Brit Lit Exam Flashcards
What group of people left England and that then made it easy for people to invade the country?
Romans
Who inhabited Britain when Julius Caesar invaded?
Celts
How long did the Romans occupy Britain?
About 470 years
Who really was King Arthur?
The figure of a Celtic leader who organized determined resistance after the Romans left the country and invaders from the North Sea started to attack.
The celts of England were first known as:
Britons and Gaels
What was the heptarchy?
Celts, Jutes, Angles, Saxons, Normans, Danes
Anglo-Saxon chronicles:
The first historical record to be kept in English, initiated by Alfred
Venerable Bede:
Author of the Ecclesiastical History.
“The father of English history”
An Anglo-Saxon churchman
Wyrd
Fate
Exeter book
Discovered manuscripts from the reign of Alfred the Great.
“Seafarer” “wanderer” “wife’s lament”
Epic poem:
Long narrative poem that recount the adventures of a hero
Characteristics of an epic:
1) high social status
2) Hero’s actions determine fate of many people
3) performs courageous and superhuman deeds
4) supernatural beings and events
5) setting is large scale
6) long speeches
7) formal diction, serious tone, poetic language
8) universal themes: good and evil, life and death
Old English gives us:
Our common nouns and verbs
Old English dates:
From the middle of the 5th century to the middle of the 12th century
Middle English dates:
Late 12th century to late 15th century
Norman conquest
1066
Started medieval period
What is the main theme of Beowulf?
Create a legacy that lives on after death
An illuminated manuscript of the gospel book in Latin. Created my Celtic monks
Book of kells
Traditional code if conduct associated with medieval institution of knighthood
Chivalry
Manuscript that surveys the citizens in England in medieval times
Domesday book
First document that limited the powers of a king, 1215
Magna carta
Religious conflicts during the Middle Ages which aimed to restore Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem
The crusades
Kinds of plays performed during Middle Ages:
Morality and miracle
Something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; an assistant or helper; a valuable quality or characteristic. Added or connected in a subordinate capacity; attached to a faculty or staff in an auxiliary capacity. (Associate, addition, accessory)
Adjunct
The male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse; a leader, as in a desperate or violent undertaking; an indicator of trends. (Ringleader, initiator, barometer)
Bellwether
To howl or screech like a cat; to quarrel. A harsh or noisy cry; a racket. (Whine, screech)
Caterwaul
Absurd; wildly fantastic; impossible (visionary, quixotic, pie-in-the-sky)
Chimerical
Lacking in wholesome vigor or energy; worn-out or exhausted; sterile or unable to produce; out-of-date (decadent, enfeebled)
Effete
An accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact, or action (accomplished fact)
Fait accompli
Narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices; stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative (intolerant, inflexible)
Hidebound
Any system of things or people arranged or graded one above another in order of rank, wealth, class, etc. (chain of command)
Hierarchy
A philosophy or practice characterized by a usually deliberate abstention from direction or interference, especially with individual freedom of choice and action. (Noninterventional, nonrestrictive, hands-off)
Laissez-faire
A religious service or rite; the form of a ritual or other act of public worship. (Observance)
Liturgy
A patch of low, soft, wet ground; a swamp; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped, as in quicksand. (Bog)
Morass
Offensive or disgusting; foul-smelling; harmful or injurious. (Fetid, noxious, vile, loathsome)
Noisome
Forgetful; unaware. (Insensible)
Oblivious
A base coward. (Craven, dastard, “chicken”)
Poltroon
A convert; a disciple. (Novice, neophyte)
Proselyte
Resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely. (Kind of, as if)
Quasi
Good-humored ridicule; teasing. (Persiflage)
Raillery
Irreverently mocking; coarse, vulgar, or indecent in language. (Risqué)
Ribald
Lying flat on one’s back; listless or lethargic; apathetic or passive. (Prone, prostrate; inert)
Supine
A short description or sketch; a picture or illustration with edges that gradually shade off; a decorative design on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter. (Thumbnail sketch, anecdote)
Vignette
Protection; patronage; sponsorship (auspices)
Aegis
To inform of; to make aware of by giving oral or written notice. (Acquaint)
Apprise
Fond of or inclined to drink; absorbent. (Inebrious)
Bibulous
A group of people hired to applaud a performer of performance; enthusiastic or fawning admirers; an opera hat. (Fan club, flatterers)
Claque
To pull up by the roots; to root out, uproot, or dislocate; to eliminate all traces of. (Extirpate, eradicate, expunge)
Deracinate
An explanation or critical interpretation (especially of a text). (Analysis, explication)
Exegesis
Originating in the country or region where found, native; inborn; inherent. (Endemic, domestic, homegrown)
Indigenous
Given to tears or weeping; causing to shed tears; mournful, lugubrious. (Tearful, doleful, dolorous)
Lachrymose
A dictionary of a language: the special vocabulary of a person, group, or subject; a compendium. (Wordbook, glossary)
Lexicon
A confused struggle; a violent free-for-all; a tumultuous mingling. (Fracas, brawl, scuffle, donnybrook)
Melee
A miniature world or universe; a group or system viewed as the model of a larger group or system. (Epitome, world in little)
Microcosm
Very small, tiny. A lowercase letter. (Infinitesimal, insignificant)
Minuscule
To darken or obscure; to confuse or bewilder. (Muddy the waters)
Obfuscate
The policy or practice of treating or governing people in the manner or a father dealing with his children. (Benevolence, solicitude, fatherliness)
Paternalism
To cause to concentrate around two conflicting or contrasting positions; to cause to light to vibrate in a pattern. (Split, alienate, estrange)
Polarize
The range, extent, or scope of something; in law, the scope or limit of what is provided in a statute. (Orbit)
Purview
Having ruddy complexion; of a naturally cheerful, confident, or optimistic outlook. (Flushed, rosy)
Sanguine
A substandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of etiquette; any impropriety or mistake. (Misusage, blunder)
Solecism
A person under the protection if a feudal lord to whom he or she owes allegiance; a subordinate or dependent; a servant. Subservient. (Minion. Servile)
Vassal
The quality of appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable. (Realism, lifelikeness, authenticity)
Verisimilitude
Subordinate or supplementary. (Auxiliary, accessory)
Ancillary
To remove material considered offensive (from a book, play, film, etc). (Purge, expurgate)
Bowdlerize
To come down or stoop voluntarily to a lower level; to deal with people in a patronizing manner. (To talk down)
Condescend
To trick; to cheat or swindle (dupe, deceive, beguile, inveigle)
Cozen
An enclosed district, region, or area inhabited by a particular group of people or having a special character. (Island, subgroup)
Enclave
A person’s strongpoint; what a person does best. (Gift, aptitude, specialty)
Forte
Free. Without charge. (On the house)
Gratis
A representation or image of a sacred personage, often considered sacred itself; an image or picture; a symbol; a graphic symbol on a computer monitor display; an object of blind devotion. (Emblem)
Icon
A small, narrow space between things or parts of things. (Gap, slot, crevice, interval, lacuna)
Interstice
The universe considered as a whole; the entire complex structure of something. (Cosmos, entirety)
Macrocosm
A trickster or swindler; a charlatan. (Impostor, quack)
Mountebank
A song of praise, joy, or triumph. (Ode, anthem)
Paean
Lighthearted joking, talk, or writing. (Banter, jesting, badinage)
Persiflage
Overfullness; superabundance; superfluity. (Surplus, glut, excess)
Plethora
Concerned with practical consideration or values; dealing with actions and results rather than with abstract theory; stiff in one’s opinions. (Down-to-earth)
Pragmatic
Puzzled; mocking; odd; equivocal. (Peculiar, perplexed, mystified, derisive)
Quizzical
Inordinate greed; the disposition to obtain one’s desires by force, extortion, or plunder. (Avarice, cupidity, voraciousness)
Rapacity
A formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions. (Rift)
Schism
Having the power to heal or cure; beneficial. (Salutary, salubrious)
Therapeutic
A brilliant performer; a person with masterly skill or technique. Masterly or brilliant. (Expert, prodigy, maestro)
Virtuoso
A natural attraction to a person, thing, or activity; a relationship, connection. (Inclination, penchant)
Affinity
Peevish or irritable; sickeningly unpleasant. (Choleric, irascible, peevish, splenetic)
Bilious
Closely related in origin, essential nature, or function. Such a person or thing. (Allied, affiliated. Relative)
Cognate
A proposition that follows from one already proven; a natural consequence for result. Resultant or consequent. (Deduction, conclusion)
Corollary
A blind alley or dead-end street; any situation in which further progress is impossible; an impasse.
Cul-de-sac
Valor or heroism; daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics). (Audacity, bravado, pyrotechnics).
Derring-do
The art or act if predicting the future or discovering hidden knowledge. (Prophecy)
Divination
A potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely; a panacea; a sweet liquid used as a vehicle in medicines. (Nostrum, tonic)
Elixir
Foolish talk, ideas, or procedures; nonsense; a trifle. (gibberish)
Folderol
An entire range or series. (Compass, sweep)
Gamut
The common people, the masses. (Rank and file)
Hoi polloi
Not expressible in words; too great or too sacred to be uttered. (Inexpressible)
Ineffable
Laborious study or thought, especially at night; the result of such work. (Burning the midnight oil)
Lucubration
Relating to or designed to assist the memory. A device to aid the memory. (Reminder, clue)
Mnemonic
Public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure; the disgrace resulting from such treatment. (Discredit, opprobrium, dishonor)
Obloquy
A determining or characteristic element; a factor that shaped the total outcome; a limit, boundary.
Parameter
A learned person; one who gives authoritative opinions. (Expert, authority, savant)
Pundit
Pertaining to laughter; able or inclined to laugh, laughable. (Droll, ludicrous)
Risible
Typical or characteristic; bring or concerned with a symptom of a disease. (Indicative)
Symptomatic
An about-face; a complete reversal. (Turnabout)
Volte-face
An enthusiastic and usually expert follower or fan. (Devotee, enthusiast)
Aficionado
To intimidate by a stern or overbearing manner; to bully. (Cow, coerce)
Browbeat
Equal in size, extent, duration, or importance; proportionate; measurable by the same standards. (Comparable, corresponding, coordinate)
Commensurate
Very sheer and light; almost completely transparent. (Translucent, gossamer)
Diaphanous
Profit derived from an officer or position or from employment; a fee or salary. (Pay, wages)
Emolument
A quick raid, especially for plunder; a venture into some field of endeavor. To make such a raid. (Sally, sortie)
Foray
A type, class, or variety, especially a distinctive category of literary composition; a style of painting in which everyday scenes are realistically depicted. (Species, sort, school)
Genre
A sermon stressing moral principles, a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse
Homily
To enclose it confine within walls; to imprison; to seclude or isolate. (Mew up)
Immure
Blithely indifferent or unconcerned; carefree; happy-go-lucky. (Blasé, devil-may-care)
Insouciant
A mold; the surrounding situation or environment. (Pattern, model)
Matrix
Funeral rites or ceremonies. (Funeral services)
Obsequies
A confident and stylish manner, dash; a strikingly elaborate or colorful display. (Style, verve, élan, éclat)
Panache
A character in a novel or play; the outward character or role that a person assumes. (Personality, image, role)
Persona
A bitter verbal attack. (Harangue , diatribe)
Philippic
Having lustful desires or interests; tending to arouse sexual desires. (Lascivious, lewd, titillating)
Prurient
Very sacred or holy; inviolable; set apart or immune from questioning or attack.
Sacrosanct
Of or pertaining to the entire body; relation to a system or systems. (Extensive, comprehensive, system-wide)
Systematic
Intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan. (Partial)
Tendentious
A change, variation, or alteration. Successive or changing phases or conditions. (Fluctuation, vacillation)
Vicissitude
What is Anouilh’s theme?
Is a man more faithful to god or a king when confronted by both? Can a man be both god and king?
Why do the Normans hate the Saxons?
The Normans think the Saxons are barbarians
Where does becket hold his honor?
With god
What looks good to people
Estheties
Why does Henry underestimate becket so gravely?
Because he has such a big head and his goal get in the way of seeing the reality of life
What purpose does the gesture of giving all to the poor at the end of act 2 serve? Why does Anouilh include it and why at this point?
The purpose is that Becket is gaining power and he feels sympathy towards the Saxons and peasants. Anouilh demonstrates his theme through Becket’s act of giving to the poor. It’s a godly act to give to the poor and becket loves god more than anything. Shows how Becket is favoring god more than his friend.
Who else underestimates becket, other than Henry? Why?
The pope because becket truly loves god and the pope doesn’t because the pope is corrupt.
Why does king Louis decide to try to persuade Henry to make peace with becket?
So he can benefit by getting favors from Henry
Why does becket say that he will never see the king again?
He can’t come back to England because he doesn’t want to take the excommunication back
Why does becket allow the young monk to keep his intention of killing a Norman?
Because the young monk wants to kill a Norman out of justice
Does becket love anything told anyone prior to becoming archbishop?
Becket loves king Henry but that wears off when he learns the kings intentions
Does king Henry love or hate becket?
Yes. He loves the friendship, but he hates the fact that becket loves god more than Henry
What is the tragedy of becket and Henry?
Becket is killed for being true and pure while Henry is allowed to live while being sinful and corrupt.
