English Honours VBU University Syllbus
If you’re pursuing a degree in English Honours from Vinoba Bhave University (VBU), having a clear understanding of the syllabus is the first step toward academic success. This article provides a complete overview of the VBU English Honours syllabus, semester-wise structure, and downloadable notes for key topics. Whether you’re preparing for upcoming exams or just starting your journey, these syllabus details and topic-wise notes will help you study in a focused and organized way. From classic literature to modern texts, this guide ensures you don’t miss anything important.
Table of Contents
Notification and New Updates.
BA English Honours Semester I
| Core Paper I: Basic Literary Concepts |
| Unit I: Introduction to literature | 1. Definition of Literature 2. Types of Literature 3. Elements of Literature 4. Function of Literature |
| Unit II: Poetry | 1. Nature and Types of Poetry 2. Literary Terms and Metres |
| Unit III: Drama | 1. Nature and Elements of Drama 2. Element and Literary Terms |
| Unit IV: Fiction | 1. Nature and Elements of Drama 2. Types of Fictions & Literary Terms |
| Core Paper II: World Classical Literature In English Translation |
| Unit I: The Iliad Book I by Homer | 1. Homer: Life and Work 2. Summary 3. Critical Appreciation of the Iliad |
| Unit II: Godaan by Premchand | 1. Life and Work 2. Godaan Summary 3. Critical Appreciation of Godaan |
| Unit II: Short Stories | 1. Guy De Maupassant Life and Work 2. The Necklace 3. Two Friends 4. The Piece of String 5. Boule de Suif 6. Two Little Soldiers |
BA English Honours Semester 2
| MJ Paper II: British Literature: 14th to 17th Century |
| Unit I: Historical Background | 1. Social Condition, Political Condition, Religious Condition, and Economic Condition. |
| Unit II: Poetry | 1. Nun’s Priest’s Tale – Geoffrey Chaucer 2. A Hymn to God the Father – John Donne 3. How Soon Hath Time – John Milton 4. The Garden – Andrew Marvell |
| Unite III: Pastoral Comedy | 1. As you Like It – Shakespeare |
| Unite IV: literary criticism | 1. An Essay of Dramatic Poesy – Dryden |
MJ Paper3: British Poetry and Drama 18th Century  |
| Unit I: Historical Background | 1. Social Condition 2. Political Condition 3. Religious Condition 4. Economic Condition |
| Unit II: Alexander Pope | 1. Essay on Man (Epistle 1) |
| Unit III: William Black | 1. The Tiger 2. The Lamb |
| Unit IV: William Cowper | 1. Light Shining out of Darkness |
BA English Honours Semester 3
| MJ Paper 4: British Prose 18th Century (Fiction & Non-Fiction) |
| Unit I: Historical Background and Movements | 1. Social Condition 2. Political Condition 3. Religious Condition 4. Economical Condition |
| Unit II: Henry Fielding | 1. Tom Johes |
| Unit III: Horace Walpole | 1. The Castle of Otranto |
| Unit IV: Johnathan Swift and Samuel Johnson | 1. Swift’s Satires ( A meditation upon Broomstick, Letter of Advice to Young Poet) 2. Lives of Poets (Milton, Dryden) |
| MJ Paper 5: British Prose 19th Century ( Fiction and Non-Fiction) |
BA English Honours Semester 4
| MJ Paper 6: British Poetry 19th Century |
| Unit I: Historical Background | Significant Influences, Movements and Works |
| Unit II: William Wordsworth and S T Coleridge | 1. Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey 2. Kubla Khan |
| Unit III: P B Shelley and John Keats | 1. Ode to the West Wind 2. Ode to the Nightingale |
| Unite IV: Selected poems | 1. In Memoriam (Stanza LIV: Oh, yet we trust, CVI: Ring out, wild bells) – Tennyson 2. How do I love Thee (Sonnet No. 43) Elizabeth Barrett Browning 3. My Last Duchess – Robert Browning |
| MJ Paper 7: British Writing Early 20th Century |
| Unit I: Historical Background | English literature 1900-1950 significant influences and movements |
| Unit II: W B Yeats and TS Eliot | 1. Wild Swans at Coole 2. Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock |
| Unit III: G B Shaw and Graham Greene | 1. Pygmalion 2. The Heart of the Matter |
| Unite IV: T S Eliot | Tradition and the Individual Talent continew ………..updating |
BA English Honours Semester 5
| Core Paper XI: Women’s Writing |
| Unit I: Feminism | 1. Feminists in the West 2. Feminists in India |
| Unit II: Feminism turms | 1. Types of Feminism/ Different aspects |
| Unit III: In Custody by Anita Desai | 1. Life and Work of Anita Desai 2. In Custody Notes |
| Unit IV: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison | 1. Life and Work of Toni Morrison 2. The Bluest Eye Notes |
| Core Paper XII: British Writing: Early 20th Century |
| Unit I: English Literature 20th century | 1. History of England 2. Significant influences and Movements 3. Important authors and their works |
| Unit II: Wild Swan at Coole W.B. Yeats The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock | 1. Wild Swan at Coole Notes 2. The Love Song Notes |
| Unit III: Candida by G.B. Shaw The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene | 1. Candida Notes 2. The Heart of the Matter notes |
| Unit IV: Function of criticism by T. S. Eliot | 1. Life and Work of Toni Morrison 2. Summary 3. Critical Appreciation |
BA English Honours Semester 6
| Core Paper XIII: Modern European Drama |
| Unit I: Topics to be Studied in the Context of European Drama | 1. Context of Modern European Drama 2. Social changes and stage 3. Text and performance 4. Realism and experimentation 5. Tragedy and Heroism |
| Unit I: Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen | 1. Life and Work of Henrik Ibsen 2. Ghosts Notes |
| Unit III: The Good Woman of Setzuan by Bertolt Brecht | 1. Life and Work of Bertolt Brecht 2. The Good Woman of Setzuan Notes |
| Unit IV: Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco | 1. Eugen Ionesco: Life and Work 2. Rhinoceros Notes |
| Core Paper XIV: Postcolonial Literature |
| Unit I: Post-Colonialism Topics | 1. Postcolonial sensibility 2. Postcolonial literature in English in India 3. Postcolonial literature in English in South Africa 4. Postcolonial literature in America |
| Unit II: The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga | 1. Life and Work of Arvind Adiga 2. The White Tiger Summary 3. Critical Appreciation |
| Unit III: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe | 1. Life and Work of Chinua Achebe 2. Things Fall Apart Summary 3. Things Fall Apart Critical Appreciation |
| Unit IV: Wide Sargasso Sea by John Rhys | 1. Life and Work of John Rhys 2. Wide Sargasso Sea Summary 3. Wide Sargasso Sea Critical Appreciation |
