Create a custom practice set
Pick category, difficulty, number of questions, and time limit. Start instantly with your own quiz.
Generate QuizMedium Level – GK Questions
Free practice for SSC, UPSC, Banking & Railway exams. No login required.
The first Indian to win the Booker Prize was ________.
- Salman Rushdie
- Arundhati Roy
- V.S. Naipaul
- Kiran Desai
Answer: Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize in 1997 for her novel 'The God of Small Things'. (Note: V.S. Naipaul won it earlier in 1971, but he was a British citizen of Indian descent; Roy was the first Indian citizen).
Who was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature?
- Pearl S. Buck
- Gabriela Mistral
- Selma Lagerlöf
- Grazia Deledda
Answer: Selma Lagerlöf
Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf, famous for 'The Wonderful Adventures of Nils', was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909.
Which Russian author wrote the novel 'Fathers and Sons', introducing the concept of nihilism to literature?
- Leo Tolstoy
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Ivan Turgenev
- Anton Chekhov
Answer: Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Turgenev published 'Fathers and Sons' in 1862. The character Bazarov is a famous literary representation of the nihilist movement in 19th-century Russia.
The tragic play 'Faust', which tells the story of a scholar who makes a pact with the devil, was written by ________.
- Friedrich Schiller
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Thomas Mann
- Franz Kafka
Answer: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Goethe worked on 'Faust' for over 60 years. Part One was published in 1808, and Part Two was completed shortly before his death in 1832.
The French neoclassical playwright known for comedies like 'Tartuffe' and 'The Misanthrope' is:
- Jean Racine
- Pierre Corneille
- Molière
- Voltaire
Answer: Molière
Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) is considered one of the greatest writers in the French language and world literature, famous for his satirical comedies.
John Bunyan wrote the Christian allegory 'The Pilgrim's Progress' while imprisoned in the Bedford County Gaol.
- True
- False
Answer: True
John Bunyan, an English writer and Puritan preacher, began writing 'The Pilgrim's Progress' during his 12-year imprisonment for unlicensed preaching.
Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' is written in which language?
- Old English
- Middle English
- Early Modern English
- Latin
Answer: Middle English
Geoffrey Chaucer wrote 'The Canterbury Tales' in Middle English in the late 14th century. It was crucial in legitimizing the literary use of Middle English.
The Greek tragedy 'Oedipus Rex', which explores the theme of inescapable fate, was written by ________.
- Euripides
- Aeschylus
- Sophocles
- Aristophanes
Answer: Sophocles
Sophocles wrote 'Oedipus Rex' around 429 BCE. It is the second of his three Theban plays and is considered a masterpiece of ancient Greek tragedy.
The 'Aeneid', a Latin epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, was written by:
- Ovid
- Horace
- Virgil
- Cicero
Answer: Virgil
Virgil composed the Aeneid between 29 and 19 BCE. It is considered Rome's national epic and has heavily influenced Western literature.
Which Hindi novel by Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' is credited with pioneering the 'Aanchalik' (regional) novel genre?
- Gunahon Ka Devta
- Maila Anchal
- Tamas
- Godaan
Answer: Maila Anchal
Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' wrote 'Maila Anchal' (The Soiled Border) in 1954. It vividly depicts rural life in Bihar and established the 'Aanchalik' genre in Hindi literature.
The famous collection of Hindi poems 'Madhushala' was penned by ________.
- Harivansh Rai Bachchan
- Sumitranandan Pant
- Dharamvir Bharati
- Gulzar
Answer: Harivansh Rai Bachchan
Harivansh Rai Bachchan published 'Madhushala' in 1935. It is a metaphorical poem comparing life to a tavern, using wine and the tavern as central motifs.
The Hindi epic poem 'Kamayani', based on the Vedic story of the great flood, was written by:
- Ramdhari Singh Dinkar
- Jaishankar Prasad
- Suryakant Tripathi Nirala
- Mahadevi Varma
Answer: Jaishankar Prasad
Jaishankar Prasad, a prominent figure of the Chhayavad movement in Hindi literature, wrote the epic poem 'Kamayani' in 1936.
Mahasweta Devi won the Jnanpith Award for her Hindi novel 'Hajar Churashir Maa'.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Mahasweta Devi wrote 'Hajar Churashir Maa' (Mother of 1084) in Bengali, not Hindi. She won the Jnanpith Award in 1996 for her overall contribution to Bengali literature.
Vikram Seth's novel 'A Suitable Boy' is notable for which of the following reasons?
- It is the longest novel ever published in a single volume in English.
- It won the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- It was banned in India upon release.
- It was written entirely in verse.
Answer: It is the longest novel ever published in a single volume in English.
Published in 1993, 'A Suitable Boy' is one of the longest novels in the English language, spanning over 1,300 pages and exploring post-independence Indian society.
The novel 'Kanthapura', which narrates the impact of Gandhian philosophy on a South Indian village, was written by ________.
- R.K. Narayan
- Raja Rao
- Vikram Seth
- Arundhati Roy
Answer: Raja Rao
Raja Rao published 'Kanthapura' in 1938. It is celebrated for its unique narrative style that attempts to capture the rhythm of Indian speech in English.
Who is the author of the novel 'Untouchable' (1935), which depicts a day in the life of a sweeper named Bakha?
- Raja Rao
- Mulk Raj Anand
- Premchand
- Khushwant Singh
Answer: Mulk Raj Anand
Mulk Raj Anand wrote 'Untouchable' to highlight the social stigma and discrimination faced by the Dalit community in India. E.M. Forster wrote its preface.
R.K. Narayan's fictional town 'Malgudi' was first introduced in the novel 'Swami and Friends'.
- True
- False
Answer: True
R.K. Narayan introduced the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi in his debut novel 'Swami and Friends' published in 1935.
Which book by Mahatma Gandhi outlines his vision of an ideal, self-reliant Indian society?
- My Experiments with Truth
- Hind Swaraj
- Constructive Programme
- Key to Health
Answer: Hind Swaraj
Written in 1909, 'Hind Swaraj' (Indian Home Rule) expresses Gandhi's thoughts on civilization, machinery, and the nature of true independence (Swaraj).
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's controversial and highly influential speech, later published as a book, is titled ________.
- Annihilation of Caste
- Waiting for a Visa
- Who Were the Shudras?
- The Untouchables
Answer: Annihilation of Caste
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wrote 'Annihilation of Caste' in 1936 as an undelivered speech for the Jat-Pat Todak Mandal. It is a foundational text against the caste system.
The collection of poems 'The Golden Threshold' was authored by:
- Sarojini Naidu
- Toru Dutt
- Kamini Roy
- Cornelia Sorabji
Answer: Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India, published her first collection of poems, 'The Golden Threshold', in 1905.