MEG-05 Literary Criticism and Theory: guess paper and solved papers
MEG-05 feels hard because it is about ideas, not stories. Students who learn each critic's one or two central ideas, with the right terms, usually do better than those who memorise long notes.
Need the MEG-05 guess paper or solved papers?
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Quick facts
| Course code | MEG-05 |
|---|---|
| Course | Literary Criticism and Theory |
| Programme | MA English (MEG) |
| Exam | Term End Examination, held in June and December |
| Assignments | Must be submitted to your Learner Support Centre before you take the exam |
What this course covers
The course runs from classical criticism to modern theory. Expect critics and schools such as these:
| Unit / area | What you study and what the exam looks for |
|---|---|
| Plato and Aristotle: mimesis, tragedy, catharsis | Imitation and the value of poetry; tragedy, plot, catharsis and hamartia. |
| Classical and Renaissance criticism | Horace, Longinus and Renaissance defences of poetry. |
| Wordsworth and Coleridge on poetry and imagination | Poetry as emotion recollected in tranquillity; primary and secondary imagination. |
| Arnold and the function of criticism | Culture, criticism and touchstones. |
| Eliot and New Criticism | Tradition, impersonality, the objective correlative; close reading and the text as a whole. |
| Structuralism, feminism and other modern approaches | Signs and structures, gender and reading, theory after 1960. |
How the exam paper is usually set
Most questions ask you to explain a critic's concept and apply or evaluate it. Short notes on terms are common. Answers that define the term first and then give an example score well.
| Question type | Suggested length in the exam | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Long answer (about 20 marks) | 3 to 4 pages | 35 to 40 minutes |
| Medium answer (about 10 to 12 marks) | 2 pages | 18 to 20 minutes |
| Short note (about 5 to 6 marks) | Half to one page | 8 to 10 minutes |
Marks per question vary by paper; read the marks printed against each question and divide your 3 hours in that ratio.
Where to spend your preparation time
| Area | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Aristotle's Poetics | Tragedy, plot, catharsis and hamartia appear again and again in criticism questions. |
| Romantic criticism | Wordsworth's Preface and Coleridge on fancy and imagination are core areas. |
| Eliot's essays | Tradition and the individual talent and the objective correlative are frequent. |
| Modern theory terms | Good for short notes even if you avoid long theory essays. |
Practice questions in exam style
Write answers to these without looking at notes, then compare with your study material. These are our own practice questions in the IGNOU style, not copied from any paper.
- Explain Aristotle's concept of catharsis.
- Distinguish between fancy and imagination as explained by Coleridge.
- What does Eliot mean by tradition in Tradition and the Individual Talent?
- Write short notes on: (a) objective correlative (b) close reading.
- What are the main concerns of feminist literary criticism?
- What is Longinus's idea of the sublime?
- Discuss Sidney's defence of poetry.
- Explain Arnold's touchstone method.
- What is the intentional fallacy?
- Write a note on structuralism.
How to write a high scoring answer: worked outline
Question: Explain Aristotle's concept of catharsis.
Introduction (4 to 5 lines): Locate it in the Poetics' definition of tragedy: a tragedy arouses pity and fear and achieves the catharsis of these emotions.
Main body (one short heading per point):
- Three readings: purgation (medical), purification (moral), clarification (intellectual).
- How pity and fear arise from a hero who is neither perfectly good nor bad (hamartia).
- Aristotle's reply to Plato: emotions in tragedy are not harmful but balanced.
- Example from a tragedy you know.
- Modern views and criticisms.
Conclusion (3 to 4 lines): Conclude that catharsis explains why we enjoy watching suffering on stage.
Use this shape for any long answer in this course: define, develop four or five points with examples, conclude.
A 4 week study plan
| Week | What to do for MEG-05 |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read the blocks for: Plato and Aristotle: mimesis, tragedy, catharsis, Classical and Renaissance criticism, Wordsworth and Coleridge on poetry and imagination. Make one page notes per unit. |
| 2 | Read the rest: Arnold and the function of criticism, Eliot and New Criticism, Structuralism, feminism and other modern approaches. Add notes. |
| 3 | Solve two previous year papers under time. Compare with solved answers and note gaps. |
| 4 | Revise notes and the guess paper. Write two full answers by hand. Rest the night before. |
Mistakes that cost marks in MEG-05
- Listing critics without explaining their ideas.
- Mixing up Coleridge's fancy and imagination.
- No example from literature to illustrate a concept.
Our tip for MEG-05
Keep a glossary of 30 terms with a one line definition each. Many MEG-05 answers become easy once the definition is right.
What you get in the guess paper and solved papers
The Gullybaba guess paper for MEG-05 groups likely questions by unit, with answers written to the length the exam needs. The solved paper set has complete answers for recent June and December papers.
A guess paper is a revision tool. Nobody can promise which questions will come, so read the whole syllabus and use the guess paper to revise faster.
Official IGNOU resources
- Current assignments: IGNOU assignments portal
- Previous question papers from December 2024: IGNOU question papers page
- Older papers: IGNOU's previous question paper archive (linked from the Downloads page of ignou.ac.in)
- Official study material: eGyanKosh, IGNOU's digital repository
Frequently asked questions
Is MEG-05 theory heavy?
It has theory, but most marks come from explaining a few key concepts clearly. Start with Aristotle, Coleridge, Arnold and Eliot.
Which critics are must-read for MEG-05?
Aristotle, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Arnold and Eliot form the core. Add one modern approach such as feminism or structuralism.
Need the MEG-05 guess paper or solved papers?
Send your course code and medium (English or Hindi). We reply with price and a sample page.