6. Practice MCQs for Rabindranath Tagore

This section contains 100 multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge of Rabindranath Tagore. Click on “Answer” to reveal the correct choice.

1. In which year was Rabindranath Tagore awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature? a) 1910 b) 1912 c) 1913 d) 1915

2. For which work did Tagore primarily receive the Nobel Prize? a) Gora b) The Home and the World c) Gitanjali d) The Post Office

3. What title is commonly used to refer to Rabindranath Tagore? a) The Wizard of Bengal b) The Saint of Calcutta c) The Bard of Bengal d) The Father of India

4. Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest of which event? a) The Partition of Bengal b) The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre c) The First World War d) The Rowlatt Act

5. Which university was founded by Rabindranath Tagore? a) Calcutta University b) Jadavpur University c) Visva-Bharati University d) Presidency University

6. The English version of Gitanjali contains how many poems? a) 157 b) 103 c) 53 d) 110

7. Who wrote the introduction to the English edition of Gitanjali? a) Ezra Pound b) T.S. Eliot c) George Bernard Shaw d) W.B. Yeats

8. Which of the following is Tagore’s longest and most ambitious novel? a) The Wreck b) The Home and the World c) Gora d) Chokher Bali

9. The characters Nikhilesh, Bimala, and Sandip are central to which novel? a) Gora b) The Home and the World c) Yogayog d) The Wreck

10. What is the central theme of the play The Post Office (Dak Ghar)? a) Political corruption b) A critique of the postal system c) The soul’s yearning for spiritual freedom d) A historical romance

11. In the short story “Kabuliwala,” what is the name of the Afghan peddler? a) Ali b) Mustafa c) Rahamat d) Khan

12. Tagore composed the national anthems for which two countries? a) India and Nepal b) India and Sri Lanka c) India and Bangladesh d) India and Pakistan

13. What was the name of the experimental school Tagore founded at Shantiniketan? a) Patha Bhavana b) Shiksha Satra c) Brahmacharya Ashram d) Kala Bhavana

14. The novel Gora explores the conflict between orthodox Hinduism and which reformist movement? a) Arya Samaj b) Theosophical Society c) Ramakrishna Mission d) Brahmo Samaj

15. Who is the young, confined protagonist of the play The Post Office? a) Amal b) Binoy c) Gora d) Nikhilesh

16. Which of these is Tagore’s only major poetic work written originally in English? a) The Gardener b) The Crescent Moon c) The Child d) The Fugitive

17. The character of Mini is central to which famous short story? a) “The Postmaster” b) “The Homecoming” c) “Kabuliwala” d) “Hungry Stones”

18. What does the Kabuliwala show Mini’s father that reveals his own paternal love? a) A photograph of his daughter b) A letter from his wife c) An ink-smudged handprint of his daughter d) A small toy from his village

19. In The Home and the World, which character represents Tagore’s critique of extremist nationalism? a) Nikhilesh b) Sandip c) Bimala d) Pareshbabu

20. What is the name of Tagore’s autobiography covering his early years? a) My Life b) My Boyhood Days (Chhelebela) c) Story of My Experiments with Truth d) Wings of Fire

21. The play Chandalika (The Untouchable Girl) deals with themes of… a) Romantic love b) Caste discrimination and spiritual conflict c) Historical war d) Political satire

22. Tagore’s father, Debendranath Tagore, was a leader of which movement? a) The Swadeshi Movement b) The Brahmo Samaj c) The Quit India Movement d) The Bhakti Movement

23. The novel Chokher Bali explores the theme of… a) The life of a child prodigy b) The complexities of widowhood and forbidden desire c) The struggle for independence d) A journey to the Himalayas

24. What does the name Gitanjali mean? a) Divine Songs b) Song Offerings c) Morning Songs d) Wreath of Songs

25. In which city was Rabindranath Tagore born? a) Dhaka b) Bombay c) Shantiniketan d) Calcutta

26. The central conflict in Gora is about… a) A family property dispute b) A love triangle c) The nature of Indian identity and nationalism d) A war between two kingdoms

27. Which of these is a collection of love lyrics by Tagore? a) Balaka b) The Gardener c) Sonar Tari d) Dak Ghar

28. The name of Tagore’s ancestral home in Calcutta is… a) Anand Bhavan b) Jorasanko Thakur Bari c) Marble Palace d) Victoria Memorial

29. What is the genre of The Post Office? a) Novel b) Short Story c) Epic Poem d) Symbolic Play

30. The songs composed by Tagore are popularly known as… a) Geet Govind b) Rabindra Sangeet c) Nazrul Geeti d) Bhajans

31. What shocking revelation about his identity does Gora discover at the end of the novel? a) He is adopted and of Irish descent. b) He is the secret son of a king. c) He was born into the Brahmo Samaj. d) His best friend is his long-lost brother.

32. The collection of lectures Tagore delivered in America was published as… a) The Religion of Man b) Nationalism c) Sadhana: The Realisation of Life d) Creative Unity

33. In The Home and the World, Bimala initially becomes infatuated with Sandip because of his… a) Wealth and status b) Poetic talent c) Charismatic and passionate nationalism d) Quiet and gentle nature

34. The name of the wise, tolerant Brahmo patriarch in Gora is… a) Nikhilesh b) Madhav c) Pareshbabu d) Haran

35. The poetry collection Balaka is named after… a) A river in Bengal b) A type of flower c) A flight of cranes d) A mythical hero

36. Which of the following is NOT a character in The Home and the World? a) Bimala b) Nikhilesh c) Sandip d) Binoy

37. The play Raja is also known by its English title… a) The King and Queen b) The King of the Dark Chamber c) The Sacrifice d) The Cycle of Spring

38. What is the primary emotion explored in “Kabuliwala”? a) Romantic love b) Patriotic fervor c) Paternal love d) Religious devotion

39. Tagore’s literary style is often associated with… a) Realism and Naturalism b) Modernism and Post-modernism c) Romanticism and Mysticism d) Classicism and Neo-classicism

40. In The Post Office, what does Amal eagerly wait for? a) A visit from his mother b) A letter from the King c) A new toy d) The arrival of spring

41. The original Bengali Gitanjali contained how many poems? a) 103 b) 125 c) 157 d) 200

42. Which famous contemporary of Tagore called him a “pure poet”? a) Mahatma Gandhi b) Ezra Pound c) W.B. Yeats d) George Bernard Shaw

43. The novel The Wreck explores themes of… a) A shipwreck and survival b) Mistaken identity and the sanctity of marriage c) A family feud over property d) The life of a famous painter

44. The character Pareshbabu in Gora represents… a) Rigid orthodoxy b) Violent nationalism c) Worldly greed d) Universal humanism and tolerance

45. What is the name of the talkative young girl in “Kabuliwala”? a) Lolita b) Sudha c) Mini d) Bimala

46. Tagore’s essay “The Cult of the Charka” was a critique of… a) The British education system b) The caste system c) Gandhi’s Swadeshi movement d) Religious intolerance

47. The play Red Oleanders is an allegory about… a) The beauty of nature b) The conflict between humanism and industrial greed c) A historical battle d) The life of a royal family

48. In which year was Tagore born? a) 1851 b) 1861 c) 1871 d) 1881

49. The theme of death in The Post Office is portrayed as… a) A terrifying end b) A tragic loss c) A joyful liberation and union with the divine d) A punishment for sins

50. Which of these works is a collection of short stories? a) Gora b) Galpaguchchha c) Gitanjali d) Ghare-Baire

51. The character Binoy in Gora is best described as… a) A staunch orthodox Hindu b) A radical nationalist c) A moderate and open-minded friend of Gora d) A wise and elderly sage

52. What is the primary setting for the novel The Home and the World? a) Calcutta during the First World War b) Rural Bengal during the Swadeshi movement c) London during the Victorian era d) Delhi during the Mughal empire

53. The name of the flower-girl in The Post Office is… a) Mini b) Lolita c) Sudha d) Kamala

54. Tagore’s humanism was deeply influenced by… a) Marxist philosophy b) The Upanishads and Vaishnava poetry c) Darwin’s theory of evolution d) Greek philosophy

55. The narrative of The Home and the World is uniquely told from the perspective of… a) An omniscient narrator b) A single character, Bimala c) Its three main characters: Bimala, Nikhilesh, and Sandip d) A minor character observing the events

56. What does “Ghare-Baire” literally translate to? a) “Love and War” b) “The Strong and the Weak” c) “The Home and the World” d) “Yesterday and Today”

57. In “Kabuliwala,” why is Rahamat sent to prison? a) For theft b) For kidnapping c) For stabbing a customer who owed him money d) For vagrancy

58. The poem “Where the mind is without fear…” is from which collection? a) Sonar Tari b) Balaka c) Gitanjali d) The Gardener

59. Which character in Gora falls in love with the Brahmo girl Lolita? a) Gora b) Binoy c) Haran d) Pareshbabu

60. Tagore’s vision for Shantiniketan was to blend… a) Science and religion b) The best of Indian and Western traditions c) Art and commerce d) Agriculture and industry

61. The Royal Physician in The Post Office is a symbolic representation of… a) The King’s power b) The failure of medicine c) The messenger of death as a peaceful liberator d) A conman

62. The title of the poetry collection Sonar Tari means… a) The Golden Boat b) The Silver Flute c) The Golden Deer d) The Singing Bird

63. Which of these is a recurring theme in Tagore’s work? a) The glorification of war b) A critique of narrow, extremist nationalism c) The pursuit of wealth d) The importance of rigid social hierarchy

64. In which year did Tagore pass away? a) 1931 b) 1941 c) 1951 d) 1961

65. The character Nikhilesh in The Home and the World can be seen as a representation of… a) Tagore’s own humanist views b) The traditional Indian man c) A revolutionary anarchist d) A corrupt politician

66. What is the central symbol in the play The Post Office? a) The window b) The King’s palace c) The post office itself d) The curd-seller’s pots

67. The story of “Kabuliwala” reaches its emotional climax on the day of… a) Mini’s birthday b) The Durga Puja festival c) Mini’s wedding d) Rahamat’s release from prison

68. The novel Gora is set primarily in which city? a) Bombay b) Delhi c) Madras d) Calcutta

69. Tagore’s painting style is often described as… a) Photorealistic b) Abstract and expressionistic c) Classical and academic d) Impressionistic

70. The relationship between Gora and Sucharita in the novel Gora is initially… a) Loving and supportive b) Indifferent and distant c) Antagonistic and argumentative d) Secretly romantic

71. What is the genre of Gitanjali? a) Epic poem b) Narrative novel c) Collection of lyrical/prose poems d) Historical drama

72. The Swadeshi movement, the backdrop for The Home and the World, primarily advocated for… a) The boycott of foreign goods b) The abolition of the caste system c) The promotion of English education d) The establishment of a monarchy

73. The final realization of the narrator in “Kabuliwala” is that… a) Rahamat is a dangerous criminal b) All foreigners are untrustworthy c) He and Rahamat are united by their shared fatherly love d) Mini has forgotten her old friend

74. Which of the following is NOT a play by Tagore? a) Sacrifice b) Malini c) The Wreck d) Chitra

75. The English Gitanjali is a translation of poems from the Bengali Gitanjali and which other works? a) Gora and The Home and the World b) Gitimalya, Naivedya, and Kheya c) Sonar Tari and Balaka d) Dak Ghar and Chandalika

76. The character of Amal in The Post Office is confined to his room because of… a) Punishment b) An incurable illness c) A magical curse d) His fear of the outside world

77. What is the name of Tagore’s collection of autobiographical reminiscences? a) My Story b) My Days c) Jivansmriti d) Wings of Fire

78. The central message of Gora after the final revelation is one of… a) The superiority of Hinduism b) The need for violent revolution c) The failure of the Brahmo Samaj d) A universal, inclusive humanism beyond caste and creed

79. In The Home and the World, what does Bimala do that signifies her betrayal of Nikhilesh? a) She leaves him for Sandip b) She publicly denounces him c) She steals money from him to give to Sandip’s cause d) She refuses to speak to him

80. The friendship between Mini and Rahamat in “Kabuliwala” is built on… a) A shared love for stories b) A shared secret c) Simple affection and a recurring joke d) A business transaction

81. The unseen King in The Post Office is a symbol for… a) The British monarch b) A tyrannical ruler c) God or the divine d) Worldly power

82. Tagore’s poetry is known for its… a) Complex, academic language b) Cynical and pessimistic tone c) Lyrical, rhythmic, and spiritual nature d) Strict adherence to classical forms

83. The title of the novel Chokher Bali translates to… a) “A Grain of Sand” b) “The Broken Nest” c) “Eyesore” d) “The Last Poem”

84. Which of these writers was a contemporary and friend of Tagore, who also helped him get published in the West? a) Rudyard Kipling b) E.M. Forster c) W.B. Yeats d) Virginia Woolf

85. The main conflict in The Home and the World is between… a) The rich and the poor b) Two warring families c) The domestic sphere and the political world d) The city and the countryside

86. What is the narrator’s profession in “Kabuliwala”? a) Doctor b) Lawyer c) Writer d) Professor

87. The final scene of The Post Office suggests that Amal… a) Recovers from his illness b) Is taken away by the King’s guards c) Dies peacefully, achieving spiritual liberation d) Runs away from home

88. The novel Gora is a powerful critique of… a) The British colonial government b) The caste system and religious orthodoxy c) The Western education system d) The institution of marriage

89. The character Sandip in The Home and the World is best described as… a) A wise and gentle teacher b) A timid and fearful man c) A charismatic but manipulative demagogue d) A loyal and trustworthy friend

90. The universal appeal of “Kabuliwala” comes from its exploration of… a) The beauty of the Indian landscape b) The shared experience of parental love c) The excitement of travel d) The complexities of political life

91. Tagore was the first non-European to win… a) The Pulitzer Prize b) The Man Booker Prize c) The Nobel Prize in Literature d) The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize

92. The window in The Post Office symbolizes… a) Imprisonment b) The soul’s limited perception of the world through the senses c) A hope for escape d) The division between rich and poor

93. The narrative of Gora is primarily driven by… a) Action and adventure b) Philosophical and ideological debates c) A murder mystery d) A series of comedic events

94. Bimala’s journey in The Home and the World is one of… a) Political and personal awakening, and subsequent disillusionment b) A quest for wealth and power c) A retreat into religious asceticism d) A happy and fulfilling romance

95. The passage of time is a key theme in which story? a) Gora b) The Post Office c) “Kabuliwala” d) The Home and the World

96. Which work is considered a powerful allegory against industrial greed and dehumanization? a) Red Oleanders b) The Wreck c) Gora d) Chitra

97. The name of the Indian national anthem composed by Tagore is… a) “Vande Mataram” b) “Sare Jahan se Accha” c) “Jana Gana Mana” d) “Amar Sonar Bangla”

98. The character Nikhilesh promotes a form of patriotism based on… a) Violent revolution b) Blind obedience to leaders c) Constructive self-reliance and humanism d) Religious exclusion

99. The story of “Kabuliwala” highlights that friendship can transcend… a) Age, culture, and social class b) Family objections c) Geographical distance d) Political differences

100. What is the ultimate message of Gitanjali? a) God can only be found in temples. b) The divine is present in nature and humanity, accessible through love and devotion. c) The world is an illusion. d) One must renounce the world to find peace.