ENGLISH FINAL 2025 SPRING - BOEHM

Themes in Pride and Prejudice

-Pride

-Prejudice

-Family

-Marriage

-Social Class

Elizabeth (Eliza, Lizzy) Bennet

The second daughter in the Bennet family, and the most intelligent and quick-witted, Elizabeth is the protagonist of Pride and Prejudice and one of the most well-known female characters in English literature. Her admirable qualities are numerous—she is lovely, clever, and, in a novel defined by dialogue, she converses as brilliantly as anyone. Her honesty, virtue, and lively wit enable her to rise above the nonsense and bad behavior that pervade her class-bound and often spiteful society.

Jane Bennet

Elizabeth's elder and most adored sister. She is very beautiful and sweet and never thinks ill of anyone. She is in love with Mr. Bingley and they later marry.

Mary Bennet

The middle Bennet daughter, she is plain and quiet. She tends to play piano all the time and doesn't get much attention.

Kitty Bennet

The fourth Bennet sister. Like Lydia, she is girlishly enthralled with the soldiers.

Lydia Bennet

Youngest

-Outspoken, irresponsible daughter

-She is an incessant talker who is "untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless" (Chapter 51).

--is enthralled with the young military officers stationed at Meryton and eventually runs away with George Wickham.

Mr. Bennet

Father of the Bennet girls who is humorous and enjoys annoying his wife.

Mrs. Bennet

Mr. Bennet's wife, a foolish, noisy woman whose only goal in life is to see her daughters married. Because of her low breeding and often unbecoming behavior, Mrs. Bennet often repels the very suitors whom she tries to attract for her daughters. Is very happy when a daughter marries.

Mr. Bingley

Darcy's considerably wealthy best friend. Bingley's purchase of Netherfield, an estate near the Bennets, serves as the impetus for the novel. He is a genial, well-intentioned gentleman, whose easygoing nature contrasts with Darcy's initially discourteous demeanor. He is blissfully uncaring about class differences and later marries Jane.

Mr. Darcy (Fitzwilliam Darcy)

Son of a wealthy family and has a big inheritance with a grand estate. Talks badly about Elizabeth causing prejudice to be between them. He proposes once and is rejected from Eliza, but the second time he succeeds and they get married.

Mr. Wickham

A handsome, fortune-hunting militia officer. Wickham's good looks and charm attract Elizabeth initially, but Darcy's revelation about Wickham's disreputable past clues her in to his true nature and simultaneously draws her closer to Darcy. He manipulates Lydia and they both end up married to each other.

Mr. Collins

a preacher who is the Bennet's cousin and heir to their estate, he proposes to Elizabeth but ends up marrying Charlotte after she turns him down

Charlotte Lucas

Elizabeth's dear friend. Pragmatic where Elizabeth is romantic, and also six years older than Elizabeth, Charlotte does not view love as the most vital component of a marriage. She is more interested in having a comfortable home. Thus, when Mr. Collins proposes, she accepts.

Satire

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize, and/or correct people's stupidity, folly, or vices

Comedy of manners

-Uses elements of satire to ridicule or expose behaviors, manners, flaws, and morals of members of the middle or upper class.

-Incorporates love affairs, witty and comical exchanges between characters, and the humorous revelation of societal scandals and intrigues.

-Witty banter between characters.

Epistolary novel

a novel written as a series of letters

Realism

A 19th century artistic movement in which writers and painters sought to show life as it is rather than life as it should be

Dialogue

the most vivid and important part of the novel

Historical background to Jane Austen

-Sharp social commentary

-Real, interesting heroines

-Gained fame in the early 1800s

-Born 1775, died 1817 (age 41)

-Published four novels during her life and two after her death

-Family was lower middle class but had links to the landed gentry.

-Family valued education and storytelling

-Jane started writing stories at 12.

-Never married but had romance.

What were the four novels that were published during Jane Austen's life?

-Sense & Sensibility (1811)

-Pride & Prejudice (1813)

-Mansfield Park (1814)

-Emma (1816)

What were the two novels published after Jane Austen's death?

-Northanger Abbey & Persuasion (1818)

Historical background to Regency England

-Regency Era = 1795-1830

-Called this because King George III was seen unfit to rule because of his "madness". His son George IV ruled in his place as a proxy, prince regent.

-This time has important social, political, technological, and economic change.

-Seen by specific trends in British art, architecture, literature, fashion, politics, and culture.

Themes in Othello

-Destructive Nature of Jealousy

-Importance of Honor and Reputation

-Being an Outsider

-Appearance vs. Reality

-Loyalty vs. Treachery

Othello

-Cultural and racial outsider to Venice.

-Soldier and leader.

-Falls in love with Desdemona and they get married in secret.

-Gets insanely jealous in the end and kills his wife, Desdemona.

Desdemona

-Othello's wife, daughter of Brabantio.

-Very sweet and can be persuasive.

-Tries to intercede on Cassio's behalf after he is fired from the army.

-Ends up being strangled to death due to her love for Othello.

Iago

-Villainous man.

-Extremely cunning and manipulative. Can get what he wants when he wants it.

-Angry against Cassio for "stealing" a promotion from him.

-Pits Othello against Cassio with double meaning. Almost gets Cassio killed as a result.

-He is the major cause for the main conflict in Othello.

Emilia

-Sweet, loyal, maid to Desdemona,

-Gives advice when she can, but is a puppet to Iago's schemes.

-Married to Iago.

-Is very value to the topic of women being vulnerable and valuable to their husbands.

-Outs Iago's plot in front of everyone, getting her killed, but she dies next to her mistress, Desdemona.

Roderigo

-A jealous suitor of Desdemona.

-Young, rich, and foolish, Roderigo is convinced that if he gives Iago all of his money, Iago will help him win Desdemona's hand.

-Repeatedly frustrated as Othello marries Desdemona and then takes her to Cyprus.

-Roderigo is ultimately desperate enough to agree to help Iago kill Cassio after Iago points out that Cassio is another potential rival for Desdemona.

Cassio

-Othello's lieutenant.

-______ is a young and inexperienced soldier, whose high position is much resented by Iago.

-Truly devoted to Othello, _____ is extremely ashamed after being implicated in a drunken brawl on Cyprus and losing his place as lieutenant.

-Iago uses ______ youth, good looks, and friendship with Desdemona to play on Othello's insecurities about Desdemona's fidelity.

Bianca

-A courtesan, or prostitute, in Cyprus.

-Bianca's favorite customer is Cassio, who teases her with promises of marriage.

Elements of tragedy

-"with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions."

-"tragic flaw," or hamartia, a character fault such as excess pride, ambition, stubbornness, or jealousy.

-His tragic flaw causes him to make a big mistake, leading to his downfall.

Plot structure of tragedy

1.) Exposition

2.) Inciting Force

3.) Hamartia

4.) Crisis

5.) Tragic Force

6.) Moment of Final Suspense

7.) Catastrophe

8.) Glimpse of Restored Order

Exposition

setting the stage

Inciting Force

An incident that introduces the conflict and sets in motion the rising action of the play.

Hamartia

The tragic figure suffers from a tragic flaw in his character. Leads to their tragic downfall

Crisis

Turning point in the fortunes of the tragic protagonist, the consequences of hamartia serving to compound the situation.

Tragic Force

Following closely after the crisis, the incident intensifies the downfall of the tragic heroine and sets the motion for the falling action and denouncement of the play.

Moment of Final Suspense

For a brief moment it appears as though the protagonist will actually escape his or her tragic downfall after all.

Catastrophe

The death of the protagonist. In all of Shakespeare's plays the tragic figures die.

Glimpse of Restored Order

Shakespeare's tragedies never end with the death of the protagonist; there is always the introduction of a new social order, a new harmony in society. For this reason they are not considered nihilistic or depressing.

Themes of Brother I'm Dying

-Birth and Death

-Family and Memory

-Separation

-Immigration

-Folktales and Legends

Uncle Jospeh

-Preacher in Haiti

-Older brother to Mira

-Takes care of Edwidge and Bob when their parents go to New York.

-Later gets into trouble with local gangs because of a misunderstanding.

-Ends up dying in the Krome Detention Center due to a possible seizure after having his medicine taken away.

-Is buried in New York.

Tante Denise

-Wife to Uncle Jospeh

-Has Maxo with Jospeh

-Helps take care of Edwidge and Bob.

-Leans into the feminine traditional role in the family.

-Later dies of a stroke and is buried in Haiti.

Edwidge Danticat

-Haitian-American author to Brother, I'm Dying

-Grows up in Haiti but later moves to the US with her brother, Bob to be with their parents.

-Moves to Miami, Florida with her husband after she is married.

-She is about a month pregnant when her father is announced terminally ill, and is pregnant through the chapters of the book.

-Towards the end Uncle Jospeh dies a few months before she was to deliver.

-Has her baby named Mira (after her father) and her father dies about a month after.

Bob Danticat

-Younger brother to Edwidge

-Lives in Haiti for most of his childhood, but goes to the US with Edwidge to be with their parents.

-Lives in New York, with his wife and kids to help take care of his parents.

Andre "Mira" Danticat

-Father to Edwidge

-Leaves Haiti while Edwidge and Bob are still very young, to the US.

-Tries to convince Jospeh to move to the US with him.

-Has a sickness that makes him more weak and ill as the book went on.

-Dies about a month after Edwidge has her baby.

Rose Souvenance

-Wife to Mira

-Mira leaves to the US but does not return. This leaves Rose worried and without a husband, so she goes after him.

-Leaves Edwidge and Bob in the care of Uncle Jospeh.

-Returns back to Haiti with their father and two little boys.

-Helps take care of Mira in his final months in New York.

Kelly Danticat

-The first american-born child of Edwige's parents and looked most like the dad.

-Due to immigration laws (at the time), they could now move the the US permanently because they had a child born there.

-He wonders if Bob and Edwige are his real siblings (he doed not remember visiting them in Haiti as a little boy).

Karl Danticat

-Youngest brother; immediately loved Edwige and would not let her go when she came to America.

-In present day, Edwige and him bond over having children.

Memoir

-narrative, written from the perspective of the author, about an important part of their life.

-Comes from the Anglo-French word memorie, meaning "something written to be kept in mind."

-Differences with autobiographies.

Psyche

-Name means mind, soul. Symbolic to the meaning of love.

-Is the woman that Cupid falls in love with.

-Is known for her beauty but could never make anyone stay. Venus is jealous of this beauty and as a result wants her dead.

-Cupid is supposed to kill her but he falls in love and invites her to his mansion house in the woods.

-Sisters convince her the lover she has will kill her so Psyche will kill first. Psyche almost does, but is surprised to find Cupid so she doesn't.

-He flees and Psyche goes after him. First she most go through trials by Venus, and almost dies.

-She doesn't and is saved by Cupid where they marry in front of the gods and have children.

Thisbe

-Falls in love with Pyramis through a crack in the wall.

-They agree to meet but she runs away when she sees a lion.

-Pyramis believes she is dead when she sees the veil on the floor and then he kills himself. She sees this and follows suit.

Eurydice

-Wife of Orpheus

-Dies on her wedding day by the bite of a snake.

-Is resurrected in the underworld and has to follow Orpheus. However, he can not look at her.

-Orpheus looks at Eurydice too early and she goes back to the underworld.

Galatea

-a maiden who was first a sculpture created by Pygmalion

-Brought to life by touch from Aphrodite in answer to Pygmalion's prayers.

-Marries Pygmalion and has a son together

Europa

-A woman of high lineage, from whom the name of the continent Europe has ultimately been taken.

-She was abducted by Zeus in the form of a white bull.

-Carried to the island of Crete where she would give Zeus "Great Sons"

Io

-Heifer cow cursed by Hera after Zeus falls in love with her.

-Is eventually turned back human by Zeus and she is given a son.

Echo

-Nymph

-Falls in love with Narcissus, but cannot talk to him without him talking first.

-She was cursed to only talk when spoken to.

Daphne

-huntress that did not marry and was a worshiper to Artemis.

-was taking a bath when Apollo found her and fell in love.

-Ran away and Apollo chased and turned her into a laurel tree.

-She is known as victory as a result.

Narcissus

-a beautiful young man

-Cursed to fall in love with his own reflection

-Scorner of love and eventually dies and is turned into a flower.

Adonis

-Found by Aphrodite at his birth and is taken away with her.

-Lives between Aphrodite and Persephone because of who would take charge of him.

-Zeus declared he would spend half the year with each.

-Aphrodite only wanted to please him.

-Was eventually gorged by a bear on her watch and died in her arms.

Jason - MAJOR FEATS

-Won the Quest of the Golden Fleece

-Got back the kingdom that was taken from him

Jason - ROMATIC PARTNERS

-Medea

-Princess from another Greek Kingdom

Jason - CONNECTIONS

-Hercules

-Orpheus

-Castor

-Pollux

-Peleus

-Hera

-Zeus

-Aphrodite

-Cupid

-Medea

Perseus - MAJOR FEATS

-Killing Medusa

-Freeing a Kingdom

-Heir to a Kingdom

Perseus - ROMATIC PARTNERS

-Andromeda

Perseus - CONNECTIONS

-Hermes

-Athena

-Zeus

-Gray Women

-Gorgons

-Hercules

-Electryon

Theseus - MAJOR FEATS

-Slaying the Minotaur that was agonizing people from Athens

-Becoming King and making a commonwealth

Theseus - ROMATIC PARTNERS

-Ariadne, helped him escape the maze.

-Antiope, daughter of the Amazons. She gave him a son.

-Phaedra

Theseus - CONNECTIONS

-Hippolytus

-King Aegean

-King Pirithoüs of Lapithae

-Hades

-Hercules

-Persephone

Hercules - MAJOR FEATS

-Strangling two snakes in his crib.

-Killing the Thespian Lion at the age of 18.

-Fighting a conquering the Minyans.

-Killed the lion of Nemea

-Killed the nine-headed creature called the Hydra.

-Brought back an alive stag sacred to Artemis.

-Captured a great boar with a lair on Mount Erymanthus.

-Cleaned the stables of the Augean.

-Drove away the Stymphalian.

-Get the beautiful bull from Minos that was from Poseidon.

-Get man-eating mares from King Diomedes of Thrace.

-Get the girdle from the Queen of the Amazons.

-Bring back the cattle of Geryon (three bodied monster).

-Brought back the Golden Apples of Hesperides.

-Freed Theseus from the Chair of Forgetfulness.

-Bringing back a friend's wife from the dead.

Hercules - CONNECTIONS

-Zeus

-Apollo

-Theseus

-King of Mycenae

-Athena

-Pluto

-Hera

Hercules - ROMANTIC PARTNERS

-Princess Megara

-Princess Deianiera

-Daughter of Hera, Hebe

Atalanta - MAJOR FEATS

-Killed two Centaurs when she was young.

-Killed a boar with her arrows.

Atalanta - CONNECTIONS

-Good relationship with the gods because of her personality.

-Zeus or Aphrodite

-Many suitors in her city.

-Has a son named Parthenopaeus

Atalanta - ROMANTIC PARTNERS

-named Melanion (Milanion) or Hippomenes

Aeneas - MAJOR FEATS

-Defeated an opposing city on entering his country

-Believed to be the real founder of Rome

-Founded the Roman race

Aeneas - CONNECTIONS

-Venus (Aphrodite)

-Neptune (Poseidon)

-Jupiter (Zeus)

-Mercury (Hermes)

Aeneas - ROMANTIC PARTNERS

-Married the daughter of a powerful king

-Queen Dido

-Lavinia

Title Conventions

- Source titles appear in italics or quotation marks

- Capitalize letters

- double-spaced

MLA Format

- 1" margins

- Times New Roman

- 12 Point Font

- Double Space

MLA Citations

- In text citations are written using the author's last name and page number.

Sentence Structure

the arrangement of the parts of a sentence.

-Simple

-Compound

-Complex

-Compound-complex

Grammar

in a language, a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others

Punctuation

the marks, such as period, comma, and parentheses, used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning.

Capitalization

writing in capital letters, using a capital letter at the start of certain words.

They completed Twelve Labors.

Hercules

They were cursed to never speak for themselves, but only to repeat what others say.

Echo

They came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse.

Odysseus

They abandoned a queen and founded Rome.

Aeneas

They fell in love with their own reflection.

Narcissus

They said "She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / And I loved her that she did pity them. / This only is the witchcraft I have used" (I.iii.166-68).

Othello

They said "For when my outward action doth demonstrate / The native act and figure of my heart / In complement extern,'tis not long after / But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve / For daws to peck at; I am not what I am" (I.i.58-62).

Iago

The significance of the willow song.

It tells the story of a woman who remained faithful to her cruel love

hey said "Mens natures wrangle with inferior things, / Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so. / For let our finger ache, and it endues / Our other, healthful members even to a sense / Of pain" (III.iv.144-48).

Desdemona

Four pieces of evidence that Iago claims

prove Desdemona is cheating.

1) Desdemona tries to help Cassio,

2) Cassio has Desdemona's handkerchief,

3) Desdemona lied to her father,

4) Cassio said Desdemona's name in his sleep,

5) Desdemona went "against her nature" by falling for Othello.

They asked Mira "Have you enjoyed your life?" (Danticat 20).

Bob

Danticat's favorite memory of Granme Melina?

Haitian folktales

Danticat's gift from her father

upon her arrival in the United States.

typewriter

The reason Joseph's neighbors

turned against him in October 2004.

They think he allowed the police to shoot at

neighborhood people from the roof of his church

Joseph's statement to Danticat

when she was a child and he nearly died.

"let the stars fall"