IGNOU MEG 3 Solved Question Paper | June 2022
- Last Updated On August 12, 2025
Table of Contents
Welcome to our blog, In this post, we’re sharing the IGNOU MEG 3 Solved Question Paper of June 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.
Prepare Faster
Prepare Better
Question 1
1. In what way is eighteenth century society reflected in Tom Jones ? Do you think it is a realistic reflection ?
Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones (1749) presents a vibrant and multifaceted portrait of eighteenth-century English society, combining satire, realism, and moral commentary. The novel is widely regarded as a realistic reflection of the society of its time, capturing its values, hypocrisies, class dynamics, and cultural contradictions through its characters and narrative.
One of the primary ways in which eighteenth-century society is reflected in Tom Jones is through its broad social canvas. Fielding depicts characters from all walks of life—landowners, clergy, soldiers, lawyers, servants, prostitutes, and rogues—offering readers a comprehensive look at the social hierarchy. Squire Allworthy, for instance, represents the ideal of the benevolent country gentleman, whereas figures like Blifil, Thwackum, and Square reveal the era’s obsession with appearances, false morality, and corrupt religion.
The novel also reflects the mobility and instability of class structures during the period. Tom, initially believed to be a foundling, is treated differently due to his unknown parentage despite his noble character. His social trajectory—from lowly beginnings to eventual recognition as Allworthy’s heir—highlights the tension between birth and virtue, and questions the rigid class divisions of the time. Fielding seems to suggest that merit and goodness, rather than noble birth, should determine social standing—a relatively progressive view for the period.
The depiction of moral hypocrisy and corruption in the legal and religious institutions is another realistic element. Thwackum and Square are satirical portraits of religious and philosophical figures who preach virtue but act otherwise. The legal system is portrayed as inefficient and often biased. Fielding, himself a magistrate, uses the novel to critique these institutions with wit and insight, exposing the gap between public virtue and private vice.
Sexuality and gender roles are also explored in a manner true to the period. While Tom is portrayed as a lustful but fundamentally good-hearted man, female characters such as Molly Seagrim and Lady Bellaston are judged harshly by society for their sexual independence. Sophia, the ideal heroine, is admired for her chastity, beauty, and obedience, reflecting contemporary expectations of women’s roles. However, Fielding gives her agency and intelligence, which adds depth and realism to her character.
In summary, Tom Jones offers a vivid and realistic portrayal of eighteenth-century society. Through Fielding’s sharp social insight, satirical style, and well-developed characters, the novel explores the moral and cultural fabric of the age. More than just a source of entertainment, it serves as a thoughtful critique of the societal norms and institutions of its time, solidifying its place as a cornerstone in the evolution of the English realist novel.
Question 2
2. Discuss the themes of love and marriage in Pride and Prejudice with special reference to Elizabeth and Darcy.
In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen intricately weaves the themes of love and marriage through a spectrum of relationships, most notably the evolving bond between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Their story reflects Austen’s critique of the social expectations of her time and her ideal of a balanced, rational, and emotionally fulfilling marriage.
For Full Answer Click Here
Prepare Faster
Prepare Better
Question 3
3. Heathcliff has often been described as a Byronic hero. How far do you think this is accurate ? Illustrate your answer.
Heathcliff, the central male figure in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, is frequently described as a Byronic hero, a literary archetype popularized by Lord Byron in the early 19th century. A Byronic hero is typically characterized by emotional intensity, dark passions, a troubled past, defiance of social norms, and a brooding, enigmatic nature. Heathcliff embodies many of these traits, making the label quite accurate, although there are complexities that both affirm and challenge the classification.
One of the most defining traits of a Byronic hero is a mysterious origin. Heathcliff’s arrival at Wuthering Heights as a foundling of unknown parentage immediately casts him as an outsider. His dark looks, foreignness, and ambiguous background contribute to his otherness, aligning him with the mysterious aura typical of Byronic heroes.
Heathcliff is also intensely passionate and emotionally volatile, particularly in his love for Catherine Earnshaw. His obsession with Catherine transcends time and death, exhibiting a raw, almost supernatural intensity. He declares, “I cannot live without my soul,” equating Catherine to his very essence. This fusion of love and torment is a hallmark of the Byronic figure.
Additionally, Heathcliff is deeply flawed and vengeful. After being humiliated and denied social status, he returns to Wuthering Heights with wealth and a cold, calculated plan for revenge. His cruelty toward Isabella, Hareton, and Linton mirrors the destructive self-centeredness seen in other Byronic characters. Yet, his capacity to suffer and his moments of inner torment make him more than a mere villain. He is both the perpetrator and victim of suffering, earning the reader’s complex mix of sympathy and condemnation.
What differentiates Heathcliff from a conventional Byronic hero is the extent of his cruelty and lack of remorse. While most Byronic heroes possess a tortured conscience or moral ambiguity, Heathcliff often appears consumed by bitterness, showing little concern for the pain he inflicts. However, toward the end of the novel, he becomes increasingly haunted and weary, particularly by visions of Catherine’s ghost. This shift toward spiritual exhaustion and longing for death reintroduces the element of gothic romanticism that defines the Byronic temperament.
Question 4
4. Discuss the appropriateness of the title Great Expectations with suitable examples from the text.
The title Great Expectations is profoundly appropriate for Charles Dickens’ novel, as it encapsulates not only the protagonist Pip’s personal journey but also the novel’s major themes—ambition, illusion, social mobility, and the disillusionment that often accompanies the pursuit of one’s dreams. The phrase “great expectations” refers both to Pip’s literal inheritance and to the broader hopes he places on his future, identity, and relationships.
For Full Answer Click Here
Question 5
5. Discuss the portrayal of women in Middlemarch.
The portrayal of women in George Eliot’s Middlemarch is nuanced, complex, and deeply embedded in the social and intellectual framework of Victorian England. Eliot explores the lives, ambitions, limitations, and inner struggles of her female characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Rosamond Vincy, to highlight how women’s roles and choices were circumscribed by a patriarchal society that placed them within rigid domestic and social expectations.
For Full Answer Click Here
Question 6
6. Comment on the narrative technique in Heart of Darkness.
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness employs a distinctive and layered narrative technique that significantly contributes to the novella’s thematic complexity and psychological depth. The story is framed as a story – within – a – story, or a frame narrative, where an anonymous narrator recounts the tale as told by Marlow, the central character. This structure immediately creates a sense of distance and ambiguity, as the reader is several steps removed from the events being described. This layering not only fosters a mood of mystery and uncertainty but also aligns with the novella’s exploration of obscured truths, moral ambiguity, and the subjective experience.
For Full Answer Click Here