British Literature Final Study Guide

What is an epic poem?

A long narrative poem that tells the story of a hero's adventures and reflects the values of the society.

What is an epic hero?

A hero of high rank and noble birth who embodies the ideals of society, performs superhuman deeds, whose actions determine the fate of a nation. The character appears in a vast setting, the action begins in medias res, and the hero addresses universal themes. Epic heroes often speak in long, formal speeches and encounter supernatural beings. They reflect timeless values such as courage and honor

What type of literature is Beowulf?

An Anglo-Saxon epic poem.

What time period does Beowulf take place in?

The early medieval period, specifically the Anglo-Saxon era.

What is satire?

The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or expose faults in society.

What is situational irony?

When a situation turns out the opposite of what is expected, often in a way that highlights absurdities or flaws. It is a form of irony used in satire to expose problems in individuals or society.

Example from class notes: A character may claim to be moral or religious, but their behavior shows vanity or greed—such as the Yeoman proudly displaying a religious medal more as a fashion piece than a sign of true devotion.

What is verbal irony?

Verbal irony is when someone says something but means the opposite, often to highlight absurdity, flaws, or hypocrisy. It’s a key technique in satire.

Example from class notes: A pilgrim might speak politely or piously while Chaucer describes actions that contradict those words, subtly mocking the character.

What is exaggeration in satire?

To enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond normal bounds to reveal its faults.

What is reversal in satire?

To present the opposite of the normal order.

What is incongruity in satire?

To present things that are out of place or absurd in relation to their surroundings.

What is physiognomy?

The belief that physical appearance, especially the face, reveals character traits.

What is a frame story?

A literary technique that contains a story within a story.

What is iambic pentameter?

A line of poetry with ten syllables, following an unstressed-stressed pattern.

What are heroic couplets?

Pairs of rhymed lines in iambic pentameter.

Who was Geoffrey Chaucer?

The author of The Canterbury Tales, known as the father of English literature.

Why did Chaucer write The Canterbury Tales?

To depict a wide range of characters and critique English society and the Church.

What is Chaucer's impact on literature?

“The Father of English Literature” because he was the first truly great English writer whose works reflected real people from all levels of society—not just kings or knights. He wrote in Middle English, helping it become the primary language of the court and literature. His major work, The Canterbury Tales, was innovative for using humorous realism, frame stories, and heroic couplets. Chaucer also pioneered poker-faced humor and used satire to criticize the flaws of medieval society, making literature more accessible and reflective of everyday people

What is a tragic hero?

A character of noble birth with a fatal flaw (hamartia) that leads to their downfall.

What is a fatal flaw (hamartia)?

A character trait that leads to the hero's downfall.

What is a dichotomy of good and evil?

A contrast between the forces of good and evil, often symbolized in characters.

What is fate and fortune in tragedy?

The idea that a person's destiny or chance events determine their fate.

What is a reversal of fortune?

When a character's circumstances dramatically change, often from good to bad.

What is foul revenge?

Seeking vengeance in an unjust or destructive manner.

What is a supernatural element?

Magical or unnatural occurrences that influence the plot.

What is a paradox?

A statement that contradicts itself but reveals a truth.

What is restoration of social order?

The return to peace and stability after the disruption caused by the tragic events.

Who was William Shakespeare?

An English playwright and poet from the Elizabethan era, author of Macbeth.

How does Elizabethan lifestyle relate to Macbeth?

Beliefs in fate, divine right, the supernatural, and the chain of being shape the characters' actions and themes.

What is Romanticism?

A literary movement in the late 18th to mid-19th century emphasizing emotion, nature, and the individual.

What is the 'awe of nature' in Romanticism?

Nature is seen as sublime—both beautiful and terrifying, inspiring wonder.

How is the supernatural used in Romantic literature?

To explore mystical, unknown forces beyond human understanding.

What is melancholy in Romanticism?

A reflective sadness often tied to longing, beauty, or loss.

What is introspection in Romanticism?

Focus on the inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the individual.

What is passion/intensity in Romanticism?

Emotions and instinct are prioritized over reason and logic.

How does Romanticism show rebellion and revolution?

Romantics supported social, political, and artistic freedom and defiance of traditional authority.

How are innocence and purity shown in Romanticism?

Romantics idealized childhood, nature, and purity of spirit.

What does 'longing for the past' mean in Romanticism?

Romantics often mourned a lost, simpler time and idealized earlier eras.

What historical events influenced the rise of Romanticism?

Romanticism was influenced by the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, and the French Revolution.

How did the Industrial Revolution impact society during the Romantic period?

It transformed England from an agricultural society into an industrial one, causing pollution, overpopulation in slums, and harsh working conditions—especially for women and children.

How did Romantic writers react to the Industrial Revolution?

They rejected industrialization's dehumanizing effects and instead emphasized nature, emotion, and individuality as a response to modern society.

What role did the French Revolution play in Romantic thought?

It initially inspired Romantic poets with its ideals of liberty and equality, but later disillusioned them due to the violence of the Reign of Terror, leading to themes of justice and rebellion.

What were the living and working conditions like during the Industrial Revolution?

Most workers faced low wages, dangerous factory jobs, and crowded slums filled with smoke and pollution.

How did Romanticism contrast with Enlightenment ideals?

While the Enlightenment emphasized reason, order, and science, Romanticism valued emotion, instinct, nature, imagination, and the individual.

How did the French Revolution influence Romanticism?

The French Revolution (1789-1799) was a major turning point in European politics that overthrew the monarchy and promoted liberty, equality, and fraternity. It initially inspired hope among Romantic poets who supported personal freedom and individual rights.

Who was William Blake?

A visionary poet and artist known for combining spiritual themes with political critique.

Who was William Wordsworth?

Known for celebrating nature and the common man in poems like "Tintern Abbey."

Who was Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

Known for supernatural themes and imagination in poems like "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

Who was Lord Byron?

A rebellious poet known for creating the "Byronic Hero" and his passionate lifestyle.

What is a Byronic Hero?

A brooding, intelligent, rebellious, and emotionally conflicted male character.

Who was Percy Shelley?

A radical thinker and poet who emphasized imagination and freedom.

Who was John Keats?

A poet of beauty, love, and mortality, known for rich imagery in works like "Ode to a Nightingale."

When do you use a semicolon?

To connect two independent clauses that are closely related.

What is parallel structure?

Using the same grammatical form for similar elements in a sentence.

What is a rule for comma usage?

Use commas after introductory elements and to separate items in a list.

Choose the sentence that uses a semicolon correctly.

I enjoy hiking; my brother prefers swimming.

Insert a semicolon where needed:

The storm intensified quickly the roads became dangerous in minutes.

The storm intensified quickly; the roads became dangerous in minutes.

Why is a semicolon preferable to a comma in this sentence?

Kelly studied hard all week; she aced the exam.

It links two closely related independent clauses without using a coordinating conjunction.

Identify the sentence with correct parallel structure.

The committee valued honesty, creativity, and hard work.

Revise for parallelism:

Miguel likes painting landscapes, to sketch portraits, and sculpting figures.

Miguel likes painting landscapes, sketching portraits, and sculpting figures.

Explain the parallel-structure error in this sentence:

Her goals are to graduate, finding a job, and travel the world.

The verb forms are inconsistent (to graduate / finding / travel); they should share the same grammatical form.

Where should commas be placed?

After the meeting we reviewed the budget projections and the timeline.

After the meeting, we reviewed the budget projections, and the timeline.

Which sentence correctly uses commas after an introductory element?

Because it was raining, we stayed indoors.

Explain why a comma is needed (or not) in the blank:

Lily ordered coffee ___ toast and fruit.

A comma is not needed because there are only two items (toast and fruit); commas separate three or more items in a list.

What is a simile?

A comparison using "like" or "as."

What is a metaphor?

A direct comparison between two unrelated things.

What is hyperbole?

An exaggeration/overstatement used for effect...to help draw out a comparison or establish an image/idea

What is personification?

Giving human qualities to non-human things.

What is imagery?

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

What is a theme?

A central message or insight about life in a literary work.

What is foreshadowing?

Hints or clues that suggest future events.

What is symbolism?

Using an object or action to represent a deeper meaning.

What is a soliloquy?

A speech by a character alone on stage, revealing inner thoughts.

What is an aside?

A short comment spoken by a character to the audience, unheard by others on stage.

What is dramatic irony?

When the audience knows something the characters do not.

How does Beowulf embody the values of Anglo-Saxon society? (in terms of epic hero)

He shows bravery, loyalty, strength, honor, and the pursuit of glory—core warrior virtues of the time.

Why is the theme of fate important in Beowulf?

Anglo-Saxons believed fate (wyrd) controlled life and death, and Beowulf accepts this, showing courage in the face of destiny.

How does Chaucer use satire to expose corruption in the Church?

By mocking the greed and hypocrisy of Church figures (like the Pardoner and Friar), Chaucer critiques the institution's moral decay.

How does the “frame story” structure of The Canterbury Tales enhance its message?

It allows Chaucer to present a range of social classes and views while criticizing societal flaws through the pilgrims' stories.

What does the use of physiognomy in the prologue reveal about medieval beliefs?

People believed physical traits reflected personality and morality, which Chaucer uses to both reflect and mock those assumptions.

How does Macbeth's ambition lead to his downfall?

His desire for power blinds him to morality and reason, leading him to murder, paranoia, and eventually death.

What role do the witches play in Macbeth's fate?

They spark his ambition by prophesying his rise, but it's Macbeth's choices that lead to his downfall, blending fate with free will.

How does Lady Macbeth influence Macbeth's descent?

She manipulates him into killing Duncan, questions his manhood, and then deteriorates mentally under the weight of guilt.

What is the symbolic meaning of blood in Macbeth?

Blood represents guilt and violence. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become consumed by it, showing their moral corruption.

How is nature portrayed differently in Romantic poetry than in earlier periods?

Nature is not just background—it's divine, powerful, healing, and symbolic of deeper emotional truths.

Why is childhood important to Romantic poets?

They saw children as pure, innocent, and uncorrupted by society—a state to admire and sometimes reclaim.

What's the significance of imagination in Romantic literature?

Romantics viewed imagination as a source of truth, creativity, and escape from rational limitations.

What’s the effect of dramatic irony in Macbeth?

It builds tension by letting the audience know more than the characters, especially about Macbeth's guilt and lies.

Who were the ‘fathers’ of the Romantic Movement/Romantic Poetry?

William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge

What is the “Lyrical Ballads” and why is this significant?

a foundational collection of poetry written by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It is significant because it introduced a new poetic style that emphasized nature, emotion, and the experiences of ordinary people, breaking away from the structured, rational forms of the eighteenth century. The collection is widely seen as the official beginning of English Romanticism.

Another definition for a Byronic Hero??

a character type created by Lord Byron, defined by moody restlessness, mysterious sins, and a rebellious sense of individualism. This figure often resists societal norms and reflects Byron’s own identity and behaviors, which he enjoyed projecting in both life and poetry, especially in his work Don Juan.

Who wrote “Don Juan” and why is this a significant piece of work?

written by Lord Byron and is considered one of the great long poems in the English language. It is significant because Byron used the poem to satirize political and societal norms and inserted himself into the work through the character of Don Juan. The poem is also notable for its bold critiques of other Romantic poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Southey.

“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (basic understanding of what it is about and who wrote it)

written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and tells the story of a sailor who brings a supernatural curse upon himself and his crew after killing an albatross. The poem explores themes of guilt, punishment, redemption, and the divine power of nature, using Gothic and supernatural imagery to create a sense of moral and spiritual reckoning.

Which poet was not originally recognized as a Romantic poet?

William Blake was not originally recognized as a Romantic poet during his lifetime. Although his work later inspired many Romantic poets, including Wordsworth and Coleridge, Blake's ideas and style were misunderstood by his contemporaries and only gained recognition after his death.

Which poets were part of the ‘first wave’ of this Romantic Period?

William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Blake came before the formal movement but laid its foundations, while Wordsworth and Coleridge are credited with starting the movement through Lyrical Ballads.

Which poets were part of the ‘second wave’ of the Romantic Period?

Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Keats. These poets followed the earlier generation and continued the Romantic tradition, often exploring themes such as emotion, nature, rebellion, and personal freedom in more intense and personal ways.

What is the Lake District, and why is this relevant?

a region in England where William Wordsworth was born and raised, specifically in Cockermouth, West Cumberland. This area is relevant to Romantic poetry because its natural beauty inspired Wordsworth's deep emotional connection to nature, which became central to his poetic themes and the broader Romantic movement.

Of these 6 poets, who are the ‘Lake Poets’?

, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are considered the "Lake Poets." They earned this name because they lived in or were strongly inspired by the Lake District, and their poetry reflects a deep appreciation for the natural landscape and its emotional power.

General understanding of “Ozymandias” and who wrote it

written by Percy Bysshe Shelley and describes a ruined statue of a once-powerful king in the desert. The poem critiques the impermanence of political power and authority, suggesting that even the greatest rulers are eventually forgotten. It emphasizes themes of rebellion against tradition, individualism, and the inevitable decay of human achievements.

Which poet thought and wrote a lot about death and mortality?

John Keats thought and wrote extensively about death and mortality, themes that were deeply influenced by his personal experiences, including the early deaths of his parents and his own struggle with tuberculosis. His poetry, such as Ode to a Nightingale, often reflects a longing for escape and explores the fleeting nature of life with emotional intensity and philosophical depth.

Which poet was best known for exploring supernatural and gothic themes in his work, particularly in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge