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Beowulf
An epic poem written in Old English, telling the story of a hero who slays the monster Grendel and his mother.
Kennings
Descriptive phrases used in Beowulf to describe people, often with hyphens and quotes.
Grendel
A monster who terrorizes King Hrothgar's mead-hall and is eventually killed by Beowulf.
Herot
King Hrothgar's mead-hall, where the Danes are tortured by Grendel for 12 years.
Grendel's Mother
The second monster Beowulf fights, who takes Grendel's arm and kills the King's right-hand man.
Wiglaf
The only man who stays and fights alongside Beowulf against the dragon.
Canterbury Tales
A collection of stories told by pilgrims on a journey to pay respect to Thomas Becket.
Harry Bailey
The host of the pilgrimage in Canterbury Tales.
The Knight
A character in Canterbury Tales who tells the first tale and is a skilled warrior.
The Pardoner
A character in Canterbury Tales who takes bribes and is morally corrupt.
The Wife of Bath
A character in Canterbury Tales who has had five husbands.
The Summoner
A character in Canterbury Tales who has acne and is responsible for summoning people to court.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
A medieval romance poem about a knight who accepts a challenge from a mysterious green knight.
King Arthur
The legendary king in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
The Green Knight
A mysterious character who challenges Sir Gawain to a beheading game.
A Modest Proposal
A satirical essay by Jonathan Swift suggesting that poor Irish children be eaten to solve the problem of poverty.
Marlowe - The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
A pastoral poem in which a shepherd offers simple pleasures to his love.
Raleigh - The Shutdown Poem
A poem written from the perspective of a cynical woman who does not believe in love.
Beowulf can best be described as a
brutal, barbaric, violent, and romantic area poem
What two groups of people first claimed Britain (then Briton)?
The Angles and Saxons
What kind of poem based on facts was told orally for a long time?
An Epic Poem
How many years were the Danes tortured by Grendel?
12 years
What religious figure is Grendel connected to?
Cain
What are the two reasons Grendel continuously attacks the Danes?
He is tired of the noise from the mead-hall and God banished his from society
Why does Beowulf go after Grendel’s mother?
She takes Grendel’s arm from the mead-hall
What does Beowulf receive as a trophy for killing Grendel and his mother?
Treasures and gold
How many years pass before Beowulf decides to go fight the dragon?
50 years
What happens to Beowulf’s sword when he is fighting the dragon?
The dragon melts the sword
Why does Beowulf die?
He has a neck wound
What is the ONE thing every hero knows is inevitable?
Death
What is alliteration?
Repetitive consonants
What is are metaphors?
Comparison not using like/as
What is are similes?
Comparisons using like/as
What are the main characteristics of epic heroes?
They hold society as their greatest importance, they go on quests, preform a heroic deed and their actions affect a large group of people
What does everyone do after Beowulf dies?
They build him a tower and ride on their horses in circles around it
Who are the pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales paying tribute to?
The martyr Thomas Becket
Where do the pilgrims meet to depart for their journey?
The Tabbard Inn
What was the most prevalant language during the Middle Ages?
Latin
What was the most popular literature during the Middle Ages?
Allegory
The Knight
He has been in a lot of battles, never leaves anyone alive, tells the first tale
The Doctor
Bases everything on astronomy
The Merchant
Geoffrey Chaucher cannot remember his name, he has a forked beard
The Miller
Was a wrestler
The Yeoman
The squire’s servant (robin hood type character)
The Franklin
Looks like Santa Claus
The Shipman (the sailor)
Cannot ride a horse
The Cook
Has an oozing ulcer on his knee
Who are the tradesmen?
Haberdasher
What are the tradesmen?
Dyer
What are the tradesmen?
Carpenter
What are the tradesmen?
Weaver
What are the tradesmen?
Carpet Maker
The Oxford Student
AKA The Clerk, based off of Chaucher
The Nun (Madame Eglantine)
Traveling with 3 priests and another nun
What is under the Oak Tree?
Death….
How do the young men decide to kill the younger one?
By stabbing him
How does the younger man decide to kill the two older ones?
By poisoning him
What challenge does the Green Knight present?
For someone to chop off his head, one blow, and then come find him a year a one day later to return the blow
The Green Knight is
Sarcastic and rude
What is the Green Knight’s real name?
Bertilak
One the second day
Gawain receives two kisses
What is the name of King Arthur’s castle?
Camelot
What is the green in the girdle symbolic of?
Gawain being a coward
Eating babies will also solve of the problem of
Too many Roman Catholics
What much money will each child be worth?
10 shillings
The shepherd never mentions
All of the negative things that could happen with his “passionate love”
What is a pastoral poem?
A poem that takes place in a pasture or out in nature
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