IGNOU MEG-02 British Drama Solved Assignment
British Drama is a prominent topic in English literary history. From Shakespearean tragedy to realism in contemporary plays, the genre captures not only artistic achievement but also social, political, and cultural change. The British Drama course, MEG-02, is a core unit of the MA English (MEG) programme at IGNOU. It provides the learner with a comprehensive knowledge of classical and contemporary British drama, both text and performance.
Assignments are an important academic requirement at IGNOU, comprising 30% of the entire marks. For the July 2025 – January 2026 session, the IGNOU MEG-02 Solved Assignment is made to assess students’ understanding, critical thinking, and capacity to relate literary works to wider contexts.
This is an in-depth, SEO-optimized, and solved assignment guide for MEG-02. The guide contains solutions, descriptions of British drama, writing tips for assignments, and necessary resources to assist students in achieving high marks.
Understanding the Course: MEG-02 – British Drama
British Drama is not a subject about reading plays—it is about exploring characters, themes, and staging techniques, and learning how drama portrays the socio-political concerns of the time.
Course Objectives:
To examine the historical development of British drama from medieval to contemporary periods.
To examine the writings of playwrights such as Shakespeare, Marlowe, Congreve, Wilde, Shaw, Beckett, and Pinter.
To investigate dramatic conventions, theatre practice, and cultural influences.
To acquire critical appreciation.
Importance of the Course:
- Assists learners in developing literary analysis.
- Enhances comparative understanding between classic and contemporary drama.
- Makes students ready for research and teaching in English literature academically.
- Develops cultural awareness through the association of drama with historical shifts.
Format of IGNOU MEG-02 Assignment (July 2025 – January 2026)
The MEG-02 assignment generally consists of three sections:
- Long Answer Questions (Section A): Analytical and critical discussion-based responses.
- Short Answer Questions (Section B): Emphasis on individual plays, ideas, and themes.
- Application/Case-based Questions (Section C): Connecting plays to contemporary interpretations or critical approaches.
Word limits are generally stipulated (500–700 words for long answers, 250–300 for short ones).
Solved Assignment for IGNOU MEG-02 (2025–26 Session)
Section A
Q1. Discuss critically the contribution of Christopher Marlowe to Elizabethan drama.
Answer:
Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593), a potential precursor to Shakespeare, contributed significantly to Elizabethan drama. His tragic heroes, dramatic intensity, and blank verse determined the direction of English tragedy.
Major Contributions:
Master of Blank Verse: Marlowe made iambic pentameter fashionable in drama, endowing English plays with a strong rhythm.
Tragic Hero Ideal: Doctor Faustus and Tamburlaine personify ambition and fall, paving the way for Shakespeare’s tragic heroes.
Themes of Renaissance Humanism: His plays reflect the spirit of inquiry, ambition, and defiance against traditional norms.
Psychological Depth: His protagonists reflect inner conflicts that resonate with audiences even today.
Thus, Marlowe’s legacy lies in transforming drama from morality plays to more complex human-centered tragedies.
Q2. Discuss Shakespeare’s use of comedy in his plays with suitable examples.
Answer:
Shakespeare’s comedies combine humor, romance, mistaken identities, and social commentary.
Features of Shakespearean Comedy:
Mistaken Identity & Disguise: Disguise is a major plot device in Twelfth Night.
Love & Marriage: Romantic entanglements typically end in euphoric unions (As You Like It).
Wit & Wordplay: Certain characters such as Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing use verbal combat.
Resolution & Harmony: Contrary to tragedy, comedies resolve in concord and celebration.
Social Satire: Using characters such as Malvolio (Twelfth Night), Shakespeare satirizes social ambition.
Shakespearean comedy is not entertainment per se—it provides insight into human association and social composition.
Q3. Discuss the relevance of Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man as an anti-romantic comedy.
Answer:
George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man (1894) subverts romantic ideals of war and love.
Anti-Romantic Features:
War appears brutal and pragmatic rather than glorious.
The hero, Bluntschli, is a pragmatic soldier who prioritizes living over honor.
Love is depicted realistically, rather than idealistically.
Criticism of Ideals: Shaw uncovers the emptiness of heroic ideals, which he compares with the day-to-day needs of human beings.
Social Satire: The play satirizes class differences, spurious heroism, and romantic illusions.
Shaw redefines comedy by synthesizing wit with social satire, and Arms and the Man becomes an anti-romantic masterpiece.
Section B
Q4. Write a brief note on the Restoration Comedy of Manners.
Answer:
Restoration Comedy (1660 onwards) thrived in the reign of Charles II. It was called the “Comedy of Manners” because it mocked the lives of aristocrats.
Features:
Emphasis on clever dialogues and sex politics.
Stock characters such as the rake, fop, and clever heroine.
Emphasis on city life, courtship, and marriage.
Example: William Congreve’s The Way of the World is the quintessence of Restoration wit.
These plays were a product of the libertine atmosphere of the period but with a focus on hypocrisy in upper-class society.
Q5. Describe the absurdist features in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.
Answer:
Waiting for Godot (1953) is a pillar of the Theatre of the Absurd.
Absurdist Features:
Meaninglessness: The play accentuates the insignificance of human life.
Circular Structure: No start or finish; characters replicate action.
Dialogue: Fragmented, repetitive, sometimes meaningless.
Characters: Vladimir and Estragon wait interminably, representing human condition.
The play interrogates existence, purpose, and hope, establishing Beckett as a forerunner of absurdist drama.
Q6. Comment on the use of symbolism in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
Answer:
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) uses satire and symbolism to critique Victorian society.
The Name “Ernest”: Symbolizes social respectability and the absurdity of attaching morality to names.
Food: Scenes involving cucumber sandwiches or muffins symbolize indulgence and triviality.
Double Lives: Characters leading dual identities highlight Victorian hypocrisy.
Wilde employs humor and wit to unveil superficiality, and the play becomes a biting social satire.
Section C: Case Study Example
Case Study Question: Explain the contemporary relevance of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party.
Solution:
Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party (1958) remains contemporarily relevant because of its concerns with power, identity, and existential fear.
Political Relevance: Mirrors authoritarian rule and loss of individual identity.
Psychological Fear: Explores paranoia and isolation, relatable in today’s uncertain times.
Language & Silence: Pinter’s pauses symbolize communication breakdown, common in modern relationships.
Thus, Pinter’s drama continues to resonate with audiences in the 21st century.
Tips for Writing IGNOU MEG-02 Assignments
- Write in your own words to avoid plagiarism.
- Stick to the word limit prescribed by IGNOU.
- Use headings, bullet points, and examples.
- Connect plays with historical, cultural, and social contexts.
- Ensure clarity and critical depth in response.
Conclusion
The IGNOU MEG-02: British Drama Solved Assignment (July 2025 – January 2026) gives students a solid grounding in the analysis of classical and contemporary plays. From the blank verse of Marlowe to Beckett’s absurdism, British drama spans centuries of literary development.
Through learning and solving assignments, students not only get good results in exams but also acquire critical appreciation, cultural sensibility, and analytical abilities. This manual makes sure that the learners are adequately ready to deal with drama’s intricate issues and get high marks in their IGNOU MEG-02 assignments.