World Lit Exam 3

In St. Augustine's Confessions book 2, what does Augustine steal as a teenager?

A pear

But St. Augustine's Confessions book 2, why does the theft bug Augustine so much?

He didn't even want the item

In St. Augustine's Confessions, what heresy does book three confront?

Manichean

Describe St. Augustine

One of the first people to write a biography and do so successfully. Says he's not as innocent as one may think. Doesn't want to be controlled by laws. Mother famously prayed for him. Read one verse in the Bible and suddenly believes.

Describe the Mancheeians

The Universe was divided into the Spiritual Realm which was good, and the physical realm which was evil. They believed that Jesus was the Son of God (or of a god of good in any case), but they rejected the notion that Jesus ever took physical form. They may have influenced the thinking of St. Augustine since he had been a Manichean prior to his conversion to Christianity. And through St. Augustine influenced much of the course of Western Christianity.

"Thus, the infant's innocence lies in the weakness of his body and not in the infant mind." Describe the quote

St. Augustine is saying he is a sinful baby. Babies are not as innocent as you think

"Behold, now let my heart confess to thee what it was seeking there, when I was being gratuitously wanton, having no inducement to evil but the evil itself. It was foul, and I loved it. I loved my own undoing. I loved my error--not that for which I erred but the error itself. A depraved soul, falling away from security in thee to destruction in itself, seeking nothing from the shameful deed but shame itself." Describe the quote. BOOK 2

Augustine describes how he felt about stealing the pear. Augustine is saying that he can't be controlled by laws and that only he can control himself because he is after ultimate freedom.

"Who can unravel such a twisted and tangled knottiness?" Describe this quote.

Augustine doesn't know where to begin "unravel[ing] this twisted tangle of knots," but hey, the man who loves God "shall find his own best way of life." Too bad that this doesn't describe Augustine just yet; he's got some more sinnin' left to do.

Describe chapter 5 book 2 of st Augustine's confessions.

People like to have nice things, even if they can't. Life, says Augustine, is full of these nice, shiny possessions. But this stuff is "of the lowest order of good," because it distracts us from God, who is the nicest of nice things.

Describe book 3 of Augustine's confessions during the Manichaeans heresy.

At age 31, he hears the Clive of a child and he's not sure if he's hearing this. The voice says "toyla lala" which translates to "take up and read." He goes to the Bible and reads in Romans and says "its not in writing or partying, but its in christ jesus alone" and he becomes a believer.

Descrbie the time period St Augustines confessions were written.

354 AD- 430 AD. The church fathers was important to spreading the gospel in this time period. Father Neecha saw that Christianity changed the world and worldview of people, St Gerome translated the Bible to Latin so that people could read it.

In the Consolation of Philosophy, who is the first person to speak to the narrator? BOOK 1

Lady Philosophy

In the Consolation of Philosophy, after Boethius complains to Lady Philosophy, how does she react?

Accuses Boethius of having a disordered mind.

In the Consolation of Philosophy, according to Lady Philosophy, what is the nature of fortune?

Change

In the Consolation of Philosophy, in book 5, Boethius asks his guide if there is such a thing as chance. How does his guide respond? (Pick the answer that is the nearest paraphrase)

"No, God controls everything."

Describe Boethius

The protagonist of The Consolation of Philosophy is a slightly-fictionalized version of the author. Born in 477 C.E. just after the fall of the Roman Empire, Boethius was a philosopher who came to be seen as an intermediary between classical Greek philosophy and medieval Christianity. In the Consolation, Boethius is in prison contemplating his misfortune, writing sad poetry, and awaiting his execution when Philosophy visits to help him make sense of what has happened to him. Although he spent most of his life in service of the Ostrogothic King Theodoric, Boethius has now been accused of a treasonous conspiracy against Theodoric and sentenced to death. Similarly, although Boethius spent countless years studying Philosophy and learning her wisdom, he has seemingly forgotten her lessons and lost track of his "true nature." Throughout the Consolation, Boethius dialogues with Philosophy as a student with a teacher, and through their conversation he remembers that he should tie his happiness to his spiritual fulfillment and relationship with God, rather than the whims of Fortune. After working with Philosophy to resolve the problems of evil and free will in the last two Books, Boethius ends the Consolation with a renewed sense of self and purpose.

Describe Lady Philosophy

Boethius's "awe-inspiring" interlocutor in The Consolation of Philosophy is a benevolent female teacher, part human and part divine, who embodies the wisdom of Ancient Greek thinkers like Plato and Aristotle. Philosophy leads Boethius through a process of intellectual rediscovery, reminding him that his relationship to God and possession of reason are more important contributors to his happiness than the ups and downs of Fortune. Boethius explicitly connects Philosophy to the Greek philosophy and Paganism that his Roman contemporaries were rapidly forgetting—knowledge of Ancient Greek had essentially disappeared by Boethius's time, and Plato and Aristotle were only known partially, through hearsay and biased intermediaries, rather than in their original wholeness. To symbolize this erosion of wisdom, Boethius depicts Lady Philosophy wearing a beautiful, intricately-woven dress that has been forgotten and torn apart. She wears the Greek letters Pi (Π) and Theta (Θ) on her hemline, which stand for practical and theoretical philosophy, respectively. For the majority of the book, in alternating verse and prose, she assumes the same role in her dialogue with Boethius that Socrates always assumed in Plato's works: through leading questions, counterarguments, puzzles, and flashes of insight, she helps him make sense of his misery and confusion, and then leads him to the truth that promises to liberate him. As a character, then, Philosophy reveals Boethius's deep respect for and trust in Greek philosophy, and his well-founded worry about its disappearance, which ultimately provides him with the consolation he seeks. Whether a mystical vision, real person, a figure of Boethius's conscious imagination, or an allegorical personification of philosophical tradition, Philosophy has shown centuries of readers how to address profound personal questions and doubts through objective philosophical investigation. Endless references to her have appeared in art and literature since the Middle Ages.

Where did Boethius write this book?

In prison.

"Friends, why did ye once so lightly Vaunt me happy among men? Surely he who so hath fallen Was not firmly founded then." Describe this quote.

Helps us understand where Boethius is coming from and his attitude. It wasn't the happy place that lead me here.

What are the letters written on Lady Philosophy? What do they mean?

Pi: practical. Theta: theory

'Look, oh look upon this earth, Thou who on law's sure foundation Framedst all! Have we no worth, We poor men, of all creation? Sore we toss on fortune's tide; Master, bid the waves subside! And earth's ways with consummation Of Thy heaven's order guide!' Describe this quote.

Boethius gets falsely accused. Trying to show you the enlightenment he did before he got executed. Maybe ill get killed today, maybe not. Oh god bring some order here and some predictability.

"For to each thing God hath given Its appointed time; No perplexing change permits He In His plan sublime. So who quits the order due Shall a luckless issue rue." Describe this quoe

The answer to Boethius's complaint, told by Philosophy. Says that there is no change and that god knows everything. If you try to subvert the order of things, you will not be happy.

"thou deemest Fortune to have changed?... such ever were her ways, ever such her nature." Describe this quote.

Philosophy says this. The point of putting good and bad things in life is so you dont know the future. Lady fortune is there to remind you that you're not god.

"For truly in adverse fortune the worst sting of misery is to have been happy." Describe this quote

Boethius says this in response to philosophy saying to not change the course of things.

Why does Boethius say that to have never been happy is worse?

If i have misters its bad, but its double bad when there's loss.

"It seems too much of a paradox... that God should know all things, and yet there should be free will. For if God foresees everything... that which He foresees... must come to pass." Describe thsi quote.

Boethius says this. He asks a question to Philosophy.

"You know, that's a really, really old question. But basically - just because something is about to happen doesn't mean that thing wasn't freely chosen." Describe this quote.

Philosophy says its an old question that boethius asked. She tells Boethius he's making up his own problem and that god says he's gonna choose and he's gonna choose freely. Boethius eventually says "why not both."

In Inferno, which of the following animals does Dante NOT encounter in Canto 1? Panther, Bear, She-wolf, Lion

Bear

In Inferno, what's the occupation of the man who offers to help Dante in Canto 1?

Poet

In Inferno, who decides how far down in hell each soul should descend?

Minos

In Inferno, the three-headed dog Cerberus attacks a group of people in Canto 6. What was their sin in life?

Gluttony

In Inferno, what is the name for each distinct zone in canto 18?

Bolgia

In Inferno, in canto 32, Dante describes the ninth circle of hell as extremely...

Cold

In Inferno, as Dante and Virgil walk around the ninth circle, what does Dante accidentally do to a soul punished there?

Steps on him.

In Inferno, what is Satan chewing on?

Judas Iscariot

Describe Dante

Describe Dante

The poet who wrote The Aeneid. Is Dante's guide through hell. Virgil was the greatest and most famous poet of ancient Rome, revered by Dante and other medieval readers. In Dante's poem, he is a noble, virtuous pagan who guides Dante through hell, often identifying famous sinners. He comforts Dante when he is frightened and chastises him when he shows too much pity for sinners or lingers too long in parts of hell. Virgil is a pious character admired by Dante, but since he is ultimately still pagan, he must dwell with the other good pagans in Limbo.

Describe Virgil

Dante says this. He's in his Middle Ages and wandering through darkness. This is a metaphor for trying to live life and it's hard. He tries to go on a straight path in life, but trees are in the way. He needs a guide.

"Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for hte straightforward path had been lost." Describe this quote.

Written from 1308-1320 in Tuscan, a dialect of Italian. Rome during this time had its problems. Literacy was high in the Roman Empire, but then they took a cultural step backwards and people became less educated. Things got better in the midevel period, with an explosion of art, culture, and technology.

Describe the time period Inferno was written in?

Marries pagan classical culture with late medieval Christianity.

What did stories in the midevil time period do?

In the old times, comedy just meant some story that was not tragedy. A tragedy ends in tears, a comedy ends in smiles. This implies that this story ends hopefully.

Inferno is seen as The Divine Comedy, even though it is about hell. Why?

Virgil had the virtue of being a roman. Dante's italian so he's going to look for a roman to give him this tour. Virgil lives in hell. He died without faith in christ.

Why did Dante chose to write Virgil in his story?

Hell, purgatory, heaven.

In Inferno, Dante puts himself into a tour of \_________, \___________, and \_______________.

The severity of sin wins you an increasingly lower spot in hell.

What was the idea of the nine circles of hell?

Well yeah

Is all sin equal?

Leopard: fraud (would change around its spots)

Describe the three animals that Dante and Virgil encounter and what they represent.

Lion: pride (group of lions is a pride)

She-wolf: incontinence (can be incontinent with alcohol, sexually, etc.). (seems to represent three temptations of Dante)

Limbo. Honorable pagans who must live without hope.

Circle 1

Aeneas, Virgil, Homer, Saladin

Name the 4 people mentioned in the first circle of hell.

Lust. Bodies blow everywhere by violent wind.

Circle 2

Just like in life, they had no self control.

Circle 2; Dante has this idea that the punishment fits the crime. How is it fitting?

Circle 3

Gluttony. Frozen, dirty slush. Cerberus

Circle 4

Greed. Smelting pot of gold. Some of the greedy people are dipped in molten gold forever. Point Dante's making is that maybe it's more obvious if you're shopping too much that you have a money problem, but if you save too much that is a sign of greed, too./

Circle 5

Anger. Eternal melee in the morass. People are just fighting forever. God is slow to anger

What is anger but the emotional response to something you value being threatened?"

Not a sin in every instance, but is a sin frequently.

Circle 6

Heresy. Bodies trapped in burning tombs.

In the sixth circle of hell, some have thier heads turned around. What is the idea of this?

Those who try to look into the future and now they're doomed to look behind themselves forever.

Circle 7

Violence. Bodies boiled in a river of blood, pursued by archer centaurs. Self harm: the forest of suicides. Idea is that if you killed yourself, you go to hell and in Catholicism, you killed yourself is a sin.

Circle 7. This was written 200 years before the reformation. What's the idea of htat?

If you die and there is any sin that you didn't ask forgiveness for, there is possible, depending on how bad the sin is, you die outside a state of grace and your soul is in threat of purgatory or in hell.

In the seventh circle of hell, why do you become a tree?

Idea here is that if you threw away your body in life, then you don't get a body anymore.

Circle 8

Fraud. "Malebolge" just an eternal beat down for those who demolished society.

In Inferno, why should fraud be below violence? What does this tell us about Dante's worldview?

To Dante, violence is one against one or one against yourself, while fraud is against society. If it is so bad then its good. The most important thing you could have is orderly society.

Circle 9

Treachery. Frozen wasteland, eternal punishment of satan.

If youre Dante and you make the bottom of hell cold instead of hot, what do yo

You have cold hearts so now youre cold forever. You have no human connection. Leagal system sees cold blooded murder worse than hot blooded murder.

Satan has three heads that chew on \__________, \____________, and \_________________.

Brutus, Cassius, Judas Iscariot

In Green Knight, what holiday are Arthur and the knights celebrating in Book 1?

Christmas

In Green Knight, what weapon does the Green Knight carry?

Ax

In Green Knight, what is the Green Knight's challenge?

To see who could cut off his head.

In Green Knight, before Gawain ultimately takes up the challenge, who tries to volunteer first?

Arthur

In Green Knight, what is the symbol on Gawain's shield?

Pentangle

In Green Knight, desperate in the wilderness, Gawain prays. What does he see before himself when he looks up?

A mansion

In Green Knight, what does Gawain find inside the mansion?

An ugly old lady and a beautiful young woman.

In the Green Knight, at the end of Part II, "the master," as the poem calls him, sets the terms of a game. What are they?

Whatever he and Gawain win the next day, they will trade.

In the Green Knight, who was the Green Knight after all?

Bertilak

In Green Knight, where does the final confrontation take place?

Green Chapel

In Green Knight, what does Gawain wear around his waist?

A green girdle

In Green Knight, when Gawain describes the significance of the green girdle he wars around his waist, how do Arthur's knights react?

They laugh.

Describe Sir Gawain

The protagonist of the poem. He is King Arthur's nephew and establishes himself as the very model of chivalry when he sacrifices himself to spare his uncle in the Green Knight's beheading game. He is reputed to be one of the most virtuous knights of the realm and personifies the five Christ-like virtues of the symbolic pentangle painted on his shield. Throughout the course of the poem, Gawain journeys through the land, overcoming physical and spiritual trials. He shows himself to be fallible as he experiences anxiety and doubt, traits that a good knight isn't really supposed to have. When he gives in to temptation and deceives his host Bertilak in order to protect his own life, he is exposed as not quite always perfect but still worthy of being spared from death, and returns to Camelot a more humble but wiser hero.

Describe The Green Knight (character)

A massive, masculine, otherworldly figure that appears at Arthur's hall and challenges any of the Knights of the Round Table to a strange "beheading game." He has supernatural qualities, most visibly his pure green complexion. His head is chopped off by Gawain but this doesn't stop him. He just picks it up from the floor and speaks from his now disembodied head. He aligns the rules of his game and his own regeneration with the natural seasons, and so becomes symbolic of both the supernatural and the natural world. A year later, Gawain finds the knight as promised and the Green Knight admits that he is also lord Bertilak, and has been testing Gawain's virtues. He reveals that he acquired his supernatural powers from a sorceress named Morgan Le Faye. Ultimately, the Green Knight's actions, both his challenge to Arthur's court and to Gawain in particular, and his ultimate choice to wound but not kill Gawain, serves as a critical corrective to the formulaic code of Christian chivalry that Camelot lives under.

Describe King Arthur

The king of Camelot and husband of Guinevere. He is the model of a good knight and the uncle of Sir Gawain. At the outset of the poem, he is compared to the noble, mythological Trojan founders of Britain and is described as the most youthful, healthy, and bold of men. He is a true believer in chivalry, and he is loving to his nephew Gawain, who risks his own life to spare his king. When Gawain returns at the end, Arthur recognizes his heroism and the wisdom he has earned and orders the entire court to wear green bands in recognition of their own humility.

Scribe Bertilak of Hautdesert

The noble lord of the castle where Gawain seeks refuge on his travels. He is described as being even more strong and knightly than King Arthur, and he reigns over a court that is less artificial and earthier than Camelot. His wife is quite a beauty. Bertilak kindly offers Gawain hospitality and engages him in a three-day game, exchanging his winnings from hunting with Gawain's winnings in the court. At the end of the poem it is revealed that he is actually the Green Knight is disguise and his game was a test of Gawain's honesty.

Describe Bertilak's Wife (aka Lady Bertilak)

A beautiful lady who tempts Gawain on the three days that Bertilak is out at the hunt. She comes to his bedroom each day and procures kisses, using her wit to manipulate Gawain. It is later revealed that she acted under her husband's and the old sorceress Morgan Le Faye's instructions.

Deacribe Morgan Le Faye

step sibling to Gawain. always causing trouble for the round table. An old woman at Bertilak's court. The poet compares her with Bertilak's beautiful young wife, showing how extreme natural changes can be over time. It is later revealed that she is a sorceress - she was once a pupil of the famous wizard Merlin and is also related to King Arthur and Gawain. She is the one that has been controlling the whole operation.

The story of the Green Knight, whose author is English, begins in Troy. Why does he make this move? What's in his mind as he links the round table back to Troy and Aeneas?

He wants a backstory. He wants to connect himself to Rome and Aeneas to say that "we are hero's too." In the old tales, it was important to connect the old hero's to their stories.

Describe the importance of poetry in the times of the Green Knight.

In italian and continental poems, Dante never repeated a line. At this time they wrote on leather. They didn't write thier stuff down as much because it was expensive, so they jsut memorized it.

In the Green Knight, why a round table?

Because it's equal. There's no head of the table.

Describe the party at the beginning of the Green Knight

It's Christmas time, and its like a 15 day vacation. The people play inside and outside games. But Arthur gets bored and wants to fight somebody. He gets his wish when in the middle of the celebration here rides the Green Knight.

Describe the Green Knights apperence.

Everything about this guy is green. Hair and everything. He's about 8-9ft tall. Clothes are embroidered with gold.

Why did the poet choose the color green for the Green Knight?

Plants and earth association or cameo associaton. (?)

When the Green Knight enters, what kind of game does he propose to the round table? who was the first to respond to this?

One of you will chop off my head with an ax and then a year from now I will come and chop off your head. Arthur is the first to respond.

After Arthur responds to the Green Knights game proposal, who steps in and decides that they'll do it instead?

Gawain

Why is Arthur responding embarrassing to Gawain?

It would be shameful to make the king do something himself while all of the knights are here.

How are Gawain and Arthur related?

Gawain is Arthur's uncle.

What is Gawain's horse name?

Greengallete.

What is so symbolic about the pentangle on Gawain's sheild? What thematic point is this setting up?

Pentangle is never ending. Symbol of infinite and perfection. 5 points of Pentangle represents 5 virtues of Mary and the 5 wounds of Christ. Gawain sees himself carrying the sheild of perfection.

What color did they see as gold in the Green Knight?

Red

What does Gawain see in the wilderness in book 2?

Hapex Legemon. This is the only place where this word exist so we don't know what it means. Its a monster probably. Etaynes: seems to refer to giants. Hautdesert, Castle of Bertilak

What was the worst part of being in the wilderness in the Green Knight?

Being left out in the cold with his horse.

What game does Bertilak propose to Gawain when they find eachother?

Whatever they win that day, they will trade at the end of the day.