Brit Lit Finals Study Guide 1 - EDITS TO COME

British Literature Final I Study Guide


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Dream of the Rood


-When, Where, and on What was it found? 

  • Written on Ruthwell Cross

  • It’s author is unknown, some believed it was originally written by Cynewulf of cædmon 

  • 8th century and later written in the Vercelli Book

  • Cross was destroyed in 164,  but rebuilt in 1800’s.

-What is the significance of this poem? -

-Have a general idea as to what this poem is about. -dude dreams about the cross, the cross talks and tells the guy about how Jesus was crucified on him.



Judith


-Who found it/Translated it?

  • It was found in the Newell codex, translated by Ælafric abbot

-What is the book of Judith, where is it found?

  • It is an apocrypha book from the Catholic Bible

-What did the poet change, and why did the poet make the changes he did?

  • The poet changed Judith to a war hero, to inspire people to fight the invading Vikings. They gave her braids and depicted her as a young beautiful woman in order to appeal to their male audience. They also added war wolves at the end, a part of Germanic culture representing the greater side in war. The battle at the end was also changed in order to inspire the men who would go to battle. The poem was more about man than god in order to give them hope and show what they are capable of.

-Have a general idea as to what this poem is about.

  • Contrast between setting and language used to describe

  • Women did not typically fight, but Judith was a trained warrior in the edited version

  • Holofernes did not care about his troops

    • He won many victories in battle 

  • Braided hair = victories for Anglo-Saxon

  • Original 

    • Judith was a widow

    • Older side 

    • Non- warrior-esque woman

  • Changes for dramatics

  • Audience

    • Men

    • Young characters are more attractive to men

  • Beasts of War

    • Wolf

    • Raven


Lanval

-When was it written?

  • Around the 12th century

-Who wrote it?

Marie de France

-Why did she write it?

To make social commentary about the king of her time + make satirical commentary on the tropes of most knight tales at the time.

-What genre is it?

  • Satire, chivalric romance, (code of knights being changed), Arthurian Tale, Fairy tale, fabliaux, French Lais

  • Intentionally something comedic

  • Political purpose

-How does she change this typical genre?

  • Role Reversal

    • Importance on women’s roles in society, the woman in the story is the hero

  • Depicts Man and society is corrupt instead of glorious

-Why does she make the changes she does?

  • Political intention

  • Political critique, current notable class of knights not acting as how they should

  • Encouraged people to see flaws and fix them 

-Have a general idea as to what this poem is about.

  • King Arthur and King Henry II - recorded to both have used juries for justice

    • Marie De France compared the kings, implying unfair practices and juries

    • False witnesses

    • Took decisions and contemplation out of the hands of a king, gave the job to others 

    • Irresponsibility

  • Lanval began on the day of Pentecost

  • King “lavished ample patronage/ on all his noble baronage” 

    • Gifted wives and land

    • King forgot Lanval

    • Lanval left unfair society in disgust

  • Met Fairy Queen, two messengers (fairies) led Lanval to her

  • Fairies = perfection, set apart from man

  • Lanval left horse and city = left corrupt society

  • Faerie Queen would give Lanval anything and her love if he never spoke of her to others

    • Lanval promised

  • In the city

    • Queen sent handmaidens out to distract other kings

    • Talk to Lanval alone

    • Possible allusion to Joseph and Potifer’s wife

  • Queen asked to spend romantic time with Lanval

    • Lanval refused

      • Lanval told her that he had a love that was more beautiful than her

      • Mentioned the Fairy Queen

      • Broke promise

        • Promise had condition that if mentioned, the fairy queen would never appear to Lanval again

    • Queen falsely accused Lanval of insulting her beauty 

  • Lanval agonizes over the loss of Faerie Queene…

  • 5 points of pentangle see inserted picture near the end


Beowulf


-Know the major themes, symbols, and storyline.

Heroism

Sword = masculinity, 1st sword = representing God, 2nd Sword = representing hell/earth power 

-Have an understanding of the genre, style, and common myths behind the poem.

  • mythos (lord of belief behind something): Grendel and his mother coming from Cane.

-Have a general idea as to what this poem is about.

  • Style: Epic

  • Genre: Hero’s journey, similar to knight’s tale, similar to epic 


Sir Gawain and the Green Knight


-Know the major themes, symbols, and storyline.

Heroism, worldly vs heavenly spirituality 

Green knight and his green sash Sid Gawain gets later symbolizes worldly things, 

-Have an understanding of the biblical allegory behind the poem.

  • The Green Knight symbolizes Christ, and Gawain is made to experience hardships to test his faith.

-Have an understanding of the genre, style, and common myths behind the poem.

-Have a general idea as to what this poem is about.

  • Allegory - Green Knight representative of the world, posing threat to Christianity and bringing the World. 

    • Gawain leaves faith behind, and goes into the world 

Chivalry 

Pentangle

Chivalric code


Canterbury Tales


-When was it written?

1385-1400 (unfinished)

-Who wrote it?

Geoffrey Chaucer

-Why was it written?

As a critique of medieval society and roles, and what makes a hero a hero.

-Have a general idea about what happens in The Knight's Tale, The Miller’s Tale and the 

Wife of Bath’s tale, as well as their significance.

Geoffrey Chaucer


  • When, and to Whom was he born?

    • Born 1340, into the Upper Middle class of wine merchants

    • Born in England

  • What job did he have growing up?

    • He was a page (secretary) to the countess of Ulster.🧟‍♀🧟‍♀🧟‍♀🧟‍♀🧟‍♀

  • Which languages was he proficient in?

    • Italian, French, and English 

  • Who was his benefactor and lifelong friend?

    • John of Gaunt 3rd or 4th in line for the English throne

  • What were his intended goals for the Canterbury Tales?

    • Establishment of a standard English language

    • Detailed insight into the social fabric of the time

    • Satire and social commentary

    • Benefit of what rather than who they are

Canterbury Tales

  • When was it written?

    • 1387 - 1400

  •  Who wrote it?

    • Geoffery Chaucer

  • Why was it written?

    • Detailed insight into the social fabric of the time

    • Satire and social commentary: commentary on the fact that the heroes in stories were not very heroic or moral or honorable anymore. And with them being the “best of the best” and serving as role models to people, real people would end up being even worse than them. Coming from those people, they would continue the cycle and create more stories with “heroes” who were even worse. Commentary on people claiming to be Christian but then being immoral and using it for their own gain or being unfamiliar with the Bible’s truth.

  • Have a general idea about the structure, influence, significance, etc.

    • 1 ~ Knight’s Tale, 2 ~ Miller’s Tale, 3 ~ Wife of Bath

    • Stories are collective of their characteristics

    • Stereotypes 

    • Significant because it gave an uncommon perspective of normal everyday people.


Knightʼs Tale

  •  Have a general understanding of the plot, characters, and major themes.

    • Duke Thesus happens upon the the group of women, and doesn’t treat them in a “knightly way”

    • Comes from defeating the Amazon warriors

      • Women who knights were supposed to protect

    • Establishing the character of the knight

      • People holding to high standards were not acting up the the stereotypical reverence they received 

    • Knight character is not very knightley 

    • Acrite and Duke Theseus saw Emily 

      • Fall in love with her

      • Start to fight

      • In prison for life

    • Arcite gets out of prison

      • Exiled

    • Arcite goes back home, wallows

      • Sees reflection in mirror

      • Can’t recognize himself

      • Goes back to pursue Emily

      • Is a chambermaid 

    • Arcite fights

    • Emily begs for life

      • Jousting tournament plan in one year

    • Created three different temples 

      • Emily to Diana

      • Arcite to Mars

      • Palamon to Venus

    • Arcite wins

      • Earthquake kills Arcite

    • Emily mourning

  • What was the intended purpose?

    • Social commentary on how flawed society was

      • They acted reverently towards knights

        • The knights were not acting according to their code of chivalry, but got gifts and respect all the same

      • Satirical and silly

        • Arcite is a glorified chambermaid because he loves Emily 

    • Women not as important as the men

    • Valued war is softened

      • Undercuts the heroism in the story 

    • Irony that Emily loves the fighters

    • Ironic for a Knight to be telling a tale about Roman gods

    • Satirizing ~ Great honor for a knight to die for their love 

    • Irony ~ Knights were supposed to save woman, but the knights caused the love distress

    • Poking fun at the stories poking fun at the absent morals and the audience that wants to read them

      • Poking fun at knights and those who exalt the knits as well

      • Expectation that Knights get things because they’re “deserving”

      • People mimic the actions of their elders


Millerʼs Tale

  •  Have a general understanding of the plot, characters, and major themes.

    • Host ranks characters 

    • Host is outside character who examines the stories

    • Robin is the miller 

    • Best and worst characters put close together

    • Most beautifully written poetry

      • Take expectations and prove that it’s not always accurate

      • Contrast

    • Host warns the audience that the story might not be as heroic or noble compared to the Knight’s Tale

    • Warns that it’s just a game

    • Don’t blame me, it’s just a game

    • Emily does not want to get married, uses her tears

      • Alliuson uses her physical characteristics to get what she wants

    • Women act as the object to be won

    • Allusion is a source of lust 

    • Reduced to animal through the literary language 

    • Infidelity and breakage of a marriage is being celebrated

    • Men = take the most beautiful possession possible

    • Women = to be the most desirable and beautiful possession

    • Beauty is of utmost importance

  •  What was the intended purpose?

    • Told story second, was supposed to be last

    • Parallel 

      • No knights

    • Emulates downgraded morals and ethics 

    • Host’s embarrassment mirrors Chaucer’s statement that the stories mirror the stories of real life 

      • If you don’t want your own life being shown, don't read

      • It’s all of the parts, not just the polished parts 

    • Skip over if you don’t want to see reality


Wife of Bathʼs Tale

  • Have a general understanding of the plot, characters, and major themes.

    • Long detailed history of herself ~ Prologue

    • Husbands ~ 5, working on number 6

    • Tells tale about a knight 

  • What was the intended purpose?

    • Get worse and worse

    • Knight’s tale = current stories we are reading

    • Miller’s tale = where stories are heading

    • Wife of Bath’s tale = this is where society and stories are heading if we don’t change



Geoffrey Chaucer


-When, Where, and to Whom was he born?

1343-1400, 

-What job did he have growing up?

  • Page (secretary)

-Which languages was he proficient in?

  • French, English, and Latin

-Who was his benefactor and lifelong friend?

  • John of Gaunt

-What were his intended goals for the Canterbury Tales?

  • Create social commentary

    • Insight into society’s lifestyles

  • Wanted to write 120 tales

  • Only wrote 24 before death


Anglo-Saxon

  • Pre anglo-Saxon England is occupied by celts

  • Britain named after Brythons

    •  Celtic tribe. 

  • King Arthur likely Celtic king

    • Inspired by one in 516?

  •  Celts pushed out when Caesar invaded in 55 BC

    • Celts defeated in 43 ad

  • 409 Roman’s evacuate, leaving behind all their infrastructure

  • Highly animalistic celtic beliefs 

-Date Ranges- 449-1066 AD

 Important dates-

400 - start of Anglo Saxon invasion of England 

878- king Alfred establishes England

1066- Norman invasion, battle of Hastings 

Major figures

  • King Alfred the Great

    • Unifier of England

      • Defeated Danes/Vikings

      • United Anglo-Saxons

      • Established England

  • Britain occupied by 3 tribes

    • Anglos

    • Saxons

    • Jutes

  • Incoming cultures brought Nordic and Germanic backgrounds, 

    • Blended with existing Celtic tribes 

Society- led by warrior chief, warrior based society, life was to protect the clan and the home, fame and success were measured by loyalty to leader and gifts given by the leader. 

Storytellers - Celtic bards or scopes, told stories of others heroic deeds, honored almost as much as warriors

Roles of women/Church

Women- had lots of rights, inherited and held land and property, and were offered gifts by potential husbands. 

Church- religion still held Nordic roots, no hope of afterlife, only thing remaining after you died was your memory and fame, valued the heroic ideal. 

Christianity- Christian monks began to settle in Britain in 400 ad. The religions coexist pretty peacefully, by 699 ad the pagan religions are entirely replaced with Christianity.


Norman Era


Beginning of Anglo-Norman Era -note there are two 

William claimed the English throne through familial relationship with the childless Anglo Saxon king Edward, but when Edward died his brother in law Harold godwinsion took over. Duke william was upset so France invaded England, the Norwegian king harald hardrada invaded England from the north at the same time. Harald was killed at the battle of Stamford bridge in 1066. William killed Harold at the battle of Hastings and took the throne, but he wasn’t secure until 1072.


Important dates

 Date Ranges- 1066-1204

1066- the Normans took possession of England

1200 - re-establishment of French monarchy


4 main languages 

-old French/ Anglo-Norman

-Latin-language of clerics and the educated

-Old English

-Celtic languages

English language - still develops with works like the Anglo-Saxon chronicle and early Middle English religious texts

Anglo Norman aristocrats loved old Celtic oral tales sung by Breton storytellers called Breton “lays”

Breton lays

  • Celtic oral tales

  • Developed by people like Marie de france and chretien de Troyes into “romances”

Major figures

- Marie de france -developed Breton lays into romances 

- Chretien de Troyes -developed Breton lays into romances 

- Duke William II/William the conqueror- led the Norman conquest 

Romance-main genre for late medieval readers

Chivalric romance- comes from the word “roman” meaning a work in French

  • focus on knightly adventures, including ethical and spiritual quests, knightly love and courtesy to ladies, displays of martial power against powerful or supernatural foes

King Arthur- some believe that he was  a real romana-british leader who fought against the Anglo-saxons in the 5th century 

-Roles of women/Church


Hamlet


- Have a general understanding of the plot and major themes of the play.

- Who wrote it?

  • William Shakespeare

- What is a soliloquy?

  • Talking to oneself, expressing in depth emotions/thoughts 

  • Like a monologue

- What is antithesis?

  • Juxtaposes two contrasting ideas in a parallel grammatical structure

  • Ex. “Ice cream is so good that it’s evil”

- Be able to recognize significant quotes.


Shakespearean Sonnets


- Know the style, structure, and characteristics

  • Iambic pentameter

  • Rhyme scheme

    • ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

  • Structure

    • 14 lines divided into three quatrains and a couplet

    • Quatrain

      • 1st 3 parts of sonnet, consisting of 4 lin4s and ABAB rhyme scheme

      • Final couplet, rhyming CC

- Know the three categories, and the intended subjects

  • Three different quatrains, including contrasting topics

- Be able to recognize select lines from the sonnets we studied. 

  • Young poet/Fair youth

  • Rival poet

  • Darkness mistress/lady


John Donne


- Holy Sonnets (know the 5 we read)

- Holy Sonnet 2

  • John Donne is drawing a distinction between God and Satan talking about how 

- Holy Sonnet 10

  • Italian Sonnet

  • Death is not the ultimate end only “rest and sleep”

  • Death = slave

- Holy Sonnet 14

- Be able to recognize select lines from the sonnets we studied. 


Paradise Lost

-Have a general understanding of the plot and major themes of the poem.

-Know the style, structure, and various literary devices being employed within the poem.

-What were the primary purposes behind Paradise Lost?

-Be able to discuss the social, political, and theological commentary/underlying themes.

-Be able to comment on the roles of the primary characters, the relationships shared between each character (both directly and indirectly), as well as how the characters may be used to be analogous to something outside of the text/bible. 


  • Many people did not have literary skills

  • Was a commentary

  • He was a supporter of parliament, against monarchy, pacifist, destain for war

  • Blended belief in predestination and free will

  • See God’s omnipotence

  • His belief on the figure of God

  • Structure- Greek epic

    • Medi res

    • Alteration

    • Parallelism

    • Just search up lit charts


  • Purpose 

    • Justify ways of God to man

    • Express political views

Pentangle: