Literature – Medium Level – GK Questions

Ivan Turgenev published 'Fathers and Sons' in 1862. The character Bazarov is a famous literary representation of the nihilist movement in 19th-century Russia.

Goethe worked on 'Faust' for over 60 years. Part One was published in 1808, and Part Two was completed shortly before his death in 1832.

Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) is considered one of the greatest writers in the French language and world literature, famous for his satirical comedies.

John Bunyan, an English writer and Puritan preacher, began writing 'The Pilgrim's Progress' during his 12-year imprisonment for unlicensed preaching.

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote 'The Canterbury Tales' in Middle English in the late 14th century. It was crucial in legitimizing the literary use of Middle English.

Sophocles wrote 'Oedipus Rex' around 429 BCE. It is the second of his three Theban plays and is considered a masterpiece of ancient Greek tragedy.

Virgil composed the Aeneid between 29 and 19 BCE. It is considered Rome's national epic and has heavily influenced Western literature.

Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' wrote 'Maila Anchal' (The Soiled Border) in 1954. It vividly depicts rural life in Bihar and established the 'Aanchalik' genre in Hindi literature.

Harivansh Rai Bachchan published 'Madhushala' in 1935. It is a metaphorical poem comparing life to a tavern, using wine and the tavern as central motifs.

Jaishankar Prasad, a prominent figure of the Chhayavad movement in Hindi literature, wrote the epic poem 'Kamayani' in 1936.

Mahasweta Devi wrote 'Hajar Churashir Maa' (Mother of 1084) in Bengali, not Hindi. She won the Jnanpith Award in 1996 for her overall contribution to Bengali literature.

Published in 1993, 'A Suitable Boy' is one of the longest novels in the English language, spanning over 1,300 pages and exploring post-independence Indian society.

Raja Rao published 'Kanthapura' in 1938. It is celebrated for its unique narrative style that attempts to capture the rhythm of Indian speech in English.

Mulk Raj Anand wrote 'Untouchable' to highlight the social stigma and discrimination faced by the Dalit community in India. E.M. Forster wrote its preface.

R.K. Narayan introduced the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi in his debut novel 'Swami and Friends' published in 1935.

Written in 1909, 'Hind Swaraj' (Indian Home Rule) expresses Gandhi's thoughts on civilization, machinery, and the nature of true independence (Swaraj).

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wrote 'Annihilation of Caste' in 1936 as an undelivered speech for the Jat-Pat Todak Mandal. It is a foundational text against the caste system.

Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India, published her first collection of poems, 'The Golden Threshold', in 1905.

Bharatendu Harishchandra was a pioneering Hindi writer and playwright whose works initiated the modern literary era in Hindi, known as the 'Bharatendu Yug'.

Dinabandhu Mitra wrote 'Neel Darpan' (The Indigo Mirror) in 1860. It exposed the brutal exploitation of indigo farmers by British planters, sparking public outrage.