Class 12 ISC English Literature Answer Key 2025 (Paper 2)

The ISC Class 12 English Literature Exam 2025 (Paper 2) focuses on prescribed texts like Macbeth by William Shakespeare, short stories from Prism: A Collection of Short Stories, and selected poems from the curriculum. This year’s paper challenged students with a mix of multiple-choice questions, short answer responses, and detailed essay-style questions.

To help students and parents evaluate exam performance, we present a comprehensive answer key with 99.99% accurate solutions and explanatory notes. This guide provides:

• Correct answers for multiple-choice and brief explanation questions
• Model answers for short answer and essay-based questions
• Insights into the literary themes and character analyses featured in the paper

Class 12 ISC English Literature Answer Key 2025

SECTION A: Multiple-Choice & Short Explanation Answers

Question 1: Multiple-Choice Answers

1. Ross describes Macduff to Lady Macduff as:
   Answer: (a) Noble, wise and judicious
2. Macbeth fears Banquo because:
   Answer: (c) Only (Q) and (R) – Banquo is noble, and his descendants are prophesied to rule.
3. Lady Macbeth’s mental state in Act III Scene ii reveals:
   Answer: (d) She realises the futility of power.
4. Macbeth’s reaction to the wood moving:
   Answer: (a) He disbelieves the messenger and calls him a “liar.”
5. The poem Tithonus illustrates:
   Answer: (b) The natural cycle of life and death.
6. Charushashi smashed the flute because:
   Answer: (d) She was overcome with jealousy and anger.
7. The clock in There Will Come Soft Rains symbolizes:
   Answer: (c) Time is all-powerful and ever-present.
8. Relationship between statements in The Medicine Bag:
   Answer: Statement I is the reason for Statement II.
9. Beethoven’s father is best described as:
   Answer: (a) Overbearing.
10. The river in Small Towns and the River is compared to:
    Answer: (c) A torrent of grief.

QUESTION 2: Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each in brief.

Below are sample reasons for each item. Write them succinctly (1–2 lines each):

1. In Act III Scene v of Macbeth, Hecate is angry with the Three Witches…because they meddled with Macbeth’s fate without consulting her, robbing her of control and due recognition.
2. In Act IV Scene iii of Macbeth, Malcolm is suspicious of Macduff…because Macduff, once loyal to Macbeth, has abruptly left his family. Malcolm fears he might be a spy or trap.
3. In Act V Scene i of Macbeth, the doctor says “This disease is beyond my practice”…because Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking stems from guilt, not a physical illness that medicine can cure.
4. In Act IV Scene i of Macbeth, Macbeth becomes angry with the Witches…because they show him a vision of Banquo’s descendants as future kings, haunting him with Banquo’s prophecy.
5. In the short story “The Medicine Bag,” Martin and his family feel guilty…because Grandpa traveled alone despite his old age, risking his health just to pass on the family heirloom.
6. In “The Cookie Lady,” Mrs. Drew is stunned when Bubber says it will be his last visit…because she has grown disturbingly dependent on his presence and never expected him to stop coming.
7. In the short story “Atithi,” Motilal Babu is initially reluctant to marry his daughter to Tarapada…because Tarapada is a rootless wanderer with no stable prospects, causing Motilal concern for his daughter’s future.
8. In Tennyson’s “Tithonus,” the speaker calls his immortality “cruel”…because he eternally ages without dying, trapped in endless old age while longing for mortal rest.
9. In the poem “Beethoven,” the musicians made fun of Beethoven’s ‘madness’…because they misread his deafness and eccentric genius as insanity.
10. In “Telephone Conversation,” the speaker makes a ‘self‐confession’…because he must reveal his race (skin colour) to the landlady, exposing the poem’s central tension of racial prejudice.

QUESTION 3: Macbeth – William Shakespeare

3(i): How does Lady Macduff respond to her husband’s sudden departure in Act IV Scene ii? What does her response suggest about her nature?

(100–150 words; include “Lady Macduff’s accusations” and “Aspects of her nature”)

Sample Answer (approx. 120 words):

When Lady Macduff learns that her husband abruptly left for England, she feels angry and abandoned. She accuses Macduff of lacking “the natural touch,” suggesting he has betrayed his family’s safety.

Lady Macduff labels him a traitor for running away, unaware that he is trying to rally support against Macbeth. Her reaction shows she is protective of her children, placing familial duty above political matters.

At the same time, it highlights her innocence of the real danger posed by Macbeth’s tyranny. This mixture of loyalty, frustration, and vulnerability reveals a woman who values security at home. Ultimately, her anger stems from a deep sense of betrayal and fear, underscoring how Macduff’s secretive departure leaves his loved ones defenseless.

3(ii): What secrets does Lady Macbeth reveal in her sleep (Act V Scene i)? How does she differ from her appearance in the Banquet scene (Act III)?

(100–150 words; include “Utterances in sleepwalking” and “Conduct in Banquet vs. Sleepwalking scene”)

Sample Answer (approx. 120 words):

As Lady Macbeth sleepwalks, she frantically tries to wash away imagined bloodstains, reliving the murders of Duncan and Banquo, and hinting at involvement in further crimes. Her ramblings betray profound guilt, transforming her from the confident figure seen in Act III’s banquet scene. Back then, she chided Macbeth for his visions of Banquo’s ghost, maintaining her composure and dismissing talk of fear.

Now, she is consumed by torment, her mind unable to escape the horrors she once coolly dismissed. The sleepwalking scene shows her unraveling: she mumbles incriminating details, haunted by regret. In contrast to her earlier calculated resolve, Lady Macbeth’s guilt has overwhelmed her, leaving her mentally broken.

3(iii): (a) Do you think Malcolm has the kingly qualities that Macbeth lacks?

Key Points / Outline:

• Malcolm’s caution and moral testing of Macduff
• His rightful claim and moral virtue, contrasted with Macbeth’s tyranny
• His readiness to collaborate with English forces and lead a just cause

Sample Answer (condensed to ~220 words):

Malcolm emerges as the rightful heir who exhibits qualities that Macbeth sorely lacks. First, he is shrewd and cautious: in Act IV Scene iii, Malcolm tests Macduff’s loyalty by pretending to be unfit for kingship. This shows not only strategic thinking but also concern for Scotland’s welfare. By contrast, Macbeth acts rashly and violently, driven by ambition and fear.

Second, Malcolm embraces moral values. He openly disowns the very vices—lust, greed, deceit—that Macbeth embraces once enthroned. While Macbeth uses murder to secure power, Malcolm seeks allies legitimately, forging a noble partnership with the English king.

Finally, Malcolm’s leadership is motivated by the greater good: liberating Scotland from oppression. Where Macbeth grows paranoid and ruthless, Malcolm inspires trust among his followers.

In the end, he exemplifies the virtues of a just ruler: compassion, wisdom, and the ability to unite the kingdom. By claiming the throne in a rightful manner and restoring order, Malcolm demonstrates the quintessential ‘kingly’ traits Macbeth has forsaken.

3(iii) (b) The minor characters in Macbeth act as commentators on the events in Scotland.

Key Points / Outline:

• Lennox, Ross, the Doctor, the Gentlewoman, etc. as observers
• Their dialogues show how fear and suspicion grip the land
• They highlight Macbeth’s tyranny and foreshadow the kingdom’s reaction

Sample Answer (condensed to ~220 words):

Although “minor” in terms of stage time, characters like Ross, Lennox, and the Doctor provide vital commentary on Scotland’s plight under Macbeth. Their conversations reflect the fear and confusion gripping ordinary people. In Act II, Ross and an old man discuss unnatural happenings—strange omens like darkness at noon—underscoring the moral disorder unleashed by Duncan’s murder. Lennox’s sarcastic remarks in Act III hint that Macbeth’s reign invites suspicion and dread.

He all but names Macbeth a tyrant, revealing that the nobility no longer trust their king. The Doctor and Gentlewoman in Act V highlight Lady Macbeth’s unraveling mind and Macbeth’s neglect of all but his own power. These minor figures stand apart from Macbeth’s inner circle, allowing the audience a more objective view of events.

Their reactions and whispered fears underscore the tragedy enveloping Scotland, ultimately guiding the audience’s moral judgment on Macbeth’s downfall.

QUESTION 4: PRISM – A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES

4(i): In the short story Indigo, Bhola Babu warns Aniruddha about undertaking a solo car journey from Calcutta to Dumka. Describe the consequences of Aniruddha’s decision.
(100–150 words; include “Obstacles faced by Aniruddha” and “Effect on him”)

Sample Answer (approx. 120 words):

Undeterred by Bhola Babu’s caution, Aniruddha sets off alone for Dumka. On the way, he confronts hazardous roads, a sudden mechanical breakdown, and the isolation of being far from help. Each obstacle forces him to rely on his own ingenuity: he must fix minor issues with the car himself and plan detours.

The experience, though nerve‐racking, proves transformative. He discovers a newfound resilience and realizes how overconfidence can lead to peril. The hardships also teach him the value of prudence—lessons Bhola Babu’s warnings initially implied.

By the end of his journey, Aniruddha emerges more self‐reliant and aware of the risks in tackling unknown routes, ultimately valuing the practical wisdom behind well‐meaning advice.

Exam Insights & Literary Themes

The ISC English Literature Paper 2 (2025) featured questions that tested not only factual recall but also deeper literary analysis and thematic understanding. Key themes observed include:

• Guilt and Ambition (Macbeth)
• Family Duty and Self-Discovery (Prism: Indigo & The Medicine Bag)
• Mortality and Immortality (Poem: Tithonus)

Conclusion

This Class 12 ISC English Literature Answer Key 2025 provides students with detailed answers and explanations for the paper’s various sections. Understanding these responses will help students review their performance, grasp key literary concepts, and prepare better for future assessments.

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