Semester One Flashcards
How can the reader tell that “Beowulf” is a legendary story?
The hero is described as someone greater than all other men
In “Beowulf”, why does Beowulf sail with his chosen companions to Hrothgar’s kingdom?
To help Hrothgar by destroying a monster
What line from “Beowulf” contains an example of kenning?
"’…I have come so far, / Oh shelterer of warriors and your people’s loved friends, / That this one favor you should not refuse me…’”
From what fact can the reader infer that Beowulf is honorable?
Beowulf refuses to use weapons because Grendel uses none
What does this line from “Beowulf” mean?
‘The monster’s thoughts were as quick as his greed or his claws’
He has intelligence
At the end of the battle in “Beowulf”, the poet attributes Grendel’s defeat to what?
God’s power
Which of the following best summarizes the theme of “Beowulf”?
Valor will triumph
What statement would you include in a summary of the first section of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”?
The Green Knight arrives at King Arthur’s court in the middle of a New Year’s Eve feast
What events from “SGGK” conveys a sense of the supernatural?
The Green Knight does not die from Sir Gawain’s blow
What primary plot elements characteristic of medieval romances is missing from the excerpt from SGGK
A damsel in distress
In SGGK, why does Sir Gawain volunteer to fight the Green Knight?
He wants to protect the honor of his King and fellow Knights
What events in SGGK represent a deviation from the ideals of chivalry?
Sir Gawain keeps the magic girdle
What character could you leave out of a summary of SGGK?
Guinevere
Sir Gawain’s main internal conflict in SGGK involves his guilt over what?
Violating the chivalric code
What saying best paraphrases what the Green Knight says to Sir Gawain at the end of SGGK?
Admit your mistakes and move on
What is the central theme of Macbeth Act I?
Betrayal
“Macbeth” and other Elizabethan plays represented a radical shift in English drama because they were what?
Not about religious themes
Based upon the information in Act I of “Macbeth”, what appears to be Macbeth’s character flaw?
A desire for power
During the Elizabethan period, theater companies began to do what?
Use permanent performance spaces
What important role do the witches okay in Act I of “Macbeth”?
They foreshadow events
Based upon information in Act I of “Macbeth”, what can you infer about King Duncan?
He places a high value on bravery and loyalty
What of the following best describes Macbeth’s feelings about the possible assassination of King Duncan in Act I?
Tortured ambivalence
In Act I of “Macbeth”, why does Lady Macbeth think Macbeth has a poor chance of achieving power?
He is not ruthless enough
What is the central idea of “Macbeth” Act II?
A murderer must live with his conscience
For what of the following reasons did Shakespeare probably choose to write “Macbeth” in blank verse?
To create an affect of natural speech
In “Macbeth” Act II, Scene ii, Lady Macbeth’s purpose in drugging the servants is what?
So that they will sleep through King Duncan’s murder
What characterizes the line from “Macbeth”
‘This night’s great business into my dispatch’ as blank verse?
It has ten syllables with the stress falling on every second syllable
What symbol(s) in “Macbeth” Act II, Scene ii, signals that the murder has been accomplished?
The owl’s scream and the crickets’ cries