Monday - FINALS

 Please turn in your Personal Narratives - NOW!

British Literature: 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 Seafarer”, “The Wanderer”

Beowulf

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The Canterbury Tales - “The Wife of Bath Tale”, “The Pardoner’s Tale” and your tale

Le Morte D’Arthur

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,  Exile or 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, Lancelot, characters in the prologue 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, the mutilation of horses, the troublemaker, beheading, kin killing, important of ancestors, reputation, the arming of the warrior, the fairy world, green, 

Symbols: the brain-ball, the cauldron of resurrection, Heorot, Grendal, the Dragon, the fiery lake (and Grendal’s mothers’ hLL),  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 Muldoon, 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 or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight).

 There will be an essay questions on this test.