Here are 10 MCQs on Postmodern Drama with short explanations from a UGC NET perspective:



1. Which playwright is known for his absurdist and postmodern works, such as "Waiting for Godot"?
a) Samuel Beckett
b) Tom Stoppard
c) Harold Pinter
d) Edward Albee

Explanation: a) Samuel Beckett. Beckett's plays, like "Waiting for Godot," are iconic examples of absurdist and postmodern drama, challenging traditional notions of plot, character, and meaning.

2. What is a key feature of postmodern drama?
a) Linear narrative structure
b) Realistic character portrayal
c) Playfulness with language and form
d) Didactic message

Explanation: c) Playfulness with language and form. Postmodern drama often subverts traditional dramatic structures, experimenting with language, narrative, and character to create a sense of uncertainty and fragmentation.

3. Who wrote the postmodern play "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"?
a) Tom Stoppard
b) Harold Pinter
c) Samuel Beckett
d) Edward Albee

Explanation: a) Tom Stoppard. Stoppard's play explores the lives of two minor characters from Shakespeare's "Hamlet," exemplifying postmodern drama's tendency to recontextualize and reinterpret existing texts.

4. What is the significance of metafiction in postmodern drama?
a) It reinforces traditional narrative structures
b) It blurs the line between reality and fiction
c) It promotes realistic character portrayal
d) It conveys a clear moral message

Explanation: b) It blurs the line between reality and fiction. Metafiction in postmodern drama self-consciously addresses the nature of fiction, often breaking the fourth wall or commenting on the artificiality of the narrative.

5. Which postmodern playwright is known for his "memory plays"?
a) Harold Pinter
b) Samuel Beckett
c) Tom Stoppard
d) Edward Albee

Explanation: a) Harold Pinter. Pinter's "memory plays," such as "Betrayal," explore the complexities of human memory and relationships, often using non-linear narrative structures.

6. What is the role of fragmentation in postmodern drama?
a) To create a sense of unity and coherence
b) To reflect the disjointedness of modern life
c) To promote realistic character portrayal
d) To convey a clear moral message

Explanation: b) To reflect the disjointedness of modern life. Fragmentation in postmodern drama often mirrors the chaos and disillusionment of contemporary experience, challenging traditional notions of narrative and character.

7. Who wrote the postmodern play "The Caretaker"?
a) Harold Pinter
b) Samuel Beckett
c) Tom Stoppard
d) Edward Albee

Explanation: a) Harold Pinter. "The Caretaker" is a classic example of Pinter's use of language, power dynamics, and ambiguity to create a sense of tension and uncertainty.

8. What is the significance of intertextuality in postmodern drama?
a) It reinforces traditional narrative structures
b) It creates new, original stories
c) It engages with and subverts existing texts
d) It promotes realistic character portrayal

Explanation: c) It engages with and subverts existing texts. Intertextuality in postmodern drama involves referencing, reworking, or challenging existing texts, often to comment on the nature of storytelling or cultural heritage.

9. Which postmodern playwright is known for his use of absurdity and illogical scenarios?
a) Samuel Beckett
b) Tom Stoppard
c) Harold Pinter
d) Edward Albee

Explanation: a) Samuel Beckett. Beckett's plays, such as "Endgame," often feature absurd, illogical, and unconventional scenarios, challenging audiences to reevaluate their expectations of drama.

10. What is the relationship between postmodern drama and grand narratives?
a) Postmodern drama reinforces grand narratives
b) Postmodern drama challenges grand narratives
c) Postmodern drama ignores grand narratives
d) Postmodern drama creates new grand narratives

Explanation: b) Postmodern drama challenges grand narratives. Postmodern drama often questions or subverts grand narratives, such as historical master narratives or universal truths, in favor of more fragmented, localized, or personal perspectives.