Chaucer for NET English Exam

Dear Friends,

Chaucer is always a sure shot in the NET exam. Take any previous question papers, you can see at least two or three questions from Chaucer. Most often the question comes from his Magnum Opus The Canterbury Tales. Hence it is worthy to study his characters and the nature of their stories. Now a days the direct common questions are avoided. So here I have included some uncommon questions. This is not comprehensive but will certainly help you.

At the same time, I will certainly request you to dedicate some time for Chaucer apart from this. Thank you. All the best.

1.                                  One of the Tales in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is in prose. Which of these ?

2.                                  How many ecclesiastical characters are portrayed in the Prologue ?

3.                                  Who wears the golden broach with letters "Amor Vincit Omnia"

4.                                  Which ecclesiastical character of the Prologue likes hunting and has fine horses?

5.                                 How many mortal battles Knight fought for?

6.                                 “He is rogue, seducer of women and scoundrel.” Which character in referred like this in the Prologue?

7.                                 “Of his visage children were aferd.” About which character does Chaucer speak thus?

8.                                 Who tells the Prioress “tale the biography of Saint Cecilia”?

9.                                 How many pilgrims in the Prologue represent Military Profession?

10.                             ----– is Chaucer’s prose work?

11.                               How  many lines are there in The Prologue?

12.                             What is the rhyme scheme of Chaucerian stanza

13.                              Which pilgrims tale forms the last one in “Canterbury Tales”?

14.                             Who is referred as “the most modest man” and “as modest as maid”?

15.                              Who is referred as “a load of fire” and “ a lover and lusty bachelor” ?

16.                             What is the name of the Prioress?

17.                              Who wears green hood and carries “bright and keen peacock arrows”?

18.                             Who is referred as the “noble pillar of order”?

19.                             What is the name of the Friar?

20.                            Who wears a “motley dress” and has a forking beard in The Prologue

21.                             Which character is referred as “there was no busy a man as he”?

22.                            Where did the shipman come from?

23.                            What is the name of Wife of Bath?

24.                            How many stories are told in the “Canterbury tales”?

25.                            The Pardoner hails from the hospital of?

Ans:

1.      The Parson's Tale

2.     The Prioress, The Monk, The Friar, The Summoner, The Pardoner, Parson, The clerk ( not an ecclesiastical character but he is studying at church), The second nun)

3.     The Prioress

4.     The Monk

5.     15

6.     The Monk

7.     The Summoner

8.     The Second Nun

9.     3

10. Treatise on the Astrolabe. (wrote for his son)

11.   858

12. ab ab bcc

13.  The Parson’s

14. The Knight

15.  The squire

16. Madam Eglantyne

17.  The Yeoman

18. The Friar

19. Hubert

20.                        The Merchant

21. The Sergeant of Law

22.                        Dartmouth

23.Ansel

24.                        24(21 complete)

25. Blessed Mary of Rouncivalle

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Do I Need Coaching to Clear NET in English Literature?

This is a question that haunts most of the students who appear NET exam year after year. Some believe a coaching is a magic pill that will give them success. But check the results of any coaching centres. Even the reputed ones get 10 to 15 percent results! By considering the number of candidates who appear for this exam and those who get coaching the ratio could be 1:1000. That is only one among thousand gets training.
 But if you live close to a good coaching centre, and you have just completed your MA, you have  means and time then coaching is worth a try. Then comes online coaching. If you are motivated there is nothing wrong in that investment. But recent studies by the universities who conduct MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) reveal that less than 11% complete their courses. So before you spend money ask yourself whether you can sit in front of the screen regularly for two to three hours.
I am not confusing you. What I want to tell that you have to dedicate 8 to 10 hours daily for two to three months if you want to clear this exam whether you opt for a coaching or not. If you have faith in your abilities then you don't need a coaching.  So stop all other distractions. Even keep your phone turned off during your study time. Work out a time table. That is how much time you want to spend on studying new things and revising what you already studied. If you want a list of books to begin with read my first blog titled "How to Crack UGC NET in English Literature?" Though it is an old blog what I wrote is relevant even today! I am not boasting. Because contents in Literature remain the same.
So what are you waiting for? Go and pick any history of English literature book and start working. This time you will get it. Be positive!
"A Positive mindset leads to prosperity and a Negative one to poverty". Napoleon Hill.
Thanks for reading!

Pass online UGC NET/JRF in English

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” 

Dear Student….

My best wishes in advance! I will focus on the preparation aspect in this blog.

It has got five stages.

Stage One:

All competitive exams are about a combination of strategy and hard work. Plan comes first before preparation. So first chalk out a plan that works for you!

So what I suggest is this. In the second paper there are 100 questions from 14 different areas. By keeping the vastness of the syllabus it is nearly impossible to study them all. But we don’t need 100 marks either! Thus select five to six areas as core focus. For example, say Romantic Period to the Contemporary Literature and Literary Theory. This covers 5 units and on average you can expect close to 40 questions! (i.e 7 to 8 questions on average per unit)

Stage Two:

Now pick up a standard History of English Literature book. I leave that choice to you. You are wise enough to select one. You can also download it free from some website.

Then start reading the units that you have selected. Make a quick reading to get a connection of it. Then read it again and take notes of all the writers and works mentioned. Google the summary of important works. If you look at the previous question papers, about eighty percent were direct questions. So if you do this you will able to answer many questions.

Stage Three:   

Now choose other five or six left out areas. If possible try to read a short history and make short notes. Don’t study multiple choice question books alone! It is a trap. You can use such books for revision but not as primary materials.

Stage Four:

Now pick your syllabus that you have already studied. Browse through it. In multiple choice exams “familiarity is more important”. So revise the entire syllabus. This should be done only after doing from stage one to three. I have seen many students repeatedly studying their syllabus again and again to get a different result!

Stage Five:

Study the basics. For example after studying criticism from Glossary of Literary Terms you should at least know the following terms.

Carnivalisation, Anti-historicism, A priori, Archetype, Canon, Chora, critique,  difference, dissociation of sensibility, dream analysis, ecriture, engagement, gynocriticism, id, ego, imaginary, impressionistic criticism, intertextuality, libido, matriarchy,  objective correlative, Oedipus complex, phenomenology, logocentricism, dialogic texts-monologic texts, touchstone, synchronic study, test, trace, positivist philosophy, repression, Andocentric, super-ego, ideology, mirror stage, neurosis.  

Let’s clear UGC NET exam this time.

In the next blog, I will speak about how to attempt online UGC NET exam in a time bound manner.

Thank you for reading!

How to Crack NET English Literature?

Dear All,

I have started this page with an honest intention of helping my mates to clear the UGC NET ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAM.  So I am planning to come up with a series of write ups based on my experience with this exam and how I cracked it and very confident of cracking this again.  

First of all, what was the general feeling you had when you wrote this exam first? I believe you would have said, as if 'Questions were familiar had I studied well!' Believe me this is the feedback I always get from most of my students . 

Most of the students do not know where to start and what to study. This is true, unlike most of the subjects English Literature is vast and wide to cover. 

But still I would say you can clear it. How? Let me help you...

First of all remind yourself that you are writing an exam which is to standardize the "Lecturers in India". So it is a 'benchmark examination',  that will assess your knowledge not only in subject  but also in your language. Your writing skills, your speed, the way in which you express your thoughts and everything will be put into test.  Also this is the only major hurdle you will have to clear to get into your dream job. 

As a Beginning my suggestions for Paper II and III are as follows,

1. Stick to the basics: "You would have heard this when Sreesanth experiments too much and gives away runs". Have you ever read a History Book of English  Literature ? If yes Have you ever taken small notes? Can you locate an author and his major works and the period in which he lived? If not start STUDYING immediately. I would suggest A History of English Literature by Arthur Compton-Rickett.  It is heavy but definitely worth reading. I like it because it has a special chapter on American Literature. 

If you are too busy to read it please read English Literature: Its History and Significance by Long.  I like this book because it has got a lot of questions at the end of each chapters.  

As an addition please also study An Outline History of English Literature By William Henry Hudson.

If you can do this thoroughly I would say almost 35% of the work is over.

Secondly, we come to the the most important book, which helps to score marks in Paper II and Paper III. It is  most familiar to you and you will have a copy of it. It is none other than A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abrams. This is not a reference book but a study book for NET aspirants. I Mean it. Unless and until you learn it by heart you are not going to clear NET. 

Finally, before concluding this I would like you to study three more books. They are 

1. An Introduction to English Criticism by B. Prasad

2. Beginning Theory by Peter Barry

3. A Background to the study of English Literature by B.Prasad.

These are the FOUNDATION for preparing this exam. Believe me. They are not the end. But if you are looking for a direction this will help you as a sign post. I have cleared by studying this. I have also helped many of my friends to clear NET with my advice and guidance. 

So "trust me like a horseman". I will come up with my  notes and my PPTs and lots of question papers to assist you.

Thank you for your time

All the Best.

Prof. Pradeep Hariharan