English III Final Study Guide
Be able to list and identify all epic characteristics/conventions
1) Must excel in strength, skill, and courage, 2) Often a warrior who is experienced in war and adventure, 3) Hero is introduced in media res, 4) Honor and Glory are ideals of the epic hero, 5) Hero is a demi-god or possesses a weapon that has been bestowed upon them, 6) Hero's journey must test his skill, courage, and strength, 7) Monsters or temptations will greet and challenge every epic hero, 8) Epic hero gains aristea, 9) Hero will display any qualities that are admired by the epic's culture, 10) Epics are vast in scope, 11) Epic hero will always achieve death, even if it costs death, 12) Epic hero is humble, kind, and generous to followers, but ruthless to enemies.
How many sonnets did Shakespeare write?
154
How many tales does each pilgrim tell and why?
4 tales; 2 going and 2 back The host wanted them to tell stories in order to pass the time; the best story won a free meal at the tavern
Iambic pentameter
5 stressed syllables (meters) and 5 unstressed syllables (iambs); Total of 10 syllables per line and creates seamless rhythm
Sestet
6 lines
Octave
8 lines
Death
A being that the Rioters want to kill. The Old Man tells them that death is by the oak tree
Comedy
A humorous work of drama
Epic/Heroic Poem
A long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of the nation
The Pardoner
A part of the clergy. Dresses religious so people will trust him. Receives their money and keeps it. More sin more money. Greedy
What is the purpose of a quatrain? Of a couplet?
A quatrain presents a question and a couplet restates, or redefines the problem presented Analyze and interpret a sonnet;
King James IV of Scotland/King James I of England
A successful political move unifying England & Scotland; Was infatuated with witches/Macbeth was written for him
Satire
A technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration, sarcasm, or ridicule. It strives to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and limitations. Ex: South Park & SNL
Exemplum
A type of allegory that teaches a lesson
Sonnet
A type of poem used by Shakespeare, written in iambic pentameter and consisting of three quatrains and a final couplet with the rhyme scheme ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG
Rhyme scheme
ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG
What is Macbeth's tragic flaw?
Ambition
Aristea
An epic hero characteristic; Nobility gained through battling a foe only of equal or greater strength than himself
Thomas á Becket
Archbishop of Canterbury was appointed by King Henry II -> Principal leader of the Church of England. He was murdered at Canterbury Cathedral
Geoffrey Chaucer
Author of The Canterbury Tales.During his early teens he was sent to work as a page -> 1357 Public servant to Countess Elizabeth of Ulster who was married to Lionel of Antwerp-> son of the reigning of the reigning monarch Edward III. This experience introduced him to the aristocratic side of England's society.
Foreshadowing
Be a warning or indication of (a future event)
Soliloquy
Between the audience and character on stage. Demands the attention
Which biblical figures are Grendel's ancestors?
Cain and Abel
1359-> Chaucer fought for the English Army in the Hundred Years' War in France
Captured and held for ransom-> King Edward paid 16E for his release
What are Hrothgar's men doing prior to the attack?
Celebrating
1366-> Chaucer married Philippa Roet, a lady in waiting to the Queen
Chaucer and Roet's eldest son, Thomas married a noblewoman -> Perpetuated his father's rise in social class.
Elizabethan tragedy vs. Elizabethan comedy
Comedy: A lighthearted tone, ends in marriage, typically written while Queen Elizabeth was in power. Ends in integration and unity Tragedy: The story of a seemingly heroic figure whose major flaw causes the tragedy to end with this tragic downfall. Ends in disintegration
Literary Epic
Composed by an individual author who borrowed elements from folk epics Ex. Paradise Lost (John Milton)
Petrarchan Sonnet
Creates a statement and response structure; Traditionally poems about the speaker's love for an idealized person
Couplet
Dramatic and resolves, restate, or redefines the problem presented (2 lines at the end)
What type of events in Macbeth attempt to break the Great Chain of Being?
Duncan's death Horses eating each other and going against man The mousing owl eats hawk
To whom were Shakespeare's sonnets addressed?
Early sonnets are addressed to a young man Final sonnets are addressed to a "dark lady"
Upon Chaucer's release, he joined the Royal Service to complete diplomatic missions in Italy, Spain, and France throughout the early to mid 1360's
Edward paid Chaucer 20 marks for his service
What is an example of a folk epic? A literary epic?
Folk Epic: Beowulf Literary: Paradise Lost
The Great Chain of Being → correct order and its purpose
God Angels Humans Animals Plants Minerals
Radix malorum est cupiditas" → What does this mean?
Greed is the root of all problems
TOXI
Greek and Latin for "poison"
PHOT
Greek for "light"
EPI
Greek prefix meaning "on," "over," or "attached to"
The Gunpowder Plot
Guy Fawkes and his men tried to blow up King James and Parliament in 1605 b/c he did not support Catholics
How does the Pardoner make money during his travels?
He dresses religious and people give him money hoping to be cleansed of sin More sins - More money
How does the Pardoner feel about preaching?
He thinks of it as a joke and wants to "win" the money and their affection
What was Chaucer's inspiration for writing The Canterbury Tales?
His disapproval of religion and the church fighting with the nobility
In media res
In the middle of; All epics begin during a time of a nation's turmoil (Epic convention and third characteristic of an epic hero)
Petrarch
Italian poet in the 1400's who popularized Sonnets.
For whom was Macbeth written?
King James I
OMNI
Latin for "all"
CARN
Latin for "flesh" or "meat
PEND
Latin for "hang" or "weigh."
MAND
Latin for "mandare," to entrust or order
NOM
Latin for "name"
PRIM
Latin for "primus," meaning "first"
VERT
Latin verb "vertere" meaning "to turn" or "to turn around"
Macbeth vs. Banquo: Reaction to prophecies
Macbeth: Amazement and shock at first. He sees the prophecies as the truth Banquo: Hesitant to believe them and realizes the potential evil & chaos they can create
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth → Role reversal
Macbeth: Originally a coward but became power hungry and unsatisfied Lady Macbeth: Originally manipulative and controlling but was driven insane by guilt
Tragic hero
Making a judgement error that leads to their own destruction
Folk Epic
Passed down orally during ancient times; No definitive authorship; Written down long after composed Ex. Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon)
The Great Chain of Being
People of the Renaissance deeply believed that everything within the universe has a fixed place. People believed in this hierarchy of the universe.
Hamartia
Personal error in protagonist personality that brings about his tragic downfall in tragedy
Why is comedic relief necessary in Macbeth?
Porter: distressed the audience and gave a break from the intensity
Quatrain
Presents a question (4 lines each)
Who brought Christianity to the Anglo-Saxon people?
Saint Augustine
Monologue
Spoken out loud and everyone can hear it
Tragedy
Story of seemingly heroic figure whose major flaw causes the tragedy to the end of the tragic downfall
ITIS
Suffix found in Greek & Latin, meaning "disease" or "inflammation"
When does the Pardoner tell this tale?
Tells it during his sermons
The Three Estates of Medieval Society:
The "First Estate"-> The Church (Clergy= those who prayed) The "Second Estate"-> Nobility (Knights= those who fought) The "Third Estate"-> Peasantry (Everyone else including workers, landowners, lawyers, doctors, etc)
Where did the Anglo-Saxons record their years' events?
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Regicide
The Killing of a King
Elizabethan Interests
The country is only stable if the King is good and virtuous Evil occurs in darkness Fascination of blood and murder The notion and consequence of regicide
The Rioters
Three men who want to kill Death. Ended up dead because of their greed. Wanted the treasure
The concept of insanity as it applies to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
To not think so much about the killing of Duncan, otherwise they will go insane and Lady Macbeth does later on from the overload of guilt
Tragic flaw
What brings the character to their downfall Ex. Macbeth: Ambition
Aside
When a character is speaking to another and only the speaker, the listener, and the audience are only able to hear
Archetypal Narrative Elements (definition and examples from "The Pardoner's Tale"
he Rule of Three, Test of Morality, Mysterious Guide, Justice
Be able to list and identify all epic hero characteristics
stating the theme, invoking a muse, begins in media res, includes a catalogue, writes in elevated style, frequent use of the epic simile, setting is vast in scope, supernatural influences
Guy Fakes
the gunpowder plot