English Literature - Read Mode
Browse questions and answers at your own pace
Explanation
‘The Merchant of Venice’ is a play (drama) by William Shakespeare. While often classified as a comedy due to its structure, it is famous for its dramatic scenes involving the Jewish moneylender Shylock.
Explanation
‘Macbeth’ is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It tells the story of a Scottish general who receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become King of Scotland, leading him to murder and ruin.
Explanation
Charles Dickens was a Victorian novelist, famous for works like ‘Oliver Twist’ and ‘Great Expectations’. Wordsworth, Keats, and Tennyson are all celebrated English poets.
Explanation
‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is a historical novel by Charles Dickens. Published in 1859, it is set in London and Paris during the French Revolution and includes the famous opening: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Explanation
William Shakespeare is the world's greatest dramatist (playwright). While Wordsworth, Keats, and Shelley are primarily known for their poetry, Shakespeare's legacy rests on his plays.
Explanation
‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by Coleridge is a profound exploration of sin (killing the Albatross) and the spiritual punishment and penance the Mariner must endure as a result.
Explanation
‘On the Origin of Species’ was written by Charles Darwin and published in 1859. It is a seminal work of scientific literature that introduced the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Explanation
A limerick is a form of verse, usually humorous and frequently rude, in five-line anapestic meter with a strict rhyme scheme of AABBA. It is a popular form of light poetry.
Explanation
The play revolves around a bond between Antonio and Shylock, a Jewish moneylender. The character of Shylock and the themes of anti-semitism and justice make it a play about a Jew.
Explanation
‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is a novel by Charles Dickens. Published in 1859, it is a work of historical fiction set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.