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- If one is fairly interested in literature, one can go for this optional very safely notwithstanding his/her graduation stream.
- Coverage of complete syllabus should be a priority. Questions asked, especially in the recent years are so based as to test this aspect.
- 3 months is sufficient for a person having background in English to complete the syllabus.
- For one with a different background, around 6 months is sufficient depending on one’s familiarity with the texts.
- Read the historical portion after completion of the literary works. In most novels, the plot and characters depict clearly the traits of a particular literary period. That way, one would get a fair idea of various periods without any extra effort.
- Use simple language while answering questions. Deliberate and unnecessary use of complex lexicon won’t fetch any extra marks. It is a test of one’s knowledge of ‘literature’ and not ‘English’.
- Do not refer books which are often used by university students for securing a mere passing grade in exams (one such example is Ramji Lall). Their use, if necessitated, should only be restricted to summary of the plot/play. They cannot serve as a basic book for one’s preparation in CS exams.
How To Prepare English Literature Optional For WBCS Main Exam – English Book List
THINGS TO REMEMBER-
Understand Literature:
The flair of understanding literature is required. The knowledge of English is one aspect but critically examining the literary aspect is another or different angle to understand literature. If you are a beginner, you can start with summary of the stories with the help of following books. But, these are strictly recommended as supplementary books to develop interest or just to start.Continue Reading How To Prepare English Literature Optional For WBCS Main Exam – English Literature Book List.
Understand the Mood:
Try to understand the mood and trait of a particular literary period. This helps in understanding the various periods, without any extra effort.
Test of Language:
Refrain from explicitly using uncommon vocabulary words while writing answers in English optional paper of W.B.C.S. mains. Portraying the proficiency in the literature rather than the language is essential for it; what evaluators are looking for.
Learn Glossary in depth:
Insure that you are thorough with the all the literary terms used in the English literature. For the purpose you can refer to “A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H Abrams
Revision and Practise:
Nothing comes without practise as subconscious mind is too rigid too incorporate new data. So practice as many as question papers possible, check for standard expected answers and your deviation from them. Key point is solve question papers of WBCS mains English optional of last ten years.
Practise of writing:
As much as you can because in WBCS Mains exam with english literature as your option, your writing style is going to play the game on your behalf. Your word selection will play half the impact and remaining half is your argument. If you just narrate the story of the text, you are going to get fewer marks. You need to analyse the texts using the historical background.
Consultation:
If available, try seeking expertise and advice from literary scholars, vivid readers, professors to gain an insight into the subject. This will be immensely helpful in the preparation of WBCS mains with English optional.
Core Books :
Do not consult guide book or help books because this is not a university exam for securing marks for passing. Use core or mother book for extensive preparation.
Extensive Reading:
For unseen prose and verse-extensive reading is required, speed and comprehension skills both matter a lot here.
Working and channelizing efforts in the right direction is essential as you are in a time bounded exam preparation. So follow the aforementioned tips with utmost seriousness with some flexibility that suit you. Rigorous preparation will give you an upper edge over aspirants. Surely, your selection of English optional for WBCS mains will take you to the final destination.
Tips for English Literature Optional-
General Tips:
List of English Literature books for UPSC Exam:
- Introduction to English Literature by W. H Hudson(Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- The Routledge History of Literature in English
- A short History of English Literature (Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- King Lear- William Shakespeare
- The Tempest- William Shakespeare
- Canonization(Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- Death be not proud- John Donne
- The relic- John Donne(Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- Paradise Lost, I, II, IV, IX- John Milton
- The Rape of the Lock- Alexander Pope
- Ode on Intimations of Immortality- William Wordsworth
- Tintern Abbey-William Wordsworth
- Resolution and Independence- William Wordsworth
- The World is too much with us-William Wordsworth(Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- Gulliver’s Travels-Jonathan Swift
- Pride and Prejudice-Jane Austen
- Tom Jones-Henry Fielding
- Hard Times- Charles Dickens
- The Mill on the Floss-George Eliot
- Tess of the d’Urbervilles- Thomas Hardy
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- Mark Twain
- Easter 1916- William Butler Yeats
- The Second Coming-William Butler Yeats(Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- A Prayer for my daughter-William Butler Yeats(Click here to purchase from Amazon)
- The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock- T. S. Eliot
W.B.C.S. Main Examination 2019 Optional English Literature Question Paper I And II Download.
W.B.C.S. Main Examination English Optional Syllabus
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