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FA English Literature (Elective) Syllabus
The English Literature (Elective) syllabus for FA in full: 5 chapters and 13 topics, every one listed below, plus 51 English Literature (Elective) flashcards with answers.
English Literature (Elective) syllabus: all 5 chapters
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.
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Drama
3 topics- Study of a prescribed play
- Characterization and theme
- Dramatic techniques
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Poetry
3 topics- Selected poems
- Figures of speech and imagery
- Critical appreciation
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Prose and Short Stories
3 topics- Prescribed essays
- Short story analysis
- Narrative techniques
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Novel
2 topics- Plot and structure
- Themes and characters
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Literary History and Criticism
2 topics- Major literary periods
- Elements of literary criticism
FA English Literature (Elective) flashcards — 51 questions with answers
In drama, what is the difference between a tragedy and a comedy?
A tragedy depicts the downfall or suffering of a protagonist, usually ending in death or ruin; a comedy involves lighter situations, humour, and typically ends happily, often with reconciliation or marriage.
What are the three classical unities of drama defined by Aristotle's followers?
Unity of action (a single main plot), unity of time (events within roughly 24 hours), and unity of place (a single location).
What is a soliloquy in a play?
A speech delivered by a character alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts and feelings directly to the audience.
How does a soliloquy differ from an aside?
A soliloquy is a long speech given when a character is alone on stage; an aside is a brief remark spoken to the audience (or one character) that other characters on stage are assumed not to hear.
What is dramatic irony?
A situation in which the audience knows something important that one or more characters on stage do not, creating tension or anticipation.
What is a tragic hero according to Aristotle?
A noble protagonist of high standing whose downfall is brought about by a tragic flaw (hamartia), evoking pity and fear in the audience.
What is hamartia in tragedy?
The tragic flaw or error of judgement in the protagonist that leads to their downfall.
What is catharsis in Aristotelian tragedy?
The purging or release of the emotions of pity and fear experienced by the audience at the climax of a tragedy.
Define 'theme' in a literary work.
The central idea, message, or insight about life that a work explores, such as love, ambition, justice, or revenge.
What is the difference between a protagonist and an antagonist?
The protagonist is the main character around whom the story centres; the antagonist is the character or force that opposes the protagonist.
What is characterization in literature?
The methods a writer uses to create and reveal the personalities of characters, through their actions, speech, thoughts, appearance, and others' reactions.
What is the difference between direct and indirect characterization?
Direct characterization is when the writer states a character's traits explicitly; indirect characterization reveals traits through the character's speech, actions, thoughts, and effect on others.
What distinguishes a 'round' character from a 'flat' character?
A round character is complex and multi-dimensional, often changing through the story; a flat character is simple, one-dimensional, and stays the same.
What is a foil character?
A character who contrasts with another (usually the protagonist) to highlight particular qualities of that character.
Define 'simile' and give its key feature.
A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using 'like' or 'as', e.g. 'as brave as a lion'.
Define 'metaphor'.
A figure of speech that directly states one thing is another, implying a comparison without 'like' or 'as', e.g. 'Time is a thief'.
What is personification?
A figure of speech in which human qualities or actions are given to non-human things or abstract ideas, e.g. 'The wind whispered'.
What is hyperbole?
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or effect, e.g. 'I've told you a million times'.
What is alliteration?
The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in closely placed words, e.g. 'wild and windy'.
What is onomatopoeia?
The use of words that imitate the natural sound they describe, e.g. 'buzz', 'hiss', 'clang'.
Show the other 31 English Literature (Elective) flashcards
What is imagery in poetry?
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to create vivid mental pictures.
What is the difference between a metaphor and a symbol?
A metaphor is a direct comparison stated in the text; a symbol is an object, person, or image that stands for a larger idea or meaning throughout the work.
What is apostrophe as a figure of speech?
A figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or an inanimate object as if it could respond, e.g. 'O Death, where is thy sting?'
What is an oxymoron?
A figure of speech combining two contradictory terms, e.g. 'deafening silence' or 'bittersweet'.
What is a paradox in literature?
A statement that appears self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth, e.g. 'The child is father of the man'.
What is a stanza in poetry?
A grouped set of lines in a poem, separated from other groups by a space, forming a structural unit like a paragraph in prose.
What is rhyme scheme and how is it shown?
The pattern of end rhymes in a poem, indicated by letters such as ABAB or AABB, where each letter marks lines that rhyme together.
What is a sonnet and how many lines does it have?
A lyric poem of 14 lines, usually written in iambic pentameter; common forms are the Shakespearean (English) and Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet.
What is the difference between a Shakespearean and a Petrarchan sonnet?
A Shakespearean sonnet has three quatrains and a closing couplet (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG); a Petrarchan sonnet has an octave and a sestet (ABBAABBA followed by CDECDE or similar).
What is iambic pentameter?
A line of verse with five metrical feet, each foot being an iamb (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one), giving ten syllables per line.
What is a critical appreciation of a poem?
A detailed analysis and evaluation of a poem covering its theme, structure, language, imagery, tone, and overall effect, supported by evidence from the text.
What elements should a critical appreciation typically discuss?
Subject/theme, tone and mood, structure and form, diction and language, figures of speech and imagery, sound devices, and the poem's overall impact or message.
What is 'tone' in a literary work?
The writer's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through word choice and style, e.g. ironic, serious, mournful, or joyful.
What is the difference between tone and mood?
Tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject; mood is the emotional atmosphere or feeling the work creates in the reader.
What is the basic structure of a formal essay?
An introduction (states the topic and thesis), a body (develops ideas in paragraphs with evidence), and a conclusion (sums up and restates the main point).
What is a thesis statement in an essay?
A single sentence, usually in the introduction, that states the main argument or central idea the essay will develop.
What is the difference between an expository and an argumentative essay?
An expository essay explains or informs about a topic objectively; an argumentative essay takes a stance and persuades the reader using reasons and evidence.
What are the main elements of a short story?
Plot, character, setting, point of view, theme, and conflict.
What is the typical plot structure of a story (Freytag's pyramid)?
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).
What is the 'climax' of a story?
The turning point of highest tension or the most decisive moment, where the main conflict reaches its peak.
What is 'conflict' in a narrative, and name its two main types?
Conflict is the struggle that drives the plot; the two main types are internal (within a character) and external (between a character and an outside force, person, society, or nature).
What is 'setting' in a story?
The time and place in which the events of the story occur, including the social and physical environment.
What is point of view in narration?
The perspective from which a story is told, such as first person ('I'), second person ('you'), or third person ('he/she/they').
What is the difference between first-person and third-person omniscient narration?
First-person narration is told by a character using 'I' and limited to their knowledge; third-person omniscient is told by an all-knowing narrator who can reveal the thoughts of all characters.
What is 'flashback' as a narrative technique?
A scene that interrupts the present action to depict events that happened earlier in time, giving background or context.
What is 'foreshadowing'?
A narrative technique in which the writer gives hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story.
What is the difference between plot and story?
A story is the sequence of events as they happen in time; a plot is the arrangement of those events with emphasis on cause and effect.
What is a 'twist ending' or surprise ending?
An unexpected conclusion that overturns the reader's assumptions, revealing a surprising turn in the plot.
What is suspense as a narrative device?
The feeling of anxious uncertainty or excitement a writer creates about what will happen next, keeping the reader engaged.
Name the major literary periods of English literature in order.
Old English (Anglo-Saxon), Middle English, Renaissance (including Elizabethan), Neoclassical (Augustan), Romantic, Victorian, and Modern.
What are the key features of the Romantic period in English literature?
Emphasis on emotion and imagination over reason, love of nature, focus on the individual and common people, and interest in the supernatural and the past.
FA English Literature (Elective) FAQ
What is in the FA English Literature (Elective) syllabus?
FA English Literature (Elective) is split into 5 chapters: Drama, Poetry, Prose and Short Stories, Novel and Literary History and Criticism. Together they contain 13 topics.
How many chapters are in FA English Literature (Elective)?
5 chapters, containing 13 topics. The largest chapter is Drama, with 3 topics.
Are there flashcards for FA English Literature (Elective)?
Yes — a 51-card English Literature (Elective) deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.