Tribhuvan University Service Commission, Assistant Professor Exam (English Literature ) Second Paper Solution 2081

 

Tribhuvan University Service Commission Assistant Professor Exam (English) Exam Date: 2081/08/11 Paper: Second(Subjective)   Full marks: 100           Time: 3 Hours

Section “A”

1.    Tragedy is essentially an imitation not of persons but of action and life and happiness and misery. On the basis of this statement, describe the primary attributes of Aristotelian tragic hero. Why is the tragic hero decisive for catharsis? Explain. 5+5=10

Answer:

v Tragedy and the Aristotelian Tragic Hero: Aristotle defines tragedy in Poetics as “an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude,” producing pity and fear to achieve the catharsis of such emotions. It is not about the imitation of persons but of actions and life, as human happiness and misery are defined by what people do. A tragic hero is, therefore, central to this imitation, embodying the moral and emotional conflicts that lead to downfall.

v The primary attributes of an Aristotelian tragic hero include:

a.    Nobility of Birth or Character: The hero must be a person of high social rank or moral worth, such as Oedipus or Hamlet. His fall evokes pity because he is neither wholly good nor wholly evil.

b.    Hamartia (Tragic Flaw): The hero’s downfall arises from an error in judgment or a fatal flaw, not from vice. For example, Othello’s jealousy and Macbeth’s ambition are their hamartia.

c.     Peripeteia (Reversal of Fortune): The hero’s actions lead to unintended consequences, turning success into ruin.

d.    Anagnorisis (Recognition): A moment of self-realisation or discovery of the truth that often comes too late.

e.     Catharsis: Through pity and fear, the audience experiences emotional cleansing.

The tragic hero is decisive for catharsis because he becomes the emotional channel through which the audience experiences pity (for undeserved suffering) and fear (for recognition of human vulnerability). His moral choice, downfall, and suffering mirror the complexities of human existence. In Oedipus Rex, for instance, Oedipus’s noble intention to save Thebes ironically leads to his ruin, teaching the inevitability of fate.

Thus, the Aristotelian tragic hero symbolises the conflict between human freedom and destiny. His fall is not merely personal but moral and philosophical, allowing the audience to experience emotional purification and moral insight — the ultimate aim of tragedy.

2.    Analyse Chinua Achebe’s writings or Mulk Raj Anand’s writings from post colonial theoretical perspective. You can fix any of texts from the above authors and point out alternative texts characters from post colonial theories. 5+5=10

Answer: Both Chinua Achebe and Mulk Raj Anand are central figures in postcolonial literature. Their works challenge colonial ideologies, giving voice to the colonised and reconstructing native identity. Using postcolonial theories of Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Gayatri Spivak, we can analyse how these writers portray resistance, hybridity, and cultural negotiation.

In Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the colonisers’ arrival disrupts the Igbo people’s culture, religion, and governance. Achebe uses cultural realism and vernacular idioms to restore African dignity. Okonkwo’s tragedy represents the clash between indigenous identity and Western domination. Through Said’s Orientalism, Achebe rejects Western stereotypes of Africans as primitive. The narrative reverses the colonial gaze, showing how imperialism destroys native harmony.

Similarly, Anand’s Untouchable and Coolie reflect postcolonial India’s social hierarchies and British exploitation. Anand gives voice to the subaltern — the oppressed castes and labourers. In Untouchable, Bakha’s life exposes both colonial racism and caste oppression, revealing internalised servitude. Through Spivak’s concept of the “subaltern,” Anand shows how the marginalised rarely speak for themselves under the colonial and social system.

From a theoretical perspective, both authors deconstruct binary oppositions such as centre/margin, coloniser/colonised, and self/other. Achebe celebrates indigenous values, while Anand blends Marxist and humanist ideals to advocate reform. Their writings thus create a counter-discourse — literature that reclaims identity, history, and agency from colonial control.

In conclusion, Achebe and Anand turn fiction into cultural resistance. Their narratives replace imperial domination with native voice and consciousness, marking them as pioneers of postcolonial thought in Africa and India respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.    Foucault contrasts traditional notions of history with Nietzschean genealogy, advocating for a method that exposes the power structures behind historical narratives and challenges the idea of linear, objective progress. Discuss.10

Answer: Michel Foucault redefines history through Nietzschean genealogy, opposing traditional linear, objective narratives. Nietzsche’s genealogy traced the origins of values not as natural or universal but as results of power struggles. Foucault adopted this method to examine how knowledge, discourse, and institutions shape truth.

Foucault’s works, such as Discipline and Punish and The Archaeology of Knowledge, expose the power structures that operate beneath historical events. He argues that history is not a neutral record of facts but a construction influenced by power relations. Institutions such as prisons, schools, and asylums are systems of control that normalise behaviour.

Unlike traditional historians who seek continuity and progress, Foucault’s genealogical method highlights discontinuities and ruptures. He shows how truth is produced within discursive regimes — what society accepts as true depends on who holds power. For example, the medical discourse defines what is “normal” and what is “mad,” giving doctors authority over individuals.

By challenging the notion of objective progress, Foucault questions Enlightenment rationality. His method reveals how knowledge and power are inseparable — “Power produces knowledge and knowledge reproduces power.” Thus, history is not a linear unfolding of truth but a dynamic field of struggles and resistance.

In conclusion, Foucault, following Nietzsche, transforms historical analysis into a critique of authority. His genealogical approach exposes the political and ideological foundations of what societies call knowledge, challenging us to rethink history as a site of power rather than progress.

 

4.    Unlike the traditional understanding of literary text of the Romantic Period (1780-1832) as an expression of emotions and feelings of an imaginative mind, contemporary scholars insist that Romantic literature, more than anything, is “shaped and informed by a number of social and political issues” (Kiston). Substantiate this argument with specific examples from literary texts of the Romantic Period that you have studied. 10

Answer: The Romantic Period (1780–1832) is often seen as the age of emotion and imagination. However, as scholars like Jerome McGann and Kiston note, Romantic literature is also “shaped and informed by a number of social and political issues.” It reflects the complex interplay between personal expression and social consciousness.

While Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats celebrated imagination and nature, their works also respond to the Industrial Revolution, French Revolution, and questions of freedom, justice, and equality.

·         Wordsworth’s The Prelude portrays the growth of the poet’s mind within a changing society. His empathy for rural life and criticism of industrial progress reveal social concern.

·         Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound and The Mask of Anarchy advocate political liberty and resist tyranny.

·         Byron’s Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage reflects the restlessness of a generation disillusioned by failed revolutions.

·         Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience expose child labour, class exploitation, and moral hypocrisy.

Thus, Romanticism combines emotion and reform — a protest against reason and industrial materialism. Romantic poets saw the imagination as a moral force capable of transforming society. Even their love for nature symbolises resistance to mechanisation and alienation.

In conclusion, Romantic literature cannot be confined to personal sentiment. It reflects the anxieties of modern civilisation and envisions a return to human freedom and moral harmony. Emotion and imagination become tools for both aesthetic creation and social critique.

 

5.    What is postmodernism (as it relates to literature, art, and culture)? How is it similar to and different from modernism? Discuss with examples. 10

Answer: Postmodernism, in literature, art, and culture, emerged after World War II as a reaction to modernism. While modernism sought meaning through experimentation and depth, postmodernism questioned meaning itself.

Similarities:
Both movements reject realism and celebrate innovation. They break traditional forms and explore subjectivity, fragmentation, and alienation.

Differences:

a.    View of Truth: Modernism believes in finding hidden order beneath chaos (The Waste Land seeks meaning in myth). Postmodernism denies any universal truth, suggesting multiple realities (Slaughterhouse-Five, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller).

b.    Form and Structure: Modernist works are complex but unified; postmodern texts are playful, open-ended, and self-reflexive.

c.     Attitude to History: Modernists lament the loss of meaning; postmodernists celebrate it.

d.    Techniques: Postmodernism uses pastiche, parody, irony, metafiction, and intertextuality.

e.     Examples: James Joyce and T.S. Eliot represent modernism; Thomas Pynchon, Salman Rushdie, and Don DeLillo embody postmodernism.

In essence, postmodernism dismantles grand narratives and celebrates plurality. It blurs the boundary between high and low culture, reality and fiction. As Jean-François Lyotard said, it is characterised by “incredulity towards metanarratives.”

Hence, postmodernism represents the final stage of modernist skepticism, not seeking truth but questioning its very existence, turning literature into a playful, self-aware exploration of meaninglessness.

 

Section "B" (50 Marks)

6.    Discuss main ideas of cultural studies that is gaining more popularity. How do cultural theories address multiple voices of society? Analyse selective cultural theoretical parameters in relation to a literary text of your choice. 10

Answer:

Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field that analyses the relationship between culture, power, and society. It emerged in the mid-20th century through the works of scholars at the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) such as Stuart Hall, Raymond Williams, and Richard Hoggart. Their aim was to understand how cultural forms (literature, film, media, fashion, etc.) reflect and shape social identities and power relations.

At its core, cultural studies argues that culture is not a fixed set of artistic achievements but a dynamic arena where meanings are produced, contested, and transformed. It shifts attention from elite literary traditions to popular and everyday culture, songs, advertisements, television, and subcultures as equally valid subjects of analysis.

Main Ideas

a.    Power and Ideology: Drawing from Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, cultural studies shows how dominant groups maintain control by shaping cultural norms and values. Culture becomes a means of social control, but also a site of resistance.

b.    Representation: Following Michel Foucault and Stuart Hall, cultural studies explores how language and images construct meaning. Representation is never neutral — it reflects social ideologies of race, gender, and class.

c.     Identity and Subjectivity: Culture shapes our sense of self through social categories such as gender, ethnicity, and nationality. Cultural texts can either reinforce stereotypes or challenge them.

d.    Globalisation and Hybridity: Modern cultural studies examines how global flows of information, migration, and media create hybrid identities (Homi Bhabha’s “third space”).

Cultural Studies and Literature

In literary analysis, cultural studies encourages readers to look beyond aesthetic form and consider the social, political, and historical context of texts. For example, reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart through cultural theory highlights how literature contests colonial ideologies and reclaims African identity. Similarly, Toni Morrison’s Beloved can be analysed through race and memory as cultural constructions.

Application Example

If we apply cultural studies to George Orwell’s 1984, we can see it not only as political satire but also as a critique of ideological control through media and language issues still relevant today. The novel’s concept of “Newspeak” illustrates how language manipulates thought, echoing Foucault’s notion of discourse and power.

Conclusion

Cultural studies democratises the study of literature by connecting it to real social issues, class struggle, race relations, gender inequality, and media influence. It shows that literature is not isolated art but an active force shaping and reflecting human experience.

 

7.    Discuss main ideas of cultural studies that is gaining more popularity. How do cultural theories address multiple voices of society? Analyse selective cultural theoretical parameters in relation to a literary text of your choice. 10

Answer: Research Proposal on a Pedagogical Issue in Teaching English Literature

Title:

Enhancing Student Engagement through the Use of Graphic Texts in Teaching English Literature at Undergraduate Level

 

Statement of Problem:

In many colleges of Nepal, students perceive English literature as difficult and irrelevant due to language complexity and traditional lecture-based teaching methods. This has led to low motivation, weak comprehension, and poor participation. Teachers often focus on text explanation rather than student-centred activities. To address this, integrating graphic texts (visual narratives, illustrated summaries, and storyboards) can make literary study more interactive and meaningful.

Research Question:

How can the use of graphic texts enhance students’ comprehension, engagement, and critical interpretation of English literary works at the undergraduate level?

Objectives:

·       To identify current challenges students face while studying English literature

·       To implement graphic texts as supplementary teaching aids

·       To measure the impact of visual materials on comprehension and participation

Research Method and Design:

This study will adopt a qualitative action research design. The research will be conducted among 30 undergraduate students at Tribhuvan University. The study will proceed in three cycles — planning, action, and reflection. The teacher-researcher will first diagnose learning difficulties, then introduce graphic adaptations of literary texts (e.g., Hamlet in comic form), followed by reflective discussions and feedback sessions.

Data Collection:

a.     Observation: To monitor students’ engagement and participation during class

b.    Interviews and Questionnaires: To gather students’ perceptions before and after intervention

c.     Performance Records: Comparing grades and comprehension test results

Data Analysis:

Collected data will be analysed thematically. Patterns of improvement in motivation, understanding, and classroom interaction will be identified. Comparative analysis between pre- and post-intervention results will highlight effectiveness.

Expected Outcomes:

The use of graphic texts will make literary study more visual and accessible. Students are expected to show improved comprehension, higher participation, and more confidence in literary analysis. The study will also offer teachers innovative strategies for active learning.

Conclusion:

This research aims to bridge the gap between traditional literary pedagogy and modern visual learning. It aligns with UGC’s vision for learner-centred, innovative teaching and will contribute to enhancing the quality of English education in Nepal.

 

8.    Critics argue that some of prescribed texts for the MA in English program at Tribhuvan University seem to be decontextualized and are not culture-responsive for the students from Nepal. Choose a text or texts that pose such an issue and propose a concrete solution that will be pedagogically meaningful for teachers to adopt in their classroom teaching. 10

Answer:

Decontextualised Texts in MA English Programme and Culturally Responsive Solutions

The MA English programme at Tribhuvan University includes many texts from Western literary traditions such as Shakespeare, Milton, Eliot, and others. While these works are invaluable, critics argue that they are decontextualised and not culturally responsive for Nepali students. The linguistic, cultural, and historical contexts of such texts often alienate learners rather than engage them.

Problem Identification:

Most prescribed texts reflect Western experiences and values that Nepali students cannot easily relate to. For example:

·         King Lear or The Tempest represent monarchical systems unfamiliar to Nepali learners.

·         Eliot’s The Waste Land expresses post-war European despair, not Nepali reality.

·         Even postcolonial texts are sometimes selected without sufficient cultural linkage to South Asian experience.

This creates a pedagogical gap: students struggle to interpret meaningfully, teachers translate rather than facilitate interpretation, and the learning process becomes mechanical.

Proposed Solution:

To make the curriculum pedagogically and culturally meaningful, the following strategies can be applied:

a.     Contextual Integration: Pair Western classics with South Asian or Nepali parallels. For instance, study King Lear alongside Mukunda Indira or Muna Madan to compare family and moral conflict.

b.    Local Examples and Comparative Pedagogy: Encourage students to draw connections between Western themes (colonialism, alienation, class) and Nepali contexts (migration, caste, corruption).

c.     Inclusion of Nepali and South Asian Writers in English: Incorporate works by Manjushree Thapa, Samrat Upadhyay, or Arundhati Roy that reflect similar human concerns through familiar settings.

d.    Cultural Translation Activities: Let students adapt parts of Western plays or poems into Nepali settings or perform bilingual versions to deepen understanding.

e.     Use of Multimodal Materials: Visual aids, films, and graphic adaptations can bridge linguistic barriers.

Pedagogical Impact:

Such contextualisation will increase students’ critical thinking and ownership of learning. It will transform English literature from a foreign subject into a cross-cultural dialogue. Teachers will move from transmitters of knowledge to facilitators of interpretation, and students will become co-creators of meaning.

Conclusion:

Culturally responsive teaching recognises that literature is not universal but locally interpreted. By connecting prescribed texts with Nepali realities, the MA programme at Tribhuvan University can produce globally aware yet culturally rooted graduates. This approach not only decolonises the curriculum but also revitalises the study of English literature in Nepal.

9.    In teaching learning process, it is important to revise a syllabus periodically. Evaluate the four years Bachelor’s degree major English syllabus and show the link with the master’s degree English syllabus of the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Tribhuvan University. And, give suggestions to improve them. 6+4=10

Answer:

Revising the Syllabus Periodically: Evaluation of the Four-Year Bachelor’s Major (English) and Its Link with the Master’s Syllabus at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tribhuvan University  with Suggestions for Improvement

Introduction and Rationale:

A syllabus is a public contract between teachers, students and the institution about what will be taught, how it will be taught and how learning will be assessed. Revising syllabuses periodically is important because language, literary theory, pedagogy, labour-market demands and social contexts change. For an English major on a four-year undergraduate (BA) programme, and for the linked MA syllabus at Tribhuvan University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, periodic review ensures curricula remain relevant, inclusive and progressive. Below I evaluate typical features of a four-year BA English major, explain links with the MA syllabus, and give concrete suggestions to improve them.

Evaluation of the four-year BA major (typical strengths and weaknesses)

A.  Strengths

v  Breadth of coverage: A four-year programme usually offers a broad survey: literature (poetry, drama, fiction), linguistics, literary theory, and elective areas (postcolonial studies, media studies, creative writing). This breadth gives students a good foundation.

v  Foundational progression: Progressive sequencing from language skills to critical theory to specialised electives helps scaffold learning.

v  Preparation for postgraduate study: Core courses in literary theory and research methods provide an entry point for MA work.

B.   Weaknesses

v  Decontextualisation: Many prescribed texts and theories are Eurocentric and not sufficiently linked to Nepali or South Asian contexts, which reduces relevance for local students.

v  Lecture-heavy pedagogy: Overreliance on lectures and teacher-centred methods limits active learning and critical engagement.

v  Assessment mismatch: Summative, exam-oriented assessment emphasises recall rather than research, critical thinking or communication skills.

v  Weak skill integration: Employability skills (academic writing, digital literacy, presentation, translation) are often peripheral rather than integrated across the curriculum.

v  Insufficient research training: Research methods are sometimes introduced late or superficially, leaving students underprepared for MA research demands.

 

Link between BA and MA syllabuses
A well-designed BA should feed the MA in three ways:

·         Content continuity: BA core courses (literary history, theory, research methods) should be prerequisites for advanced MA modules. If BA lacks depth in research methods, MA students struggle with dissertations.

·         Skill progression: BA should build analytical, writing and presentation skills that MA courses then deepen into independent research and specialised criticism.

·         Thematic alignment: Electives at BA level can prepare students for MA specialisations (e.g., postcolonial studies, cultural studies, pedagogy).

At present, gaps appear when BA syllabuses remain descriptive while MA expects analytical and research competence. That misalignment creates transition difficulties.

Suggestions for improvement

a.     Periodic, structured review cycle: Establish a 3–5 year review timetable with a formal process: stakeholder consultation (students, alumni, employers, faculty), mapping to national qualifications framework, and a public report of changes.

b.    Contextualise content: Introduce South Asian and Nepali literatures and critical perspectives as core or co-equal texts, not just as electives. Pair Western classics with Nepali/local texts to foster comparative thinking.

c.     Pedagogical shift: Promote learner-centred methods: seminars, group projects, presentations, digital portfolios, and classroom debates. Train faculty in active learning and formative feedback.

d.    Assessment reform: Balance formative and summative assessment (see next question for detailed proposals). Include research tasks, portfolios, presentations and community-based projects.

e.     Skills integration: Make academic writing, digital literacy, translation, and employability skills explicit across years. Include a compulsory research methods course in Year 2 or Year 3.

f.      Stronger BA–MA articulation: Produce a clear progression map showing which BA courses fulfill MA prerequisites. Offer bridge modules or summer research workshops for BA graduates entering MA.

g.     External engagement: Involve employers, schools and cultural organisations to inform elective choices and internships.

Conclusion
Regular revision, contextualised content, active pedagogy, and clear BA–MA articulation will make the programmes more relevant, equitable and effective. These changes will better prepare students for postgraduate study, teaching careers and diverse employment futures.

 

10.                  Make a brief assessment of the evaluation scheme prescribed in any MA or BA English course. Then propose an alternative evaluation scheme that you think would be more productive and conducive to learning outcomes envisioned by the course. 10

Answer: The evaluation scheme in MA and BA English courses typically follows a combination of continuous internal evaluation and final examinations. For example, in MA English courses at Tribhuvan University, the internal evaluation constitutes about 40% of the total grade, which includes assignments like research essays and presentations, while the end-semester final exam accounts for the remaining 60%. In BA English courses, the usual scheme involves 30% continuous/internal evaluation focusing on attendance, participation, and assignments, and 70% marks allocated for the final examination, with a minimum pass mark of 40% in both components.

Brief Assessment of Conventional Scheme

The current scheme emphasizes summative final exams heavily (60-70%), which may encourage rote learning and may not fully measure practical and communicative competencies.

Continuous internal assessments do promote consistent engagement but often lack diversity in evaluation types, focusing mainly on written work.

The system usually requires passing both internal and final exams, which can increase pressure and may not support nuanced learning progress evaluation.

 

 

 

Proposed Alternative Evaluation Scheme

To better align with the learning outcomes of English courses, an alternative scheme could emphasize formative and diverse assessments, as follows:

Continuous Internal Evaluation: 60%

Portfolio Assessment (20%): Compilation of essays, reflections, and creative writing demonstrating skill development.

Presentations and Oral Viva (15%): Regular presentations to develop speaking and argumentation skills.

Peer and Self-Assessment (10%): Promote reflective learning and critical evaluation among students.

Task-Based Projects (15%): Real-world inspired assignments focusing on practical language use and critical analysis.

Final Examination: 40%

·       Focused on critical analysis, comprehension, and application rather than only recall.

·       Combination of written exams and oral exams to assess comprehensive language skills.

This alternative scheme encourages continuous engagement, diverse skill demonstration, and reduces the stress associated with high-stakes finals while supporting the holistic learning objectives of English studies, including critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills.

This approach would likely foster deeper learning and better prepare students for real-world applications of English.

 

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