English 12 - Midterm Exam

Why is Barbra Allen upset?

"She slighted him"

Medieval Period date range

1066-1485

Renaissance time period

1485-1625

The Anglo-Saxon time period

449-1066

Macbeth is a __ act play

5

What is a pilgrimage?

A religious journey

What is the setting of "The Passionate Shepherd to his Beloved"?

A rural country setting

When Gawain arrives at the green chapel, he wears____?

A whirring grindstone

Sir Gawain is basically a vivid account of an

Accepted challenge

Only British ruler ever called "the Great"

Alfred the Great

Who is the speaker in "The Passionate Shepherd to his Beloved"?

An idealistic and passionate Shepherd

What shows the honor Beowulf has for his opponent?

Beowulf fights Grendel without a sword, because Grendel doesn't have one.

In what manner does Beowulf honor Wiglaf after the battle? What does this action signify?

Beowulf gives Wiglaf all of his armor and his gold necklace, he is basically giving him the kingship

How does Grendel and Beowulf's battle end?

Beowulf rips off Grendel's arm, claw, and shoulder. Grendel goes to his lair to die.

What type of ruler was Queen Elizabeth?

Brave and dedicated

The primary subject or concern of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"?

Chivalric ideals

In "Twa Corbies," what medieval attitude toward life and death does the author present?

Darkly humorous

The slight wound on Gawain's neck is punishment for his

Deceit

By accepting the green belt and keeping it secrets, Gawain _____

Fails the test of faith

How does Beowulf's "Last Battle" differ from the other battles?

For the first time, fate is against him, he is going to lose

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of two masters: ____ and ____

God and money

What is the chief moral or religious lesson from the Parable of the Prodigal Son?

God will love you no matter what, it is important to forgive people

What is the message of the allegory that the Pardoner teaches in "The Pardoner's Tale"?

Greed is the root of all evil

How does the poem establish that the coming battle is not simply a battle between hero and monster, but a battle between Good and Evil?

Grendel will not touch the throne because it was given to Hrothgar by God. Grendel is the demon while Beowulf and his companions are the heroes

What does Beowulf ask of Hrothgar

He asks that if he is killed by Grendel, for Hrothgar to take care of his men. Beowulf wants to fight Grendel with his men and without the help of Hrothgar

Why is Chaucer known as the Father of English Poetry?

He created his own verse form - heroic cuplet

In "The Canterbury Tales," how does Chaucer provide a "snapshot of an era?"

He draws portraits of character types from all levels of society, giving real insight into the daily lives of people

Why is Gawain burdened with grief?

He has proved less than perfect

What values and beliefs of the Anglo-Saxon warrior culture does Beowulf's attitude toward death express?

He is a Christian, he feels that fate will decide what happens to him. Beowulf is not scared of death.

In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," Sir Gawain apologizes to the Green Knight in the final scene; why?

He is ashamed that he kept the girdle that the Green Knight's wife gave him.

In Spenser's Sonnet 1, the poet writes of pages "in love's soft bands / like captives trembling at the victor's sight." What main idea does this reinforce?

He is envious of the pages being held by her, she has control over him; he is trapped like the pages in the book

What does Macbeth mean when he says that "the blood on his hands will redden all the seas"?

He is talking about how great his guilt is

What view of nature does Marlowe present in "The Passionate Shepherd to his Love"?

He is telling his love how beautiful nature is

What is the Pardoner's usual reason for telling his story about greed?

He is trying to get listeners to part with their money

What is Spenser's goal in writing these poems?

He is trying to win over the love of his life through these sonnets

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, how does the father feel toward the son who stayed home?

He loves his two sons equally

In "The Wanderer," what does the speaker miss

He misses his lord, companions and his mead-hall

What main message does the speaker of Spenser's Sonnet 75 want to convey to his love?

He wants to tell her that his poetry will make her last forever

In the Prologue, how does the young knight appear to be solicitous?

He was concerned and caring and took care of his father

How would the illusions of time and space be created during Shakespeare's time?

Imagery

Wyrd

Irresistible fate

Macbeth claims his dagger is palpable in Act 2, is it actually palpable?

It is not palpable, it cannot be touched or held

How should one read the blank verse in Act 2 of Macbeth?

It should be read in complete sentences like a natural speech

In the ballads, what does the continuous fight for land rights say about the importance of landownership at the time?

Landownership was closely linked to status and security

Apothecary

Like a pharmacist, makes and sells medicine

The Green Knight proves to NOT be _____

Merciless

What meaning can you infer from "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"?

My spirit will be with the Lord for eternity

Hrothgar and his followers face "Twelve winters of grief." How does the length of their suffering increase the epic stature of this tale?

No one has stood up to Grendel; Beowulf standing up to Grendel after all these years shows his courage

Wan

Pale, sickly

Speaker is usually a shepherd, pastoral or rural setting, idealizes rural life

Pastoral poetry

Renaissance is a French word meaning _____

Rebirth

The chapel is NOT described as being ____ in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"?

Roofless

What historical event form the basis of the pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral

Saint Thomas Becket of Canterbury was murdered here and his shrine is located here

In "The Wife of Bath's Tale," the Queen gives the knight a chance to save his life, why does she do this?

She feels it is more important to teach a lesson than to kill

In "The Wife's Lament," what has happened to the wife?

She has been exiled by her husband for being unfaithful

What does Lady Macbeth mean by "my hand are your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white."

She would be ashamed if her heart were as weak as his

Who chops off the Green Knight's head? Why?

Sir Gawain; The Green Knight demanded it be chopped off and the knight didn't want his king to have to do it.

writing that offers insights into society, its values, and its customs

Social commentary

In Psalm 137, the exiles are forced to sing; what do they sing about?

Songs about Zion, about the future destruction of their enemies

What does the sea represent in "The Seafarer?"

Sorrow, fear, pain, suffering, alone. Symbolism: Sacrificing for God

Would you describe the Sermon on the Mount as a parable, song, or speech?

Speech

What role do the witches play in Act 1 in Macbeth

Supernatural elements, they foreshadow events to come

What can be inferred about the Old Woman in "The Wife of Bath's Tale"?

That she is an elf or fairy

What is Beowulf's last request?

That there will be a monument built for him that is filled with his ashes

What point is the wife of bath making when she tells the story of Midas?

That women cannot keep secrets

What is the main idea of Paslm 23 from The King Jame Bible?

The Lord is always with you and if you believe in him, he will guide you through life.

What historical event inspired the Queen to give this speech?

The Spanish invasion of England

How does the setting of the second battle add to its epic significance?

The battle with Grendel's mother is fought underwater. After Beowulf is victorious, there is a heavenly light shining

What does Sidney mean when he says "make in me these civil wars to cease"?

The civil wars are a conflict inside of him caused by his love for Stella.

In the Prologue from "The Canterbury Tales," who has 'an ulcer on his knee'?

The cook

How do the events in "Barbara Allan" echo the medieval ideas presented in "Lord Randall"?

The events in "Barbra Allan" equate love sickness with death in the same way "Lord Randall" does.

In the ballad "Get up and Bar the Door," who speaks first?

The husband

How do the accounts in these letters as primary sources differ from a secondary source, such as a contemporary history book account

The letters provide a firsthand perspective of events, not a removed explanation

What outbreak has happened when "The Pardoner's Tale" is set?

The plague

In "The Pardoner's Tale," which character(s) does the Pardoner most closely resemble?

The rioters; they represent greed and treachery

What does the speaker long for in "The Seafarer?"

The sea

What does this request demonstrate about warrior culture?

Their emphasis on fame and glory

What happens to the three rioters?

They all betray and kill each other for gold

How do Beowulf's companions react when the dragon breathes flame on him?

They all flee except Wiglaf

What do Sidney and Spenser's sonnets have in common?

They are both addressing a desire for love

What do Queen Elizabeth's words: my realm, my kingdom, my people; infer about her view as Queen

They exhibit her sense of ownership

In "Get up and bar the Door," how can we tell that the family is poor?

They have no running water

How is the perspective of medieval life presented in "Get up and Bar the Door" different from those presented in the other ballads?

This ballad presents a humorous and exaggerated look at married life, not a romanticized view of love

Why does Shakespeare bring Banquo and Macbeth together in the play right before Macbeth kills King Duncan?

This gives Macbeth one more chance to change his mind

What is Chaucer's primary theme in the Prologue from "The Canterbury Tales"?

To show variety of human nature

Macbeth includes numbered side notes, what aspect of the play do these notes help readers understand?

What words and phrases meant when they were written

The ordeal that Gawain goes through DOES NOT prove him to be

Wholly courageous

Following his painful experience in Wales, Gawain presumably returns to Camelot and the Round Table a _____

Wiser man

What do the ladies' actions in "Twa Corbies" and "Lord Randall" indicate about the medieval perspective of women?

Women are viewed as untrustworthy and dangerous

Epic

a long narrative poem celebrating the exploits of a larger-than-life hero

Caesure

a pause for breath in the middle of lines

Kenning

a two word poetic renaming

Cometadas

companionship between a lord and his servant

Feudalism

exchange of property for personal service; a social hierarchy

Anglo-Saxon themes

exile, companionship, intermingling of Christian and pagan traditions

In "Lord Randall,"the comparison between love and poison

expresses the time's exaggerated sense of love's power

Iambic Pentameter

five sets of unstressed syllables followed by stressed syllables.

Eulogy

lyric poem that laments the loss of a person, place, or condition

"The Nymph's Reply to The Shepherd" was written as a _____ to "The Passionate Shepherd to his Beloved. "

parody

Ubisunt

refers to the tone of the poem; where are