 'Tamas', which depicts the horrors of the Partition of India, was written by:
- Bhisham Sahni
- Yashpal
- Kamleshwar
- Rajendra Yadav
Answer: Bhisham Sahni
Bhisham Sahni wrote 'Tamas' in 1974. It won the Sahitya Akademi Award and was adapted into a TV series by Govind Nihalani.