Question

Which of the following employ 'Interior Monologue'?

• A. Alfred Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam"
• B. The final chapter of James Joyce's Ulysses
• C. T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
• D. Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess"

Hint:

When asked about interior monologue, look for works that present unfiltered, direct thoughts of a character, often in modernist or stream-of-consciousness works, like Joyce's Ulysses or Eliot's Prufrock.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B, C

Step 1: Analyze interior monologue.
Interior monologue refers to a narrative technique in which a character's inner thoughts and feelings are presented directly, often without the structuring of formal speech or dialogue. This technique is often used in modernist literature.

Step 2: Evaluate each option.
- (A) "In Memoriam" by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a narrative poem that reflects on grief and loss, but it does not primarily employ the technique of interior monologue. It is more about reflective thought rather than direct, unfiltered expression of a character's mind. Therefore, option (A) is incorrect. - (B) The final chapter of James Joyce's Ulysses is famous for its use of stream-of-consciousness writing, which is a form of interior monologue. Joyce explores the character's inner thoughts in a way that directly represents their stream of consciousness, making this option correct. - (C) T. S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock uses interior monologue extensively. The poem features the protagonist's internal reflections, anxieties, and self-doubt, characteristic of the interior monologue technique, making option (C) correct. - (D) "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning is a dramatic monologue, but it does not employ interior monologue. The poem is spoken by a character, Duke Ferrara, reflecting on his past experiences in a controlled manner, rather than an unstructured stream of consciousness. Therefore, option (D) is incorrect. \[ \boxed{\text{The correct answers are (B) and (C).}} \]