Category: English

Introduction 

Virginia Woolf, an English novelist, gained widespread attention in the 20th century. Her novels garnered the most acclaim, despite the fact that she also produced nonfiction, biography, letters, and diaries. Her works are under the modernist literary movement that was popular between the two world wars. Woolf’s writing style, known as stream of consciousness, is a literary technique that uses a character’s continuous internal monologue to create a more lifelike portrait of that character.

Life

Virgina Woolf was born in 1882. Woolf’s writing reflects the quickly developing society in which she lived and worked, including its shifting gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic norms. Woolf was educated at home, with unrestricted access to her father’s extensive library.

Woolf’s first of many mental breakdowns began after her mother’s death in 1895. Her half-sister Stella took charge of the home when she was thirteen years older than Woolf, and Vanessa took over the reins two years later. After Leslie Stephen’s death in 1904 and a subsequent mental breakdown, Woolf attempted suicide.

While she was recuperating, her sister Vanessa moved the family to London’s trendy Bloomsbury neighbourhood. There, Woolf began publishing her works at the Thursday night gatherings with Thoby’s Cambridge friends, which became the germ for the Bloomsbury Group.

At this period, Stephen and his four siblings travelled to Paris and Italy in 1904, and then to Greece two years later, when typhoid fever hit Woolf and Thoby, ultimately claiming Thoby’s life.

In 1912, Woolf married Leonard Woolf, a member of the Bloomsbury group and a recent returnee after seven years of duty in the Ceylonese civil service. Not long after, she attempted suicide again, and the next three years were marked by extreme emotional pain. At this time, Woolf wrote and published her first novel, The Journey Out, in 1915.

Virginia Woolf

Two years later, in the basement of their house, the Woolfs founded their own publishing house, the Hogarth Press, which went on to print works by Sigmund Freud, T. S. Eliot, Katherine Mansfield and other authors in addition to Woolf’s.

Desmond MacCarthy, a Bloomsbury Group member writing as “Affable Hawk,” and Virginia Woolf argued about women’s intellectual capacities in 1920s letters written to the New Statesman’s editor.

Woolf continued to write and publish during the 1930s and 1920s, creating a number of further books and articles. In 1941, Woolf self-immolated in the River Ouse  after stuffing her pockets full of rocks out of anxiety that she was about to experience another mental breakdown.

Works

The city, time, the subconscious, perception, and the impacts of war are only few of the primary topics explored by Woolf in her writing. Woolf is known for her novels, particularly Mrs. Dalloway, but she also wrote a number of short stories.

Virginia had begun her first novel a number of years before she married Leonard. The piece was first published under the title Melymbrosia. After nine years and many draughts, 1915 saw the publication of The Journey Out.

To the Lighthouse, another critical darling, was acclaimed for its innovative first-person point of view.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Scottish Island of Skye, this modernist classic delves deep into the complexities of human connection.

Woolf found in Sackville-West the inspiration for Orlando, her 1928 novel about an English nobleman who mysteriously changes into a woman at the age of 30, and who then outlives three centuries of English history.

Based on her lectures at women’s institutes, Woolf published the feminist essay A Room of One’s Own in 1929.

The Waves (1931), a play-poem constructed in the six voices of distinct characters, was Woolf’s next work that pushed the boundaries of the narrative.

Virginia Woolf’s final work was The Years, a multi-generational family saga.

The next year saw the publication of the essay Three Guineas, which continued the feminism and environmentalism of A Room of One’s Own while also tackling Nazism and war.

She won widespread acclaim for her ability to seamlessly incorporate surreal elements into otherwise high-stakes narratives.

Conclusion

Virginia Woolf used the “stream of consciousness” technique to convey both the montage-like a memory’s impression and the inner lives of her characters. Woolf’s “stream of consciousness” style is a literary approach that employs a character’s continual internal monologue to paint a more realistic picture of that person.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What was Virginia Woolf’s outlook on life?

Ans. Virginia Woolf believed that life was full of beauty and joy, but also full of pain and sorrow. She believed that life was a complex and ever-changing experience, and that it was important to embrace both the good and the bad. She also believed that life was a journey, and that it was important to take risks and explore new ideas and experiences.

2. What social impact did Virginia Woolf have?

Ans. Her works, particularly To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway (1925), are what made her most famous (1927). She also published groundbreaking studies on literary theory, women’s writing, power politics, and artistic philosophy.

3. What influenced Virginia Woolf’s views on men?

Ans. Virginia was influenced by feminism as an adolescent. The close relationship she had with her parents—the beautiful wife of accomplished and distinguished Leslie Stephen and he himself—had a major impact on Virginia’s perspective on men. She was consistently there for him, ready to listen and cheer him on.

Introduction 

On July 21, 1899, Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, Illinois, an affluent Chicago neighbourhood where the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright resided.

Father of Ernest Hemingway, Dr. Clarence E. Hemingway, and his mother, a devout Christian who had abandoned a rich singing career, raised their six children, of which Ernest was the third and eldest male. Hemingway’s body of work is vast, and his unique style continues to serve as an influence for contemporary authors. His attitude and never-ending search for adventure were as significant as his artistic skill.

Biography 

The Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway is recognised as one of the finest American authors of the twentieth century. Although Clarence and Grace Hemingway raised their son in this conventional Chicago neighbourhood, they also maintained a cottage in Northern Michigan, where they travelled frequently.

Hemingway wrote to the high school publication Trapeze and Tabula, focusing mostly on sports journalism throughout his tenure there.

The aspiring journalist began working for the Kansas City Star immediately after graduating from college. Prior to serving his country as an ambulance driver in World War I and heading to the Italian front, where he was wounded in 1918, he worked for the Kansas City Star, gaining valuable experience that later shaped his straightforward writing style.

In 1927, Hemingway divorced Hadley Richardson and afterwards married Pauline Pfeiffer. They split immediately upon Hemingway’s return from the Spanish Civil War, where he had served as a journalist, since this marriage was also bound to fail.

Martha Gellhorn, who would become his third wife, was wed to him in 1940. During World War Two, he separated from her after meeting Mary Welsh in London.

When one of his masterpieces, “The Old Man and the Sea” , was released in 1952,Hemingway travelled to Africa on safari, but two subsequent plane crashes nearly cost him his life, leaving him in pain or in poor health much of the remaining years of his life.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Hemingway lived permanently in Florida, Cuba and Key West. Nevertheless, he relocated to Ketchum, Idaho, from Cuba in 1959, eventually, in the 1961’s summer, he passed away.

Hemingway’s characters unmistakably represent his own morals and outlook on life. Hemingway left a sizable body of writing behind, some of which have been published.

Style

Maybe the 20th century’s most widely imitated writer, Hemingway’s literary style was also the most recognisable.

He was on a mission to rid his own work of unnecessary jargon, flowery language, and excess description.

Earnest Hemingway

Hemingway invented the technique of presenting a series of acts by utilising short, straightforward phrases from which all commentary or emotive hyperbole has been omitted in an attempt to be as unbiased and truthful as possible. 

.The result is short, tightly focused prose that is straightforward and emotionless, but frequently evocative and able to subtly communicate considerable irony.Similar to his writing style, Hemingway’s conversation was straightforward, natural-sounding, and original. Especially between the 1930s and the 1950s, this aesthetic was felt everywhere novels were written.

Works

Hemingway published his first book of fiction, “Three Tales and Ten Poems,” in 1923. Short stories were the ones that got a blossoming talent noticed, whereas poetry were ignored.

Hemingway depicts the early years of Nick Adam’s life in “Within Our Time,” published in 1925, as a world of sorrow and violence by drawing on incidents from his own life at the University of Michigan.

When “The Sun Also Rises” was out in May of 1926, it was Hemingway’s second novel. The “lost generations” are the primary characters in this book, and they represent a group of Americans and Britons who have been physically and psychologically scarred by the war.

Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms” came out in December 1929. The idea of man’s helplessness in the face of the brutality of war is beautifully rendered in Hemingway’s classic work.

In 1932, Ernest Hemingway published his nonfiction work Death in the Afternoon.

Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is widely considered to be his masterpiece, yet after its publication, he didn’t write another novel for ten years.

Hemingway’s novella “The Old Man and the Sea” first out in 1952. The novella was immediately heralded as a masterpiece.

After his death, several of his works were published. It is generally agreed that he is among the most significant American authors of the 20th century.

Conclusion 

Even though Hemingway was famous before he was even middle-aged, reputable critics continue to support his popularity. The majority of the impact of these phrases comes from repetition and rhythm; they are mostly made up of nouns and verbs, contain few adverbs and adjectives, and are largely devoid of these words

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What was the effect of Ernest Hemingway earning nobel prize?

Ans. With his tough but frail masculinity, which contributed to a myth that imprisoned the writer and frightened the post-World War II generation, and his deceptively simple, spare prose that was full of implied meaning, Ernest Hemingway was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature and had a significant influence on other authors.

2. In what ways do you think Hemingway’s work exemplifies a new kind of fiction?

Ans. His approach to writing was novel to an extent. By cutting out unnecessary words and phrases, he could reduce a paragraph or sentence to its barest necessities. There, he came up with a new way of writing dialogue and descriptions that cut right to the story’s meat.

3. How did Hemingway’s writing represent a novel form of fiction?

Ans. His writing style was a little bit groundbreaking. A paragraph or sentence was pared down to its minimal essentials by him by removing whatever he didn’t need. There, he was able to invent a fresh method for writing descriptions and dialogue that quickly got to the point of the narrative.

Introduction

Similar peoples facing similar problems. The stories used to be defined by both social practicality and sharp satire. Even though he takes great pains to represent his characters in their own words, Chaucer is also out to expose the hypocrisy of the church and the social problems that stemmed from the Middle Ages’ political and social norms.

Summary of the Canterbury Tales

In the spring, people from all walks of life gather at the Tabard Inn before setting off on a pilgrimage to Canterbury to beg favours of the English martyr St. Thomas à Becket. The innkeeper at the Tabard advises telling a story to help pass the time.

Chaucer

Miller disagrees and begins a story about a bumbling carpenter, whereas the Knight began the first story with noble themes of love and knights. As retaliation, Reeve told a crass story about a liar named Miller. After reading The Reeve’s Tale, the Chef, Roger, promises to tell a more authentic story. The Man of Law then begins his account of what happened to Constancy. In response to Parson’s wonderful tale, the Host demands that he tell another. The Parson, however, politely rejects and reprimands the Host for swearing and making fun of him. The next storyteller is the Woman of Bath, who begins by arguing that the only way a monogamous relationship can survive is if one partner is dominant over the other.

The Friar and the Summoner have finished their mutually destructive tale telling. The Squire complies and begins a ghost story. Franklin, though, cuts him off to compliment the Squire on his eloquence and manners. After hearing the Physician’s explanation of a father and daughter’s terrible situation, the Host is stunned and turns to the Pardoner, hoping for a lighter tale.

After the Prioress’s sombre account of a minor martyr, the host comes up to Chaucer and asks for his advice on how to cheer everyone up. When Chaucer begins telling a tale about Sir Topas, the Host cuts him off, saying, “I’m sick of the clanging melodies,” and suggesting that he tell a brief narrative instead in English. In order to pass the time, Chaucer listens to Melibee’s boring story, which he was told by the Nun’s Priest. The Nun’s Priest tells the tale of Chaunticleer, his mistress, the fox, and the rooster from the barnyard. The Second Nun then proceeds to deliver a story suited for her station by relating events from the life of St. Cecilia. The final member of the group, the Parson, relates his story. After writing The Tales, Chaucer revises his earlier account of the sermon delivered by The Parson.

About the Author

Chaucer, Geoffrey, “the discoverer of our language,” was an early and renowned English poet who lived before Shakespeare. They call him the “father of English poetry” and “father of English literature.” The first author to be laid to rest in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey, he was also the first.

Extra Information

• People are frequently judged by their status in society, and they work hard to become wealthy. 
• People disregard their morals and ideals to advance in their careers.

Conclusion

The Canterbury Tales has enthralled and entertained readers more than any other of Chaucer’s writings, supporting the use of Middle English in informal writing by bringing the characters and their stories to life. The Canterbury Tales would give Chaucer the distinction of being “The Father of English Literature” and immortalize him as the creator of one of the finest works ever written in English.

Textbook Questions and Answers

1. What is the goal of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to depict the seven deadly sins?

Ans: The Seven Deadly Sins are used to highlight the pilgrims’ hypocrisy in The Canterbury Tales. Saint Thomas Aquinas enlarged the Seven Deadly Sins in the thirteenth century after initially defining them in the sixth.

2. The Canterbury Tales were composed in what dialect?

Ans: Middle English, an ancestor of Modern English, is used in The Canterbury Tales. Old English, Germanic, and French were the languages that gave rise to Middle English, which was spoken from the Norman Conquest (1066) until the late 1400s. Some terms, like “ferne halwes,” which is typically rendered as “far shrines,” are completely foreign to Modern English.

3. What do the initial character portraits in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales Prologue imply?

Ans: Due to the Knight’s great status, Chaucer begins by describing him and his heir, the Squire. The Knight is referred to as “a prominent man” who has always acted honourably, generously, and with chivalry. He has frequently displayed bravery in conflict and received recognition for his efforts. Although he has numerous reasons to be proud, he never says anything “boorish,” remaining meek and courteous throughout. His attire, which is soiled and battle-worn rather than elegant and elaborate, represents his modest demeanour. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Middle English?

Ans: Middle English is the language spoken in England from the 12th to the 15th centuries. It is a form of Old English that was heavily influenced by French and Latin..

2. What is the Canterbury Tales?

Ans: The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century. It is a collection of 24 stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury.

3. How did Chaucer expose the personalities in his works and name the rhetorical technique in the Canterbury Tales?

Ans: By using specific descriptions, revealing comments, and the stories each traveller relates, Chaucer makes his characters transparent. Ten-syllabic is the rhetorical technique used in the Canterbury Tales Prologue. 

Introduction 

Shakespeare is universally regarded as the greatest English language author and the pinnacle of dramatic art. The “Bard of Avon” and “England’s National Poet” are two of his other nicknames. Around 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two substantial narrative poems, and a few more verses, the authorship of which is disputed by some, are attributed to him.

William Shakespeare

His Life, Career and Marriage.

The term “The Bard” is commonly used to refer to William Shakespeare. Throughout the Elizabethan era, Shakespeare penned a number of plays that have become literary masterpieces and are still performed and studied today. Many believe him to be among the finest speakers of the English language due to his ability to create new words, understand humour, and masterfully employ sarcasm and puns.

Shakespeare wed Anne Hathaway at age 18 while they were both very young. She was eight years older than him at the time. They had three children: the identical twins Hamnet and Judith, and Susanna. His life’s story grew even more mysterious following his marriage. It is believed that he spent the most of his time in London, where he wrote and directed his plays. He started a successful acting career in London between the years 1585 and 1592. Formerly known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, he eventually became the group’s writer and co-owner under the stage name the King’s Men.

Death and retirement

Aged 59 after shifting to Stratford, where he retired around 1613, and died there three years later. Shakespeare’s personal life is not well documented. On April 23, 1616, he passed away at the age of 52. He signed his will and declared that he was in “great health” at the time, but he died a month later.. 

His Career

Due to the lack of precise records being kept in the 1500s moreover William Shakespeare wasn’t as well-known back then as he is now, therefore earlier material is less accessible. 

Shakespeare’s most well-known works were created in 1589 and 1613. His early pieces, which were primarily comedies and histories, are still recognised as some of the best in their respective categories. Up until around 1608, most of his works were tragedies, among them Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, which are regarded as some of the best in the English language. In his final period, he cooperated with other playwrights and composed tragicomedies, also referred to as romances.

According to several academics, Hamnet’s passing was a pivotal moment for Shakespeare and served as the model for the character of Hamlet in his well-known play.

Works by Shakespeare: Plays

William Shakespeare moved to London not long after the birth of his children, and he quickly rose to prominence there as a playwright within the span of just seven years. Even after the group changed its name to The Kings Men, Shakespeare maintained his loyalty to them throughout his career.

The original location for staging Shakespeare’s plays was the James Burbage Theater. At the original Theatre, the seats were on the stage. After losing the Theatre’s lease, Burbage asked Shakespeare and his company to help fund his next construction endeavour, The Globe.

The Globe, an outdoor theatre with a circular design and many levels of seats, regularly staged performances of Shakespeare’s plays. In the cheapest section, which had no seats, prices were very low. The wealthy and royalty sat on the third and second levels to see shows. The performance at the Globe was special since it made use of natural light and had fewer sets than usual. No one was wounded when a fire broke out during a performance of Henry VIII at the Globe Theater in 1613. The next year, construction began on the new Globe. The original Globe was destroyed in 1644, but a 1997 copy is still welcoming visitors today.

Conclusion

Shakespeare’s plays are still widely read today and are frequently performed, researched, and reinterpreted in many social, cultural, and political contexts around the globe. Shakespeare bequeathed his eldest daughter Susanna the majority of his sizable assets in his testament.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is regarded as William Shakespeare’s life’s work?

Ans. From there on, up until 1608, Shakespeare primarily produced tragedies, some of the best in the English language being Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth. In the latter part of his life, he cooperated with other authors and penned tragicomedies, often known as romances.

2 How was Shakespeare related tp Globe theatre?

Ans. He started writing plays and performing for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men in 1594. When James I became its patron, the group’s name was changed to the King’s Men, and he eventually became its resident playwright. In 1599, he co founded the renowned Globe theatre with other members.

3. Why is Shakespeare’s writing significant?

Ans. Shakespeare’s writing style developed independently of the prevailing fashion at the time. Shakespeare used an extremely stylized kind of metre called iambic pentameter, which has ten syllables each phrase with each unstressed syllable being followed by a stressed syllable.

Introduction 

Throughout the nineteenth century, Charles Dickens, a British editor and writer, released a wide variety of works, including novels, short stories, comic books, and novellas. To break into the publishing industry, Dickens created his own self-published drawings and humorous comics for periodicals. His dark portrayals of London’s poor in the Victorian era are famous for highlighting economic inequality and stimulating discussion amongst readers.

Charles Dickens

Early Life

When Dickens was young, he moved away from Portsmouth. His boyhood years in Chatham (1817-22) were the happiest, and he often wrote about the town. From 1822 to 1860, he called London home. In 1860, he made the permanent move to Gad’s Hill, a rural house not far from Chatham. One of his grandfathers was a criminal, and the other had worked as a domestic worker, but together they had built a middle-class status for themselves just recently.

Charles Dickens’ father had a solid income as a clerk, but he was a constant source of contention for his family. As Charles’s father was in jail for debt, the family was unable to afford for him to continue school, thus Charles was kicked out and sent to do physical labour in a factory in 1824. These kinds of shocks did a lot of damage to Charles. He left school for a while when he was 15, but he eventually went back.

He worked as a law firm clerk at first, then as a court shorthand reporter (gaining experience in the legal system that is cited repeatedly in the novels), and finally as a newspaper and legislative reporter, just like other members of his family. Throughout this time, he acquired an intense aversion to authority figures and the law, as well as a deep appreciation for journalism.

Dickens’ Work

Dickens experienced early success; at the age of 25, Pickwick Papers, his debut book, became a bestseller and established him as one of the best authors of the day. Readers anticipated that all of his novels would follow this pattern due to the fact that it is a wildly comic book with almost any shadows.

Many readers and pundits were horrified by Dickens’ progressively pessimistic vision of his social culture and of the essence of man as he aged. It was claimed that “A Tale of Two Cities” contained  little to no comedy.

Dickens took seriously the unfavourable reactions that his darker novels received from readers because he was always worried about making money with his writing. He composed Great Expectations with the intention of addressing their dissatisfaction.

His literary reputation declined after his passing, and his books were no longer considered seriously. George Meredith, a novelist, thought they lacked intelligence:

Dickens’ writings were still widely read, but his reputation as a writer was becoming overshadowed. His books were frequently thought of as being suitable for young readers. From 1880 to the beginning of the 20th century, Russian authors gained popularity and were widely thought to be better than Dickens.

Dickens’ Style

The most influential, Charles Dickens, was an English author of novels during the Victorian era. His work was appealing to both the basic and the sophisticated, earning him a wide following. He became one of the major figures in 19th-century writing because of the breadth, compassion, and intellect of his understanding of society and its flaws.

He wasn’t merely a great comedian; he was also the most humorous English author. His works were supplemented by the breadth, compassion, and intellect of his understanding of his society and the flaws in it, making him one of the major literary figures of the 19th century as well as a powerful representative of his generation’s conscience.

Dickens Influence

Dickens’s writing and serial publication of his books made it even more challenging to meld the diverse a variety of tones and textures he used in each novel, which frequently featured multiple complex plots involving dozens of characters.

Dickens was an expert at using high humour, using satire, puns, wordplay, and an odd way of describing characters that both made fun of his own works and gave them life and personalities of their own.

Dickens worked hard to create books that were both enjoyable and moving. He made a concerted effort—sometimes too much effort—to strike a compelling mix between humour, sorrow and mystery.

Dickens’ visual features not only accurately depict how things appear, but they are frequently rich in symbolic meaning, reflecting underlying realities. Dickens’ deep meaning in his settings and people is missed by those who think of him as being shallow. Dickens also had a great ear for speech patterns; no other writer in the 19th century did a better job of capturing accents and peculiar verbal tics.

Conclusion 

Many of C. Dickens writings are taught to young readers, and his work continues to have an impact on pop culture and literature. Dickens felt novels had a moral purpose—to evoke readers’ inner moral sensibilities and urge righteous behavior—even though he was aware of what his readers wanted and was eager to sell as many of his writings as he could.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did Dickens impact todays literature?

Ans. However, it’s possible that he had the most impact on how widely read novels have become. Dickens’ books were the first “blockbusters” in publishing, and in many respects, he is to blame for the obscene number of novels being released today.

2. How was Tobias Smollet related to Charles Dickens?

Ans. Tobias Smollet, a poet from Scotland and novelist who produced picturesque works like Roderick Random, had an impact on Charles Dickens (Citelighter). Dickens was inspired to concentrate on description as a result.

3. How would you describe Charles Dickens’ writing style?

Ans. Dickens was an expert of great humour, and his techniques included satire, puns, wordplay, and an odd way of describing characters that made fun of his own works while also giving them life and a distinct personality.

Introduction 

Jane Austen entered the world on December 16, 1775, in the little town of Steventon in Hampshire. Being one of an ordained minister’s eight children, she grew up in a loving and supportive family environment. Throughout her adolescent years, she developed a passion for writing. Around 1801, members of her family moved to Bath. Jane, Cassandra, and their sister did a lot of travelling after their parents’ deaths in 1805 before finally settling in Chawton, not far from Steventon.

Jane Austen

In 1811, with the help of Jane’s brother Henry, she published her debut novel, Sense and Sensibility. The prince regent, an avid reader, was honoured with a personal dedication in the book Emma. In order to protect her identity, Jane Austen used pen names for all of her works.

In 1816, Jane first had symptoms, most likely due to Addison’s illness. Her death occurred at Winchester, where she had gone to seek treatment, on July 18th, 1817. Another two works, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, were published after her death, and a third was never completed.

Biography 

The life that Jane Austen supposedly lived was peaceful. Her sister Cassandra destroyed or heavily altered much of her sister’s correspondence just before she passed away, therefore only a small number of her documents remain today. So what little we know about her is sketchy and incomplete. It is possible to deduce her height, weight, sense of humour, and savviness from the letters that have survived and from her close friends.

Austen’s family members remember her as kind and holy. Those who have read what she wrote and what little of her letters have survived feel she was far more perceptive and insightful than her family ever let on.

Jane Austen was raised in a close-knit household. On December 16th, 1775, she was born in Steventon, Hampshire. Her father was an orphan, but thanks to the generosity of a distant cousin, he was able to complete his education and become a clergyman in the Church of England.

Austen and Cassandra were lifelong companions and best friends.

Austen completed her official schooling but continued her studies at home with the help of her father and brothers owing to financial difficulties. Reading aloud was a common pastime for the Austens. A string of short plays, in which Austen had a hand, resulted. She also satirised well-known plays of the day, such as Love and Friendship and History of England.

When Austen was 20 years old, she began to generate work and concluded what is now known as her First Trilogy.

The Austens were happy at Steventon until her father made the unexpected decision to relocate the family to Bath in 1801.

As her father passed away in 1805, their mother and sisters Jane and Cassandra were left with little income to survive on.

Mansfield Park and Emma were both originally released to the public in 1814. Despite the fact that neither Sense and Sensibility nor Pride and Prejudice were published under Austen’s name, she was already beginning to get some recognition for her work.

She passed away on July 18, 1817, at the age of 41, with her sister Cassandra by her side; when Cassandra inquired if there was anything else she wanted, she replied, “death itself.”

Major Novels

The three early novels by Jane Austen are a separate category in which the humorous depictions of people and society is combined with a strong literary satirical element.

The poor Dashwood sisters are the subject of Sense and Sensibility. Marianne is the sensitivity hero. She develops a crush on the alluring John Willoughby, who, despite appearing to be a romantic partner, is actually a cunning money hunter.

The conflict between Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy and aristocratic landowner, and additionally, the country gentleman’s daughter Elizabeth Bennet is detailed in Pride and Prejudice. One of the most captivating characters in English literature is the witty and vivacious Elizabeth, who was Jane Austen’s personal favourite of all her heroines.

In Northanger Abbey, satires on Gothic horror stories and traditional books about refined society are combined. She is taught not to view the world through the lens of the Gothic thrillers she reads at Northanger Abbey itself.

Mansfield Park is Austen’s most sombre book in terms of tone and consideration of religion and moral accountability.

Emma is the Austen novel with the most consistently comedic tone out of the bunch. Emma Woodhouse, a rich, attractive, and smug young woman who indulges in meddling in and failing to arrange marriages for her friends and neighbours, is the focus of the story.

The novel Persuasion depicts the tale of a second chance,  Captain Frederick Wentworth and Anne Elliot’s romance was rekindled, whom she had been persuaded not to marry seven years before.

Conclusion 

Jane Austen was a famous English author who lived from 1775 to 1817. Her works are known for their serious undercurrents as well as their light sarcasm, humour, and representation of contemporary English rural life. The early 19th-century social satire, as well as Jane Austen’s wit and unique perspective as a woman, propelled her to fame. Her protagonists and the majority of the places included in her works are from the English middle and upper classes.

 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What made the readers relate to Jane Austen?

Ans. Jane Austen, an English author, created amazing works of art by writing about ordinary people in ordinary situations in everyday life. Readers are still spellbound by her work because of its economy, accuracy, and wit; the sly, amused pity and she shows compassion for her characters, and her storytelling and characterization skills are excellent.

2. What was Jane Austen’s background like?

Ans. Jane Austen was the seventh child out of eight. Her older sister Cassandra was by far her closest friend throughout her life. Their mother was a witty woman known for her spontaneous poetry and stories, Moreover, their scholar father instilled a passion of learning in them. Acting provided the best family entertainment.

3. Did Jane Austen suffer from any disease?

Ans. There is proof that when Pride and Prejudice, Austen’s second and most well-known book, was released in January 1813, she already had a deadly immunological disorder and lymphoma. Four additional novels would be written or altered in the wake of her deteriorating health.

Introduction 

In Somersby, Lincolnshire which is located in England, on 6th August of 1809, Tennyson was born. He was one of the 11 surviving children in his family. Four younger brothers, four younger sisters, and two elder brothers made up Tennyson’s family when he was a child. Although he had his first publication in 1827, His writing did not appear until the 1840s when he began to regularly get praise from the general audience.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Life

Despite the fact that Tennyson’s father was a respectable-paying church rector, Budgeting was necessary due to the size of the household. Tennyson was bullied at Louth Grammar School, thus he only enrolled there for a short time. His well-read father was in charge of the remainder of his pre-university schooling.

The love of reading and writing was instilled in his siblings and himself at a young age, and by the time he was eight, Tennyson was already writing his first poems.

Tennyson’s house wasn’t a cheerful one, though. Resentment was created since his father was an older son and they had lost their inheritance to a younger sibling. And to make matters worse, his drug and alcoholic-addicted father occasionally violently abused family members.

Tennyson’s first piece of writing can be found in Poems by Two Brothers, which was released in 1827. Tennyson started his studies at Cambridge’s Trinity College the same year.There, he enlisted together with his two elder brothers.

Additionally, Tennyson kept up his poetry output, and for the poem “Timbuctoo,” In 1829, he received the Gold Medal of the Chancellor. Poems, Chiefly Lyrical was the title of Tennyson’s debut solo book, which was released in 1830.

In 1831, Tennyson’s dad passed away. Tennyson’s family was put in a difficult situation after his death, and he did not finish his education.

Tennyson received advice on how to start a career as a younger son, perhaps by joining the clergy like his father. The young guy was, however, adamant that poetry would be his primary concentration.

The poet  and his family suffered a terrible loss when Hallam passed away unexpectedly in 1833, most likely from a stroke.

Finally, Tennyson produced a two-volume collection of poems (1842). Tennyson unfortunately lost the most of his investment in a failed wood carving business in 1842.

Tennyson’s next significant composition was the lengthy narrative poem “The Princess” (1847), although “In Memoriam” marked a high point in his career. Readers were immensely impressed, and Tennyson gained a lot of fans.

Tennyson’s poetry was read more and more frequently, which helped him amass a sizable fortune and gain ever-rising levels of fame.

Beginning with Queen Mary in 1874, Tennyson expanded into poetry tragedies (1875). Even while several of his plays were well received on stage, they never had the same resonance as his poems.

Gout was a problem for the poet, and Early in the fall of 1892, it flared up again and got worse.At the end of the year, on October 6, Tennyson passed away in his Surrey home of Aldworth at the age of 83.

Tennyson is once more acknowledged as a talented poet who explored timeless human themes and provided both relief to his audience, however it is unlikely that he will ever again enjoy the kind of praise that he had during his lifetime.

Major Poetic Work

From one piece to the next, Tennyson’s style is very different. He composed both short and long pieces, although a lot of his poetry referenced or was centred on the concept of isolation and ancient mythology.

Due to familial obligations, Tennyson was unable to complete his education, but at the age of 20, He did release his debut solo album. Poems Chiefly Lyrical is a beautiful English moniker for this collection of poems.

Two volumes of Poetry were published by Tennyson in 1842; From the 1832 and 1840 editions, one volume had revised selections., and the second volume contained new poems.

The latest poems were “Morte d’Arthur,” “The Two Voices,” “Locksley Hall,” and “The Vision of Sin,” as well as other works like “The May Queen,” “Lady Clara Vere de Vere,” and “The Lord of Burleigh” that exhibit an odd naiveté. He released The Princess, a unique anti-feminist fantasy, as his first lengthy poem in 1847.

Tennyson’s elegies on Hallam, which he had been writing over time, were offered for publication by Edward Moxon. They initially published under an assumed name as In Memoriam (1850), which was widely acclaimed by critics and the general public, earned him Queen Victoria’s affection, and contributed to his selection as poet laureate the following year.

Although some reviewers at first found it disappointing, Tennyson’s Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington (1852)is the famous poem on the Light Brigade charge at Balaklava, which appeared in Maud and Other Poems in 1855., both served to solidify his status as the nation’s foremost poet.

Tennyson created the well-known short poem “Crossing the Bar” in 1889 while travelling to the Isle of Wight. His drama In 1892, a successful production of The Foresters took place in New York City.

He was able to edit the proofs of his final book, Akbar’s Dream, The Death of Oenone, and Other Poems, despite being in poor health (1892).

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What ailment did Tennyson have?

Ans. Tennyson’s health started to deteriorate the same year he recorded his final recordings because he contracted a serious rheumatic disease.

2.  What was Alfred Lord Tennyson’s central theme?

Ans. The scandalous past of Tennyson’s family is intriguing in and of itself, but some understanding of it is also necessary to comprehend why themes of miserliness, murder, avarice,  marriages contracted out of business rather than love, and estrangements between families and friends repeatedly appear in his poetry.

3. Who granted Tennyson the title of Lord?

Ans. A courtesy title is awarded to the sons of hereditary peers. The Honourable is the title given to sons of barons, the lowest tier of the peerage. The Hon. Hallam Tennyson was Alfred’s son until Alfred passed away, at which point he was known as Hallam, 2nd Baron Tennyson, Lord Tennyson.

Introduction

The “Making of a Scientist” is a story about renowned scientist Richard Ebright”. From the very beginning of his life, he had a natural curiosity. He began collecting butterflies when he was a little child, and when he was in “second grade”, he had gathered all 25 kinds that could be found in his area. He also collected rocks, fossils, and coins.

Short Summary of Making of a Scientist

The protagonist is the famous scientist Richard Ebright. An innate interest was there in him from an early age. As a young boy, he began collecting butterflies; by the time he was in the “second grade,” he had amassed specimens of all “25 varieties” found in his region. He amassed a collection of “rocks, fossils, and coins,” too. He read “The Voyage of Monarch X,” a “book” given to him by his mother. He reached a turning point in his life when he was introduced to the scientific world and this work. He also understood that it is not enough to merely follow the crowd if one wants to achieve their goals. During the “country science fair,” he was able to participate in hands-on scientific activities.

Scientist

Then, he chose to research the virus that yearly wipes off nearly all monarch caterpillars as his eighth-grade project. For this reason, he bred caterpillars alongside beetles in the hopes of discovering the insect’s identity. Unfortunately for him, he was completely wrong. His plan for next year’s science fair project was to conduct an experiment to see if viceroy butterflies can successfully mimic monarchs. His research paper won third place at the national level but took first place in the zoology section.

During his sophomore year of high school, “Richard Ebright” conducted research that would ultimately lead to the identification of an unnamed “insect hormone” and the creation of his groundbreaking theory on the nature of cells.

He persisted through high school and college with his challenging experiment, and he discovered the hormones’ chemical composition. Ebright and his roommate fashioned a plastic replica of a molecule of DNA to demonstrate its operation.

About the author

Newspaper writer, freelance journalist, and author of various books on sports and current events “Robert W. Peterson” (1925-2006). The publication of his book “Only the Ball Was White” in 1970, which focused on the “Negro Leagues,” was his most significant contribution to the sport of baseball.

Conclusion

The story conveys a message that anything is possible with hard effort, endurance, and dedication.

Textbook Questions and Answers

1. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?

Ans: Richard became interested in science after reading “The Travels of Monarch X.” After reading it, he developed an interest in monitoring butterfly migration. His other initiatives and experiments were a result of this passion. He eventually became a great scientist

2. How did his mother help him?

Ans: The assistance of Richard’s mother was beneficial. She bought him scientific equipment and took him on outings. She devoted all of her efforts to set new challenges for him.  She gave him “The Travels of Monarch X,” a book. Richard’s life is altered by the novel permanently.

3. What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?

Ans: At a science fair, Ebright displayed slides of frog tissues. He received no award. He realized that science is more than merely a means of a show. Projects and experiments are the subjects. From that day onwards, he began conducting experiments.

4. What experiments and projects does he then undertake?

Ans: He worked on numerous projects and experiments. To demonstrate how closely they resemble monarch butterflies, he worked on viceroy butterflies. He looked at the monarch pupa’s colorful patches and found a new hormone. Additionally, he discovered how cells read their DNA.

5. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?

Ans: A scientist must possess three things to succeed. The first has an excellent mind. The presence of curiosity comes next. Last but not least, there is the desire to succeed.

6. How can one become a scientist, an economist, or a historian … ? Does it simply involve reading many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking, and doing experiments?

Ans: It is not enough to read several books on a subject. One needs to develop their ability to observe and think. There should be experimentation. Above all, one must put in a lot of effort and learn to accept failure.

7. You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard Ebright’s work in light of what you have studied. If you get an opportunity to work like Richard Ebright on projects and experiments, which field would you like to work in and why?

Ans: DNA is the blueprint for life and inheritance. They transmit knowledge from one generation to the next. I would prefer to study diseases if I had the chance to work as Richard Ebright. I might learn how to treat numerous diseases by researching DNA.

Additional Important Questions Answers

1.What is so special about mothers?

Ans: Moms are the most selfless people on Earth because they love their children even before they are born. Nothing can compare to the unconditional love of a mother for her child.

 2. Where did Richard grow up?

Ans: Richard was the only kid his parents ever had. Reading was always a priority for him as he grew up in Pennsylvania. He had no friends or companions with whom to pass the time. This led to him starting a collection of rocks, fossils, and currency.

3. Who influenced Ebright’s life the most?

Ans: Both Ebright’s mother, who helped him when he was young, and Dr. Urquhart, who sparked his interest in butterflies, played crucial parts in his development.

Introduction

Matilda, the protagonist, is a selfish young woman. Because she was born into a family of clerks and because they could not afford a dowry, she is now married to a clerk despite having always sought a wealthy spouse. The minister’s wife and her minister’s husband are invited to a party at the minister’s home. However, Matilda lacks the fancy attire and accessories required to attend this event. Her spouse suggests she go shopping for a new outfit and contact a mutual acquaintance for some jewels. After borrowing some accessories from a pal, she heads out to the party. What happened next teaches the sad woman an important lesson.

The Necklace Short Summary

Matilda and her husband M. Loisel had an apartment and Matilda was dissatisfied and unhappy with her life. Her parents had to give her away to a board of education clerk since they couldn’t afford a dowry. Matilda was also envious of her wealthy acquaintance Mme. Jeanne Forestier, so she avoided seeing her whenever possible. She would get upset and cry for days after visiting her. When he was in office, the minister of public instruction once invited her spouse to a party at his home.

Necklace

Saddened by the fact that she’d brought absolutely nothing suitable for such an extravagant party, she left early. Her husband gave her $400 he’d been saving for a pistol so he and his buddies could go hunting. She was let down by the purchase because she couldn’t accessorise the dress with anything else she already had. Friend “Mme. Forestier,” her husband said, would be a good source for some jewels.

Mme. Loisel’s visit to her pal’s place. They were given free rein to choose whatever struck their fancy. This diamond necklace was Matilda’s choice. They then proceeded to the celebration. Soon after they left, she discovered she was missing her necklace and began to panic. When she and her husband went shopping for new jewellery, they found a comparable one for “36 000 francs,” despite his suggestion that she explain the issue to their mutual acquaintance. The good news is that M. Loisel was able to borrow the remaining funds after inheriting “18000 francs” from his father.

It took them ten years to repay all of the debts, and during that time, a lot happened. Matilda’s health declined as she was compelled to take on all of the housework. Matilda’s friend Jeanne, whom she ran into on the way, revealed that the necklace was a fake and not worth even “500 francs”

About the author

French author Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant’ (5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) is regarded as a master of the short story genre, and a member of the naturalist school of writers”

Conclusion

The story conveys the message  that “honesty is the best policy.” If Matilda had been honest with her friend about the necklace, she would have saved herself from living a terrible life

The Necklace Question Answer

1. The course of Loisel’s life changed due to the necklace. Comment.

Ans: The Loisels had to pay back the money they borrowed to buy the jewellery over the course of ten years. It had a dramatic impact on their daily lives. They were uprooted and sent to the city’s worst neighbourhoods. Matilda had to do everything from shopping for food and bartering with the butcher and grocer on her own because she had no servants or other help. The couple’s debt forced the husband to put in long hours. The jewellery affected their lifestyle in this way.

2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin? How could she have avoided it?

Ans: The cause of Matilda’s downfall is her arrogance, her desire for materialistic things, and her dishonesty. By developing a sense of acceptance for her existing circumstance and satisfaction with what she had, she may have prevented it.

3. What would have happened to Matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace?

Ans: Matilda could have avoided her doom if she had been honest and truthful. She would have learned that the necklace was a fake that only cost “500 francs” if she had been brave enough to tell her friend the truth about it. She wouldn’t have used her husband’s entire inheritance and taken out a loan for “18,000” to replace it. She would have saved herself and her husband from ten years of poverty.

4. If you were caught in a situation like this, how would you have dealt with it?

Ans: Above all, I would have tried to avoid falling prey to my ego and ambitions. If I had been in that position, I would have told the truth and accepted the consequences. For me, being honest was the best course of action.

Extra Questions of the Necklace Class 10

1. The Necklace: What Does It Mean?

Ans: Having to repay the debt for the necklace’s loss is a constant reminder of the life “Madame Mathilde Loisel” yearns for but can’t have, and so she wears the necklace as a reminder of that. Because of her desire to live that way, she meets an untimely death.

2. What were Loisel’s thoughts on her destiny?

Ans; Mme Loisel was the type of lady who had plenty, but she wasn’t content with it. She always believed that she was destined to enjoy all the fineries and comforts, but by some strange twist of fate, she was born into a family of clerks.

3. How does the necklace depict greed?

Ans:  Mathilde picks the most expensive-looking necklace from Mme. Forestier’s jewellery box is out of greed, and the massive debt she and her husband pay to replace the lost necklace can be understood as a logical result of that greed.

Introduction

‘The Book that saved the Planet’ is a play typical of those you’d hear in a museum devoted to ancient civilizations somewhere in the twentieth century. With the help of some fictional characters, the drama describes the Martian invasion of Earth in the twenty-first century.

Summary of the poem

Claire Bioko wrote the drama That Saved the Planet, which was published as the Book.

The author, posing as a historian, sat in an ancient museum in the 25th century and told the account of the martian invasion of Earth in the 21st.

A few of the characters in the play had humorously offbeat titles, like the great Chief “Think-Tank,” Apprentice Noodle, Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota, and Sergeant Oop.

Big-headed think tank believed himself to be the most formidable and astute alien member of the squad. A trip to Earth and an invasion of the continent were in his future.

His teammates were waiting for him to report back on the planet’s lifestyle and whether or not its inhabitants were capable of establishing similar governments. Pretty quickly, they reached the planet’s Centerville Public Library, where they were engulfed by volumes on all sides. The invasion of Earth by Think Tank and his men has finally begun.

They landed on a bookcase, and per the Think tank’s directive, Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota, and Sergeant Oop sampled the literature on display.

A Book

According to the think tank, the people now dwelling on Earth have a voracious appetite.

Yet Captain Omega and Lieutenant refused to partake, ordering Sergeant Oop to sample it. Forced to comply, Oop munched on a corner of the book and said it was not appetising.

Only a few minutes later, everyone had followed Apprentice Noodles’s instructions and gotten books from the shelf for any aural communication needs they might have.

Noodle suggested that everyone read a book of children’s rhymes called “Mother Goose,” but they could not hear anything, so she redirected them and suggested that they try communicating visually instead. No one, however, caught on.

As time went on, Apprentice Noodles recalled that they had received some vitamin pills delivered by the chemical department of Mars, prompting him to urge Think Tank to instruct the entire Martian crew to take the pills, which would increase their IQ.

Following that, when Think started reading “Mother Goose,” he was terrified to learn that Earth’s human population was already aware of their invasion and intended to exterminate them.

Being aware of this, Think Tank ordered his workers to quickly evacuate the building without leaving any traces. To this end, a children’s rhyming book averted global catastrophe.

About the poet

Claire Bioko was a renowned  writer who was born on 17th May in Massachusetts. She is mostly known for her Children’s playwrights. She is also popular for her drama parodies of many stories and was a part-time resident of New paltz.

Conclusion

The play Book that saved the Earth portrayed how a Children’s rhyme book, “Mother Goose”, saved the Earth from being invaded by a group of extraterrestrial species who read them by sitting on a bookshelf.

Textbook Questions and Answers

1.How Noodles managed to correct the mistakes of Think Tank?

Ans: Noodle never offended Think tank. Instead, he always placed his thought that these are some insignificant data in his mind and then explained his thought to him. In this way, Think tank never felt that he was wrong.

2.What plan did Martians make for invading Earth?

Ans: The Martians planned to invade the land on Earth and also wanted to rule the planet under their reign. They also wanted to know how Humans survived on this planet.

3.Can you ever think of replacing those books available in the 20th century to get an electronic form?

Ans: Yes, we can convert all the books from that century into ebooks format by incorporating beautiful images and animations. This will attract all age groups’ readers.

4.Why are books considered to be man’s best companions?

Ans: Books are considered a man’s best companion or friend as they guide us in the best possible ways by being a true guide for knowledge in the form of novels, plays, short stories, poems, fictional stories, horror stories etc.

The Book That Saved the Earth Extra Questions and Answers

1. What is the ‘Era of the Book?

Ans: The 20th century is sometimes called the “age of books” because of the proliferation of books covering every topic imaginable (what to do, what not to do, why something may happen, etc.).

2. How did the book save the Martians?

Ans: An old book from the 20th century named “Mother Goose” a Children’s rhyme book saved the conquering by the Martians. They misinterpreted the meaning of the lines and thought the Humans on Earth had some advanced technology and might invade them back. Knowing this they immediately called off their plan and decided to leave without leaving any imprints.

3.How did Noodles describe the so-called “sandwich”?

Ans: Noodles dithered to tell Think tank the sandwich might contain some insignificant information that might not be used for eating but it can be used as a material of communication with eyes.