English Literature Analysis Flashcards

Which literary movement is characterised by a focus on ordinary people, social issues, and everyday life, as seen in the works of George Eliot and Thomas Hardy?

Answer: Realism

Literary realism emerged in the mid-19th century as a reaction to Romanticism. It sought to depict life accurately without idealisation, focusing on middle and working-class characters and social conditions. Eliot's 'Middlemarch' and Hardy's 'Tess' are key examples.

In 'Macbeth', what does Lady Macbeth's obsessive hand-washing in Act 5 symbolise?

Answer: Her guilt and psychological torment over the murders

The hand-washing is a powerful symbol of guilt. Lady Macbeth, who earlier dismissed guilt ('A little water clears us of this deed'), is now consumed by it. The irremovable 'spot' represents the permanent stain of moral corruption.

What is dramatic irony?

Answer: When the audience knows something that the characters on stage do not

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience possesses knowledge that characters lack, creating tension or humour. In 'Romeo and Juliet', the audience knows Juliet is not truly dead, making Romeo's suicide deeply tragic.

In George Orwell's 'Animal Farm', the pigs gradually becoming indistinguishable from humans is an example of which literary device?

Answer: Allegory

Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. The pigs represent the Communist Party leaders, and their transformation into human-like figures allegorises how revolutionary leaders became indistinguishable from the oppressors they replaced.

What is the effect of using a caesura in poetry?

Answer: It creates a pause within a line, adding emphasis or reflecting a shift in thought

A caesura is a strong pause within a line of verse, usually marked by punctuation. It can create emphasis, reflect hesitation or emotional conflict, or mark a turning point. In Seamus Heaney's work, caesurae often mirror moments of reflection.

Which of the following best describes the Bildungsroman genre?

Answer: A novel tracing the moral and psychological growth of a protagonist from youth to adulthood

Bildungsroman (German for 'formation novel') follows a character's development from childhood through experiences that shape their identity. Key examples include Dickens' 'Great Expectations', Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre', and Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.