Based on the CISCE ICSE English (Paper 2) syllabus
ICSE Class 10 English Literature: Syllabus & Prescribed Texts
Explore Paper 2 of ICSE English — the prescribed drama, short stories and poems for Class 10 — how the 80 + 20 board assessment works, and a worked demonstration question for calm, structured board-year preparation.
Key Curriculum Facts
- 80 marks
- Paper 2 — Literature in English
- 2-hour written paper
- 20 marks
- Internal Assessment
- Written assignments on the texts
- ICSE English
- Part of
- One subject, two papers (Language + Literature)
How ICSE Literature Rewards Knowing the Texts
In ICSE, English is a single subject examined through two papers — Paper 1 (English Language) and Paper 2 (Literature in English). This page covers Paper 2: a two-hour written paper of 80 marks answered entirely on the prescribed textbooks — drama, prose (short stories) and poetry.
For Class 10 the texts are the closing acts of Julius Caesar and the Treasure Chest collection of ICSE short stories and poems. Questions on the drama and prose are central to the text and often extract-based; the poetry questions test content, understanding and the student’s personal response to the whole poem.
This page shows EduMagik's stepped reasoning approach with a worked demonstration question: a clue first, then a full step-by-step explanation, so the text is understood rather than just answered.
ICSE Class 10 Literature: Prescribed Texts (Paper 2)
Questions are set on the drama, prose (short stories) and poetry prescribed for Class X
Drama
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Ch 1
Julius Caesar — William Shakespeare (Acts III, IV & V)
The assassination of Caesar, Antony’s funeral oration, the civil war and the fall of the conspirators. Questions are central to the text and may be extract-based, requiring a clear response in your own words.
Prose — Treasure Chest Short Stories
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Ch 2
With the Photographer — Stephen Leacock
A comic account of a visit to a photographer who keeps "improving" the sitter.
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Ch 3
The Elevator — William Sleator
A boy’s mounting dread of a cramped lift and the strange woman he meets in it.
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Ch 4
The Girl Who Can — Ama Ata Aidoo
A young Ghanaian girl proves her worth across three generations of women.
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Ch 5
The Pedestrian — Ray Bradbury
A lone walker in a future where everyone else stays indoors watching screens.
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Ch 6
The Last Lesson — Alphonse Daudet
A French village’s final lesson in its own language under Prussian occupation.
Poetry — Treasure Chest Poems
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Ch 7
Haunted Houses — H. W. Longfellow
The presence of the past and departed spirits that share our homes.
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Ch 8
The Glove and the Lions — Leigh Hunt
A lady’s vain test of a knight’s love and his sharp response.
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Ch 9
When Great Trees Fall — Maya Angelou
Grief, loss and eventual renewal when a great soul passes.
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Ch 10
A Considerable Speck — Robert Frost
A tiny mite on the page prompts reflection on mind and mercy.
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Ch 11
The Power of Music — Sukumar Ray
A light, comic verse on music’s startling effect on its listeners.
In Antony's funeral speech (Act III), he repeatedly calls Brutus 'an honourable man' while recalling Caesar's kindness. This repeated phrase is best read as:
Reasoning Clue & Solution
Does Antony really mean the praise, given the evidence of Caesar’s goodness he keeps offering alongside it?
The EduMagik 3-Step Hint Ladder
Point to the Concept
Names the idea to reach for (e.g. "Compare the praise with the evidence Antony keeps giving") without giving the answer.
Guided Reasoning Prompt
Prompts the key step (e.g. "If the praise sounds hollow, what device is Antony using?").
Complete Worked Solution
Shows the full reasoning and explains why the answer is correct.
How to Revise Class 10 English Literature
Simple, high-impact ways to prepare the prescribed texts for the board year
Know the Text, Not Just the Story
Reread each short story, poem and the set acts of the play so you can refer to specific detail and quote accurately under exam pressure.
Practise Extract (Context) Questions
Work through extract-based questions on the drama and prose, explaining what happens just before and after the given lines.
Form a Personal Response
For poetry, note how a poem makes you feel and why; the board paper rewards a thoughtful personal response to the whole poem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which texts are prescribed for ICSE Class 10 Literature?
The drama is Julius Caesar by Shakespeare (Acts III, IV & V), plus the Treasure Chest short stories and poems prescribed for Class X — five short stories and five poems. The board paper is set only on the Class X portion.
How is ICSE Class 10 Literature assessed?
By one 2-hour, 80-mark written paper on the prescribed drama, prose and poetry, plus 20 marks of internal assessment for written assignments on the texts (awarded jointly by the subject teacher and an external examiner) — totalling 100.
What kinds of questions are asked in Paper 2?
Questions on the drama and prose are central to the text and often extract-based, answered in your own words. Poetry questions give a poem or lines and test content, understanding and your personal response to the whole poem.
Which anthology is used for the short stories and poems?
Treasure Chest: A Collection of ICSE Short Stories & Poems (Evergreen Publications). Always confirm the current prescribed texts and editions with CISCE or your school, as they are revised periodically.
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