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The novel 'Moby-Dick', which details Captain Ahab's obsessive quest for the white whale, was written by:
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Herman Melville
- Edgar Allan Poe
- James Fenimore Cooper
Answer: Herman Melville
Herman Melville published 'Moby-Dick' in 1851. Although initially a commercial failure, it is now recognized as a Great American Novel.
Which Indian author was awarded the 'Companion of Honour' by the UK government for their contribution to literature?
- Salman Rushdie
- V.S. Naipaul
- Vikram Seth
- Amitav Ghosh
Answer: Salman Rushdie
Salman Rushdie was awarded a knighthood in 2007 and later the Companion of Honour in 2022 by the British Crown for his services to literature.
The famous Assamese novel 'Mrityunjay' (Death Conquered) was written by:
- Indira Goswami
- Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya
- Homen Borgohain
- Lakshminath Bezbaroa
Answer: Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya
Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya wrote 'Mrityunjay' and won the Jnanpith Award in 1979. It deals with the struggles of a young man in Assam.
Which dystopian novel features a society where books are banned and 'firemen' burn any that are found?
- 1984
- Brave New World
- Fahrenheit 451
- The Handmaid's Tale
Answer: Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury wrote 'Fahrenheit 451' in 1953. The title refers to the temperature at which book paper supposedly catches fire and burns.
What is a 'MacGuffin' in literature and film?
- A tragic flaw in the protagonist's character
- An object or device that drives the plot but whose specific nature is unimportant
- A sudden, unexpected reversal of fortune
- A narrator who is secretly the villain
Answer: An object or device that drives the plot but whose specific nature is unimportant
A MacGuffin is a term popularized by Alfred Hitchcock. It is an object, goal, or motivator that the characters care about, but the audience doesn't need to know the specifics of.
Who wrote the English non-fiction book 'India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy'?
- Bipan Chandra
- Ramachandra Guha
- Perry Anderson
- Shashi Tharoor
Answer: Ramachandra Guha
Historian Ramachandra Guha published 'India After Gandhi' in 2007. It provides a comprehensive history of India from its independence in 1947 to the modern era.
Pablo Neruda, a Nobel Laureate, was a prominent poet from which country?
- Spain
- Argentina
- Chile
- Mexico
Answer: Chile
Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971. He is famous for his surrealistic and highly romantic poetry.
The 'Chhayavad' (Shadowism) movement in Hindi literature is primarily associated with which type of writing?
- Social Realism
- Romantic Poetry
- Progressive Proletarian Fiction
- Historical Drama
Answer: Romantic Poetry
Chhayavad was a neo-romantic movement in Hindi literature (c. 1918-1938) characterized by themes of love, nature, and mysticism. The four pillars are Prasad, Nirala, Mahadevi Varma, and Jaishankar Prasad.
Which American author wrote the 'Dark Tower' fantasy series and the horror novel 'The Shining'?
- Stephen King
- Dean Koontz
- Clive Barker
- H.P. Lovecraft
Answer: Stephen King
Stephen King is a prolific contemporary American author of horror, supernatural fiction, and fantasy. 'The Shining' was published in 1977.
The 'Neustadt International Prize for Literature' is often referred to as the 'American Nobel' and is sponsored by which university?
- Harvard University
- Yale University
- University of Oklahoma
- Stanford University
Answer: University of Oklahoma
The Neustadt Prize is sponsored by the University of Oklahoma and its international literary publication, World Literature Today.
Who is the author of the famous Odia novel 'Chha Maana Atha Guntha' (Six Acres and a Third)?
- Gopinath Mohanty
- Fakir Mohan Senapati
- Surendra Mohanty
- Pratibha Ray
Answer: Fakir Mohan Senapati
Fakir Mohan Senapati wrote 'Chha Maana Atha Guntha' in the late 19th century. It is a pioneering work of Indian realism and critiques feudal exploitation.
The 'Epic of Gilgamesh', one of the earliest known works of literature, originates from which ancient civilization?
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece
- Mesopotamia
- Indus Valley
Answer: Mesopotamia
The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). The earliest Sumerian poems date back to the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100 BC).
Who wrote the patriotic poem 'Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna Ab Hamare Dil Mein Hai'?
- Ram Prasad Bismil
- Bhagat Singh
- Chandrashekhar Azad
- Ashfaqulla Khan
Answer: Ram Prasad Bismil
Ram Prasad Bismil, a prominent Indian revolutionary, wrote this iconic poem. It became a rallying cry for freedom fighters during the Indian independence movement.
The play 'Waiting for Godot', in which two characters wait endlessly for someone named Godot who never arrives, is a prime example of:
- Kitchen Sink Realism
- Theatre of the Absurd
- Epic Theatre
- Melodrama
Answer: Theatre of the Absurd
Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' is a foundational text of the Theatre of the Absurd, highlighting the meaninglessness and existential dread of human existence.
The 'Hugo Award' is given for achievements in which literary genre?
- Historical Fiction
- Science Fiction and Fantasy
- Mystery and Thriller
- Romance
Answer: Science Fiction and Fantasy
The Hugo Awards are presented annually by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year.
The Sahitya Akademi Award winning novel 'Yayati' by V.S. Khandekar is originally written in which language?
- Hindi
- Bengali
- Marathi
- Gujarati
Answer: Marathi
V.S. Khandekar wrote 'Yayati' in Marathi. It won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1960 and later the Jnanpith Award in 1974.
Who wrote the poem 'The Waste Land', a central text of modernist poetry?
- W.B. Yeats
- T.S. Eliot
- Ezra Pound
- W.H. Auden
Answer: T.S. Eliot
T.S. Eliot published 'The Waste Land' in 1922. It is considered one of the most important poems of the 20th century, reflecting post-WWI disillusionment.
Who is the author of the recent non-fiction book 'The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company'?
- Shashi Tharoor
- William Dalrymple
- Ramachandra Guha
- Perry Anderson
Answer: William Dalrymple
Historian William Dalrymple wrote 'The Anarchy' (2019), detailing how a single London-based corporation eventually conquered the vast Mughal Empire.
The famous opening line 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' is from which novel?
- Oliver Twist
- Great Expectations
- A Tale of Two Cities
- David Copperfield
Answer: A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens wrote this iconic opening line for his 1859 historical novel 'A Tale of Two Cities', set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.
In literature, what is an 'Epistolary' novel?
- A novel written in the form of a series of documents, usually letters
- A novel that features a protagonist who is an anti-hero
- A novel set entirely in the past
- A novel that breaks the fourth wall
Answer: A novel written in the form of a series of documents, usually letters
An epistolary novel is written as a series of documents. Examples include Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' and Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple'.