Which pair correctly matches the author with the work and its genre?

• A. Gerard Manley Hopkins — The Wreck of the Deutschland — lyric
• B. William Shakespeare — Hamlet — tragedy
• C. Jane Austen — Pride and Prejudice — epic
• D. George Orwell — 1984 — dystopian

Answer: (B)

When matching an author with a work and its genre, focus on how the work is traditionally classified and how that classification fits the author’s well‑known output. Hamlet is widely taught as a tragedy, a type of play that centers on a noble protagonist whose fatal flaws lead to a disastrous end, with themes of fate, moral corruption, and human frailty culminating in catastrophe. That combination—Shakespeare paired with Hamlet and tragedy—fits cleanly, because the form, structure, and themes align with the core definition of tragedy.

The other options don’t line up as neatly. The Wreck of the Deutschland is a long poem by Hopkins, which isn’t typically labeled lyric, since lyric poetry usually refers to shorter, single-voice expressions of emotion rather than extended, multi‑part narrative or dramatic pieces. Pride and Prejudice is a novel, not epic; epics are characterized by vast scope, heroic feats, and often legendary elements, which Austen’s social comedy does not embody. 1984 is considered dystopian fiction, which is a valid genre for that work, but in this collection the pairing with Pride and Prejudice makes the overall match incorrect.