Upgrade to remove ads
Only $2.99/month

Review questions

Terms in this set (8)

What function do monsters, beasts, or monstrous people serve in defining what it means to be
human in our readings? How are they distinguished from the human or humane characters?
Basically monsters represent evil, greed. vengeance and jealousy and non christian values. IT also talks of the supernatural and natural. For example in Beowulf monster's motivation is one Christian influences in the epic. Grendel is a descendant of Cain, the biblical son of Adam and Eve who killed his brother Abel out of jealousy (Genesis 4). The legend is that the monsters of the earth are Cain's descendants and eternally damned. Grendel resents men because God blesses them but will never bless him. The bright lights and sounds of joy emanating from Hrothgar's magnificent mead-hall, Heorot, especially annoy the ogre.
Many of the readings in the first half of the semester feature the interplay of secular and religious
elements, such as the heroic and religious turns of The Wanderer, the references to God and Cain in
the pre-Christian Beowulf, or the conclusion of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight outside the Green
Chapel. What is the significance of these blending moments?
People in the middle ages were concerned with salvation. God represents salvation. These stories show the Christian values and the importance to follow those values. Because only in God we could find salvation. It is the blending of good and evil.
What gives women power within these medieval texts? To what degree do modern adaptations,
like those of the Wife of Bath's Tale and Prologue discussed in class, augment this power? How do they
reflect the cultures that produced them?
portrayed women as unfaithful, superficial, evil creatures, always out to undermine their husbands, feminist critics have often tried to portray the Wife as one of the first feminist characters in literature.This interpretation is weakened by the fact that the Wife of Bath herself conforms to a number of these misogynist and misogamist (antimarriage) stereotypes. For example, she describes herself as sexually voracious but at the same time as someone who only has sex to get money, thereby combining two contradictory stereotypes. She also describes how she dominated her husband, playing on a fear that was common to men, as the Pardoner's nervous interjection reveals. Despite their contradictions, all of these ideas about women were used by men to support a hierarchy in which men dominated women.
What qualities define comitatus, chivalry, and courtly love? How are these codes reflected in the
behavior, clothing, or accessories of the protagonists within our course readings? What do these
codes tell us about the values of their societies?


Comitatus, courtly love and Codes of chivalry, are rules of behavior represented the actions and values of the ideal medieval man and contributed to the formation of the masculine ideal of the period.Chivalric values included generosity, fellowship, purity, courtesy, and compassion. Knightly virtues involved bravery, honor, loyalty to the king, the profession of his faith, gallantry towards women, and truthfulness. These values are influenced by Christianity and also exaggerated behaviors of the true nature of a man. For example The Pearl Poet based Gawain's character on an idealized image of a gentleman. He is expected to meet the demands of the feudal society, Christian morality, social etiquette, and nobility. However, the poet illustrates how difficult it is to maintain these ideals. The poem breaks from the romantic tradition presenting a hero with flaws. Gawain proves how difficult it is to remain faithful to all of the rules of behavior expected from a man.
How is the relationship between the natural and civilized worlds depicted within our course texts?
To what extent are they presented as distinct and separate spheres?
...
Consider the place of multilingualism within Britain and the major shifts in language that occur
during the medieval period.
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 signifies the beginning of French domination in English literature and the transition from Old English to Middle English. The conquest had huge linguistic effects in England as the rise of a French-speaking ruling class led to the addition of French words to the English vocabulary. French was imposed as the official language of the court, government, and culture, but he lower classes continued to speak English, gradually developing a hybrid language called Middle English. Moreover, the Norman Conquest had significant social and cultural influence in English society. The english language adopted words in french and also changes in grammar.
Several of the course readings feature rulers, including Hrothgar, Beowulf, Arthur, the Great Chan,
and Prester John. What qualities define these men as good and/or bad leaders?
The Characteristics of the King in His Fullness
He is centered.
He is decisive.
He lives with integrity.
He protects his realm.
He provides order.
He creates and inspires creativity in others.
He blesses the lives of others.
He leaves a legacy.
How do Wonders of the East and The Book of John Mandeville depict religious and/or cultural
difference? Do the authors try to draw parallels between their own cultures and those of the lands
they describe?
...
OTHER SETS BY THIS CREATOR