New Vocabulary

1) Paradox
2) Sovereign
3) Commission
4) Resolution
5) Malefaction
6) Firmament
7) Tedious
8) Pestilent
9) Pious
10) Promontory

Review for FINAL

English 12: Study Guide for FINAL

Note: Most importantly you should look back through your notes and returned quizzes, tests and assignments and read over them.

TEXTS that you will need to know (and I mean know beyond comprehension), be able to relate to themes, to other texts with similar themes (compare and contrast), be able to explain symbols, make arguments about actions of characters, etc.

“The Death of Conchobhar”
“Branwen, Daughter of Llyr”
“The Battle of Muldon”, “The Seafarer”, “The Wanderer”, "The Wife's Lament"
Hrolf Kraki
Beowulf
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Le Morte D'Arthur
The Canterbury Tales

THEMES: The Corruption of Power, Christianity vs. Paganism, Man Alone in a Hostile World, The Roles of Woman, The Role of Christianity, The Roles of Kings and Warriors, Loyalty, Pride, The Role of Magic, Fate, Faith, Bloody-Money as a form of Punishment, Banishment, Good vs. Evil, Hospitality, The Transitory Nature of Life, Revenge

Some Definitions you’ll need to remember: Wergild, wyrd, kenning, alliteration, epic hero, epic poem, epic boast, romantic literature, chivalry

List of Characters that you will need to know: Conchobhar, Cet, Meis-Geghra, Finghin, Brandigiefran, Branwen, Maholwch, Manawydan, Efnisien, Nisien, Beowulf, Grendal, Hygelac, Hrothgar, Shield Sheafson, Wulfgar, Wiglaf, Unferth, Finn, Siegmund, Weltheow, Morgan Le Fay, Sir Gawain, King Arthur, The Green Knight, The Mistress, Hrolf Kraki, Bodvar, Hott, Adils, Bera, Bjorn, Svipdag, Elk-Frodi, Helgi, Skuld, Elf Woman, Yrsa, Olof, and all the characters presented from “The Canterbury Tales”

For major characters (or protagonists) make sure you can discuss character flaws and what those flaws are meant to do – or how they inform us of someone larger idea.

Motifs: ambush, birds and horses, the mutilation of horses, betrayal while the king is away, divine protection, the troublemaker, beheading, kin killing, important of ancestors, reputation, the arming of the warrior, the fairy world, green, Yuletide happenings

Symbols: the brain-ball, the cauldron of resurrection, Heorot, Grendal, the Dragon, the fiery lake (and Grendal’s mothers’ liar), hrunting, the giant’s sword, Gawain’s shield, the girdle (remember characters themselves can also be symbols)

Allusions: for each story or book be able to pick out some allusions and link them to a theme

Irony: For each story or book be able to pick out some ironies
Make sure you keep a list of events from any book or story that backs up a theme. You will need to use examples. Specific examples.

You will need to be able to compare and contrast the three poems – Battle of Muldon, The Seafarer, The Wanderer—with each other and/or be able to connect to a theme and used to back up a larger book (such as Beowulf).

Be able to generalize the differences between the following: Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, and Welsh literature, between Old English and Middle English, between the ideas of Sir Gawain and The Canterbury Tales.

Canterbury Tales

Today:

1) Pick your character
2) Review what your character is wearing and how he looks in the prologue (remember you have to dress up)
3) Read your character's story (take notes)
4) Begin to rewrite the story in your own words

Parallel Structure

We worked on parallel structure today: words, phrases and clauses.  We also looked at types of parallel structure: anaphora, antithesis, antimetabole, zeugma.

Your assignment:

Exercise 1:  1-5
Exercise 5: 1-3

Le Morte d'Arthur

You need to write a short three paragraph essay comparing Le Morte d'Arthur with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.  The essay must have a thesis statement and use evidence from the text.  You can compare the characters of Gawain in each book; you can compare the characters of Arthur; you can compare the themes of loyalty and/or honesty, the theme of Christianity or the idea of chivalry.

Grades:

5 points for set-up (opening paragraph with valid thesis statement)
5 points for connection/comparison between two stories
10 points for valid proof from both texts
5 points for conclusion

Due Date: Thursday 11/15

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Fit 4

1) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight can be viewed as a journey from life to death and back to life. Discuss how this works.
2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how?
3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why?
4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again?
5) In your opinion who is really in control?

Gawain PART III

FIT 3

1) Compare each of the hunting scenes with the bedroom scenes in the castle. Explain how the hunting scenes symbolize what is going on in the bedroom and explore how the differ animals hunted relate to the different tactics used by the lady each day.

2) What is your impression of Gawain during this section? How do you think he behaves? Does he uphold his honor while not dishonoring the lady and the lord?

3) What is the climax of the book?

4) What does the girdle symbolize?

5) There are a few allusions to Christ, Mary and faith (or failure of faith) can you pick a couple out and discuss why they are there?

6) How does Gawain fail in this section?