Background and Allusions

Question 0

Queen Bess: Elizabeth of England, 1533-1603. Ruled during the grandeur of the English Empire beginning with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588

Answer 0

Representative of the grandest of all time periods in the modern era in western civilization- the arts and literature flourished during the Elizabethan Era.

Question 1

Aristotle: Greek philosopher and student of Plato. He was a philosopher of moderation and common sense and thought the heart to be the seat of intelligence. Not mathematically inclined

Answer 1

Great Greek philosopher who may rely upon the heart as well as common sense for direction

Question 2

Hannibal: 247-183 BC. General of Carthage sworn to eternal enmity toward Rome. He crossed the Alps in Italy with elephants in a 15 year campaign–he eventually committed suicide

Answer 2

Represents a daring plot to wage war against a most formidable enemy. Despite the failure to conquer Rome, he is remembered for the success in using elephants against Rome

Question 3

Belial: personified as the spirit of evil in the Bible

Answer 3

satan, satanic, devil

Question 4

Pequod: Indian tribe along the CN coast in the 17th century around the Mystic River. Nearly exterminated in 1637

Answer 4

usually implies a foreshadowing of doom–extermination, destruction, some kind of complete disaster is suggested

Question 5

Jove: Poseidon

Answer 5

King of all gods, equivalent of Zeus, all-powerful, the controller of the universe

Question 6

Narcissus: a beautiful youth who after Echo’s death pines away for love of his own reflection in a spring

Answer 6

excessive self-love and interest in one’s appearance or importance leads to disaster. Vanity corrupts

Question 7

Ahab: provoked the anger of Elijah by agreeing to worship of Baal and Astarte–gods of the underworld. Idolatrous king

Answer 7

swayed by things negative and sinful, suggest a dark, evil inclination

Question 8

pan: god of pasture and flocks usually pictured as half man and half goat and playing a flute

Answer 8

“panic.” he liked to surprise people in the forest and cause them to panic

Question 9

Achilles: he killed Hector, and was killed by Paris with an arrow striking his vulnerable heel that had not been dipped in the Styx at his birth

Answer 9

despite all attempts to make him invincible, he fell victim to one solitary vulnerability

Question 10

Sisyphus: Punished in Underworld by having to push a huge rock to the top of a hill

Answer 10

everlasting repetition of a task becomes never-ending as a punsihment for wrong-doing and deceptions

Question 11

John Locke: English philosopher. Things, events, conditions perceived by the senses are the origin of all knowledge, piety is a check on the passions

Answer 11

origins of all knowledge comes from the senses

Question 12

Immanuel Kant: German philosopher

Answer 12

knowledge is not derived from the sense–man should avoid the extremes

Question 13

Gabriel: one of the seven archangels, God’s messenger and interpreter. Angel of mercy; he will announce the arrival of the Judgment Day

Answer 13

Angel of Mercy

Question 14

Fates: control human destiny and life

Answer 14

control life–notion does not allow reference to free will

Question 15

Euroclydon: a violent wind. Caught Paul’s ship in Acts. All prisoners including Paul survived.

Answer 15

A disastrous wind that stirs the waters violently

Question 16

Vishnu: “Preserver” and second member of Hindu trinity.

Answer 16

usually related to India,

Question 17

Andromeda: Ethiopian princess rescued from a sea monster by Perseus whom she married

Answer 17

princess or person rescued from a “monster”

Question 18

Benedict Arnold: American army officer and traitor who served with Allen–he was a hero at Ticonderoga, later court-martialed fleeing to England where he lived the rest of his life in disgrace and poverty

Answer 18

American representative of all that a traitor stands for

Question 19

Cerberus: three-headed doggy

Answer 19

most monstrous of fears and conflicts may be overcome through ingenuity and cunning