Identify the Passage. Give Central Themes.
So the company of men led a careless life,all was well with them: until One began to encompass evil, an enemy from hell.Grendel they called this cruel spirit,the fell and fen his fastness was,the march his haunt. This unhappy beinghad long lived in the land of monsterssince the Creator cast them outas kindred of Cain. For that killing of Abelthe eternal Lord took vengence.There was no joy of that feud: far from mankindGod drove him out for his deed of shame!
This passage is from Beowulf. Beowulf's central themes included chivalry, heroism, honor,and the power of a scorned woman.
As I am informed that this unlovely oneis careless enough to carry no weapon,so that my lord Hygelac, my leader in war,may take joy in me, I abjure utterlythe bearing of sword or shielding yellowboard in this battle! With bare hands shall Igrapple with the fiend, fight to the death here,hater and hated! He who is chosenshall deliver himself to the Lord's judgement
The passage comes from Beowulf and is significant because it acts to show the reader Beowulf's true heriosim. One of the major themes of Beowulf is heroism.
Then spoke Beowulf, son of Edgetheow:"I thank my friend Unferth, who unlocks us this taleof Breca's bragged exploit; the beer lends eloquence to his tongue.
Beowulf. Honor, faith and loyalty.
There was laughter of heroes, harp-music ran,words were warm hearted. Wealhtheow moved,mindful of courtesies, the queen of Hrothgar,glittering to greet the Geats in the hall,peerless lady; but to the land's guardianshe offered first the flowing cup,bade him be blithe at the beer drinking,gracious to his people; gladly the conquerorpartook of the banquet, tasted the hall cup.The Helming princess then passed about amongthe old and the young men in each part of the hall,bringing the treasure cup, until the time camewhen the flashing armed queen, complete in all virtues,carried out to Beowulf the brimming vessel;she greeted the Geat, and gave thanks to the Lordin words wisely chosen, her wish being grantedto meet with a man who might be counted onfor aid against these troubles
Beowulf, Strong, loyal, honorable, and a leader of bravery.
But God was to grant to the Geat peoplethe clue to war -success in the web of fate--His help and support; so that they didovercome the foe--through the force of oneunweaponed man. The Almighty Lordhas ruled the affairs of the race of menthus from the beginning.
Beowulf. Defeat, death, bravery.
It is better for a manto avenge his friend than to refresh his sorrow.As we must all expect to leave our life on this earth, we must earn some renown,if we can, before death
Beowulf Loyalty, bravery, heroic.
That hardy man ordered Hrunting to be carriedback to the son of Edgelaf, bade him accept againhis well-loved sword; said that he accounted itformidable in the fight, a good friend in war,thanked him for the loan of it, without the least finding faultwith the edge of that blade; ample was his spirit!
Beowulf. Good conquers evil.
Let us go to him,help our leader for as long as it requiresthe fearsome fire-blast. I had far ratherthat the flame should enfold my flesh-frame therealongside my gold-giver -- as God knows of me.To bear our shields back to our homeswould seem unfitting to me, unless first we have been ableto kill the foe and defend the lifeof the prince of the Weather-Geats.
Beowulf, courage.
Death is betterfor any earl than an existence of disgrace
Beowulf. Honor
I am the weakest, the most wanting in wisdom, I know,And my life, if lost, would be least missed, truly.Only through your being my uncle, am I to be valued;No bounty but your blood in my body do I know
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Faith in God, Chivalric values, Fear.
Beowulf is an important development in English Literature because?
It is primary epic, recounting orally the history and values of a large group of people.
The values of the Germanic tribal society that Beowulf is based on are those that celebrate
all of the above
Beowulf is often torn between the values of the pagan past and the values of the Christianized present. What does this suggest?
neither A nor B
Beginning life as a "foundling" is a dangerous position to be in both Norse and Anglo-Saxon cultures. Why
A warriors bloodline gave him an identity and a connection to a established tribe.
The description of Grendel claims that he was "born to the band whom God had banished/ as kindred of Cain, thereby requiting/the slayer of Abel" ... this places Grendel
both a and b
Unferth's skepticism about Beowulf's reputation as a warrior ..
Is part of the tradition of the court jester who taunts the hero before his success.
How does Beowulf defeat grendel in battle?
He rips of Grendel's arm
Identify Hrunting
Unferth's ancestral sword.
To prepare for battle against Grendel's mother, Beowulf is given three things: a sword, a shirt made of chain-mail, and
A Helmet
Wiglaf
Beowulf's Lieutenant.
The focus on the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is not Arthur, but his nephew, Sir Gawain, who is both
a good and faithful knight to Arthur and the Round Table, but also a suave seducer of women
The two most important themes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are
the ideals of Christian chivalry and the value of courtliness
When Gawain and the Green Knight finally meet, their first exchange is
Sir Gawain flinches, then the Green Knight hesitates
The only reason Gawain accepts the lady's "green girdle" is that
she told him it would protect him from harm
Which do you think is the best tale told during the journey to Canterbury? Explain your choice and be sure to provide significant detail in your answer
I think the best tale provided in the Canterbury's Tale was the Tale of the Pardoner's Tale. I think this tale was the best because of it's use of realism. The Pardoner just seemed so real with all of his confessions. He told how he used his tricks and how he was a hypocrite. It was as if he wanted the others to think humanity was as corrupt as him.
The innkeeper makes the challenge of asking the pilgrims to each tell two stories ... he will judge the best one. What prize does he offer for the winner?
a free meal that the others will pay for
In the epilogue (after his prologue and tale) the Pardoner tries the same trick on the pilgrims that he says he uses on the people he preaches to,. What is that trick?
suggesting that they are all as guilty of these sins as the three thieves in his story, and if they want absolution, they have to give him their valuables right now
The Parson can best be described as ..
the ideal of what a parish priest should be
In his prologue, the Pardoner identifies several sins that his holy relics can "cure," ... however, his sermons tend to come always back around to the theme of what particular sin?
avarice
The Parson agrees to end the series of tales, but only if
he can make it more of a "lesson" than "entertaining"
How many times had the wife of bath been married?
5
Canterbury Tales fits into the genre of "estates satire," which means
they are stories that make fun of how people did not behave according to the estate they were born into
The narrator says the Prioress "spoke French well," but that the French she speaks is "not the French of Paris." What does he mean by this statement?
her hypocrisy: she "speaks" the langugae of her faith, but it is not the "genuine" thing
In his tale, the Parson uses the City of Jerusalem as a metaphor for salvation
True
The narrator describes the Knight as "prudent, sage, mild" and that he had "never been foul-spoken to any," but also that he is
far from smart
The cross ("The Dream of the Rood") presents itself as
a faithful thane, forced into disloyalty
"The Dream of the Rood" is an excellent illustration of how
how the conventions of Old English heroic poetry were adapted to the doctrines of Christianity
Holofernes, the antagonist in the story of Judith, is
a general of the Assyrian army
King Mordrains, the first aged king who is healed by Galahad, sees Galahad's virginity as evidence o
his spiritual purity and the source of his power to heal
Once Judith's speech inspires the Hebrews to victory over the cowardly troops of Holofernes, she is rewarded by the presentation of
all of Holofernes' riches and material treasures
Sir Pinal hates Sir Gawain because
he blames Sir Gawain for his cousin's death
In the tomb in the country of Gore, Galahad is able to stop
the fire that had burned with no source for "many a day
Name the knight who asks Lancelot to return to England and make things right with Arthur ... and who begs Arthur to forgive Lancelot
Sir Gawain
The Dream of the Rood" is classified as
A mystical dream vision
Arthur cannot defend Guinevere becasue
he must act as judge and be as impartial as possible
What does Guinevere do to defend herself from Mordred
she hides in the Tower of London
The aspect of Christ's humanity that is most often stressed by the poet ("The Dream of the Rood") is Christ's
heroism
How many times did Judith have to strike Holofernes' neck before "his head flew off to the floor
twice
Which term is NOT descriptive of Spenser's The Faerie Queene
Linear and straitforward in its narrative
Which of the following was NOT an influence on The Faerie Queene
Shakespeare's Roman plays
What is Nature's very final response to Mutability?
one day, change will cease
Turpine
The Enemy Knight of Courtesy
A lot of people get separated in Book 6, but two are united. These two are Timias and
Arthur
For what does Colin Clout apologize?
putting someone other than Gloriana at the center of his song
