British Literature Exam Review: Works, Genres, Authors, and Themes

Vocabulary practice flashcards identifying the author, genre/form, and key ideas of literary works from Old English hymns to Renaissance drama and sonnets.

Caedmon’s Hymn

A Christian hymn portraying God as a Holy Creator, known for the lines: “Now we ought to praise Heaven-kingdom’s guardian, / the Maker’s might and his mind’s thoughts…”

Abbess Hild of Whitby

An Ecclesiastical History text written by Bede that addresses the social conditions and realities of the era, church history, and women’s church roles.

The Wanderer

An elegy and lyric poem by an unknown author exploring the concept that Wyrd (Fate) is fully fixed, featuring imagery of exile, storms, and destroyed buildings, and conveying a moral of self control and temperance.

The Wife’s Lament

A lament poem and elegy by an unknown author detailing isolation, love, and loss, centered on exile from a husband ('my lord') and residing in a miserable dwelling.

The Dream of the Rood

A heroic poem and elegy by an unknown author depicting a personified struggling cross and presenting Christ as victor.

Bisclavret (The Werewolf)

A lai (short romance narrative poem) by Marie de France exploring exterior appearance vs. internal truth, clothing as a symbol, and treachery.

The Canterbury Tales: The General Prologue

A satirical poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer focusing on a pilgrimage that brings various types of people together.

The Man of Law’s Tale

A moral, religious poem by Geoffrey Chaucer centered on conversion and the power of faith.

The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd

A lyric reply poem by Sir Walter Ralegh emphasizing realism and the idea that time destroys all, featuring the line: “my mind might move to live with thee.”

The Bait

A reply poem and image poem by John Donne that utilizes image poetry and an extended metaphor of fish.

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love

A pastoral lyric poem by Christopher Marlowe that presents themes of idealism, love and leisure, and carpe diem.

To the Virtuous Reader

A preface to her book written by Amelia Lanyer addressing the issue of women speaking down on themselves.

Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women

A proto-feminist poem by Amelia Lanyer arguing that the Fall was not Eve’s fault and that men’s faults are worse.

The Description of Cooke-ham

An occasion poem on the empty Cooke-ham house by Amelia Lanyer focusing on female relationships, joy and grief, and scripture references.

King Lear

A tragedy drama by William Shakespeare examining themes of justice, nature, power, and madness.

Inviting a Friend to Supper

A poetic letter written by Ben Johnson centered on the theme of modest hospitality.

To Penshurst

A country house poem by Ben Johnson contrasting surface vs. substance and highlighting generous hospitality.

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

A tragedy drama by Christopher Marlowe exploring good vs evil and the possibility of forgiveness.

Petrarch’s sonnets

Sonnets utilizing Shakespearean/English rhyme that explore the beauty vs grief of lost love using metaphors of a ship in a storm and deer hunting.

Shakespeare’s sonnets

Sonnets employing Shakespearean rhyme centered on the idea that time destroys love and brings death, but poetry lasts forever.