M.Phil in English

Course Structure

Unit ‑I Basic Principles of Research:
(a) Preparation of Synopsis.
(b) Collection of Data and Material.
(c) Primary and Secondary Sources.
(d) Analysis of Data and Material.
(e) Quotations and References, their use.
Unit ‑II Nature & Fundamental Principles of research:
(a) Problems of method: Survey, Interview & Questionnaire.
(b) Problems of Interpretation.
(c) Problems of Editing.
(d) Textual Criticism.
Section ‑B
Unit III Introduction to Linguistics
(a) Linguistics: the Scientific Study of Language (definition of linguistics; what is “scientific”?; what is “studying” a language?)
(b) Traditional approach to linguistics; the structural approach to linguistics; the cognitive approach to linguistics; modern trends in linguistics.
(c) Phonetics and phonology; morphology; syntax; meaning.
(d) Social, psychological and applied perspectives.
Unit‑IV Elementary Phonetics
(a) Need for learning English pronunciation; model for Indian learners of English; Indian and British (RP) varieties of English.
(b) Phonetic transcription.
(c) English syllable and its structure; word accent and rhythm in English; use of weak forms; intonation patterns of spoken English.
(d) Sound segments of English: their production and classification; sound clusters.
Section‑C
Unit‑V Modern English Grammar and Usage
(a) What is grammar?; Usage: acceptability and grammaticality.
(b) Word study; the basic sentence – patterns; non-basic sentences (interrogatives, negatives, passives, complex sentences); embedding and conjoining.
(c) The Verbal (main verb & auxiliaries; tense aspect, voice; modals: their meanings; multiword verbs. The Noun Phrase (the basic noun phrase; pre- and post-modifiers ; determiners, article features; pronouns and case; relative clauses and other post-modifiers. The Relationals (Adjective Phrase; adverb phrase; intensifiers; prepositional phrase).
(d) Grammar, Phonology and Meaning: Proposition, clause and tone group; theme and focus; passivization and clefting..
Note: Examiners may kindly note that only an elementary knowledge of the above topics is required, as candidates are only introduced to these ideas in the M.Phil. English course
Paper II
Indian and Western Literary Theories, Movement & Ideologies
Notes: 1. Two questions will be asked from each Unit, from which candidates will
have to attempt one (five questions in all).
2. Examiners may kindly note that only an elementary knowledge of the above topics is required, as candidates are only introduced to these ideas in the M.Phil. English course.

Unit I Introduction to the basic concepts of the following Indian (Sanskrit) critical schools.
(a) Rasa with reference to Bharata's Natyasastra.
(b) Dhvani, with reference to Anandavardhana's Dhvanyaloka.
(c) Alamkara, with reference to Bhamaha's Kavyalamkara.
(d) Vakrokti, with reference to Kuntak.
Unit II Western Literary Movements:
(a) Classicism and Neo ‑Classicism.
(b) Renaissance and Enlightenment Humanism.
(c) Romanticism.
(d) Realism and Naturalism.
Unit III Twentieth‑Century Western Critical Schools
(a) New Criticism
(b) Myth Criticism
(c) Deconstruction
(d) Reader‑Response Criticism
Unit IV Twentieth‑Century Ideologies
(a) Existentialism
(b) Marxism
(c) Feminism
(d) Postcolonialism
Unit V Twentieth‑Century Literary Phenomena
(a) Modernism and Postmodernism.
(b) The Anti-Hero.
(c) Theatre of the Absurd.
(d) New Historicism & Cultural Materialism.
Paper - III
Authors For Special Study
Max. Marks : 100
Candidates will have to choose one of the following authors for special study. Ten questions, two from each Unit, will be asked, and candidates will be required to attempt one question from each unit - in all five.
No passages for explanation will be asked.
(A) T.S. Eliot
(B) Amitav Ghosh
(C) Margaret Atwood
(A)Author For Special Study : T.S. Eliot
(B)
Unit I : Poems - "Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
The Waste Land.
Unit II : Poems - Ash Wednesday
Four Quartets

Unit III : Plays - The Family Reunion
The Confidential Clerk.
Criticism
Unit IV: (a) "The Perfect Critic"
(b) "Imperfect Critics"
(c) "Tradition and Individual Talent"
(d) "The Possibility of a Poetic Drama"

Unit V: (a) "Hamlet and his Problems"
(b) "Blake"
(c) "Dante"
(d) "The Metaphysical Poets".


(B) Author for Special Study AMITAV GHOSH

Unit I Novels - The Circle of Reason
The Shadow Lines
Unit II Novels - The Calcutta Chromosome
The Glass Palace
Unit III Social commentary and fiction -
Countdown
The Hungry Tide, with “A Crocodile in the Swamplands” (Outlook, Oct 18, 2004) and “The Tsunami of December 2004” (from Amitav Ghosh’s website)
Unit IV Travelogues - In an Antique Land
Dancing in Cambodia, at Large in Burma
Unit V Essays
The Imam and the Indian:
“The Ghosts of Mrs Gandhi”
“Empire and Soul: a review of The Baburnama”
“The Diaspora in Indian Culture”
“The March of the Novel through History: the Testimony of my Grandfather’s Bookcase”
“ ‘The Ghat of the only World’: Agha Shahid Ali in Brooklyn”
“The Hunger of Stones”
(C) Author for Special Study MARGARET ATWOOD

Unit I Short stories - Wilderness Tips
Dancing Girls
Unit II Novels - The Edible Woman
Surfacing
Unit III Novels - The Handmaid’s Tale
Oryx and Crake
Unit IV Novels - Lady Oracle
Alias Grace
The Blind Assassin
Unit V Poetry - Selections from The Journals of Susanna
Moodie and Selected Poems