Combo with "Englsih- Renaissance Test" and 5 others – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
What are the dates of the Renaissance?
answer
1495-1660
question
What were the major characteristics?
answer
-renewed interest in classical learning -people began to read -people became more curious about themselves and their world in general
question
What is the significance of the term renaissance?
answer
-the term means rebirth -called the renaissance b/c there was a renewed interest in classical learning
question
What is a "renaissance person"?
answer
-a person who is energetic and productive and is interested in science, history, art, literature, and other subjects -multitude of talents -ex. Henry VIII
question
Where did the renaissance begin?
answer
Italy
question
What influence did the church have in Europe and England?
answer
-during this time period almost everyone was Roman Catholic -the church was very wealthy -many popes were patrons of the arts, architects, and scholars
question
What is "humanism"? What was the aim of humanism?
answer
-humanisam was an intellecutal movement that occurred due to the revival of interest in classics -humanists wanted to harmonize the Bible and the classics, use the classics strengthen Christianity
question
When and where was the printing press invented? What was the first book published? Why?
answer
-invented by Johannes Gutenberg at Mainz, Germany in 1455 -first book printed was the Bible b/c it was an extremely popular and important book
question
When and where was the first printing press in England? Who set it up?
answer
William Caxton set up a printing press in Westminster in 1476
question
Explain the importance of the priniting press.
answer
-changed how information was exchanged -made books more available to people -spread new knowledge
question
What was one common feature to all reformers?
answer
-they rejected the authority of the pope and Italian churchmen
question
List three possible circumstances that made a break with the Roman Catholic church possible.
answer
-strong feelings of patriotism and nationalism -new religious ideas -corruption in the church
question
Why did some people feel that the reformation of the church had nto gone far enough?
answer
they felt that it was too similar to the Catholic church
question
List the five Tudor rulers. When did each rule? What was the importance of each reign?
answer
1) Henry VII (1457-1509) > beginning of the Tudor reign after the War of the Roses 2) Henry VIII (1509-1547) > England broke from the Catholic church 3)Edward VI (1547-1553) > he was a child when he ruled 4) Mary I (1553-1558) > restored Catholicism in England 5) Elizabeth I (1558-1603) > restored law and order, established the Anglican church, defeated the Spanish Armada
question
What significant event occurred in 1588?
answer
England defeated the Spanish Armada
question
By the end of the Renaissance what changes were occurring in philosopogy, thought, and religion?
answer
more politcal and secular values began to take over
question
Who is the most famous Jewish character in Renaissance literature?
answer
Shylock, in Shakespeare's the Merchant of Venice, he played a moneylender
question
Erasmus
answer
one of the best known humanists; a Dutch monk who disliked that corrupt practices of the church
question
Thomas More
answer
wrote Utopia; Lord Chancellor of England
question
Martin Luther
answer
a monk who founed a new type of Christianity, Lutheranism
question
Catherine of Aragon
answer
Henry's first wife; mother of Mary Tudor; had lost 5 babies
question
Anne Boleyn
answer
Henry's mistress; mother of Elizabeth I
question
King Phillip II of Spain
answer
his armada attacked England; married Mary I
question
James I
answer
successor to Elizabeth I; son of Mary Queen of Scots
question
Oliver Cromwell
answer
military dictator of England from 1449-1660
question
Charles II
answer
returned from exile in France in 1660 and became king of England
question
John Milton
answer
the last great writer of the English renaissance; wrote Paradise Lost
question
Why was Elizabeth banished from the royal household when she was a child?
answer
Her mother was beheaded and she was declared an illegtimate child.
question
What reason did Elizabeth give for being afraid of nothing?
answer
She said she had the heart of a man.
question
What interests of Elizabeth's made her a great patron of the arts?
answer
Her interest in music and literature.
question
Which of Shakespeare's plays is said to have been a favorite of Elizabeth's?
answer
Mary Wives of Windsor
question
Why did Elizabeth have Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Earl of Essex executed?
answer
They threatened her status as queen and plotted against her to kill her.
question
What is one reason Elizabeth refused to marry?
answer
She did not want to share her power
question
Sonnet
answer
-a 14 line lyric poem focused on one theme -arranged in a specific pattern -uses a rhyme scheme -usually written in iambic pentimeter -one of the oldest and most enduring poetic forms in the world
question
Petrarchian or Italian (oldest form)
answer
-rhyme scheme: abba abba -structure: octave (first 8 lines), states a problem, raises a question, or presenst a brief narrative; sestet (last 6 lines), resolves the problem, answers the question, or comments on the narrative
question
Shakesperian or English
answer
-rhyme scheme: abab cdcd -structure: 3 quatrains (4 line group), express related ideas of examples, ends with a couplet (two rhyming lines) that sum up the poets conclusion or message
question
Spenserian
answer
-rhyme scheme: abab bcbc cdcd -same structure as Shakesperian sonnet
question
Turn
answer
a shift in focus and thought in a sonnet
question
Sonnet sequence/ cycle
answer
a group of poems on a related theme; series or groups of sonnets to one person or to one theme
question
Meter
answer
regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
question
Foot
answer
meters basic unit; consists of one stressed syllable and one or more unstressed syllables
question
What are the four basic metrical feet?
answer
iambic, trochaic, anapestic, and dactyllic
question
Iambic
answer
-an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, ex. relief
question
Trochaic
answer
-a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable; ex. apple
question
Anapestic
answer
-two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable
question
Dactyllic
answer
-a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables; ex. brocolli
question
Spondee
answer
-indicated by two accented syllabes; ex. seaweed
question
Caesura
answer
-a pause
question
Dimeter
answer
2 feet per line
question
Trimeter
answer
3 feet per line
question
Tetrameter
answer
4 feet per line
question
Pentameter
answer
5 feet per line
question
Hexameter
answer
6 feet per line
question
Scansion (scanning)
answer
analysis of a poem's meter; identify type of foot and count number in each line; a complete description indicates both
question
In the poem, The Doubt of Future Foes, Elizabeth wanrs herself againsta state of mind dangerous to a ruler. What is this state of mind?
answer
-overconfidence, complacence -"The doubt of future foes exiles my present joy"
question
In lines 5-6, Elizabeth rephrases this warning using natural imagery. Explain how the imagery works.
answer
-"But the clouds of joy untried do cloak aspiring minds,/ Whuch turn to rain of late repent by changed course of winds." -The clouds represent her mind being clouded and the rain represents her changing her mind
question
How do the "wights" work to undermine Elizabeth's rule?
answer
They plot against her, try to kill her, and try to take her power and the throne
question
In the last two lines of the poem, what does Elizabeth vow to do?
answer
She vows to behead them
question
Why might the sword in line 15 be rusty?
answer
Maybe she doesn't use the sword very often, or maybe it is an old sword
question
What is the significance of the title?
answer
The title suggests that anyone, even the people who you are close to and trust, can become foes
question
This time period is marked by many contrasts. What are some of the contrasts mentioned in this article?
answer
-a woman is ruling, Queen Elizabeth -the highly educated enjoy literature while many people cannot read -the government spends huge amounts of money on exploration and wars while science and medicine remain in a primitive state -rich young men wander around Europe having fun while thousands of poor people go from parish to parish begging for food -wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of a few, and many people cannot even find a job
question
What problems of daily existence are there for a laborer?
answer
-you don't have a lot of land -you don't make enough money to support your family -disease, malnutrition, and natural disasters are part of every day life
question
How does the population growth affect the common person?
answer
-population growth is causing inflated prices, too many people are chasing after scarce resources and wages stay low
question
What are the reasons for the growing famine?
answer
-you don't make enough food to buy money -shortage of grain
question
What are the effects of starvation on a person's body?
answer
-hair falling out -skin turnign gray -watching the people around you die
question
How far has the famine spread?
answer
-to all of Europe
question
Describe travel during this time period.
answer
-most people travel on foot but the people who are more wealthy have horses and carriages
question
Why are so many people going to London?
answer
-people are going to London for work
question
Describe London.
answer
-noisy and bustling -center of trade and social life
question
Discuss life in London.
answer
a. Migrants life in London -you live in a cold attic and sleep on the floor b. Food -when you lived at home: brown bread, eggs and cheese, occasional chicken or bacon -w/ food shortages: bread, peas and beans, whatever you could hunt around the village c. Consumption of alcohol (type, amount, reason) -beer -alehouses on every corner -drink a lot to forget your troubles and eases the hardships of every day life d. Major diseases -plague, small pox, and tuberculosis e. Personal and public hygiene -bad; the rich and poor do not bathe regularly -adds to disease -bad breath, rotting teeth, skin sores f. Medical knowledge -leeches -not even trained doctors have made the connection between bad hygiene and disease -not very advanced -theory of illness: you get sick if four major fluids (bile, phlegm, choler, and blood) are imbalanced g. Education -expensive -6 am to 11 am and 1 pm to 6 pm; 6 days a week -learn basic reading skills at village school, could not afford grammer school -most girls do not go to school, only girls from very wealthy families h. Communication -the printing press has made communication easier i. Travel -almost exclusively for the rich, the poor have to walk -need official papers to travel inyour own country -roads are in bad condition and are dirt roads
question
Why do men not want to join the navy?
answer
-not paid well -conditions are bad, a lot of the food ends up rotten
question
What do people do for fun?
answer
-bearbaiting -cockfighting -public executions
question
Paradox
answer
A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth
question
Disingenuous
answer
Lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; insincere; calculating
question
Impolitic
answer
Not wise or expedient; not judicious
question
Scathing
answer
Bitterly severe; harmful, injurious, or searing
question
Pretense
answer
Pretending or feigning; make believe; a false show of something
question
Imprudent
answer
Lacking discretion; incautious; rash
question
Oxymoron
answer
A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined
question
Vituperative
answer
Using, containing, or marked by harshly abusive censure
question
Petulant
answer
Unreasonable, irritable, or ill-tempered; peevish
question
Invective
answer
Denunciatory or abusive language; vituperation; an insulting or abusive word or expression
question
Impudent
answer
Characterized by offensive boldness; insolent or impertinent
question
Solicitous
answer
Anxious or concerned; extremely careful; meticulous
question
Insolent
answer
arrogant; audaciously rude or disrespectful; impertinent
question
Imperious
answer
Arrogantly domineering or overbearing
question
Strident
answer
Loud, harsh, grating, or shrill; discordant
question
Importune
answer
To annoy; vex; to plead or urge irksomely, often persistently
question
Chiasmus
answer
A reversal in the order of two otherwise parallel phrases
question
Incredulous
answer
Unwilling to admit or accept what is offerred as true; disclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical; indication or showing unbelief
question
Vex
answer
To irritate; annoy; to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry
question
Prescient
answer
Having knowledge of events or things before they exist or happen; having foresight
question
Condescend
answer
To behave as if one is superior in rank, position, or dignity; to regard another as an inferior
question
Resigned
answer
Submissive or aquiescent
question
Jocular
answer
given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; waggish; facetious
question
Mordant
answer
Sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker
question
Felicity
answer
The state of being happy, especially in a high degree; bliss
question
Insipid
answer
Without distinctive, interesting, or stipulating qualities; vapid
question
Mortified
answer
To humiliate or shame, as by injury to one's pride or self-respect
question
Entreaty
answer
Earnest request or petition; supplication
question
Substantial
answer
Of ample or considerable amount, quantity, size
question
Filial
answer
Of, pertaining to, or befitting a son or daughter; noting or having the relation of a child to a parent
question
Equanimity
answer
Mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness
question
Despicable
answer
Deserving to be despised; contemptible
question
Familial
answer
Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a family
question
Vituperation
answer
Verbal abuse or castigation; violent deninciation or condemnation
question
Magnanimous
answer
Generouse in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfullness or vindictiveness; high-minded; noble
question
Disdainful
answer
scornful and contemptuous
question
Patronize
answer
to treat in a condescending manner
question
Why have authors continued to tell the story of King Arthur? What makes it so entertaining that it is still retold today?
answer
-containes elements of fantasy and mystery -suspenseful -contains humor -highly visual -strongly moral
question
Legend
answer
-an imaginative story handed down for generations and believed to have some historical basis -w/ retelling variations occur -gives information about values and lifestyles of the culture that originated the legend
question
Romance
answer
-a medieval verse narative chronicling the adventures od a brave knight or other hero who must undertake a quest and overcome great danger for love of a noble lady or high ideals
question
Major Elements (of a romance)
answer
-a near perfect hero -an evil enemy -a quest (3 stages) -a test of the hero -supernatural elements -good vs evil -female figures who are usually maidens (in need of rescue), mothers, crones (a withered witch-like old woman), or temptresses -usually written in verse narrative -usually set in the past
question
Minor Elements (of a romance)
answer
-a faithful follower -a wise old man -dreams that may predict the future -the use of the number 3 -betrayal
question
Allegory
answer
-a story in which the characters, settings, and events stand for abstract or moral concepts -has two meanings: literal and symbolic -popular in the Middle Ages
question
What does Arthur dream on Trinity Sunday?
answer
Dream 1: King Arthur is sitting in a chair made of expensive gold cloth. Below him there is a depp black water that is full of serpents. He falls into the water and the serpents attack him. He wakes up screaming. Dream 2: In the second dream Sir Gawain comes to King Arthur. Sir Gawain says that if King Arthur battles Mordred, as is planned, then he will die and so will most of their men. Sir Gawain urges Arthur to sign a treaty with Mordred and put off the fight for a month and a day, because in a month Lancelot will be there and he will be able to slay Mordred for King Arthur.
question
What agreement is made with Mordred?
answer
-King Arthur send Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere and two bishops to make a treaty with Mordred for a month. King Arthur tells them to give Mordred whatever he wants as long as they think it is reasonable. -Mordred is given Cornwall and Kent and after King Arthur dies he will be given all of England
question
Where does King Arthur go after the treaty is made? Why?
answer
King Arthur goes to the field to meet with Mordred about the treaty. They both bring 14 men with them.
question
What warning does Arthur give to his men before they meet Mordred on the field?
answer
Arthur tells his men that if they see any sword drawn kill Mordred becuase he does not trust him. Mordred tells his men the same thing about King Arthur.
question
What incident begins the battle?
answer
A snake (adder) comes out of a bush and bites one of the Knights on the foot. He raises his sword to kill the snake, but King Arthur told his men if a sword was raised by any of Mordred's men then they would fight.
question
What is Arthur's reaction to the beginning of the battle?
answer
Arthur says "alas this unhappy day"
question
How long was the battle? How many men were lost?
answer
The battle was all day long. 100,000 men died in the battle
question
What is Arthur's reaction to the loss of men?
answer
He is mad with rage
question
Which of King Arthur's knights are still living?
answer
Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere are still living but they are badly injured
question
What advice does Sir Lucan give to his King concerning Mordred?
answer
-Sir Lucan says "Sir let him be, for he is unlucky for you" -He reminds King Arthur of his dream and says that he will die if he fights Mordred, he says that King Arthur is lucky he is still alive
question
Describe the fight between Arthur and Mordred.
answer
Arthur stabs Mordred under his shield. Mordred hits King Arthur on the head and it goes through his helmet and his brain is oozing of of his head. Mordred "dashed down stark dead to the earth"
question
What is the noise Arthur hears from the battlefield?
answer
He hears robbers looting the dead bodies, and the Knights that were not all dead the robbers killed them and then took their things.
question
What happens to Sir Lucan?
answer
The King had fainted so Sir Lucan and Sir Bedivere picked him up to move him. When Sir Lucan lifts him up he himself faints and his guts fall out of him and his heart bursts and he dies. When Arthur awakes, Sir Lucan is foaming at the mouth.
question
What instructions does Arthur give to Sir Bedivere concerning is sword, Excalibur?
answer
Arthur tells Sir Bedivere to throw his sword in the lake. King Arthur knows that he needs to give the sword back to the Lady of the Lake before he dies.
question
Why does Sir Bedivere not follow Arthurs instructions?
answer
Sir Bedivere does not follow Arthur's instructions because he thinks it is a waste to get rid of something so beautiful. He wants to keep it in remembrance of King Arthur.
question
What sight does Sir Bedivere behold when he throws Excalibur into the lake?
answer
An arm and hand comes out of the water and grabs the sword and brandishes it three times before going back into the water.
question
Who takes Arthur's body away?
answer
The Queen and some fair ladies (3) take Arthur away on a barge.
question
What is Sir Bedivere to do while Arthur is healing in Avilion?
answer
Arthur tells him to pray for his soul.
question
What news does the hermit tell Sir Bedivere?
answer
The Hermit tells Sir Bedivere that last night the Queen and 3 ladies brought him a dead body and begged him to bury it.
question
Who is the hermit?
answer
The hermit is the old Archbishop of Canterbury.
question
What request does Bedivere make of the hermit?
answer
Bedivere asks the hermit to let him live there so that he can spend his life in prayer for Arthur.
question
At the end of the tale who is speaking?
answer
The Hermit
question
What is written on Arthur's tomb?
answer
"Here lies Arthur, the once and future king"
question
When Queen Guenevere learns of the battles results, what does she do? How does she change?
answer
-She becomes a nun and never does another sinful thing again. -She was virtuously changed.
question
What are the three stages of a quest?
answer
1. a dangerous journey 2. a central test or ordeal to determine if the hero has the qualities of a hero 3. return to the point from which the journey began
question
English Theater
answer
-began in the medeival church (Catholic Church) -the clergy began inserting dialougue into the mass to make religious services more meaningful and impressive -these miniature dramas, much expanded, became miracle/mystery plays
question
Miracle/ Mystery Plays
answer
-Bible verses acted out -dramtized incidents from the Bible
question
Morality Plays
answer
-they grew out of miracle plays -when the plays moved outdoors they lost their connection with the church -became popular forms of entertainment -performed on wagons so they could be moved from place to place -there is a struggle between good and evil -they are allegorical (characters appear as absract virtues and vices) -characters are one dimensional -didatic (intended to teach) -the audience was usually a middle class town, many were illiterate -author is anonymous
question
Everyman
answer
-short play > 900 lines -deals with salvation of the soul as death approaches -4 differents copies of Everyman survived (2 whole, one damaged, one fragmentery) -Britwell copy is the text most used now -written in the Middle Ages
question
What is an interpretation of the story Everyman?
answer
-an interpretation of this story is an allegory of christian redemption -the Catholic church had a lot of power/ influence up until Henry VIII
question
What is the function of the messenger?
answer
-introducing the what the play is about -title of play -type of play (it is a morality play)
question
Transitory
answer
existing breifly
question
What is God's attitude towards the people?
answer
-"I could do no more" -he is frustrated, weary, not please with the state of creation -all people care about is money -he alluds to crucifiaxtion
question
What are the seven deadly sins? Which ones does God mention?
answer
-greed, wrath, pride, guttony, coveting, sloth, and envy -He mentions wrath, pride, gluttony, and coveting
question
What does God say about the sins?
answer
-we have made them commendable -he sees us getting worse -b/c of mankinds behavior he is going to have a reckoning (he will show everyman a pilgirmage he must take {life to death})
question
What is Everyman's reaction to Death?
answer
-he wants to put it off (give me 12 more years, give me another day, wait unitl tomorrow)
question
What line is said directly to the audience?
answer
-line 220 -"Into thy hands, O greatest of powers, I commend my spirit forever." -Everyman is speaking
question
There are two allusions made in this play, one is to crucifixation. What is the other?
answer
-there is an allusion made to Adam -"For Adam's sin must die of nature"
question
What happens to Everyman?
answer
-he goes to Heaven -his good deeds go with him
question
What is the function of the theologian?
answer
-He sums it all up -He tells the audience: to listen to what is being said, goods deeds stay with you, be careful becuase after you die you cannot change the past, there are only two places to go after death (heaven or hell), we never know when death will come, we need to be accountable for what we do on Earth
question
Remeber
answer
-go over chart - go over Study Guide for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
question
When did Chaucer live? Where is he buried?
answer
-1343-1400 -Westminster Abbey
question
What is he called? Why?
answer
-The Father of English Poetry b/c he amde the english language respectable (up until then the respesctable language was latin)
question
What do we know about his personal life?
answer
-he was born into a middle class family in the early 1340s -his father was a wine merchant -Chaucer read a lot and had some legal training -married Phillipa and had two children -served as a soldier in the 100 Years War and was captured in France -was important enough to have the King contribute to his ransom
question
What do we know about his professional life?
answer
-he was a well known gov't official who worked under three kings (Edward III, Richard III, Henry IV) -was given many awards for his service to the crown -he was appointed Justice of the Peace in the county of Kent and he served in Parliament -his work took precedence over writing
question
What writers influenced Chaucer?
answer
-Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio
question
When did he begin the Canterbury Tales?
answer
-1387-1400 -it is thought to be one of the greatest works in the English language -wrote 22 tales in 5 years
question
What is the dominate meter of the Canterbury Tales?
answer
iambic pentimeter
question
What is a pilgrimage?
answer
-a religious journey made to a shrine or holy place -it is an expression of devotion and faith -in one year more than 100,000 persons went on a pilgrimage -often traveled in groups for companionship and protection
question
Where are the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales going? how far? when? where do the begin?
answer
-start at the Tabard Inn outside of London and they are going to the Shrine of Martyr Saint Thomas A. Becket at Canterbury Cathedral -55 miles to the SE -takes place in the spring
question
Who tells the story?
answer
a poet-pilgrim narrator whom many consider to be Chaucer himself
question
Explain the importance of the Prologue.
answer
-the prologue establishes the setting and describes "archetypal time of new life and awakening" -introduces all of the pilgrims, where they are going and why
question
Who and what do the pilgrims represent?
answer
they represent "everyman" because they come from all walks of life ans social classes
question
Characterization
answer
-the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character How it is done: -by telling us exactly what a character is like -by describing how the character looks and dresses -by presenting the character's words and actions -by revealing the character's private thoughts and feelings -by showing how other people respond to the character
question
Frame Story
answer
a story that includes any number of different narratives
question
"What is so great about the Canterbury Tales?" Explain John Gardner's quote.
answer
-defends ones virtue and charity -attacks ferouciously, again and again, self-righteousness -theme never changes: God is love and so is man at his best and evil is not love
question
Describe Chaucer's style of writing.
answer
1. use of the vernacular -everyday language in London and the East Midlands -gave repsectability in English 2.Use of iambic pentimeter -10 syllables/ line (stressed and unstressed) -many of his lines actually have 11 syllables, in these cases the unstressed syllable appears at the end of the line creating a weak/ soft ending -rythym that most closely matched how people spoke -became most popular metrical pattern in English 3. use of couplets -couplets: two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme -used open and closed couplets
question
What is the frame for the Canterbury Tales?
answer
-Pilgrimage from Tabard Inn in Southwark to Canterbury -each Pilgrim would tell two stories in the way there and two on the way back -120 stories total However... -Chaucer died and only left 22 tales, 1 unfinished and one barley started -since nobody knows what order he intended them to be in 19th century scholars placed the stories into groups in an order that created a consistent and continuous narrative
question
Direct Characterization
answer
the author tells the reader about the character's personality; to describe the person's traits or qualities
question
Indirect Characterization
answer
author allows the reader to discover what a charcater is like by appearance, actions, speech, private thoughts, and responses of other characters
question
Satire
answer
writing that ridicules human weakness, vice or folly in order to bring about social reform; close relative of irony; uses irony to accomplish its purpose
question
Why were pilgrimages a popular pastime in the Middle Ages?
answer
-improve chances of salvation -gain healing touch supposedly found in the relics of saints -to atone for their sins -to avoid the shame of publicly confessing thier sins at home -most historians also agree that people went on pilgrimages just b/c they wanted to travel, meet new people, and perhaps escape the drugdery of their daily lives
question
What kind of road did the Pilgrims travel on to Canterbury?
answer
-a Roman road -you can still travel on this road today but it bears little resemblance to the rural road w/ hay fields on either side -the pilgrims called the road "slough" because it was very muddy
question
Physiognomy
answer
the art and science of discovering the predominant temper, and other characteristic qualities of the mind, by the outward appearance, especially by the features of the face
question
Ramlike appearance
answer
strength
question
Sowlike appearance
answer
dirtiness
question
Foxlike appearance
answer
slyness
question
Goatlike appearance
answer
lechery
question
Thin, fastidious type
answer
bed temper, irritability
question
Flaring or open nostrils
answer
passion
question
Pus-filled sores
answer
lechery and drunkenness
question
High forehead
answer
intelligence, breeding
question
White neck
answer
looseness, immortality
question
Woman with a gap between her teeth
answer
travel far, bold, especially suited for love
question
Irony
answer
contrast or discrepancy between expectation and reality
question
Exemplum
answer
anecdote or example inserted into a sermon or to teach a moral lesson
question
Personification
answer
gives human qualities to something non-human
question
What does Chaucer satirize?
answer
-corruption in the church -corrupt people -greedy people -fat people
question
Knight
answer
-the narrator admires him -he follows chivalry -he has won all 15 battles he has been in -he is wearing a dark fustian tunic that is stained -he is modest -he has fine horses -he is anachronisitic b/c Knights no longer existed during Chaucer's time
question
Squire
answer
-he is 20 years old -he is a lover and a fighter -he sings and plays the flute all day and chases after girls at night -he spends all of his money on girls and clothes -his gown was short and had long, wide sleeves -he is the Knight's son and attendant -he is in the second stage of Knighthood
question
Yeoman
answer
-he wore a coat with a hood of green -his face was brown -he knew a lot about woodcraft and was a proper forester -he wore a medal of St. Christopher (the patron saint of travelers) -he was a Knight's servant -later Yeoman became landowners and occupied the class just below the gentry
question
Nun
answer
-prioress (mother superior), she was in charge of convent and other nuns and was under oath not to leave her charges -tool vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience -obese (shows wealth) -she had good manners -she was fake -he weakness was her dogs, she fed them well and got emotional if something bad happened to them -she wore a coral bracelet/ trinket, coral means defense against worldy temptations as well as a love charm -represents corruption within the church
question
Monk
answer
-his sleeves were garnished at the hand with fine grey fur, the finest of the land -he liked to go hunting -he was a member of a religious order, took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience -he lived in a monastery -he liked to eat, he was obese (sign of wealth and affluence) -he represents corruption within the church
question
Friar
answer
-obese (sign of wealth and affluence) -wanton > means jolly but also lustfullness -he represents corruption for a couple of reasons: he scammed people, he had loose morals, he gave easy penances if you paid him off -took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience -his job was to go into the world as a beggar for the church, preach, help the poor and cure the sick
question
Merchant
answer
-he gave financial advice to others even though he was in debt
question
Oxford Cleric
answer
-he was religious, poor (he spent all of his money on school) and his only care was to study -his horse was rake thin -in order to enter a medeival university students had to join a minor religious order of the church and after they were expected to seek secular employment outside of the church -books cost a fortune during this time period because the printing press had not yet been invented
question
Serjeant at the Law
answer
-he seemed busier than he actually was -like an attorney general -he wore a homely particolored coat (colorful clothing is a sign of wealth) with a silken belt -one of the select group of lawyers who served as one of the king's advisors
question
Franklin
answer
-a well-to-do landowner but not of the nobility -lived for pleasure (the narrator didn't like him because he was a pleasure seeker) -he liked food and changed his dish according to the time of year -medeival britons usually only ate two meals a day > a mid-morning dinner and an early evening supper, the Franklin also ate sop (a mixture of wine, almond, milk, ginger, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and the spiced mace poured over bread) for breakfast -he was the sheriff
question
The Craftsmen (A haberdasher, a dyer, a carpenter, a weaver, and a carpet-maker)
answer
-a haberdasher is the seller of men's clothing and accessories -they were a guild fraternity -guilds: organizations of trades people who taught there trade to apprentices -they were a powerful economic force, they controlled the quality and price of the goods they sold) -they were supported by their wives because their wives liked it when their husbands made a lot of money becuase they liked being of the upper elite
question
Cook
answer
-he made really good food but he had an ulcer on his knee
question
Skipper (Shipman or Shipper)
answer
-he was from Darthmouth, a coastal shipping town on the English Channel -it was known for its piracy and for the brutality of its sailors -he made his prisoners walk the plank
question
Doctor
answer
-he knew a lot about medicine and surgery and he liked astronomy -he was the perfect praticing physician -doctors of the middle ages beleived the twelve signs of zodiac affected the different parts of the body and that the body contained four kinds of fluids also influenced by the starts that dictated treatment and physical appearance (this might explain Chaucer's attention to appearance)
question
Wife of Bathe
answer
-she is a seamstress -she had five husbands -she had been to Jerusalem, Rome, Boulogne, Compostella, and Cologne -she had gap teeth (considered attractive) -she was slightly deaf (could be an actual physical ailment or it could be becuase she is ignorant and puts herself up on a pedastool) -some critics think that the Wife of Bathe is based on Chaucer's paternal grandmother who had three husbands
question
The Parson
answer
-there was never a better Priest (the narrator likes him) -"He hated cursing to extort a fee" the Parson would not tell his parishoners they were going to hell just to get them to buy an indulgence, this also refers to the corrupt practice of threatening people with ex-communitcation and damnation unless they paid a fee -"Then if gold rusts, what will iron do?" Priests are supossed to be better than laymen, if Priests are corrupt how can regular people be good? -he set an example for his parishoners -he did his job, he didn't pay someone else to and he kept his vows (he lived in poverty)
question
Plowman
answer
-also a good guy -he was smelly -he worked hard -he was trustworthy, honest, and charitable -he followed the Bible -he paid his "tithes" in full when they were due (he paid taxes on 10% of his earnings and on what he owned) (I think it is like taxes) -Chaucer's portrait may refer to the poem "Piers the Plowman" written in the 1300s by William Langland, in the poem the plowman is an instrument of salvation is his community -Chaucer's description is remarkable since the wrtitings of his contemporaries ridiculed peasants
question
The Miller
answer
-strong and big (224 lbs) -his nostrils were always flared b/c he is often angry -his mighty mouth was like a furnace door (he had a big mouth and bad breath) -Chaucer plays on the medeival saying "an honest miller has a golden thumb", this expression implies that most Millers overcharge their customers by putting their thumbs on the scale
question
The Manciple
answer
-minor employee whose principal duty was to purchase provisions for a college or law firm -he could "wipe their eye" meaning he could make fools of his bosses -even though he was illiterate he was smarter than a lot of the people there
question
The Reeve
answer
-serf who was the steward of a manor, he sat that the estate's work was done and that everything was accounted for, he imposed fines on the workers if he found anything wrong -he was old and choleric (meaning he had too much yellow bile which was thought to give you a bad temper) -he came from Norfolk
question
Summoner
answer
-he was a low ranking officer who summoned people to appear in court -in this time period it was illegal to have intercourse outside of marriage so the Summoner had to find offenders and deliver them to the Archdeacon for punishment -he had carbuncles on his face (pus-filled skin inflammations) that made children afraid of him -his eyes were narrow and he had black scabby eyebrows and a thin beard -he was a drunk -he liked onions, garlic, and leeks -he used the phrase "Questio quid juris"
question
The Pardoner
answer
-excels in fraud -he rode with the Summoner -he had waxy yellow hair and dreadlocks -he had the same voice a goat has got -he had a hat on his head that had a holy relic on it -he had a bunch of fake holy relics -he was a gelding mare > he had either been castrated or he was actually a woman -he is described "gentle" > gentle means upper class not kind -long hair was a violation of the rule that men who worked for the church should wear their hair tonsured (short with a shaved spot on the top as a symbol of humility) -he brought pardons (indulgences) from Rome and tries to sell them through out the journey -he was a good singer
question
What do the three members of the church have in common?
answer
1. weight 2. interest in worldly possessions 3. not adhering to vows
question
What is the narrator's opinion of the church memebrs?
answer
disgusted by corruption within the church
question
The Host
answer
-comes up with the idea that everyone will tell one story on the way to Canterbury and one on the way back -they will choose who tells the first story by picking straws -whoever wins will get a mealat the Tavern paid for by everyone else -anyone who does not go by the rules has to pay for the money they spend on the way
question
What are some themes in the Canterbury Tales?
answer
-corruption in the Church -God is love and so is man at his best and evil is non-love
question
Ballad
answer
a song or songlike poem that tells a story; came from old french meaning "dancing song"; passed down orally, poetry of the people
question
Characteristics of a Ballad
answer
1. Sensational, sordid, or tragic subject matter (domestic tragedy, false love, true love, the absurdity of husband-wife relationships, the supernatural, adventure, jealousy) 2. Have a strong, simple beat (a regular pattern of rythym and rhyme) 3. Incremental repitition (repitition of lines with a new element introduced each time to advance the story until a climax is reached, used to build suspense) 4. Refrain (a repeated word, phrase, line or group of lines) 5. Use of conventional phrases (understood by listeners to have meaning beyond their literal ones) 6. Omission of details 7. Supernatural events 8. Format (chronological or question and answer)
question
Folk Ballad
answer
-composed by anonymous singers and are passed down orally from generation to generation before they are written down (often several versions)
question
Lietary Ballads
answer
-are composed and written down by known poets -usually in the style of folk ballads
question
Ballad Stanza
answer
-became standard with literary ballads -a four line stanza (quatrain) -four stressed syllables (1st and 3rd lines) -three stressed syllables (2nd and 4th lines) -rhyme scheme is usually abcb
question
Summary of Lord Randall
answer
Randall comes home after eating dinner with his true love. He is really tired and his mom thinks he was poisoned.
question
Summary of Edward, Edward
answer
A son is talking to his mother and he killed his father. As his penance he is going to leave and sail somewhere far away. He is going to leave all of his land and belongings to rot. He says he is going to leave his wife and children to beg for life and he blames his mother for what happened (his mother told him/ made him kill his father).
question
Summary of Get up and Bar the Door
answer
Husband and wife are going to play the quiet game, whoever loses has to get up and close the door. In the middle of the night two men come in and eat all of their food. One of the men says he is going to kiss the wife and the other says he is going to shave the husband's beard. The husband talks first and loses the bet, the wife does a little victory dance and the husband closes the door.
question
The description of an armored knight as a "terrible worm in an iron cocoon" is appropriate because...
answer
armored knights were as isolated as cocooned worms
question
What is one reason wearing armor could be dangerous?
answer
when a knight would lean down to get a drink from say a lake the ground could crumble a little and he could drown b/c his armor was so heavy
question
The comparison of a knight to an upside-down turtle is...
answer
a simile
question
Courtier means a person who...
answer
provides entertainment
question
The main influence of the design of a knights armor was...
answer
weapons
question
How much did armor weigh?
answer
120 lbs
question
In addition to wearing armor, what weapons did a knight carry?
answer
sword, mace, lance, dagger, battle ax
question
chivalry
answer
knight's code of ethics
question
Sir Lancelot
answer
a famous knight
question
Decline of knighthood
answer
around the 1400s
question
Military
answer
most important part of training to be a knight
question
Chain-mail shirt
answer
worn by a knight
question
Troubadours
answer
medeival singers
question
Success in battle
answer
final step necessary to become a knight
question
A squire
answer
a young boy in the second stage of becoming a knight
question
A page
answer
age when a young boy began training
question
One reason for the decline of knighthood was...
answer
longbos and guns
question
In addition to fighting, other skills a young man learned before he became a knight...
answer
falconry, chess, reading
question
How does the institution of knighthood reflect the social system of feudalism?
answer
-Both are pyramids -Feudalism (king, nobles, clergy, vassels, serfs, slaves, women) -System of Knighthood (knight, squire, pages)
question
What are some modern versions we have about knighthood and chivalry? Why do you think we still tell stories of the knights?
answer
ex. King Arthur, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Mighty Python, Spamelot (broadway musical), some TV shows and movies Why? -people like action and adventure -idealistic
question
What years are referred to as the Middle Ages?
answer
1066-1485
question
According to C.S. Lewis, what characterized a medeival man?
answer
an orgainizer, a codifier (one who arranges laws or rules into a systematic code), a builder of systems
question
What is significant about Oct. 1066?
answer
a daylong battle that changed history occurred (Battle of Hastings)
question
Why did William feel he had a claim to the throne?
answer
Edward the Confessor promised him the throne
question
List the contributions of the Normans
answer
William was duke, brought England into mainstream European civilization in a new way
question
Identify the Domesday book and its purpose
answer
The Domesday Book is one of Medieval England's greatest treasures. The Domesday Book is closely linked with William the Conqueror's attempt to dominate Medieval England. Along with a string of castles throughout England, the Domesday Book was to give William huge authority in England.
question
Why is feudalism referred to as "pyramid power"?
answer
population and rank made a pyramid shape
question
What was the role of women during the Middle Ages? Compare to the Anglo-Saxons.
answer
-no political rights, job was to care for home and children -Anglo-Saoxn women had rights and could own/inherit property
question
Explain the concept of Courtly Love
answer
acting in the name of a lady made a knight braver
question
What did chivalry give rise to?
answer
an idealized idea towards women
question
As population centers shifted to cities, people were freed to pursue what two interests?
answer
art and
question
When were the crusades? What was the purpose?
answer
-1095-1270 -Christians vs Muslims fighting for Holy Land and Jerusalem
question
In what four areas did Europeans benefit from their contact with the Middle East?
answer
mathematics, astronomy, architecture, crafts
question
Who was Thomas Beckett? What effects did his murder have?
answer
-he was a chancellor under Henry III -he sided with the Pope a lot so he was killed -weakend the King
question
List four ways the church had a positive effect on cultural unity.
answer
system of belief and symbol, center of learning, latin was the national language, pope was powerful
question
For England what was a positive result of the Hundred Years War? Why?
answer
-Emergence of Yeoman class -modern, democratic England was born
question
What happened to old ideals of chivalry?
answer
lived only in stories
question
What was the impact of the bubonic plague?
answer
reduced population by 1/3
question
In addition to the plague, what else contributed to changes in medeival England?
answer
caused a labor shortage > serf's to freedom, end of feudalism
question
_____ was the last Anglo-Saxon king.
answer
Harold III
question
Harold III claimed the throne upn the death of his brother-in-law, ______.
answer
Edward
question
The Anglo-Saxons had come from ______ over 500 years before the Norman invasion.
answer
Denmark and Germany
question
The Anglo-Saxons had taken advantage of the collapse of the _______ to plunder England before settling there.
answer
Roman Empire
question
The focus of Anglo-Saxon life was the ______ where the whole community could gather for meetings and celebrations.
answer
Great Hall
question
Anglo-Saxon _____ held positions of status and importance.
answer
poets
question
Immortality was thought to be achieved by doing _____ and being recognized for them.
answer
great deeds
question
Archaeological information shows the Saxons had a ______ culture.
answer
refined and sophisticated
question
In 1939, an archaeologist discovered the remnants of a large _____ at Sutton Hoo.
answer
ship
question
The discovery showed that that Saxons traded with countries as distant as ______.
answer
Eygpt and Greece
question
When did the Anglo-Saxon period occur?
answer
449-1066
question
In what areas has the English culture had a great influence on America?
answer
government, literature, language, and law
question
What six peoples invaded England at this time?
answer
Iberians, Celts, Romans, Angles and Saxons, Vikings, and Normans
question
What affects might a series of invasions - one every 3-500 years have on a culture?
answer
the people become adaptable and tolerant of different religions and languages
question
What are the characteristics of the Celtic religion?
answer
-animism (the belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe) -the celts saw spirits everywhere -spirits controlled all aspects of life and had to be constantly pleased -sometimes ritual dances and human sacrifices were called for the spirits -druids were the "go between"
question
What are the characteristics of the Celtic literature?
answer
-a lot of myths about heroes or values -different from Anglo-Saxon myths > there were a lot of strong women instead of strong men -full of fantastic animals, passionate love affairs, and fabulous adventures -fairytales, imaginative, "leap into the sunlight" -influenced for many generations later (Mallory and Yates were influenced by Celtic literature)
question
When did the Romans control England, and what influence did they have?
answer
-55 B.C.- A.D. 409 -the Celtic religion vanished, Christianity took its place -when the Romans left England it became very susceptible to attack -the Romans built a network of roads and a 73 mile long wall
question
When did the Anglo-Saxons come? From where?
answer
-the Anglo-Saxons came from Germany in the middle of the 5th century -the Anglo-Saxon language began to dominate -Celts retreated into Wales -traces of Celtic religion and literature still exist (the Legend of Arthur)
question
What were the major contributions of King Alfred of Wessex?
answer
-he united the country -he led the Anglo-Saxons against the Danes -the treay of Wedmore in 878 ended Danish raids and brought peace -King Alfred the Great (only English ruler to be honored with that epithet) -he was a patron of learning -he encouraged rebirth of learning and education -brought learned men and teachers to Wessex -promoted the use of the English language -translates Latin works into Anglo-Saxon englsih
question
What was the influence of Christianity? Its importance?
answer
-helped unify the Anglo-Saxons > provided a common faith and system of morality -linked England to Europe
question
What was the position of women in the Anglo-Saxon culture?
answer
-women had rights! -women were able to inherit land and retained control over their property even if they were married -a prospective husband had to give a woman a morgengifu (morning-gift) of money and land and she was allowed to do whatever she wanted with it -Christianity offerred women oppurtunities > they could join religious communities and become powerful abbessess (like a nun)
question
What was discovered at Sutton Hoo? Explain its signifigance.
answer
-Sutton-Hoo was a ship grave that showed that the Anglo-Saxons were not barbaric -gold, silver, bronze -a warrior's sword, purse coins, helmet, buckle, serving vessels, and herp were found
question
What was basic to Anglo-Saxon life?
answer
-loyal dependency -the culture was built around this code -a warrior pledged himself to a leader, he was to remain loyal to the leader until death, leader would reward his followers with riches -warriors were expected to avenge their leaders death or die beside him and it was shameful not to
question
What qualities did the Anglo-Saxon religion emphasize?
answer
-they were more concerned with ethics than mysticism -emphasized virtues like bravery, courage, generosity, loyalty, and friendship -believed in fate (wyrd)
question
What was the function of the bard (scop/ poet) in Anglo-Saxon society?
answer
-they sang of gods and heroes -sang to the strumming of harp -perserved fame in the collective memory -scops > professional minstrels -gleemen > the assitants -literature was an oral tradition -a performance could be hours or days long -only 30,000 lines of Anglo-Saxon poetry exist
question
What was life like in Ireland in the 5th century?
answer
-not overrun by Germanic invaders -in 432 all of Celtic Ireland was converted to Christianity by Patricius -Ireland experience a Golden Age
question
What was the importance of Christian monastaries?
answer
-served as centers of learning -preserved Latin and Greek classics along with popular works of literature
question
What did the Anglo-Saxon class system look like?
answer
-King (chieftan) or a council of elders -Earls > hereditary class of ruling warlords who owed their position to the king -Freeman > allowed to own land and engage in commerce -Thanes (early barons) > granted status for military service -Churls (serfs) > bonded servants who worked the land in return for protection -Thralls (slaves) > military prisoners or peopl being punished
question
Heroic
answer
recounts the achievements of warriors involved in great battles
question
Elegaic
answer
sorrowful laments that lourn the death of loved ones and/or the loss of the past (a type of lyric poetry)
question
The Venerable Bede
answer
-673-735 -father of english history -english cleric -Bede's Ecclesiastial History of the English People > best account we have of early Anglo-Saxon times
question
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
answer
-begun in 891 -from the beginning of Christian era until 1154 -first important prose (anything not poetry) in English
question
Beowulf
answer
-first great work of English national literature -England's national epic -come out of oral tradition -relatively short 3200 lines -composed in 700-750 but depicts early 6th century -written down in 1000 (the version that has come down to us) -Beowulf is the only character who does not appear anywhere but this epic
question
Epic
answer
a long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society
question
What are the characteristics of an epic?
answer
-setting is vast -formal tone and diction -plot involves supernatural beings and a dangerous journey or quest -story reflects timless values -deals with universal themes -has a MALE hero who reflects the ideal characteristics of his society
question
Epic Hero
answer
central figure who has superior qualitites and risks personal danger to pursue a grand quest
question
What are the characteristics of an epic hero?
answer
-male, of noble birth or legendary importance -character traits reflect values of society -actions determine fate for all -delivers long, formal speeches -on a quest -ethical -risks death for glory and greater good of all -strong, responsible leader -superhuman qualities
question
Berserkr
answer
literally means bear or bare shirt
question
The eighteenth century English church's prayer about the Vikings implies that most English people...
answer
-"God deliver us from the fury of the northmen" -people feared Viking attacks
question
What does the literal meaning of the Old Norse word beserkr suggest?
answer
Viking warriors probably fought without armor
question
According to the selection, which of the folowing statements describes one theory about why some Vikings were savage warriors?
answer
They may have eaten hallucinogenic plants
question
What is the best description of the Vikings' attack strategy?
answer
startle and overpower
question
Which of the following factors did not contribute to the Vikings' ability to surprise their enemy?
answer
they used sophisticated weapons (not true, they often fought with their hands)
question
The Vikings braved ____ seas in pursuit of land that they could settle and farm.
answer
-unfamiliar -they experienced overcrowding in their homeland so many people left
question
The Vikings were a somewhat ____ people, establishing communities in faraway Greenland and Iceland and visiting North America five centuries before Columbus did.
answer
nomadic
question
It was the Vikings' extraordinary ____ skills that enabled their successful journeys to such ____ destinations.
answer
maritime... remote
question
The average person who lived in Europe during the Middle Ages was...
answer
malnourished and impoverished
question
Europeans who lived during the turn of the first century did not fear the millenium (1000) because...
answer
their world was already so miserable that the future did not worry them
question
In 999 most of Europe was covered by dangerous, wild and ____ forests.
answer
inhospitable
question
Although serfs lived lives of ____, numerous church holidays offerred them temporary ____ from their labor.
answer
drugery... respite
question
Medieval lords lived in castles, but peasants were ____ to primitive, simple huts.
answer
consigned
question
What are some of Grendel's characteristics and where does he live?
answer
1. exiled, banished, monster, murderer 2. lives in a dark, desolate lair
question
What are some of Hrothgar's characterisitcs and where does he live?
answer
1. convivial, loyal 2. lives in a noisy, joyous hall, the Herot
question
What is the setting and characters of Beowulf symbolic of?
answer
good and evil
question
Dual Authorship
answer
-Beowulf is an example of dual authorship -it was translated by a Christian monk so there are pagan and christian aspects in this story
question
Wergild
answer
-man payment/ man price -in Anglo-Saxon and Germanic law, a price set upon a person's life on the basis of rank and paid as compensation by the family of a slayer to the kindred or lord of a slain person to free the culprit of further punishment or obligation and to prevent a blood feud
question
Foil
answer
a character who sets off another chracter by contrast, contrast emphasizes the difference of the two chracters bringing out destinctive qualities in each ex. Beowulf and Unferth
question
Alliteration
answer
repitition of a consonant sounds in words that are close to one another
question
Kenning
answer
a special kind of metaphor that uses compound words, prepositional phrases, or possessiveness to name a person, place, thing or event ex. "sea-road" "winters of grief" "ocean's face"
question
Caesura
answer
a pause or break within a line of poetry usually indicated by the natural rythym of the language
question
Point of View
answer
vantage point from which a writer tells a story
question
First Person POV
answer
-narrator is a character of the story -uses pronoun I -tells his or her experiences but cannot reveal any other characters private thoughts -reader hears and sees what the narrator hears and sees -may or may not be objective
question
Limited Third Person POV
answer
-narrator is outside the story -tells story from vanatge point of only one character -narrator can enter the mind of this chosen character- cannot tell what any other character is thinking except by observation -narrator can only go where the chosen character can go
question
Omniscient (all knowing) Third Person POV
answer
-outside of the story -knows everything that is going on inside the story -a godlike observer who can tell us what all the characters are thinking and feeling as well as what is happening anywhere in the story
question
The Seafarer
answer
-from the Exeter Book -manuscripts of miscellaneaous Anglo-Saxon poems dating from around 940 AD -copied in 975 AD -now preserved at Exeter Cathedral in England
question
Anglo-Saxon Riddles
answer
-found in Exeter Book -90-96 riddles
question
Riddles
answer
-generally short, puzzle-like poems in which the reader is invited to identify an object, animal, natural phenomenom, or process that is described in s mysterious and sometimes playful way -encourage people to see things in a new or different way -purpose > entertain, train the mind, educate
question
Structure and Style of Riddles
answer
-1 to over 100 lines -four-stress lines -alliteration -Kennings -formal language -vary in literary sophistication and style
