brit lit exam 1

alliterative line

2 half-lines where alliteratio is the focus instead of rhyme

medial caesura

pause in midst of poetic line

evidence of the orality of beowulf

use of alliterative line and medial caesura as mnemonic devices, verbal cues common to oral communication but not written text, repetition and narrative pattern

parallels between hrothgar and beowulf

exemplary and legendary kings, but represent different stages of leadership

purpose of parallels between hrothgar and beowulf

illustrate difference in sapientia and fortitudo

sapienta

“wisdom” — hrothgar, eventually beowulf

fortitudo

“fortitude” — beowulf

verse form of gawain

bob and wheel

how does the court of arthur serve as a model of chivalry?

upholds a code of honor emphasizing heroism, honesty, kindness, and generosity

exchange contracts in gawain

contract = one year, use of one year and one day ensures the test of gawain’s credibility

color and number system in gawain

reference cultural, religious, and thematic ideologies

3, number of completion; 5 sets of 5, gawain’s virtues

gold, purity and frailty; green, cycle of virtue and sin

complementary symbols of shield and sash in gawain

both symbols of protection, one representing chivalric reliance on Christ one representing selfish desire to save one’s own life

gawain as an ironic Christ figure

almost perfectly models Christ, but eventually could not commit to the most significant thing Jesus did

bertilak’s three hunts

deer, boar, fox (not beheaded)

lady’s temptations

sex, ring, sash

alliteration

frequent first sounds in a phrase to symbolize significance or induce interest

bob and wheel

poetic structure wherein the primary body is composed of alliterative lines that do not rhyme, followed by collection of lines that do rhyme and are often formatted differently

epic

genre of literature defined by its legendary acts, possession of little romance, and emphasis on the hero’s journey

henotheist

worships one primary god while acknowledging the presence of lesser gods

imagery

use of descriptive language to deepen literary meaning and further an audience’s understanding of the text

irony

use of the subversion of expectations to make a thematic point or to focus on stark contrast

symbolism

use of material or immaterial objects to stand in for a thematic idea

transitus mundi

“the passing away of the world”

weregild

economic price value assigned to an individual’s life, usually exchanged with a death

wyrd

“fate”, modern root of “weird”,