English Literature Test 1 (Chapters 1-2) – Flashcards

poetry It was not written, but rather recited or sung

Caedmon

Medieval romance by The Pearl Poet. Manuscript containing four poems; The Pearl, Purity, Patience, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

John Wycliffe

-William the Conqueror invaded England from Normandy (France) in 1066. -Literature written in English was not to be found for a hundred years after the Norman Invasion. -William Caxton set up the first printing press in England in the 1470s.

Venerable Bede

strong metaphorical expressions

stressing certain words or syllables

abrupt break in the middle of each line

(example) was a short tale or anecdote told to teach a lesson.

strong metaphorical expressions

(of poetry) expressing the writer's emotions, usually briefly and in stanzas or recognized forms.

a form of writing based primarily on the adventures of various knights and often abounding in the supernatural

plays dealing with legends of saints

plays on biblical subjects (emerged as the most popular form)

plays preformed on a movable platform called a 'pageant' or pageant wagon.

a short narrative folk song which tells of a single (usually tragic) event in an objective, unbiased manner

a. Beowulf, Grendel, Grendel's mother b. Sir John Graeme, John's servant, Barbra Allen, Barbra's mother c. Joseph and Mary, Baby Jesus d. Goodwife, Goodman, two strangers e. King Arthur, Sir Bedivere, a hand that came out of the lake, three women in black (one of them a queen), a hermit f. Three brothers, their friends corpse, young boy who they asked about the corpse, Death, and old man who warned them

The Pearl Poet : Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Geoffrey Chaucer : The Canterbury Tales. The Pardoner's Tale Thomas Malory : Morte Darthur Unknown : Bonny Barbra, Bar the Door, Cherry-Tree, Everyman

Traditional qualities of an epic: - It is about a great national hero - It is written in lofty language - It contains supernatural elements - It explores the struggle of good and evil Beowulf is the oldest surviving epic of any Germanic people. Struggling against three incarnations of evil, he has all the characteristics of a warrior. He was courageous and noble. Defender of the people. He was a person willing to face any and all odds. Along with his strength and courage, he is still humble and is balanced with humility.