Shehryar Riaz

Classical Poetry II
Solved Past Papers (Short Questions)

Note: If you find any mistakes in these papers

or if you have any other queries related to
them, kindly let me know via email at
sherryyrizz@gmail.com

Papers included
2018 – 2019 – 2019 b – 2020 – 2020 b – 2021

18
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Classical Poetry II 2021 Solved Short Questions

1) How far does Ariel succeed in guarding Belinda?
Ans. Ariel tries his best to guard Belinda but fails in the end when Baron succeeds
in cutting off a lock of her hair. After this failure, Ariel departs sadly from
Belinda’s protection duties.

2) Who inspires Belinda’s dream in the first Canto?

Ans. In the first Canto of mock-epic poem ‘The Rape of the Lock’, the chief
guardian sylph named Ariel sends Belinda a sweet dream about a handsome
and fair youth who uncovers a fact to her that she is always protected by an army
of countless spirits.

3) Who is Betty? And what duties she do?

Ans. Betty is maid servant of Belinda. She helps her in getting ready. She
believes she is very good at her job, but the sylphs do most of the heavy lifting.

4) What is Mock Epic? (2021, 2020, 2020 b, 2019, 2019 b, 2018)

Ans. Mock-epic or mock-heroic works are typically satires or parodies that mock
common Classical stereotypes of heroes and heroic literature. They adapt the
elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject.
The ancient Mock-epic The Battle of the Frog and Mice, a parody of
Homer’s Iliad, Mack Flecknoe by John Dryden, and Alexander Pope’s Dunciad
and The Rape of the Lock, are the finest examples of the Mock-epic.

5) What do you know about Free Verse?

Ans. Free verse is an open form of poetry, which in its modern form arose through
the French vers libre form. It does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or
any musical pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm of natural speech.

6) What is central theme of the poem Go and Catch a Falling Star?

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Ans. John Donne’s “Go and catch a falling star,” is a fantastical take on a
traditional and misogynistic theme: women’s supposedly inevitable infidelity.
In other words, it seems to endorse belief that all women (or all beautiful women,
anyway) are unfaithful and shouldn’t be trusted.

7) Who is Shock in the Rape of the Lock? (2021, 2019)

Ans. Shock is Belinda’s lapdog in the Rape of the Lock.

8) To what do the four types of supernatural beings correspond?

Ans. Four types of supernatural beings which are sylphs, gnomes, nymphs, and
salamanders, correspond to four classical elements, air, earth, water, and fire
respectively.

9) What type of virtues is discussed in Donne’s poetry?

Ans. Donne in his divine poetry has laid great emphasis on the integrity of mind
and soul, towards developing one’s moral and spiritual sensibilities, devoting it
to the paths of virtue under God’s guidance. For after all, ‘the end of man is a life
of virtue, since virtue is obedience to the law of universe and happiness comes
from virtue.’

10) Write four important characteristics of metaphysical poetry.

Ans. Four important characteristics of metaphysical poetry are that they are
highly intellectualized, use rather strange imagery, use frequent paradox, and
contain extremely complicated thought.

11) Define metaphor and give two examples.

Ans. A metaphor is an imaginative way of describing something by referring to
something else which is the same in a particular way, without the use of words
‘like or as’. The resemblance is implied.
Examples :

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1. The camel is the ship of the desert.

2. Her eyes are pearls.

12) How Belinda is reflection of Aristocratic society?

Ans. Belinda is a reflection of Eighteenth Century Aristocratic Society as she is
free of financial problems and wastes her time in useless activities. She spends
most of her time in brushing herself. Alexander Pope has very beautiful sketched
the scene of preparing Belinda for the ball party. Her cosmetics have been brought
from distant lands. Many hours go waste in just preparing her for the party.

13) Define PUN and give examples.

Ans. Pun or “play on words.” Is a literary device that involves words with similar
or identical sounds but with different meanings, generally intended to be
humorous. It also relies on a word or phrase having more than one meaning.
Here are some famous examples of puns:
• “The road to success is always under construction.” (Lily Tomlin)
• “Atheism is a non-prophet organization.” (George Carlin)

14) What is role of Sun and why does the speaker has problem with that
in THE SUNNE RISING?
Ans. The problem that the poet has with the sun is that it is shining in and
disturbing him and his lover in bed. The sun should go away and do perform it’s
other roles like waking up ants, rushing late schoolboys to start day, telling the
king’s hunting party that the king is about to ride out on a hunt, and urging lowly
farm workers to start their harvesting duties.

15) What is the central theme of the poem “CONTENTMENT”?

Ans. Central theme of the William Cowper’s Contentment is that a person should
always remain calm, content and peaceful. Cowper believes that true contentment
that the suffering a person goes through us nothing compared to what Christ

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suffered for his love for humanity and true contentment can be learned only
learned by following Christ and his teachings.

16) What idea do you get from poem HIDDEN FLAME? (2021, 2019)
Ans. Unconfessed love is the idea we get from the poem HIDDEN FLAME. The
poet talks in a woman’s perspective who is in extreme pains of hiding her love
from the person she loves. She refers to her feelings as pleasing pain.

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Classical Poetry II 2020 Solved Short Questions

1) Define Metaphysical Poetry. (2020, 2019, 2018)
Ans. Metaphysical poetry is highly intellectualized poetry marked by bold and
inventive conceits, incongruous imagery, complexity and subtlety of thought,
frequent use of paradox, and often by deliberate harshness or rigidity of
expression.

2) Define Mock Epic. (2021, 2020, 2020 b, 2019, 2019 b, 2018)

Ans. Mock-epic or mock-heroic works are typically satires or parodies that mock
common Classical stereotypes of heroes and heroic literature. They adapt the
elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject.
The ancient Mock-epic The Battle of the Frog and Mice, a parody of
Homer’s Iliad, Mack Flecknoe by John Dryden, and Alexander Pope’s Dunciad
and The Rape of the Lock, are the finest examples of the Mock-epic.

3) What is Spleen?
Ans. In Pope’s time, spleen was a fairly general term for various forms of bodily
disfunction, all of which were believed to be primarily female characteristics. It
was thought that the spleen sent up vapors to the brain which would result in
migraines, hysteria, fainting and melancholy. Pope’s fantastical Cave of Spleen
is thus a kind of hell of female bodily disfunction.

4) Explain the given line below with the name of the poet, (2020,2019,2018)
Must to thy motions lovers seasons run?
Ans. This is line 4 of John Donne’s poem “The Sunne Rising”.
In this poem, Donne apostrophizes the sun because he creates disturbance
in poets room when he is with his beloved. In this line, poet asks a question that
why must lovers be controlled by the sun? Love does not obey the hours and days.
It knows no season or situation.

5) Who is Umbrial? (2020,2019,2018)

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Ans. Umbrial is an earthly gnome who delights in wreaking havoc. He travels to

the Cave of Spleen and returns with bundles of sighs and tears to aggravate
Belinda’s vexation.

6) What is the role of Sylph in Rape of Lock? (2020, 2018)

Ans. Light-hearted coquettes are changed into sylphs or spirits of the air. The first
and the foremost activity of the sylphs is the protection of fair and chaste ladies
who reject the male sex. They guard and save the chastity of maidens and save
them from falling victims to the “treacherous friends”.

7) Who is Sir Plume?

Ans. Sir Plume is Thalestris’s suitor, who intervenes on the part of the ladies and
confronts the Baron, asking him to return Belinda’s lock. Critics have connected
him with the historical Sir George Brown, a friend of Pope’s.

8) Why does Ariel depart sadly from Belinda’s protection duties?

(2020,2019,2018)
Ans. Ariel gives up his duty to protect Belinda because he sees inside her heart
and realizes that she’s not quite as chaste as he thought she was. Ariel is there to
guard Belinda’s chastity, but as there’s no chastity to guard, he departs sadly from
his duties, just before the Baron removes a lock of Belinda’s hair.

9) What is conceit? (2020,2019,2018)

Ans. A poetic conceit is an often unconventional, logically complex, or surprising
metaphor or simile, whose delights are more intellectual than sensual. It forms an
extremely ingenious or fanciful parallel between apparently dissimilar or
incongruous objects or situations.

10) Explain symbolic meaning of Hidden Flame.

Ans. Hidden Flame is a poem written by John Dryden. In the poem, hidden flame
stands for the hidden fire of love or unconfessed love. It shows the extreme

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passions and anguish of love when a lover hides their feelings from those they
loves.

11) Why does Dryden consider “Vow” foolish? (2020, 2018)

Ans. Dryden considers a “vow” foolish because there is no reason for staying
together if there is no love. He implies that a marriage vow made long ago is not
a good enough reason for people to stay together.

12) Explain the following with the name of the poem, (2020, 2019, 2018)
I feed a flame which so torments me
That it both pains my heart yet contents me
Ans. These verses are the opening lines of the poem “ Hidden Flame” written by
John Dryden. This poem is written from a female’s perspective who states
anguish of unconfessed love. In these lines, she states that the painful feelings of
hiding her love hurt her heart but still she is satisfied. It means that it is a painful
pleasure to hide love’s fire.

13) What are “Spring Tides” according to John Dryden? (2020, 2018)
Ans. The words “spring tides” are used in Dryden’s poem “Ah How Sweet It is
to love”. Spring tides are used as a symbol for youthful love. Love is fascinating
and on its peak when we are young but this time is as short as the duration of
spring tides because they decay in no time.

14) Why does Cowper Dryden call “Young Desire” gay? (2020, 2018)
Ans. In the second line of poem “Ah, How Sweet It Is To Love,” Dryden calls
young desire gay because he believes that desire is endowed with special sort of
pleasure when it is felt by the young. Love is fascinating and is on its peak when
we are young.

15) What is the significance of “Time and Rivers”? (2020, 2018)

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Ans. The description of time and river is given in William Cowper’s poem “A
Comparison.” In this poem, he compares time and river and says that both of them
are irrevocable. Once the time passes, it can never come back just like the flow
of river.

16) Explain (2020, 2019)

The lapse of time and river is the same
Both speed their journey with a restless stream
Ans. These verses are the opening lines of William Cowper’s poem “A
Comparison.” In these lines, he compares time with river and says that both time
and river move ahead with the same speed and turbulent flow. They both are
irrevocable.

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Classical Poetry II 2020 b Solved Short Questions

1) Define the term “metaphysical”.
Ans. Derived from the Greek meta ta physika (“after the things of nature”);
referring to an idea, doctrine, or posited reality outside of human sense
perception. In modern philosophical terminology, metaphysics refers to the
studies of what cannot be reached through objective studies of material reality.

2) What is metaphysical conceit? (2020 b, 2019 b)

Ans. The metaphysical conceit, associated with the Metaphysical poets of the 17 th
century, is a intricate, intellectual and extended metaphor that makes an
outstretched comparison between a person’s spiritual faculties and a physical
object in the world and sometimes controls the whole structure of the poem.
For example, John Donne compares two lovers’ souls to a draftsman’s
compass in his poem “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.”

3) How is “Go and Catche a Falling Star” a cynical poem?

Ans. Cynical love refers to anti-woman love that is hostile to the fair sex. “Go
and Catch a Falling Star” is a cynical poem in the sense that John Donne weaves
a cynical fairy tale full of impossibilities.
He seems to be using an almost mocking tone as he speaks about trying to
find a woman that is “true” and “fair”, comparing the quest to attempting to
explain the mysteries of many mythological creatures or events.

4) What is heroic couplet? (2020 b, 2019, 2019 b)

Ans. Heroic couplet is a couplet of rhyming iambic pentameters often forming a
distinct rhetorical as well as metrical unit. It is traditional form for English poetry,
commonly used in epic and narrative poetry.

5) Define classicism. (2020 b, 2019 b)

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Ans. Classicism refers to the following of ancient Greek or Roman principles and
style in art and literature, generally associated with harmony, restraint, and
adherence to recognized standards of form and craftsmanship, especially from the
Renaissance to the 18th century.

6) Define monologue.
Ans. Monologue is a literary device featuring a “speech” made by a single
character in a work of literature or dramatic work.
To say that the poem is a monologue means that these are the words of one
solitary speaker with no dialogue coming from any other characters.

7) Define the term “mock epic”. (2021, 2020, 2020 b, 2019, 2019 b, 2018)
Ans. Mock-epic or mock-heroic works are typically satires or parodies that mock
common Classical stereotypes of heroes and heroic literature. They adapt the
elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject.
The ancient Mock-epic The Battle of the Frog and Mice, a parody of
Homer’s Iliad, Mack Flecknoe by John Dryden, and Alexander Pope’s Dunciad
and The Rape of the Lock, are the finest examples of the Mock-epic.

8) Define “wit”.
Ans. Wit has originated from an old English term wit, which means “to know.”
It is a clever expression of thought; whether harmless or aggressive, with or
without any disparaging intent toward something or someone. Wit has
paradoxical and mocking quality, and evokes laughter through apt phrasing.

9) Who is Ariel and what is his role in “The Rape of the Lock”? (2020 b,
2019)
Ans. Ariel is a sylph, an airy spirit. He is Belinda’s guardian sylph and his role is
to protect her beauty and chastity.

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10) Explain the “Rosicrucian Doctrine” in “The Rape of the Lock”.

Ans. The philosophy which Alexander Pope has made use of is the Rosicrucian
Doctrine of spirits. According to this philosophy the four elements (air, earth,
water, and fire) are inhabited by four types of spirits (sylphs, gnomes, nymphs
and salamanders) respectively.

11) Name Belinda’s dog. (2020 b, 2019 b)

Ans. Shock is the name of Belinda’s lapdog in the Rape of the Lock.

12) What was the real name of the Baron?

Ans. The Baron is the pseudonym for the historical Robert, Lord Petre, the
young gentleman in Pope’s social circle who offended Arabella Fermor and her
family by cutting off a lock of her hair.

13) Who was Donne’s beloved, later his wife?

Ans. In 1601, Donne secretly married Anne More, with whom he had twelve
children.

14) Explain: “snorted we in the seven sleepers’ Den”.

Ans. This verse belongs to John Donne’s “The Good Morrow” in which Donne
uses the myth of the seven sleepers to amplify the poem’s central idea. Donne
suggests that before they fell in love, his mistress and he were not actively living;
they were only sleeping but they have woken up at last and perceived that they
belong to each other.
Seven sleeper’s den refers to a Christian ancient legend. Seven Christian
youths had taken shelter and enclosed up in a cave to escape the persecution of
the Roman Emperor, Decius. The Roman Emperor ordered that the den walled
up so that the youths would starve to death. But these youths fell into miraculous
sleep and woke up after 187 years.

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15) What is the main theme of Dryden’s poem: “Ah, How Sweet it is to
Love”? (2020 b, 2019 b)
Ans. The theme of this poem is straight away connected to the title. The word
“sweet” is used to describe love. The poet calls it a “friend” as well. The words
“Love” and “Time” are personified in this poem. John Dryden also says that even
though love is painful, the pain is sweet. Love is sweet enough to be worth the
pain it brings.

16) What is the main theme of “A Valediction – of Weeping” by Donne?

Ans. The primary themes at work in ‘Valediction – of Weeping’ are separation
and unity. Throughout the poem, the speaker discusses the upcoming separation
he and his lover are going to have to go through. He wants her to know and see
his grief so that she might understand how he feels.

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Classical Poetry II 2019 Solved Short Questions

1) Define metaphysical poetry. (2020,2019,2018)
Ans. Metaphysical poetry is highly intellectualized poetry marked by bold and
inventive conceits, incongruous imagery, complexity and subtlety of thought,
frequent use of paradox, and often by deliberate harshness or rigidity of
expression.

2) What is conceit? (2020,2019,2018)

Ans. A poetic conceit is an often unconventional, logically complex, or surprising
metaphor or simile, whose delights are more intellectual than sensual. It forms an
extremely ingenious or fanciful parallel between apparently dissimilar or
incongruous objects or situations.

3) What is difference between love and divine poetry? (2019,2018)

Ans. The major difference between love poems and divine poems is theme. Love
poems describe three kinds of love; cynical (anti woman), conjugal (married life)
and platonic (spiritual). Divine poems, on the other hand, describe two notes; the
Catholic and the Anglican. However, the thought and spirit behind the two
categories of poems is same.

4) What is conjugal love?

Ans. Conjugal love refers to love in a conjugal relationship, that is, in a marriage.
It is the mutually enjoyed love between man and woman as found in “A
Valediction: Forbidding Mourning”.

5) Explain the following, (2020,2019,2018)

Must to thy motions lovers seasons run?
Ans. This is line 4 of John Donne’s poem “The Sunne Rising”.
In this poem, Donne apostrophizes the sun because he creates disturbance
in poets room when he is with his beloved. In this line, poet asks a question that

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why must lovers be controlled by the sun? Love does not obey the hours and days.
It knows no season or situation.

6) Who is Umbrial? (2020,2019,2018)

Ans. Umbrial is an earthly gnome who delights in wreaking havoc. He travels to
the Cave of Spleen and returns with bundles of sighs and tears to aggravate
Belinda’s vexation.

7) Why does Ariel depart sadly from Belinda? (2020,2019,2018)

Ans. Ariel gives up his duty to protect Belinda because he sees inside her heart
and realizes that she’s not quite as chaste as he thought she was. Ariel is there to
guard Belinda’s chastity, but as there’s no chastity to guard, he departs sadly from
his duties, just before the Baron removes a lock of Belinda’s hair.

8) What is Mock Epic? (2021, 2020, 2020 b, 2019, 2019 b, 2018)

Ans. Mock-epic or mock-heroic works are typically satires or parodies that mock
common Classical stereotypes of heroes and heroic literature. They adapt the
elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject.
The ancient Mock-epic The Battle of the Frog and Mice, a parody of
Homer’s Iliad, Mack Flecknoe by John Dryden, and Alexander Pope’s Dunciad
and The Rape of the Lock, are the finest examples of the Mock-epic.

9) What is heroic couplet? (2020 b, 2019, 2019 b)

Ans. Heroic couplet is a couplet of rhyming iambic pentameters often forming a
distinct rhetorical as well as metrical unit. It is traditional form for English poetry,
commonly used in epic and narrative poetry.

10) Why does Gallants attend ladies in Hampton Court?

Ans. Gallant refers to a man who is exceptionally attentive to women. Gallants
attend ladies in Hampton Court to impress them.

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11) Who is Ariel? (2020 b, 2019)

Ans. Ariel is a sylph, an airy spirit. He is Belinda’s guardian sylph and his role is
to protect her beauty and chastity.

12) Who is Shock? (2021, 2019)

Ans. Shock is the name of Belinda’s lapdog in the Rape of the Lock.

13) Explain reference to poem and the poet.

The lapse of time and river is the same
Both speed their journey with a restless stream
Ans. These verses are the opening lines of William Cowper’s poem “A
Comparison.” In these lines, he compares time with river and says that both time
and river move ahead with the same speed and turbulent flow. They both are
irrevocable.

14) Explain with the name of poet and the poem, (2020, 2019)
To keep the lamp alive,
With oil we fill the bowl
Ans. These verses are opening lines of William Cowper’s poem “Dependence”.
In this poem, the poet discusses the relation between god and man. He says that
just as we fill a bowl with oil to keep the fire alive, we need to keep faith in god.
We should show our devotions to him because we are completely dependent on
hum.

15) What is the central idea of the poem Hidden Flame? (2021, 2019)
Ans. Unconfessed love is the central idea of the poem HIDDEN FLAME. The
poet talks in a woman’s perspective who is in extreme pains of hiding her love
from the person she loves. She refers to her feelings aa pleasing pain.

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16) Explain, (2020, 2019, 2018)

I feed a flame which so torments me
That it both pains my heart yet contents me
Ans. These verses are the opening lines of the poem “ Hidden Flame” written by
John Dryden. This poem is written from a female’s perspective who states
anguish of unconfessed love. In these lines, she states that the painful feelings of
hiding her love hurt her heart but still she is satisfied. It means that it is a painful
pleasure to hide love’s fire.

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Classical Poetry II 2019 b Solved Short Questions

1) Define classicism. (2020 b, 2019 b)
Ans. Classicism refers to the following of ancient Greek or Roman principles and
style in art and literature, generally associated with harmony, restraint, and
adherence to recognized standards of form and craftsmanship, especially from the
Renaissance to the 18th century.

2) What is Metaphysical conceit? (2020 b, 2019 b)

Ans. The metaphysical conceit, associated with the Metaphysical poets of the 17 th
century, is a intricate, intellectual and extended metaphor that makes an
outstretched comparison between a person’s spiritual faculties and a physical
object in the world and sometimes controls the whole structure of the poem.
For example, John Donne compares two lovers’ souls to a draftsman’s
compass in his poem “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.”

3) Define Heroic couplet. (2020 b, 2019, 2019 b)

Ans. Heroic couplet is a couplet of rhyming iambic pentameters often forming a
distinct rhetorical as well as metrical unit. It is traditional form for English poetry,
commonly used in epic and narrative poetry.

4) What is the name of Belinda’s guardian spirit?

Ans. A Sylph named Ariel is Belinda’s guardian spirit. He is tasked with
protecting her beauty and chastity.

5) What is the name of Belinda’s dog? (2020 b, 2019 b)

Ans. Shock is the name of Belinda’s lapdog in the Rape of the Lock.

6) Why does the poet call the Sun “busy, old, and unruly”?

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Ans. In “ The Sun Rising”, John Donne calls the sun busy, old and unruly because
the sun is peeking through the curtains of the window of their bedroom, signaling
the morning and the end of their time together. The speaker is annoyed, wishing
that the day has not yet come.

7) Who tried to cut Belinda’s hair?

Ans. The Baron tried to cut a lock of Belinda’s hair because he admired it.

8) Define Mock epic. (2021, 2020, 2020 b, 2019, 2019 b, 2018)

Ans. Mock-epic or mock-heroic works are typically satires or parodies that mock
common Classical stereotypes of heroes and heroic literature. They adapt the
elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject.
The ancient Mock-epic The Battle of the Frog and Mice, a parody of
Homer’s Iliad, Mack Flecknoe by John Dryden, and Alexander Pope’s Dunciad
and The Rape of the Lock, are the finest examples of the Mock-epic.

9) What does the title of the poem “Hidden Flames” suggest?

Ans. The title of the poem hidden flame stands for the hidden fire of love or
unconfessed love. It shows the extreme passions and anguish of love when a lover
hides their feelings from those they loves.

10) Define Satire?

Ans. Satire refers to the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose
and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of
contemporary politics and other topical issues.

11) Who is the happiest man according to Dryden?

Ans. According to Dryden’s poem “Happy the Man”, there is really only one
thing—and one thing alone—which has the power to bring genuine happiness to
a person. That one thing is the ability to look back at the end of the day with an

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honest and faithful assertion that that day belonged fully to him. happiness
belongs to anyone who has taken control of his life in the present.

12) What is the central idea of the poem “Comparison” by Cowper?

Ans. This poem is a comparison of Time and river. The poet calls them
irrevocable. According to poem, one should treat time like a dear friend. One
should cherish and value it for its unique nature because once time is gone, it
cannot be reversed. No wealth or prayer can persuade time to come back.

13) Name Belinda’s maid servant.

Ans. Betty is maid servant of Belinda. She helps her in getting ready. She
believes she is very good at her job, but the sylphs do most of the heavy lifting.

14) Define Irony.

Ans. Irony is the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally
signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. It is a satirical
device which describes situations that are strange or funny because things happen
in a way that seems to be the opposite of what is expected.

15) To which thing the poet compares his tears in the poem “Hidden
Flame”? (2019 b, 2018)
Ans. In the poem Hidden Flame, John Dryden uses a simile for tears. He says that
tears fall silently on heart as “dew on roses”. Dew drops are symbol which is used
for tear.

16) What is the central idea of the poem “Ah! How sweet”? (2020b, 2019b)
Ans. The theme is straight away connected through the title. The word “sweet”
is used to describe love. He calls it a “friend” as well. The words “Love” and
“Time” are personified in this poem. John Dryden also says that even though
love is painful, the pain is sweet. Love is sweet enough to be worth the pain it
brings.

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Classical Poetry II 2018 Solved Short Questions

1) Define Metaphysical Poetry. (2020, 2019, 2018)
Ans. Metaphysical poetry is highly intellectualized poetry marked by bold and
inventive conceits, incongruous imagery, complexity and subtlety of thought,
frequent use of paradox, and often by deliberate harshness or rigidity of
expression.

2) What is conceit? (2020,2019,2018)

Ans. A poetic conceit is an often unconventional, logically complex, or surprising
metaphor or simile, whose delights are more intellectual than sensual. It forms an
extremely ingenious or fanciful parallel between apparently dissimilar or
incongruous objects or situations.

3) What is difference between love and divine poetry? (2019,2018)

Ans. The major difference between love poems and divine poems is theme. Love
poems describe three kinds of love; cynical (anti woman), conjugal (married life)
and platonic (spiritual). Divine poems, on the other hand, describe two notes; the
Catholic and the Anglican. However, the thought and spirit behind the two
categories of poems is same.

4) Explain the following, (2020,2019,2018)

Must to thy motions lovers seasons run?
Ans. This is line 4 of John Donne’s poem “The Sunne Rising”.
In this poem, Donne apostrophizes the sun because he creates disturbance
in poets room when he is with his beloved. In this line, poet asks a question that
why must lovers be controlled by the sun? Love does not obey the hours and days.
It knows no season or situation.

5) Who is Umbrial? (2020,2019,2018)

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Classical Poetry 2 solved past papers

Ans. Umbrial is an earthly gnome who delights in wreaking havoc. He travels to

the Cave of Spleen and returns with bundles of sighs and tears to aggravate
Belinda’s vexation.

6) What is the role of Sylph in Rape of Lock? (2020, 2018)

Ans. Light-hearted coquettes are changed into sylphs or spirits of the air. The first
and the foremost activity of the sylphs is the protection of fair and chaste ladies
who reject the male sex. They guard and save the chastity of maidens and save
them from falling victims to the “treacherous friends”.

7) Bring out the character traits of Sir Plume.

Ans. Sir Plume is a vain and fashionable dandy with an amber snuffbox and a
fancy walking stick. He pretty much answers to Thalestris’ command. When
Thalestris orders him to demand the Baron return the lock, he does so. He
confronts the Baron but isn’t able to get the lock back. Critics have connected
him with the historical Sir George Brown, a friend of Pope’s.

8) Why does Ariel depart sadly from Belinda’s protection duties?

(2020,2019,2018)
Ans. Ariel gives up his duty to protect Belinda because he sees inside her heart
and realizes that she’s not quite as chaste as he thought she was. Ariel is there to
guard Belinda’s chastity, but as there’s no chastity to guard, he departs sadly from
his duties, just before the Baron removes a lock of Belinda’s hair.

9) What is mock Epic ? (2021, 2020, 2020 b, 2019, 2019 b, 2018)

Ans. Mock-epic or mock-heroic works are typically satires or parodies that mock
common Classical stereotypes of heroes and heroic literature. They adapt the
elevated heroic style of the classical epic poem to a trivial subject.
The ancient Mock-epic The Battle of the Frog and Mice, a parody of
Homer’s Iliad, Mack Flecknoe by John Dryden, and Alexander Pope’s Dunciad
and The Rape of the Lock, are the finest examples of the Mock-epic.

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Classical Poetry 2 solved past papers

10) Which symbol is used by Dryden for “Tear” in the poem Hidden
Flame? (2019 b, 2018)
Ans. In the poem Hidden Flame, John Dryden uses a simile for tears. He says that
tears fall silently on heart as “dew on roses”. Dew drops are symbol which is used
for tear.

11) Why does Dryden consider “Vow” foolish? (2020, 2018)

Ans. Dryden considers a “vow” foolish because there is no reason for staying
together if there is no love. He implies that a marriage vow made long ago is not
a good enough reason for people to stay together.

12) Explain the following with the name of the poem, (2020, 2019, 2018)
I feed a flame which so torments me
That it both pains my heart yet contents me
Ans. These verses are the opening lines of the poem “ Hidden Flame” written by
John Dryden. This poem is written from a female’s perspective who states
anguish of unconfessed love. In these lines, she states that the painful feelings of
hiding her love hurt her heart but still she is satisfied. It means that it is a painful
pleasure to hide love’s fire.

13) What are “Spring Tides” according to John Dryden? (2020, 2018)
Ans. The words “spring tides” are used in Dryden’s poem “Ah How Sweet It is
to love”. Spring tides are used as a symbol for youthful love. Love is fascinating
and on its peak when we are young but this time is as short as the duration of
spring tides because they decay in no time.

14) Why does Cowper Dryden call “Young Desire” gay? (2020, 2018)
Ans. In the second line of poem “Ah, How Sweet It Is To Love,” Dryden calls
young desire gay because he believes that desire is endowed with special sort of

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Classical Poetry 2 solved past papers

pleasure when it is felt by the young. Love is fascinating and is on its peak when
we are young.

15) What is the significance of “Time and Rivers”? (2020, 2018)

Ans. The description of time and river is given in William Cowper’s poem “ A
Comparison.” In this poem, he compares time and river and says that both of them
are irrevocable. Once the time passes, it can never come back just like the flow
of river.

16) Explain,
Neglected leaves a dreary behind
Ans. This verse is the last line of the poem “ A Comparison” by William Cowper.
This line implies that the time that we have in hand must be used to enrich or
enhance the quality of nobler mind (mind of high morals). Else, if time is not
made use of, it would go wasted and they would never ever get a chance to
improve themselves.

Note: If you have any other past paper that is not solved here, kindly email it to
me at sherryyrizz@gmail.com

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