Bankura University English Hons MJC 13 Suggestion 2026

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Bankura University English Hons MJC 13 Suggestion 2026

Bankura University
MJC 13: Indian Literature in Translation (English Hons)
Suggestive Question Bank

Exam Pattern Overview (As per Syllabus):
  • Long Questions (Unit I & Unit II): 10 Marks each (1 question to be answered from each unit).
  • Short Questions (Unit I & Unit II): 2 Marks each (5 questions to be answered out of 10 from Units I & II combined).

UNIT I: DRAMA

Topic 1: Utpal Dutt — Barricade (Translated by Ananda Lal)

Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

  1. Examine Utpal Dutt's Barricade as a political play reflecting state fascism and the suppression of the working class.
  2. Critically analyze the character of the protagonist/key figures in Barricade and how they represent the conflict between compliance and resistance.
  3. How does Utpal Dutt use the historical backdrop of Weimar Germany to draw parallels with contemporary Indian socio-political realities?
  4. Discuss the symbolic significance of the "Barricade" in the play. How does it function as both a physical and ideological boundary?
  5. Evaluate the role of the media and the intellectual class as portrayed by Dutt in their failure or struggle to resist authoritative regimes.
  6. Analyze the dramatic techniques and elements of epic theatre used by Utpal Dutt to alienate and politically awaken his audience in Barricade.

Short Questions (2 Marks Each)

  1. What historical setting does Utpal Dutt use in Barricade, and why?
  2. Who translated Utpal Dutt's Barricade into English?
  3. Briefly explain the significance of the title Barricade.
  4. Mention any two political themes central to the narrative of the play.
  5. How is the struggle of the working class briefly highlighted in the text?
  6. Name two major characters who represent opposing ideologies in the play.
  7. What role does state machinery play in suppressing dissent in Barricade?
  8. State one major dramatic device used by Dutt to deliver his political message.
  9. How does the play address the concept of intellectual betrayal?
  10. What is the ultimate takeaway regarding collective resistance at the end of the play?

Topic 2: Vijay Tendulkar — Silence! The Court Is In Session (Translated by Priya Adarkar)

Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

  1. Discuss Vijay Tendulkar's Silence! The Court Is In Session as a scathing critique of patriarchal hypocrisy in middle-class Indian society.
  2. Analyze the character of Leela Benare. How does her mock-trial expose the deep-seated malice and insecurities of her male colleagues?
  3. Examine the play-within-a-play technique utilized by Tendulkar. How does the "mock trial" seamlessly transition into a brutal reality?
  4. "Benare’s defense speech is a powerful critique of societal norms." Critically evaluate this statement in light of her concluding monologue.
  5. How does Tendulkar dramatize the concept of institutionalized power and the victimization of women in Silence! The Court Is In Session?
  6. Analyze the roles of Kashikar and Sukhatme. How do they represent the legal, religious, and moral authority of a patriarchal setup?

Short Questions (2 Marks Each)

  1. Who translated Vijay Tendulkar’s Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe into English?
  2. What is the profession of Leela Benare, and how does it affect her standing in society?
  3. What is the central accusation leveled against Benare during the mock trial?
  4. How does the play blend comedy with tragedy? Give one brief example.
  5. What does the character of Samant signify in the play?
  6. State the significance of the green cloth or the doll used as a prop in the play.
  7. Why does the mock trial feel suffocatingly real for Miss Benare?
  8. Briefly define how Mr. and Mrs. Kashikar represent domestic patriarchy.
  9. What is the function of the character Sukhatme within the mock courtroom?
  10. How does the play end, and what does it reveal about the fate of independent women?

UNIT II: POETRY

Topic 3: Rabindranath Tagore — "Light, Oh Where is the Light?" & "When My Play was with Thee" (Translated by William Radice)

Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

  1. How does Rabindranath Tagore explore the spiritual quest for enlightenment in "Light, Oh Where is the Light?"? Discuss with close textual references.
  2. Analyze the evolution of the speaker’s relationship with the Divine from childhood innocence to mature realization in "When My Play was with Thee".
  3. Critically evaluate William Radice’s translation choices in capturing the lyrical and mystical essence of Tagore’s original poems.
  4. Discuss the imagery of light and darkness as spiritual metaphors in Tagore's "Light, Oh Where is the Light?".
  5. Examine the theme of nostalgia, cosmic play (Lila), and divine companionship in "When My Play was with Thee".
  6. How do these two poems reflect Tagore’s overarching philosophy of humanism and surrender to the cosmic truth?

Short Questions (2 Marks Each)

  1. Who translated the selected poems of Rabindranath Tagore for this course?
  2. What does 'Light' symbolize in Tagore's poem "Light, Oh Where is the Light?"?
  3. What is the emotional state of the speaker at the beginning of "Light, Oh Where is the Light?"?
  4. What does the phrase "When My Play was with Thee" imply about the nature of God?
  5. How does the transition from childhood play to adulthood change the poet's interaction with the Divine?
  6. Identify a prominent metaphor used by Tagore in "When My Play was with Thee".
  7. What kind of longing is expressed in "Light, Oh Where is the Light?"?
  8. Explain the line: "The lamp is not ignited, and the life is spent in vain."
  9. How does nature interact with the speaker's spiritual quest in Tagore's poetry?
  10. What is the central tone of "When My Play was with Thee"?

Topic 4: G. M. Muktibodh — "The Void" (Translated by Vinay Dharwadker)

Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

  1. How does G. M. Muktibodh conceptualize modern alienation and existential angst in his poem "The Void"?
  2. Discuss "The Void" as a political and psychological critique of post-independence Indian society and its moral decay.
  3. Analyze the fierce, surreal, and grotesque imagery utilized by Muktibodh to paint the destructive nature of the 'void'.
  4. "The void inside is hungry and carnivorous." Discuss the active, predatory nature of emptiness as depicted in Muktibodh’s poem.
  5. Examine how Vinay Dharwadker’s translation brings out the socio-political urgency and Marxist undercurrents of Muktibodh’s verse.
  6. How does the individual struggle against collective societal apathy in "The Void"? Discuss the poet's vision for liberation.

Short Questions (2 Marks Each)

  1. Who is the translator of G. M. Muktibodh’s poem "The Void"?
  2. What does 'The Void' represent on a psychological level in the poem?
  3. How does the poet describe the hunger or nature of the void?
  4. Mention one socio-political context relevant to Muktibodh’s writing career.
  5. What is the significance of the 'meat-eating' or aggressive imagery used in the poem?
  6. How does the individual self react to the collective emptiness around it?
  7. State one key feature of Muktibodh's poetic style as seen in "The Void".
  8. What happens when the void establishes its dominion over the human mind?
  9. Identify the tone of the poem "The Void".
  10. How does the poem link personal emptiness to larger social corruption?

Topic 5: Thangjam Ibopishak Singh — "Dali, Hussain, or Odour of Dream, Colour of Wind" & "The Land of the Half-Humans" (Translated by Robin S. Ngangom)

Long Questions (10 Marks Each)

  1. How does Thangjam Ibopishak Singh use surrealism and absurdist imagery to depict political violence in Northeast India in "Dali, Hussain, or Odour of Dream, Colour of Wind"?
  2. Critically analyze "The Land of the Half-Humans" as a biting satire on the loss of humanity, state oppression, and militancy in Manipur.
  3. Discuss the significance of using iconic artists like Salvador Dali and M.F. Hussain in a poem dealing with local political trauma and conflicts.
  4. Examine the theme of identity, survival, and fragmented humanity as explored in "The Land of the Half-Humans".
  5. How does Robin S. Ngangom's translation successfully retain the cultural idiom, protest, and irony inherent in Ibopishak Singh's poetry?
  6. Analyze the blending of sensory perceptions (smell, color, dreams) with harsh political realities in Singh's poems.

Short Questions (2 Marks Each)

  1. Which Northeast Indian language are Thangjam Ibopishak Singh's poems translated from, and who is the translator?
  2. Why does the poet invoke Salvador Dali and M.F. Hussain in his poem?
  3. What does the phrase "Odour of Dream, Colour of Wind" signify textually?
  4. Who are the "Half-Humans" referred to in the title of the second poem?
  5. What political condition of Manipur is satirized in "The Land of the Half-Humans"?
  6. How does the poet view the role of a writer or artist amidst state/militant violence?
  7. Give an example of an absurdist or surreal image from "Dali, Hussain...".
  8. What makes the land in "The Land of the Half-Humans" terrifying or grotesque?
  9. How is the element of fear or silence portrayed in Ibopishak Singh's poetry?
  10. Define the main poetic device (e.g., irony, surrealism) used by Singh to express political dissent.

Unit III: Short Fiction (Long Questions Suggestion Bank)

1. Premchand: "The Shroud" (Translated by M. Asaduddin)

  1. Critically examine Premchand's "The Shroud" (Kafan) as a grim indictment of a socio-economic structure that strips the marginalized of their core humanity and empathy.
  2. Analyze the complex psychological traits of Ghisu and Madhav. Would you categorize them merely as lazy opportunists, or are they victims of systemic oppression? Defend your answer.
  3. Discuss the dark irony and tragic undertones associated with the ritual of purchasing the shroud in Premchand's narrative.
  4. How does "The Shroud" expose the intersectionality of caste exploitation and extreme poverty in rural Indian society?
  5. Evaluate the depiction of women's silent suffering and ultimate dispensability through the tragic fate of Budhiya in the story.
  6. Examine how M. Asaduddin's English translation captures the stark realism, colloquial intensity, and biting social commentary of Premchand's original text.

2. Fakir Mohan Senapati: "Rebati" (Translated by Kishori Charan Das)

  1. Discuss "Rebati" as one of the earliest feminist texts in Indian literature, highlighting its critique of patriarchal anxieties surrounding women's education.
  2. Analyze how the outbreak of the cholera epidemic functions both as a literal plot device and as a dark metaphor for a conservative society punishing modern aspirations.
  3. Trace the psychological and physical deterioration of Rebati's grandmother. How does her descent into madness represent the agonizing weight of tradition?
  4. Examine the relationship between Rebati and Shyamabandhu Mohanty. How does her father's progressive mindset clash with the surrounding village community?
  5. "Rebati is a tragic tale of innocence crushed by institutionalized superstitions." Critically evaluate this statement with close textual references.
  6. Analyze the narrative structure of "Rebati" and assess how Kishori Charan Das preserves the regional sensibilities and emotional gravity of Senapati's Odia masterpiece.

3. Ismat Chugtai: "The Quilt" (Lihaf)

  1. Examine Ismat Chugtai's "The Quilt" as a pioneering subversion of heteronormative narratives, focusing on its exploration of female desire, loneliness, and sexuality.
  2. How does Chugtai use the innocent, naive perspective of a child narrator to veil and simultaneously expose the domestic secrets of the upper-class household?
  3. Analyze the character of Begum Jan. Discuss how her marital neglect, isolation, and eventual relationship with Rabbo serve as a rebellion against patriarchal objectification.
  4. Discuss the central metaphor of the "quilt" (lihaf) in the story. How does it act as a site of both concealment and liberation?
  5. Critically evaluate the socio-cultural controversy surrounding "The Quilt" upon its publication. Why did Chugtai's depiction of female homoeroticism disturb bourgeois sensibilities?
  6. How does Chugtai portray the power dynamics and emotional interdependence between the elite Begum Jan and her lower-class domestic help, Rabbo?

MJC 13: English Honours Study Resources

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