IGNOU MEG 3 Solved Question Paper | December 2022
- Last Updated On August 12, 2025
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Welcome to our blog, In this post, we’re sharing the IGNOU MEG 3 Solved Question Paper of December 2022 examination, focusing on British Novel.
This guide is here to help you prepare for your exams with clear answers and explanations. Whether you’re just starting or revising for your exams, this resource will make studying easier and more effective.
In this post, we’ll discuss all the answers including the short and long answer questions.
You can also download all previous year question papers of MEG 3 from our website.
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Question 1
1. Fielding’s Tom Jones depicts marriage as a socially arranged institution tilted in favour of men.
In Tom Jones, Henry Fielding presents marriage as a pivotal institution within 18th – century English society, largely shaped by patriarchal norms and social expectations. The novel does not romanticize marriage; rather, it reflects how the institution often serves as a mechanism for preserving wealth, status, and lineage — typically to the advantage of men. Women, conversely, are positioned as economic and social commodities, with little agency in determining the course of their own lives.
Sophia Western, the novel’s primary female protagonist, represents the ideal of moral virtue and personal integrity. Despite her intelligence and strong will, her father, Squire Western, insists she marry Blifil, who is aligned with the family’s economic and social interests. Sophia’s objections are ignored, illustrating how women were expected to submit to arranged marriages regardless of personal desire. Her attempts to resist this pressure underscore the limited autonomy women held within the marriage market.
Men, by contrast, enjoy far greater freedom in both choosing their partners and engaging in romantic or sexual pursuits. Tom’s numerous liaisons with women — ranging from the lower-class Molly Seagrim to the wealthy and manipulative Lady Bellaston — do not tarnish his reputation. Rather, his escapades are portrayed with humour and forgiveness, even when they reveal a lack of judgment. This double standard is a subtle critique of the unequal moral expectations for men and women within society.
Lady Bellaston herself exemplifies how upper – class women, despite their wealth, are still constrained by societal norms. She must resort to secrecy and manipulation in her relationship with Tom, even using intermediaries to propose marriage. Her lack of power in formal relationships emphasizes that even powerful women are not truly free in a male-dominated structure.
While the novel concludes with the seemingly ideal marriage between Tom and Sophia, this union only occurs after much conflict and miscommunication — driven in part by the societal forces trying to dictate their fates. Sophia’s insistence on marrying for love and virtue offers a hopeful alternative to the transactional nature of other marriages depicted.
Ultimately, Tom Jones offers a critical lens on 18th – century marriage, exposing it as a structure built to serve male interests and suppress female autonomy. Fielding critiques these norms through satire and character development, subtly advocating for a model of marriage based on mutual respect and love, rather than social convenience.
Question 2
2. Discuss the distinguishing features of any four male characters in Pride and Prejudice.
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice features a wide array of male characters who embody various aspects of masculinity, social class, and moral disposition in early 19th – century England. Among the most notable are Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Wickham. Each of these characters plays a significant role in developing the themes of love, marriage, class, and reputation.
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Question 3
3. Write a character sketch of Catherine in Wuthering Heights, bringing out her inclination to support the ‘underdog’.
Catherine Earnshaw, the female protagonist of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, is a richly layered and emotionally intense character whose internal conflict and impulsive nature contribute significantly to the novel’s tragic arc. Raised at Wuthering Heights in a rugged, passionate environment, Catherine embodies the wild spirit of the moors that surround her. Her deep emotional bond with Heathcliff, the dark-skinned orphan taken in by her father, marks her as someone who instinctively sympathizes with the underdog—those rejected or oppressed by society.
Catherine’s affinity for Heathcliff begins in childhood, when he is first brought to Wuthering Heights and immediately scorned by Hindley, her brother. While Hindley demotes Heathcliff to the status of a servant and subjects him to cruelty and humiliation, Catherine remains his loyal friend and confidante. Her defiance of these class boundaries demonstrates her early disregard for social norms and her tendency to align herself with those who are mistreated or powerless. This emotional rebellion continues even as she grows older and enters the world of Thrushcross Grange.
However, Catherine is also deeply flawed. Torn between her love for Heathcliff and her desire for social advancement, she chooses to marry Edgar Linton, believing that this union will elevate her status and enable her to help Heathcliff rise as well. This tragic misjudgment reveals her naïveté and the internal contradiction between passion and pragmatism. Even after marrying Edgar, she remains emotionally tethered to Heathcliff, telling Nelly Dean, “I am Heathcliff.” Her inability to reconcile these two worlds — one of deep, irrational love and the other of civilized respectability — leads to her psychological disintegration.
Despite her choices, Catherine continues to show sympathy and kindness to others who face emotional or social marginalization. Her affectionate concern for Hareton Earnshaw, Hindley’s neglected son, further supports her pattern of protecting the vulnerable. She also expresses guilt over the pain she causes both Edgar and Heathcliff, indicating her awareness of the consequences of her divided loyalties.
Catherine’s inclination to support the underdog is not merely an act of defiance; it stems from an intrinsic emotional connection with those who, like her, feel misunderstood and displaced. Although her choices contribute to the tragic downfall of several characters, her underlying compassion and spiritual alignment with the outcast make her a deeply empathetic figure. Catherine remains one of literature’s most haunting heroines — flawed, passionate, and profoundly human.
Question 4
4. Discuss Great Expectations in the light of what you understand as a Bildungsroman.
Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is a quintessential example of a Bildungsroman—a literary genre that focuses on the psychological, moral, and social growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood. In this novel, the journey of Philip Pirrip, commonly known as Pip, is central to the narrative and reflects the typical trajectory of a Bildungsroman, highlighting themes of identity, personal development, and self-realization.
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Question 5
5. Discuss the way in which the roles of Dorothea and Lydgate change, as the novel Middlemarch, develops.
In Middlemarch, George Eliot skillfully explores the shifting roles and destinies of two central characters—Dorothea Brooke and Tertius Lydgate. Both begin the novel as idealistic young individuals, determined to make meaningful contributions to the world, but their paths diverge as they confront the realities of their choices and social expectations. Eliot uses their contrasting journeys to comment on the constraints of Victorian society, especially in matters of gender, ambition, and personal growth.
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Question 6
6. Discuss the point of view of the protagonist in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and the light it throws on the title.
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is structured through a complex narrative frame that significantly shapes the reader’s understanding of the story and its central theme. The primary narrative is delivered through the voice of Marlow, the protagonist, whose subjective point of view is filtered through a second, unnamed narrator. This layered narration creates a sense of ambiguity and reflection, intensifying the novel’s exploration of moral and psychological darkness.
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