In the first place, if you have observed, we have been talking and covering the IAS exam syllabus. Further, we have also added information on the optional subject syllabus and book details. In this article, we aim to provide you with details of the UPSC English Literature Optional Syllabus. So, get all the details related to the UPSC English Literature Optional Syllabus for the IAS exam. Further, try to write down all the essential points while reading the article.
Introduction on the Topic
To begin with, as we all know, there are many optional subjects present for the UPSC exam preparation. Further, one must be careful while choosing the optional subject as it will affect your final results. Besides, one should carefully choose the optional subject according to their interests and skills. Therefore, it is a good idea to refer to the previous year’s question paper to give you a brief understanding of the topics. Later, we all know the difficulty level of the IAS exam. There are three main stages in the IAS exam, the preliminary exam, the main exam, and the interview round. Later, one needs to clear all rounds.
Further, one can visit the official website for more information on the IAS exam and UPSC. Click Here.
UPSC English Literature
In the first place, the UPSC exam offers 48 optional subjects, and one needs to choose two optional papers in the civil services mains exam. Further, in 48 optional subjects, 23 are the literature of different languages. Besides, English literature is not only one of them but is also one of the most popular optional among the language options. Then, the English Literature syllabus for the UPSC exam mains is vast. Further, it covers the literature syllabus from the old English used during the medieval and early modern period and modern English used from 1900 AD onwards.
In addition, the English language is also one of the compulsory language papers in the IAS main exam. Further, all those who have a strong background in English and are interested in reading poetry and Novels can surely go for this subject. Besides, the English subject consists of two papers, and each paper consists of 250 marks with a total of 500 marks.
UPSC English Literature Optional Syllabus
Now we will understand the vital part of this article. Check out the below topics and study according to them. So, in Paper 1, you will find two sections. In section, A is about poets and poems. Further, section B is about Novelists and Novels.
Paper I, Section A
- William Shakespeare – King Lear and The Tempest
- John Donne. The following poems
- Death be not proud
- Canonization
- The Good Morrow
- The Relic
- On his Mistress going to bed
- John Milton – Paradise Lost, I, II, IV, IX
- Alexander Pope – The Rape of the Lock
- William Wordsworth
- Tintern Abbey
- Odeon Intimations of Immortality.
- Three years she grew
- Michael
- She dwelt among untrodden ways
- Independence and Resolution
- The World is too much with us
- Upon Westminster Bridge
- Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour
- Alfred Tennyson – In Memoriam
- Henrik Ibsen – A Doll’s House
Section B
Further, in section B, you will have the following topics.
- Jonathan Swift – Gulliver’s Travels.
- Jane Austen – Prejudice and Pride
- Charles Dickens – Hard Times
- Henry Fielding – Tom Jones
- Thomas Hardy – Tess of the d’Urbervilles
- George Eliot – The Mill on the Floss
- Mark Twain – The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Paper II – UPSC English Literature Syllabus
Below we have added topics that come under Section A
- William Butler Yeats
- Easter 1916
- A Prayer for my daughter
- The Second Coming
- Sailing to Byzantium
- Among School Children
- The Tower
- Meru
- Leda and the Swan
- Lapis Lazuli
- T.S. Eliot
- Journey of the Magi
- Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock
- Burnt Norton
- W.H. Auden
- Musee des Beaux-Arts
- Partition
- in Memory of W.B. Yeats
- The Unknown Citizen
- Lay your sleeping head, my love
- Mundus Et Infans
- Consider
- September 1, 1939
- The Shield of Achilles
- Petition
- John Osborne – Look Back in Anger
- Samuel Beckett – Waiting for Godot
- Philip Larkin
- Next
- Please
- Deceptions
- Afternoons
- Days
- Mr. Bleaney
- A.K. Ramanujan
- A River
- Looking for a Causim on a Swing
- Love Poem for a Wife 1
- Of Mothers, among other Things
- Small-Scale Reflections on a Great House
- Obituary
Section B
- James Joyce – Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
- Joseph Conrad – Lord Jim
- D.H. Lawrence – Lovers and Sons
- E.M. Forster – A Passage to India
- Virginia Woolf – Mrs Dalloway
- Raja Rao – Kanthapura
- Lastly, V.S. Naipaul – A House for Mr Biswas
How to Prepare for the English Literature
Further, as we have already mentioned above, the UPSC English Literature Optional Syllabus for the IAS exam is vast. So, it becomes essential for candidates to follow some tips for the best results in the exam. Before starting preparations, one must understand the complete pattern and the syllabus of the paper. Therefore, for this purpose, one must solve previous years’ sample papers. In addition, by solving previous years’ question papers, candidates will get an idea of what type of questions are asked in the exam. Further, it will also help you in understanding the paper pattern as well. Besides, there are many online platforms that will help you in a better understanding of the topics and they also help you in providing tips, test series, and mock tests.
Later, studying from the best textbooks is vital to cover the syllabus. Besides, answer writing practice is also important for the exam. So, one must make time for it. Further, revision is also vital for exam preparations. One can also give mock tests. It will give you the feel of the final paper. It will help you to understand your skills and how you can improve them. So, to help you with the exam preparations, we have added all the essential information like syllabus, pattern, books, tips, and other details. Click Here.
Books for the UPSC English Literature Syllabus
Then, below we have added details of some books. There are many books available, and we have listed a few of them.
- Introduction to English Literature by W. H Hudson
- The Routledge History of Literature in English
- A short History of English Literature (Pramod K. Nayar)
- Death be not proud- John Donne
- The Good Morrow- John Donne
- On his Mistress going to bed-John Donne
- The relic- John Donne
Conclusion – UPSC English Literature Syllabus
In summary, in this article, we have added information on the UPSC English Literature Optional Syllabus. We have added all the important topics for the IAS exam, and you will also find some essential tips for the UPSC exam. To crack the toughest exams like IAS, one must put in all special efforts and work hard. Later, this exam will check your subject knowledge and your hard work and dedication towards your goals. Therefore, choosing the optional subject is a vital component in the UPSC exam preparations. Further, referring to the best books is also important as it will help you get the important points and knowledge. Then, try to follow some tips that will help you get the best results in the exam.
Also, understand details of all the other optional subjects and which are the best books. We have covered all the important points on the same. Read More
FAQs
Lastly, look into some FAQs for a better understanding of the exam syllabus.
Yes, one can take this subject as a good optional subject, but if you have a strong background in the subject, it will be a plus point.
In the first place, know the IAS exam syllabus and the exam pattern. Further, refer to the previous year’s papers as they will give you details of the pattern and syllabus.
Understand the syllabus and try to study from the best books. Besides, one must study from the NCERT books, and answering writing is also important.
No, it is not mandatory. However, it depends from one person to the other, and there are advantages if you join classes. But, many cleared the exam without classes.
Editor’s Note | UPSC English Literature Syllabus
In brief, in the above article, you will go through the complete information of the UPSC English Literature Optional Syllabus for the IAS exam if you are planning to take up this subject as an optional subject. This article will help you in providing all details of the UPSC English Literature Syllabus. We all know the difficulty level of the exam, and it requires special efforts and hard work. Therefore, with the right plan, one can clear the exam. It is normal to get tense, but one work and put effort. However, results are not in our hands. Lastly, we suggest you understand the exam syllabus and the pattern and try to use some strategies. These all things will help you to get the best results in the exam. We wish best wishes for the exam.
