Bihar Board · Class 12 · English

Poetry, Prose & RTE

Complete table of Authors, Works, Genres, Years, Age & Country — with Match the Following, Key Points and MCQ test.

Section 01

Poetry Section

10 Poems · Lyric, Ode, Elegy, Patriotic, Light, Religious, Primitive & Auto-Biographical

Author Work Poet Type Genre Years Age Country
John Donne Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe Metaphysical Poet Lyric Poem 1572–1631 59 Years England
Walt Whitman Song Of Myself People's Poet Lyric Poem 1819–1892 73 Years America
W.H. Auden Now The Leaves Are Falling Fast Versatile Poet Lyric Poem 1907–1973 66 Years England
John Keats Ode to Autumn Romantic Poet Ode 1795–1821 26 Years England
Walter De La Mare An Epitaph Children's Poet Elegy 1873–1956 83 Years England
Rupert Brooke The Soldier War Poet Patriotic Poem 1887–1915 28 Years England
T.S. Eliot Macavity: The Mystery Cat Classicist Poet Light Poem 1888–1965 77 Years U.S.A.
K.N. Daruwala Fire-Hymn Landscape Poet Religious Poem 1937–2024 87 Years India
D.H. Lawrence Snake Modern Poet Primitive Poem 1885–1930 45 Years England
Kamala Das My Grandmother's House Modern Poet Auto-Biographical 1934–2009 75 Years India
Section 02

Prose Section

11 Chapters · Essay, Speech, Short Story & Drama

Author Work Type Years Age Country
Mahatma Gandhi Indian Civilization and Culture An Essay 1869–1948 79 Years India
Dr. Zakir Hussain Bharat is my Home A Speech 1897–1969 72 Years India
Manohar Malgaonkar Pinch of Snuff A Short Story 1913–2010 97 Years India
Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream A Speech 1929–1968 39 Years America
Bertrand Russell Ideas that have helped mankind An Essay 1872–1970 98 Years England
Shiga Naoya The Artist A Short Story 1883–1971 88 Years Japan
Germaine Greer A Child is Born An Essay 1939– Living Australia
D.L. Sayers How Free is the Press An Essay 1893–1957 64 Years England
H.E. Bates The Earth A Short Story 1905–1974 69 Years England
P.S. Buck India Through Travellers Eye An Essay 1892–1973 81 Years America
Anton Chekov A Marriage Proposal A Comedy / Drama 1860–1904 44 Years Russia
Section 03

Read, Think and Enjoy

9 Chapters · Story, Essay, Poem & Preface

No. Chapter Name Writer Type Birth Death Age Country
22 Marriage is a Private Affair Chinua Achebe Story 1930 2013 83 Nigeria (Africa)
23 The Ice Age Cometh Jayant V. Narlikar Story 1938 — — India
24 Teaching of English in India Amarnath Jha Essay 1897 1955 58 India
25 A Far Cry from Africa Derek Walcott Poem 1930 2016 86 Saint Lucia (Caribbean)
26 The Grand Beginning Meira Kumar Essay 1945 — — India
27 A Trick Dr. R.K. Sinha Story 1917 2003 86 India
28 Cold Wave Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (K.A. Abbas) Story 1914 1987 73 India
29 The Martyrs' Memorial Amarendra Kumar Poem 1937 — — India
30 Preface to Bombay–London–New York Amitava Kumar Preface (Essay) 1963 Alive — India
💡 Note: The Read, Think and Enjoy section contains 9 additional chapters (22–30) covering diverse genres — Story, Essay, Poem and Preface. Pay special attention to the writers' countries — Chinua Achebe (Nigeria) and Derek Walcott (Saint Lucia) are from outside India.
Practice Exercise

Match the Following

Match the items in Column A with Column B · Answers given below each set

M1 Poetry — Match Author with Work
Column A (Author)
  1. John Donne
  2. Walt Whitman
  3. John Keats
  4. Rupert Brooke
  5. T.S. Eliot
Column B (Work)
  1. Macavity: The Mystery Cat
  2. Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe
  3. The Soldier
  4. Ode to Autumn
  5. Song Of Myself
✔ Answer Key

1 → B 2 → E 3 → D 4 → C 5 → A

M2 Poetry — Match Work with Genre
Column A (Work)
  1. Ode to Autumn
  2. An Epitaph
  3. The Soldier
  4. Fire-Hymn
  5. Snake
Column B (Genre)
  1. Primitive Poem
  2. Religious Poem
  3. Patriotic Poem
  4. Elegy
  5. Ode
✔ Answer Key

1 → E 2 → D 3 → C 4 → B 5 → A

M3 Poetry — Match Poet with Title
Column A (Poet)
  1. John Donne
  2. Walt Whitman
  3. W.H. Auden
  4. John Keats
  5. Rupert Brooke
Column B (Title)
  1. Romantic Poet
  2. War Poet
  3. Metaphysical Poet
  4. People's Poet
  5. Versatile Poet
✔ Answer Key

1 → C 2 → D 3 → E 4 → A 5 → B

M4 Prose — Match Author with Work
Column A (Author)
  1. Mahatma Gandhi
  2. Dr. Zakir Hussain
  3. Martin Luther King Jr.
  4. Bertrand Russell
  5. Anton Chekov
Column B (Work)
  1. A Marriage Proposal
  2. I Have a Dream
  3. Indian Civilization and Culture
  4. Ideas that have helped mankind
  5. Bharat is my Home
✔ Answer Key

1 → C 2 → E 3 → B 4 → D 5 → A

M5 Prose — Match Work with Type
Column A (Work)
  1. Bharat is my Home
  2. I Have a Dream
  3. Pinch of Snuff
  4. The Artist
  5. A Marriage Proposal
Column B (Type)
  1. A Short Story
  2. A Drama / Comedy
  3. A Speech
  4. A Speech
  5. A Short Story
✔ Answer Key

1 → C 2 → D 3 → A 4 → E 5 → B

M6 Read, Think & Enjoy — Match Author with Work
Column A (Author)
  1. Chinua Achebe
  2. Derek Walcott
  3. Meira Kumar
  4. K.A. Abbas
  5. Amitava Kumar
Column B (Work)
  1. Cold Wave
  2. Preface to Bombay–London–New York
  3. Marriage is a Private Affair
  4. The Grand Beginning
  5. A Far Cry from Africa
✔ Answer Key

1 → C 2 → E 3 → D 4 → A 5 → B

M7 Read, Think & Enjoy — Match Author with Country
Column A (Author)
  1. Chinua Achebe
  2. Jayant V. Narlikar
  3. Derek Walcott
  4. Dr. R.K. Sinha
  5. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Column B (Country)
  1. India
  2. Nigeria (Africa)
  3. India
  4. Saint Lucia (Caribbean)
  5. India
✔ Answer Key

1 → B 2 → A 3 → D 4 → C 5 → E

M8 Prose — Match Author with Country
Column A (Author)
  1. Mahatma Gandhi
  2. Martin Luther King Jr.
  3. Shiga Naoya
  4. Anton Chekov
  5. Germaine Greer
Column B (Country)
  1. Australia
  2. India
  3. Russia
  4. America
  5. Japan
✔ Answer Key

1 → B 2 → D 3 → E 4 → C 5 → A

Quick Revision

Key Points

Important facts for examination

📌 Youngest & Oldest

  • Youngest Poet: John Keats (26 Years)
  • Oldest Writer: Bertrand Russell (98 Years)
  • Shortest Lifespan (Prose): Martin Luther King Jr. (39 Years)
  • Longest Lifespan (Prose): Bertrand Russell (98 Years)

🌍 Country-wise Authors

  • England: John Donne, W.H. Auden, John Keats, Walter De La Mare, Rupert Brooke, D.H. Lawrence, Bertrand Russell, D.L. Sayers, H.E. Bates
  • America: Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot, Martin Luther King Jr., P.S. Buck
  • India: K.N. Daruwala, Kamala Das, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Zakir Hussain, Manohar Malgaonkar, Jayant V. Narlikar, Amarnath Jha, Meira Kumar, Dr. R.K. Sinha, K.A. Abbas, Amarendra Kumar, Amitava Kumar
  • Other: Japan (Shiga Naoya), Russia (Anton Chekov), Australia (Germaine Greer), Nigeria (Chinua Achebe), Saint Lucia (Derek Walcott)

🎭 Genres & Types

  • Lyric Poem: Sweetest Love, Song of Myself, Now The Leaves Are Falling Fast
  • Ode: Ode to Autumn
  • Elegy: An Epitaph
  • Patriotic: The Soldier
  • Light Poem: Macavity: The Mystery Cat
  • Religious: Fire-Hymn
  • Primitive: Snake
  • Auto-Biographical: My Grandmother's House

📝 Prose & RTE Types

  • Essay: Indian Civilization and Culture, Ideas that have helped mankind, A Child is Born, How Free is the Press, India Through Travellers Eye, Teaching of English in India, The Grand Beginning, Preface to Bombay–London–New York
  • Speech: Bharat is my Home, I Have a Dream
  • Short Story: Pinch of Snuff, The Artist, The Earth, Marriage is a Private Affair, The Ice Age Cometh, A Trick, Cold Wave
  • Drama: A Marriage Proposal
  • Poem: A Far Cry from Africa, The Martyrs' Memorial

🏷️ Special Titles

  • Metaphysical Poet: John Donne
  • People's Poet: Walt Whitman
  • Versatile Poet: W.H. Auden
  • Romantic Poet: John Keats
  • Children's Poet: Walter De La Mare
  • War Poet: Rupert Brooke
  • Classicist Poet: T.S. Eliot
  • Landscape Poet: K.N. Daruwala
  • Modern Poet: D.H. Lawrence, Kamala Das

💡 Did You Know?

  • Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe is a Lyric Poem by John Donne.
  • Ode to Autumn is an Ode by John Keats.
  • The Soldier is a Patriotic Poem by Rupert Brooke.
  • Macavity: The Mystery Cat is a Light Poem by T.S. Eliot.
  • Fire-Hymn is a Religious Poem by K.N. Daruwala.
  • Snake is a Primitive Poem by D.H. Lawrence.
  • Chinua Achebe is from Nigeria (Africa).
  • Derek Walcott is from Saint Lucia (Caribbean).
💡 Exam Tip: Remember the Poet Type and Genre for each poem — these are frequently asked in objective exams. For prose, focus on the Type (Essay, Speech, Short Story, Drama) and the Author's Country. The most common MCQ: Who wrote "Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe"? → John Donne. For RTE section, remember Chinua Achebe (Nigeria) and Derek Walcott (Saint Lucia) — these are unique countries.
Practice Test

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) — 35 Questions

Based on Poetry, Prose & Read Think Enjoy Sections

1. Who wrote "Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe"?

Correct Answer: A — John Donne wrote "Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe".

2. What is John Donne known as?

Correct Answer: B — John Donne is known as a Metaphysical Poet.

3. Who is known as "People's Poet"?

Correct Answer: C — Walt Whitman is known as the People's Poet.

4. Who wrote "Ode to Autumn"?

Correct Answer: D — John Keats wrote "Ode to Autumn".

5. What is the genre of "The Soldier"?

Correct Answer: A — "The Soldier" is a Patriotic Poem.

6. Who wrote "Macavity: The Mystery Cat"?

Correct Answer: B — T.S. Eliot wrote "Macavity: The Mystery Cat".

7. Which poet is from India among these?

Correct Answer: C — K.N. Daruwala is from India.

8. Who wrote "Indian Civilization and Culture"?

Correct Answer: A — Mahatma Gandhi wrote "Indian Civilization and Culture".

9. What is "Bharat is my Home"?

Correct Answer: B — "Bharat is my Home" is a Speech.

10. Who wrote "I Have a Dream"?

Correct Answer: D — Martin Luther King Jr. wrote "I Have a Dream".

11. Who is the youngest poet in the Poetry Section?

Correct Answer: A — John Keats was the youngest poet at 26 years.

12. Who wrote "The Artist"?

Correct Answer: B — Shiga Naoya wrote "The Artist".

13. What is the genre of "An Epitaph"?

Correct Answer: C — "An Epitaph" is an Elegy.

14. Who wrote "A Marriage Proposal"?

Correct Answer: A — Anton Chekov wrote "A Marriage Proposal".

15. Which poet is from America?

Correct Answer: B — Walt Whitman is from America.

16. What is "Pinch of Snuff"?

Correct Answer: D — "Pinch of Snuff" is a Short Story.

17. Who wrote "The Earth"?

Correct Answer: A — H.E. Bates wrote "The Earth".

18. What is the genre of "Snake"?

Correct Answer: C — "Snake" is a Primitive Poem.

19. Who wrote "How Free is the Press"?

Correct Answer: B — D.L. Sayers wrote "How Free is the Press".

20. Who wrote "My Grandmother's House"?

Correct Answer: D — Kamala Das wrote "My Grandmother's House".

21. What is "A Child is Born"?

Correct Answer: A — "A Child is Born" is an Essay.

22. Who is the author of "Ideas that have helped mankind"?

Correct Answer: C — Bertrand Russell wrote "Ideas that have helped mankind".

23. What is the genre of "Fire-Hymn"?

Correct Answer: B — "Fire-Hymn" is a Religious Poem.

24. Who wrote "India Through Travellers Eye"?

Correct Answer: D — P.S. Buck wrote "India Through Travellers Eye".

25. Who wrote "Song Of Myself"?

Correct Answer: A — Walt Whitman wrote "Song Of Myself".

26. Who wrote "Marriage is a Private Affair"?

Correct Answer: B — Chinua Achebe wrote "Marriage is a Private Affair".

27. Chinua Achebe belongs to which country?

Correct Answer: C — Chinua Achebe is from Nigeria (Africa).

28. Who wrote "The Ice Age Cometh"?

Correct Answer: A — Jayant V. Narlikar wrote "The Ice Age Cometh".

29. Who wrote "A Far Cry from Africa"?

Correct Answer: D — Derek Walcott wrote "A Far Cry from Africa".

30. Derek Walcott is from which country?

Correct Answer: B — Derek Walcott is from Saint Lucia (Caribbean).

31. Who wrote "Teaching of English in India"?

Correct Answer: C — Amarnath Jha wrote "Teaching of English in India".

32. What is "The Grand Beginning"?

Correct Answer: A — "The Grand Beginning" is an Essay by Meira Kumar.

33. Who wrote "Cold Wave"?

Correct Answer: D — Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (K.A. Abbas) wrote "Cold Wave".

34. Who wrote "The Martyrs' Memorial"?

Correct Answer: B — Amarendra Kumar wrote "The Martyrs' Memorial".

35. Who wrote "Preface to Bombay–London–New York"?

Correct Answer: A — Amitava Kumar wrote "Preface to Bombay–London–New York".
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