UNIT I
1. John Donne – The Sun Rising
This metaphysical poem is a dramatic monologue where the speaker mocks the sun for
disturbing his private moment with his lover. He argues that their love is so powerful that it
outshines the sun, rulers, and the rest of the world. The poem uses wit, logic, and
metaphysical conceits (extended comparisons) to show how love exists beyond time and
space.
Key themes: Love vs time, metaphysical love, arrogance of passion.
2. Alexander Pope – From Essay on Man
Pope writes in heroic couplets to express philosophical thoughts about man’s place in the
universe. He argues that humans must accept their limitations and trust in God’s larger plan.
The poem emphasizes the importance of humility and the danger of questioning divine
wisdom.
Key themes: Human limitation, divine order, philosophical humility.
3. Thomas Gray – Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
This reflective poem mourns the quiet, unnoticed lives of rural people buried in a village
graveyard. Gray meditates on mortality, the inevitability of death, and the unfulfilled
potential of the poor. Through calm and melancholic imagery, he honors the dignity of
ordinary lives and warns of the vanity of earthly achievements.
Key themes: Death and memory, obscurity vs fame, dignity in simplicity.
UNIT II
4. John Keats – Ode to a Nightingale
Keats longs to escape the painful reality of human life through the eternal song of the
nightingale. He considers death and the power of imagination as possible escapes. However,
the poem ends with him returning to reality, unsure whether what he felt was real or a dream.
It’s rich in imagery and symbolizes the conflict between reality and ideal beauty.
Key themes: Escapism, mortality, imagination vs reality.
5. Robert Browning – My Last Duchess
This dramatic monologue features a Duke showing a portrait of his late wife to a visitor. As
he speaks, he reveals his controlling and jealous nature, suggesting he may have had her
killed for being too friendly with others. The poem subtly critiques male authority and
obsession with control.
Key themes: Power and control, jealousy, art vs life.
6. Gerard Manley Hopkins – Pied Beauty
Hopkins praises God for the beauty found in diversity and imperfection in nature — things
like dappled skies, spotted animals, and varied landscapes. He uses a unique rhythm called
“sprung rhythm” and heavy alliteration to mirror nature’s variety.
Key themes: Diversity in nature, religious praise, acceptance of imperfection.
UNIT III
7. A.K. Ramanujan – History
Ramanujan reflects on how history in India is layered, fragmented, and deeply personal. He
challenges the official version of history and highlights how cultural memory and family
stories shape our understanding of the past. The poem moves between the public and private,
using rich imagery.
Key themes: Memory, identity, layered history.
8. W.B. Yeats – A Prayer for My Daughter
Yeats prays for his infant daughter’s future, wishing for her to grow up balanced, rooted, and
free from hatred or vanity. Written after World War I and the Irish civil unrest, the poem
reflects both personal hope and national anxiety.
Key themes: Fatherhood, innocence, values in a changing world.
9. Thomas Hardy – The Darkling Thrush
Written at the turn of the 20th century, this poem presents a bleak, lifeless winter landscape.
Suddenly, the song of an old thrush offers a glimmer of hope. Hardy explores the contrast
between despair and the mysterious possibility of renewal.
Key themes: Death and rebirth, hope in darkness, change over time.
UNIT I – Stories
1. Ruskin Bond – The Eyes Have It
This short story features a blind narrator who boards a train and meets a girl, also blind,
though neither of them knows the other’s condition. They both pretend to be sighted, trying
to pass off as ‘normal’. The twist comes at the end when a fellow passenger tells the narrator
that the girl was blind too.
Key themes: Perception vs reality, loneliness, human connection, irony.
2. Roald Dahl – Parson’s Pleasure
A clever antiques dealer named Boggis disguises himself as a parson to cheat rural people out
of valuable furniture. He finds a priceless Chippendale commode but underestimates the
ignorance of the farmers, who chop it up thinking it’s worthless.
Key themes: Deception, greed, irony, consequences of manipulation.
UNIT II – Stories
3. Leo Tolstoy – How Much Land Does a Man Need?
This moral tale follows Pahom, a peasant whose desire for more land leads to his death. The
story critiques greed and the endless human desire for more. In the end, all the land he needs
is six feet for a grave.
Key themes: Greed, simplicity, mortality, spiritual wisdom.
4. Katherine Mansfield – The Doll’s House
The story highlights class division through the eyes of children. The Burnell sisters receive a
fancy dollhouse and invite everyone to see it — except the poor Kelvey sisters. Kezia, the
youngest, eventually shows them the house, causing scandal.
Key themes: Class inequality, innocence vs social conditioning, childhood cruelty.
UNIT III – Stories
5. Rokheya Sakhawat Hossain – Sultana’s Dream
This is a feminist utopia where men are confined to the home and women control a peaceful,
technologically advanced society. The story critiques patriarchal norms and imagines a world
led by reason and equality.
Key themes: Gender roles, education, feminist vision, empowerment.
6. O. Henry – The Gift of the Magi
A poor couple each sacrifices their most prized possession to buy a gift for the other.
Ironically, the gifts they receive are now useless — but the story ends by showing the depth
of their love.
Key themes: Sacrifice, love, irony, value of selflessness.
UNIT I – Stories
1. Ruskin Bond – The Eyes Have It
This is a quiet, ironic story about two blind individuals who meet on a train journey. The
narrator, a blind man, tries to hide his blindness from a girl who boards at a station. He is
drawn to her voice and manners. Their conversation is light and poetic. At the end, after the
girl leaves, another passenger tells him the girl was blind too — which surprises him.
Themes:
Illusion vs reality
Human desire to appear ‘normal’
Irony and gentle humor
2. Roald Dahl – Parson’s Pleasure
Boggis, a cunning antiques dealer, disguises himself as a clergyman to cheat rural families
out of valuable furniture. He stumbles upon a rare Chippendale commode and tricks the
owners into selling it cheap. However, in trying to help him carry it, they destroy it with an
axe.
Themes:
Deception and greed
Dramatic irony
Unexpected justice
UNIT II – Stories
3. Leo Tolstoy – How Much Land Does a Man Need?
This moral tale shows Pahom, a peasant who becomes increasingly greedy for land. He gets
an offer to walk and claim as much land as he can circle in one day — but he overextends
himself and dies of exhaustion.
Themes:
The danger of greed
Simplicity vs ambition
The meaning of true wealth
4. Katherine Mansfield – The Doll’s House
A beautifully written story of class discrimination as seen through children’s eyes. The
Burnell sisters receive a lavish dollhouse and invite their schoolmates to see it — but not the
Kelveys, who come from a poor family. Kezia, the youngest, breaks this rule and lets the
Kelveys view the dollhouse, suggesting a quiet rebellion against class barriers.
Themes:
Social inequality
Innocence and cruelty
Small acts of kindness
UNIT III – Stories
5. Rokheya Sakhawat Hossain – Sultana’s Dream
A pioneering feminist science fiction story, where the protagonist Sultana dreams of a place
called “Ladyland” — a utopia where women are free, educated, and powerful. Men are kept
inside in purdah while women run society using solar energy and peaceful technology.
Themes:
Reversal of gender roles
Women’s empowerment through education
Satire on patriarchy
6. O. Henry – The Gift of the Magi
Jim and Della are a poor couple who want to buy each other a Christmas gift. Della sells her
hair to buy a chain for Jim’s watch, while Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della’s hair.
They both end up with gifts they can’t use — but their love is the real gift.
Themes:
Selfless love
Irony and sacrifice
The value of giving
UNIT I – Essay
1. A.K. Ramanujan – Is There an Indian Way of Thinking?
In this essay, A.K. Ramanujan challenges the idea of a singular, homogenous “Indian way of
thinking.” He argues that the diversity of Indian traditions, languages, and cultures defies
such generalization. Ramanujan discusses how cultural pluralism is an inherent part of Indian
thought. He uses examples from ancient texts, folklore, and philosophy to illustrate how
Indian thinking is not constrained by a single pattern but embraces variety and multiple
perspectives.
Key themes:
Cultural pluralism in India
Diversity of thought
The complexity of identity in Indian culture
UNIT II – Essay
2. Raymond Williams – Culture is Ordinary (From The Routledge Critical and Cultural
Theory Reader)
In this essay, Raymond Williams redefines culture as something that is embedded in
everyday life, rather than being confined to high art or intellectual circles. He proposes that
culture is ordinary, and that all people, regardless of their social status, contribute to and
shape culture. Williams critiques the elitist view of culture and argues for a more inclusive
understanding, emphasizing that culture is both lived and practiced by people in their
everyday routines.
Key themes:
Ordinary vs high culture
Culture as lived experience
Social class and cultural production
UNIT III – Essay
3. Simon During – Television (From Cultural Studies: A Critical Introduction)
In his essay, Simon During explores the role of television as a cultural force. He discusses
how television shapes public opinion, constructs ideologies, and impacts social behaviors.
During critiques both the positive and negative effects of television on modern life,
emphasizing how it can perpetuate stereotypes and limit intellectual engagement, while also
offering new ways to connect with diverse audiences. He reflects on television’s role in mass
culture and its influence on contemporary society.
Key themes:
Television as a cultural force
Mass media and ideology
The impact of TV on public perception and behavior
