ISC Class 12 English Literature Important Topics 2027
Last updated:
Every topic ranked by how often and how recently it was asked in 4 board + 3 official sample papers (2023–2026). Teal tags = board papers, orange tags = official sample papers.
Top 10 most important topics
| # | Topic | Chapter | Asked in | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banquet scene and Banquo's ghost (Act III Sc iv) | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | Themes: ambition, power and corruption, guilt, fate | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★★★ |
| 3 | Macbeth's downfall: Birnam Wood, 'Tomorrow' soliloquy, Macduff and Young Siward (Act V) | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★★☆ |
| 4 | Hecate, the witches and the apparitions (Act III Sc v, Act IV Sc i) | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 5 | Banquo's suspicion, murder and Fleance's escape (Act III Sc i-iii) | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 6 | Mrs. Drew's fascination with Bubber | The Cookie Lady | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 7 | Character study (Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Malcolm, Macduff) | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 8 | Annapurna's affection and the marriage plan | Atithi / Guest | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 9 | Boon of immortality becoming a curse | Tithonus | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 10 | Malcolm tests Macduff (Act IV Sc iii) | Macbeth (Acts III-V) | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
Chapter-wise important topics
Macbeth (Acts III-V) · Drama - Macbeth
| Banquet scene and Banquo's ghost (Act III Sc iv) asked 5× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★★★ |
| Themes: ambition, power and corruption, guilt, fate asked 5× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★★★ |
| Macbeth's downfall: Birnam Wood, 'Tomorrow' soliloquy, Macduff and Young Siward (Act V) asked 5× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★★☆ |
| Hecate, the witches and the apparitions (Act III Sc v, Act IV Sc i) asked 4× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Banquo's suspicion, murder and Fleance's escape (Act III Sc i-iii) asked 3× | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Character study (Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Malcolm, Macduff) asked 3× | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Malcolm tests Macduff (Act IV Sc iii) asked 3× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Lennox and the Scottish lords as commentators (Act III Sc vi, Act V Sc ii) asked 3× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Sleepwalking scene (Act V Sc i) asked 3× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Lady Macduff and her son (Act IV Sc ii) asked 2× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Atithi / Guest · Prose - Prism (Short Stories)
| Annapurna's affection and the marriage plan asked 3× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Tarapada's free spirit and love of wandering asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Charushashi's jealousy and relationship with Tarapada asked 2× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
The Cookie Lady · Prose - Prism (Short Stories)
| Mrs. Drew's fascination with Bubber asked 3× | Board 2025Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Mrs. Drew draining Bubber's youth (transformation) asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Bubber's tragic end and his parents' role asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
There Will Come Soft Rains · Prose - Prism (Short Stories)
| The fire and destruction of the house asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Absence of humans and the post-nuclear setting asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Symbols: the clock, silhouettes, the dog, Teasdale's poem asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Automated house and its routines asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Indigo · Prose - Prism (Short Stories)
| The Dak Bungalow, Sukhanram and ghosts asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Uncle Mohit's visit asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| The British planter's notebook asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aniruddha's solo car journey to Dumka asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
The Medicine Bag · Prose - Prism (Short Stories)
| Themes: cultural identity and generational difference asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Grandpa's pride in his Sioux heritage asked 2× | Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Martin's embarrassment about Grandpa asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| The medicine bag tradition asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Grandpa's journey alone and arrival asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Martin's friends meet Grandpa asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Telephone Conversation · Poetry - Rhapsody
| Racial prejudice and colour bias asked 2× | Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Communication gap: no mutual understanding asked 2× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Imagery and metaphors (red booth, 'rancid breath', 'raven black') asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Irony, satire and tone asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Portrayal of the landlady asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Speaker's self-confession and the landlady's questions asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Tithonus · Poetry - Rhapsody
| Boon of immortality becoming a curse asked 3× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Natural cycle of life and death versus immortality asked 2× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Portrayal of Eos / Aurora asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Beethoven · Poetry - Rhapsody
| Suffering, determination and artistic creativity asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Father's expectations and harsh treatment asked 2× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Opening 'Listen' and musical structure asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Deafness and the legless piano asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ridicule by other musicians asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Small Towns and the River · Poetry - Rhapsody
| Rituals for the dead (pointing west) asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Eternal nature of the river asked 2× | Board 2025Board 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Imagery and comparisons for the river asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Death be not Proud · Poetry - Rhapsody
| Personification and apostrophe to Death asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Death compared to rest and sleep asked 1× | Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Death's companions and dependence (poison, war, sickness) asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Eternal life: 'Death, thou shalt die' (paradox) asked 1× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Importance = how often a topic was asked × how recent, with extra weight for the latest official sample paper.