MIDTERMS - GREAT BOOKS

Fairy Tale

A fictional story involving magic, imaginary creatures, and a happy ending, first coined by Madame d’Aulnoy in the late 17th century.

Folklore

Traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community passed through generations, first defined by William Thoms in 1846.

Mabinogion

A collection of Welsh tales from the 14th century, considered the earliest prose literature of Britain.

Tales of Mother Goose

A collection of rewritten and original stories by French author Charles Perrault, published in 1697.

Kalevala

An epic poem celebrating Finnish folklore, compiled by Elias Lonnrot between 1835-1849.

Norwegian Folktales

A collection of Norwegian folk stories published by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in 1841.

The Bloody Chamber

A 1979 book by Angela Carter challenging traditional folktale portrayals of women.

Brothers Grimm

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German scholars known for collecting and preserving fairy tales and creating an early methodology for folklore studies.

Philology

The study of language in historical written sources, a field in which the Brothers Grimm were prominent.

Novel of Manners

A genre of fiction that portrays the social customs and behaviors of a specific group, emerging in England in the late 18th century.

Pamela

An early novel of manners by Samuel Richardson (1740), about a servant girl advancing in social rank.

Jane Eyre

A novel by Charlotte Brontë (1847) critiquing Victorian class divisions and expectations for women.

Vanity Fair

An 1847-1848 novel by William Makepeace Thackeray satirizing the deceit of social life through the character Becky Sharp.

The House of Mirth

A 1905 American novel by Edith Wharton reflecting social, economic, and moral constraints on women.

Elizabeth Bennet

The principal character in Pride and Prejudice, known for her intelligence and strong will.

Fitzwilliam Darcy

A wealthy, aristocratic character in Pride and Prejudice who overcomes his pride to win Elizabeth Bennet’s affection.

Jane Austen

An English novelist (1775–1817) known for works that satirize the social customs of the English gentry, including Pride and Prejudice.