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Beowulf

Ghets warrior sent to help king hrothgar of danes defeat grendal to make a name for himself

Hrothgar

king of danes

Herot

mead hall that is attacked by grendal

Unfirth

one of Hrothgar’s men who is jealous of beowulf and brings up how he lost in a swimming contest

Hrunting

the sword Unferth gives Beowulf to fight Merewif

Grendel

descent of Caine, lives in swamp annoyed by loud parties and begins eating people at mead hall

Merewif

Grendel’s mom who seeks revenge

Dragon; began setting the city on fire after a thief stole the treasure he was protecting

Wiglaf

only loyal thane to help beowulf fight dragon

Chanson de geste

“a song of deeds” a traditional poem about nightly deeds/virtues. Traditional part of French literature, origin for courtly love stories.

Charlemange

the franks king and Holy Roman Emperor; leads the Christian army against the Saracens. Also Roland’s uncle

Einhard

Charlemagne’s real-life biographer (not a character in the poem, but historically connected).

Count Roland

ideal feudal knight. Suggests that Ganelon goes to take Marsilion’s offer since he keeps giving the king bad advice.

Oliver

virtue, prudence and good judgement. Says they are greatly outnumbered and Roland needs to blow the Oliphant. Roland refutes bc of ideal knight qualities, Oliver does that back and he listens.

Archbishop Turpin

Represents the clergy, he commends roland and oliver for both sides of their argument, absolves both men of the murder they are about to commit (if you wage war on behalf of god it is acceptable).

Ganelon

one of Charlemagne's vessels, antithetical character, traitor to country, family, alliance. Roland’s stepfather, and he is jealous of Roland because the King favors him. When he returns from the alliance making betrayal, he suggests that Roland stay with the rear guard of the army. Roland’s vessels come around him and the king weeps to leave him in danger. He dies horribly.

Durendal

the name of Roland’s sword,swords are knight’s most important tool shows the well being of a knight

First Crusade

Historical Christian war that the poem helped inspire through its themes of holy battle.

Roncevaux(Roncevaux Pass)

The mountain pass where Roland and his men make their final stand

Oliphant

a special horn, blowing will alert the king and turn the army around to aid help

Roland’s death

blows Oliphant with so much force that his temples burst from pressure (act of self sacrifice), roland breaks his sword bc he doesn’t want anyone unworthy to have it, makes an effort to die facing Spain (in his mind it means he would have conquered spain), considered a noble ideal death for a warrior.

Charlemagne's revenge

prays to god for vengeance (deus ex machina), Charlemagne and Marsilion meet, incompatible needs, Marsilion offers vesselage, Charlemagne offers Christian love (convert king to christianity).

Sir Gawain

youngest of Authur’s nephews knights who volunteers to play

King Arthur

says he won’t eat until something marvelous happens

Green Man

Green Knight

barges in with holly (peace) and axe (war), challenges a game of cutting off each other’s heads

Morgan le Fay

Arthur’s father seduced the queen of England, and Arthur was the son and now rules the kingdom, but she believes it belonged to her and her sister because they were the daughters of the king. all plotted by her, she thought no knight would volunteer and that Authur would, so she could take her revenge and kill him, but Gawain is her nephew and she didn’t want to kill him.

Bertilak

host of Hautdesert who allows Gawain to stay with them until he leaves to meet the Green Knight at the Green Chapel

Pentangle

5 knightly virtues--generosity, good fellowship, purity, courtesy, charity

Virgin Mary

so that only you can see it on the inside of the shield--reminds you of the afterlife, physical life is not as important→so that the knights have bravery

Deer

fast, skittish, timid--his reaction on the first day

Boar

more aggressive and likely to go at you rather than running away--his second day reaction where he is more aggressive and flirts back

Fox

sly and clever--third day he accepts sash because he wants to live, not because he loves her and does not admit any of this to Bertilak

Year and a day cycle

The time Gawain is given before facing the Green Knight again, symbolizing a complete test of character. Cyclical→will be back in 12 days of Christmas, this connects to the idea of rebirth and renewal, enough time to change a person.

The Canterbury Tales Author

Geoffrey Chaucer

Thomas a Becket

made archbishop of Canterbury by the king, they fight because the king wants him to go against his faith so Becket leaves to france to escape. The pope makes the king apologize. He returns and they fight again. 4 of king’s knights overhear him and take as a command to kill thomas, king executes those knights since killing the archbishop is a crime.

frame narrative. 2 years later pope considered thomas a saint bc he was martyred and held true against Henry's attempts to convier.

Knight

represents warrior class, most socially prominent, tells the first tale, comes back from the crusades (fought for god and his boss)

Prioress

head nun, nuns take vow of poverty and cast away worldly possessions. In this story she doesn’t seem like she follows those rules. “Love conquers all”--not about christianity but romance books. Has fancy jewelry, has dogs (chihauhaus--fashion statement not purpose), really cares about appearance, likely became a nun to cover up crazy things done

Monk

they take care of monasteries. In this story, he owns several horses, makes sure they have the best saddles, likes hunt and food, luxurious dress, very deep in worldly desires, acts against his vows

Friar

hears confessions and begs for Alms. Hears confessions, “it’s better to pay penance than praying.” whoever pays first and the most gets best aid first. His job distribute alms and care about sick. He was more acquainted in bars and hotels than his actual job. Best at his profession, hears a ton of confessions bc of his policy

Merchant

reflects rising middle class. Looks successful but really crazy in debt

Clerk

graduate student, most admired because he is making himself better by going to school at Oxford.

Sergeant of the Law

attorney (Chauser does not like attorneys), he acts more important than he actually is. Popular belief--lawyers are in it for the money

Franklin

owns a lot of land, is an epicurean (likes good food, wine), well liked among other pilgrims bc he is generous, experience with finer foods

The Guides

group of players, like unions based on professions, dress in the manner of their calling, cook travels with them--Haberdasher, Dyer, Weaver, Carpenter, Carpet Maker

Shipman

uncomfortable bc on land and not on a ship at sea. Took a vacation to go on pilgrimage

Doctor of Physic

made lots of money during the plague bc of special partnership with the apothecary. They told him who was sick first. Knowledgeable in what humors cause sickness

Wife of Bath

experienced in pilgrimage (more than anyone else in the group) and marriage (5x). Knows a lot of remedies for love.

Parson

ideal parish priest, poor in money but rich in thought and deed. Helps those in need. Would rather take money out of his own pocket than ask for donations.

Plowman

farmer, goes along with parson because he is the ideal Christian farmer. Lives in harmony, loves god with all his heart, gives when he has extra.

Miller

Brawny, strong, lusty party guy who plays the bagpipes

Manciple

Steward from London Law school, does books for the school (accountant), fakes accounting numbers to pocket money out of it, puts a nice sum aside for his retirements

Reeve

Manages a large estate (purchases supplies, pays the people, skims people out of money for himself little by little). Rides last because he has a bad temper.

Summoner

given a list of sinners and delivers a summor to the religious court. Looks horrible, bad skin and scares children. Loves to eat garlic, onion, drink strong red wine (he smells really bad). A good fellow though because it is easy to bribe him to turn away and not send sinners to court.

Pardoner

has ability to deal with simmers, with authority of rome, can pardon and excuse sin. Just came back from rome with a bag full of pardons (using them to sell to the highest bidder). Chaucer thinks he’s too feminine and most corrupt person there. Very good at his job, preaching, scares people into buying his pardons.

Harry Bailey

the host, innkeeper, likes good company and stories, very merry. He suggests to tell stories to pass time, winner will get a feast.

King Arthur

where the wife of bath’s tale takes place. He is asked what to do with his knight

Queen

says the crime was against women, so women will decide ruling, she gives him a quest to find out what do women want and a year to answer.

Knight (in the tale)

rapes a woman in the woods and country is furious bc not knightly behavior. Old women helps him in exchange for marriage. He answers with sovereignty is what women want and they all agree he is spared.

Crone

character archetype of an old woman who embodies a culmination of life experience, wisdom, and often has supernatural or magical associations

Exemplum

story that proves the point that the speaker is making

Dante

writer and protagonist of the story who travels through hell

Virgil

author of the Aeneid and Dante’s guide through hell, he is dead

Leopard

symbolizes Florence, worldly pleasure and worldlyness. Sins of malice and fraud, attempts to deceive/harm

Lion

think of france, king of france wants to take over florence, royalty, represents ambition

She-wolf

represents avarice--greed, particularly in terms of money. Dante sees it as the pope who is avaricious with money and power

Beatrice

the love of his life and a spirit in heaven who guides him

Sins of Incontinence

appetite, self indulgence, weak will, passion

Minos

guardian of the circle of Incontinence, he was an ancient greek ruler known for giving punishments, he doesn’t want to let Dantes in because he is still alive and has not confessed his sins yet.

Paolo and Francesca

adulters, suffer together in each others arms tossed around in winds

Cerebus

3-headed dog that guards the gluttons, he's the guard because always hungry

Plutus

Roman god of riches who guards circle of avarice of spendthrifts and misers

Dis

capital of Hell, city that contains lower hell

The Fates

Mythological figures controlling human destiny.Concept of destiny is central to the poem's theme of divine justice. The punishments in Hell are framed as the unavoidable and justified fate of the damned

Medusa

the furies try to prevent Dante from entering Dis, and call upon medusa’s head to turn him to stone but virgil protects him

Minotaur

guards 7th circle, by nature, bloody and violent

Centaur

guards 7th circle, prone to sudden violence

Capaneus

he thought he was so strong that zeus couldn’t even kill him so zeus sent down a thunderbolt, 7th circle sin of violence against god.

Easter Morning

when they get out of hell, symbolizes Dante’s rebirth, went into hell as a sinner, came out reborn free of sin

Four Humors

used leeches to take care of bile, uses a lot of blood. If they don’t get better, lots of leeches, lots of death, leads to black death.

Sanguine

blood

Phlegmatic

mucus (apathetic)

Melancholic

depressed, sad, black bile

Choleric

yellow bile, hangry

Black Death

Deadly pandemic in the 14th century that killed millions in Europe

Bubonic Plague

Form of the Black Death spread by fleas, causing swollen lymph nodes.

Pneumonic Plague

Airborne form of the plague affecting the lungs, highly contagious

Feudalism

main political system for middle ages, hierarchical. Warrior class, clerics, laborers. a political system based on land ownership and personal loyalty, where a monarch grants land to nobles in exchange for military service and other obligations.

Manorialism

the economic and social system of medieval Europe, based on a decentralized, agricultural economy in which a lord controlled a manor, or large estate.

Fief

a tract of land, Land granted by a lord to a vassal in return for loyalty and service.

Vassal

people who follow the king (ex-his greatest warriors) in exchange for protection or land

Vassalage

ceremony where vessels take an oath of Fealty

Fealty

loyalty, swearing to protect king and pay homage (respect/percent of everything they get)

Cycle Plays

based on bible material, performers mime actions, talking done by narrator, not much dialogue. Happened on holiday weekend. You didn’t move, the carts would move the story. May not get carts in the right order, depends where you sat.

Miracle Plays

lives of those who were martyred, saints, etc (other significant christians).

Morality Plays

Allegorical characters; characters represent something abstract. To teach lessons.