Stories Flashcards
(355 cards)
1
Q
Who is secretly being kept in Thornfield?
A
Bertha Mason, Rochester’s wife who has gone insane
2
Q
How is the marriage between Rochester and Jane stopped?
A
Jane had sent a letter to her uncle, who spoke with Robert Mason, the brother of Bertha. He intervened to stop the illegal marriage
3
Q
What are the names of the three cousins Jane grew up with?
A
Georgiana Reed, Eliza Reed, and John Reed
4
Q
What are the names of Jane’s cousins whom she lives with after fleeing Thornfield?
A
St. John Rivers, Diana, and Mary Rivers
5
Q
What is the name of the boarding school Jane attends until she turns 18?
A
Lowood Institution
6
Q
What leads Jane to advertise as a governess?
A
Her friend Maria Temple, the principal of Lowood, marries, and she becomes restless without her there.
7
Q
What is the name of the palace the demons create in Hell?
A
Pandemonium
8
Q
Who claim to be the children of Satan?
A
Sin and Death
9
Q
Which demons oppose continuing to wage war, and what are their reasons?
A
Mammon and Belial oppose war. Mammon thinks they won’t gain any profit in waging war, but they can uncover gems, etc. in hell. Belial argues against it because he is slothful, but is eloquent in his argument.
10
Q
Why does Satan leave hell at the end of the second book?
A
He is planning to locate the rumored new creation of God, in order to hurt God by harming the new creations, with the hopes of also ruling over the new creations
11
Q
Who convinces the demons to seek out the new creation rumored to have been recently created by God?
A
Beelzebub suggests they investigate the new creation during the debate on what to do.
12
Q
Which people abandon Everyman and reject to help him?
A
Fellowship, Kindred, Cousin, Goods. Then, after joining: Strength, Beauty, Discretion, and Five Wits. Finally, Knowledge also leaves him because she can’t follow after he dies.
13
Q
Who is sent by God to have Everyman come account for his life?
A
Death, who agrees to let Everyman choose someone to come with him.
14
Q
Who must Everyman see in order to make Good Deeds stronger?
A
Confession, and after seeing him, he scourges himself which strengthens her.
15
Q
Who remains with Everyman until he reaches heaven to be judged?
A
Good Deeds
16
Q
What supernatural events appear to happen to convince Faustus to repent?
A
The words, “Flee, man” appear in Latin on his arm before he signs away his soul in blood;
17
Q
What are some of the ways Faustus uses the unlimited power granted to him by the contract with Lucifer?
A
He visits the Pope and plays tricks on him; he summons demons in the appearance of famed people of the past (Helen of Troy); he is entertained by demons in the forms of the Seven Deadly Sins
18
Q
What is the name of the woman who was caught in adultery, and who was she cheating with?
A
Hester Prynne; Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale
19
Q
Who is Chillingworth?
A
He is Hester’s husband who wants to take revenge on Hester and Rev. Dimmesdale
20
Q
Who is Hester’s daughter, and what is her personality like?
A
Pearl; she is mischievous and observant, and the townspeople fear her and claim she was born of the devil
21
Q
What is Dimmesdale like?
A
Dimmesdale is tormented by guilt, punishing himself physically and psychologically to the point of becoming ill; he is smart, eloquent, and his sermons are moving
22
Q
Describe Reverend John Wilson.
A
An older reverend, Wilson is typically puritan, preaching hellfire and damnation to the townspeople.
23
Q
What are Chillingworth’s motivations, and his history?
A
He was living in Europe, while Hester was sent to America. He was later captured by Native Americans, before arriving in Boston and seeing Hester and her daughter being punished. He wishes to take revenge on her and her lover for her cheating on him.
24
Q
What one thing does Hester not sew for the townspeople after she becomes accepted by society again?
A
Wedding clothes
25
What does Chillingworth pretend to be?
A doctor (AKA "leech" in slang)
26
What is the name of Beloved's mother?
Sethe
27
Who is Denver?
Denver is Sethe's daughter, she survived while Beloved was killed with a saw by Sethe. Denver was saved from being dashed against a wall to death
28
Who is Paul D?
He was one of the men who lived on the plantation Sweet Home with Sethe and her husband Halle. He is in a romantic/sexual relationship with Sethe, but eventually leaves after Beloved overtakes the house and he learns about Sethe killing Beloved
29
Who is Baby Suggs?
She is Halle's mother. Baby Suggs witnessed Sethe killing Beloved and almost killing Denver, and experienced rejection of the community after being a spiritual/community leader, but they rejected her because of her wealth and generosity as well as due to the incident with Sethe. Baby Suggs inspired her community to care for Denver, and for Denver to reintegrate into society after Baby's death.
30
Who is Stamp Paid?
He is a spiritual leader in the community. He saved many slaves, and he also is the one who saved Denver's life before Sethe could kill her. Stamp realizes he may not have offered or been involved enough in helping Sethe and her family and is angry at the community's lack of care for Sethe and Denver.
31
Who is Amy Denver?
Amy is the girl who encountered Sethe when she was escaping enslavement, and she helped Sethe by massaging her legs and getting her to a boat to escape with Denver.
32
Who are Mr. and Mrs. Garner?
The white owners of Sweet Home. After Mr. Garner's death, he is replaced with Schoolteacher. The hypocrisy of the couple's "benevolent slavery" is revealed later for characters such as Paul D
33
Beelzebub
Satan’s second-in-command. Beelzebub discusses with Satan their options after being cast into Hell, and at the debate suggests that they investigate the newly created Earth. He and Satan embody perverted reason, since they are both eloquent and rational but use their talents for wholly corrupt ends.
34
Belial
One of the principal devils in Hell. Belial argues against further war with Heaven, but he does so because he is an embodiment of sloth and inactivity, not for any good reason. His eloquence and learning is great, and he is able to persuade many of the devils with his faulty reasoning.
35
Mammon
A devil known in the Bible as the epitome of wealth. Mammon always walks hunched over, as if he is searching the ground for valuables. In the debate among the devils, he argues against war, seeing no profit to be gained from it. He believes Hell can be improved by mining the gems and minerals they find there.
36
Mulciber
The devil who builds Pandemonium, Satan’s palace in Hell. Mulciber’s character is based on a Greek mythological figure known for being a poor architect, but in Milton’s poem he is one of the most productive and skilled devils in Hell.
37
Moloch
A rash, irrational, and murderous devil. Moloch argues in Pandemonium that the devils should engage in another full war against God and his servant angels.
38
Sin
Satan’s daughter, who sprang full-formed from Satan’s head when he was still in Heaven. Sin has the shape of a woman above the waist, that of a serpent below, and her middle is ringed about with Hell Hounds, who periodically burrow into her womb and gnaw her entrails. She guards the gates of Hell.
39
Death
Satan’s son by his daughter, Sin. Death in turn rapes his mother, begetting the mass of beasts that torment her lower half. The relations between Death, Sin, and Satan mimic horribly those of the Holy Trinity.
40
Satan
Head of the rebellious angels who have just fallen from Heaven. As the poem’s antagonist, Satan is the originator of sin—the first to be ungrateful for God the Father’s blessings. He embarks on a mission to Earth that eventually leads to the fall of Adam and Eve, but also worsens his eternal punishment. His character changes throughout the poem. Satan often appears to speak rationally and persuasively, but later in the poem we see the inconsistency and irrationality of his thoughts. He can assume any form, adopting both glorious and humble shapes.
41
St. John Rivers
Along with his sisters, Mary and Diana, St. John (pronounced “Sinjin”) serves as Jane’s benefactor after she runs away from Thornfield, giving her food and shelter. The minister at Morton, St. John is cold, reserved, and often controlling in his interactions with others. Because he is entirely alienated from his feelings and devoted solely to an austere ambition, St. John serves as a foil to Edward Rochester.
42
Mrs. Reed
Mrs. Reed is Jane’s cruel aunt, who raises her at Gateshead Hall until Jane is sent away to school at age ten. Later in her life, Jane attempts reconciliation with her aunt, but the old woman continues to resent her because her husband had always loved Jane more than his own children.
43
Bessie Lee
The maid at Gateshead, Bessie is the only figure in Jane’s childhood who regularly treats her kindly, telling her stories and singing her songs. Bessie later marries Robert Leaven, the Reeds’ coachman.
44
Mr. Lloyd
Mr. Lloyd is the Reeds’ apothecary, who suggests that Jane be sent away to school. Always kind to Jane, Mr. Lloyd writes a letter to Miss Temple confirming Jane’s story about her childhood and clearing Jane of Mrs. Reed’s charge that she is a liar.
45
Georgiana Reed
Georgiana Reed is Jane’s cousin and one of Mrs. Reed’s two daughters. The beautiful Georgiana treats Jane cruelly when they are children, but later in their lives she befriends her cousin and confides in her. Georgiana attempts to elope with a man named Lord Edwin Vere, but her sister, Eliza, alerts Mrs. Reed of the arrangement and sabotages the plan. After Mrs. Reed dies, Georgiana marries a wealthy man.
46
Eliza Reed
Eliza Reed is Jane’s cousin and one of Mrs. Reed’s two daughters (along with her sister, Georgiana). Not as beautiful as her sister, Eliza devotes herself somewhat self-righteously to the church and eventually goes to a convent in France where she becomes the Mother Superior.
47
John Reed
John Reed is Jane’s cousin, Mrs. Reed’s son, and brother to Eliza and Georgiana. John treats Jane with appalling cruelty during their childhood and later falls into a life of drinking and gambling. John commits suicide midway through the novel when his mother ceases to pay his debts for him.
48
Helen Burns
Helen Burns is Jane’s close friend at the Lowood School. She endures her miserable life there with a passive dignity that Jane cannot understand. Helen dies of consumption in Jane’s arms.
49
Mr. Brocklehurst
The cruel, hypocritical master of the Lowood School, Mr. Brocklehurst preaches a doctrine of privation, while stealing from the school to support his luxurious lifestyle. After a typhus epidemic sweeps Lowood, Brocklehurst’s shifty and dishonest practices are brought to light and he is publicly discredited.
50
Maria Temple
Maria Temple is a kind teacher at Lowood, who treats Jane and Helen with respect and compassion. Along with Bessie Lee, she serves as one of Jane’s first positive female role models. Miss Temple helps clear Jane of Mrs. Reed’s accusations against her.
51
Alice Fairfax
Alice Fairfax is the housekeeper at Thornfield Hall. She is the first to tell Jane that the mysterious laughter often heard echoing through the halls is, in fact, the laughter of Grace Poole—a lie that Rochester himself often repeats.
52
Bertha Mason
Rochester’s clandestine wife, Bertha Mason is a formerly beautiful and wealthy Creole woman who has become insane, violent, and bestial. She lives locked in a secret room on the third story of Thornfield and is guarded by Grace Poole, whose occasional bouts of inebriation sometimes enable Bertha to escape. Bertha eventually burns down Thornfield, plunging to her death in the flames.
53
Grace Poole
Grace Poole is Bertha Mason’s keeper at Thornfield, whose drunken carelessness frequently allows Bertha to escape. When Jane first arrives at Thornfield, Mrs. Fairfax attributes to Grace all evidence of Bertha’s misdeeds.
54
Adèle Varens
Jane’s pupil at Thornfield, Adèle Varens is a lively though somewhat spoiled child from France. Rochester brought her to Thornfield after her mother, Celine, abandoned her. Although Celine was once Rochester’s mistress, he does not believe himself to be Adèle’s father.
55
Celine Varens
Celine Varens is a French opera dancer with whom Rochester once had an affair. Although Rochester does not believe Celine’s claims that he fathered her daughter Adèle, he nonetheless brought the girl to England when Celine abandoned her. Rochester had broken off his relationship with Celine after learning that Celine was unfaithful to him and interested only in his money.
56
Richard Mason
Richard Mason is Bertha’s brother. During a visit to Thornfield, he is injured by his mad sister. After learning of Rochester’s intent to marry Jane, Mason arrives with the solicitor Briggs in order to thwart the wedding and reveal the truth of Rochester’s prior marriage.
57
Mr. Briggs
John Eyre’s attorney, Mr. Briggs helps Richard Mason prevent Jane’s wedding to Rochester when he learns of the existence of Bertha Mason, Rochester’s wife. After John Eyre’s death, Briggs searches for Jane in order to give her her inheritance.
58
Blanche Ingram
Blanche Ingram is a beautiful socialite who despises Jane and hopes to marry Rochester for his money.
59
Diana Rivers
Diana Rivers is Jane’s cousin, and the sister of St. John and Mary. Diana is a kind and intelligent person, and she urges Jane not to go to India with St. John. She serves as a model for Jane of an intellectually gifted and independent woman.
60
Mary Rivers
Mary Rivers is Jane’s cousin, the sister of St. John and Diana. Mary is a kind and intelligent young woman who is forced to work as a governess after her father loses his fortune. Like her sister, she serves as a model for Jane of an independent woman who is also able to maintain close relationships with others and a sense of meaning in her life.
61
Rosamond Oliver
Rosamond is the beautiful daughter of Mr. Oliver, Morton’s wealthiest inhabitant. Rosamond gives money to the school in Morton where Jane works. Although she is in love with St. John, she becomes engaged to the wealthy Mr. Granby.
62
John Eyre
John Eyre is Jane’s uncle, who leaves her his vast fortune of 20,000 pounds.
63
Uncle Reed
Uncle Reed is Mrs. Reed’s late husband. In her childhood, Jane believes that she feels the presence of his ghost. Because he was always fond of Jane and her mother (his sister), Uncle Reed made his wife promise that she would raise Jane as her own child. It is a promise that Mrs. Reed does not keep.
64
Sethe
Sethe, the protagonist of Beloved, is a proud and independent woman who is extremely devoted to her children. Though she barely knew her own mother, Sethe’s motherly instincts are her most striking characteristic. Unwilling to relinquish her children to the physical, emotional, sexual, and spiritual trauma she endured as a slave at Sweet Home, she attempts to murder them in an act of motherly love and protection. She remains haunted by this and other scarring events in her past, which she tries, in vain, to repress.
65
Denver
Sethe’s youngest child, Denver is the most dynamic character in the novel. Though intelligent, introspective, and sensitive, Denver has been stunted in her emotional growth by years of relative isolation. Beloved’s increasing malevolence, however, forces Denver to overcome her fear of the world beyond 124 and seek help from the community. Denver's foray out into the town and her attempts to find permanent work and possibly attend college mark the beginning of her fight for independence and self-possession.
66
Beloved
Beloved’s identity is mysterious. The novel provides evidence that she could be an ordinary woman traumatized by years of captivity, the ghost of Sethe’s mother, or, most convincingly, the embodied spirit of Sethe’s murdered daughter. On an allegorical level, Beloved represents the inescapable, horrible past of slavery returned to haunt the present. Her presence, which grows increasingly malevolent and parasitic as the novel progresses, ultimately serves as a catalyst for Sethe’s, Paul D’s, and Denver’s respective processes of emotional growth.
67
Paul D
The physical and emotional brutality suffered by Paul D at Sweet Home and as part of a chain gang has caused him to bury his feelings in the “rusted tobacco tin” of his heart. He represses his painful memories and believes that the key to survival is not becoming too attached to anything. At the same time, he seems to incite the opening up of others’ hearts, and women in particular tend to confide in him. Sethe welcomes him to 124, where he becomes her lover and the object of Denver’s and Beloved’s jealousy. Though his union with Sethe provides him with stability and allows him to come to terms with his past, Paul D continues to doubt fundamental aspects of his identity, such as the source of his manhood and his value as a person.
68
Baby Suggs
After Halle buys his mother, Baby Suggs, her freedom, she travels to Cincinnati, where she becomes a source of emotional and spiritual inspiration for the city’s black residents. Baby Suggs holds religious gatherings at a place called the Clearing, where she teaches her followers to love their voices, bodies, and minds. However, after Sethe’s act of infanticide, Baby Suggs stops preaching and retreats to a sickbed to die. Even so, Baby Suggs continues to be a source of inspiration long after her death: in Part Three, her memory motivates Denver to leave 124 and find help. It is partially out of respect for Baby Suggs that the community responds to Denver’s requests for support.
69
Stamp Paid
Like Baby Suggs, Stamp Paid is considered by the community to be a figure of salvation, and he is welcomed at every door in town. An agent of the Underground Railroad, he helps Sethe to freedom and later saves Denver’s life. A grave sacrifice he made during his enslavement has caused him to consider his emotional and moral debts to be paid off for the rest of his life, which is why he decided to rename himself “Stamp Paid.” Yet by the end of the book, he realizes that he may still owe protection and care to the residents of 124. Angered by the community’s neglect of Sethe, Denver, and Paul D, Stamp begins to question the nature of a community’s obligations to its members.
70
Schoolteacher (Beloved)
Following Mr. Garner’s death, schoolteacher takes charge of Sweet Home. Cold, sadistic, and vehemently racist, schoolteacher replaces what he views as Garner’s too-soft approach with an oppressive regime of rigid rules and punishment on the plantation. Schoolteacher’s own habits are extremely ascetic: he eats little, sleeps less, and works hard. His most insidious form of oppression is his “scientific” scrutiny of the slaves, which involves asking questions, taking physical measurements, and teaching lessons to his white pupils on the slaves’ “animal characteristics.” The lower-case "s" of schoolteacher’s appellation may have an ironic meaning: although he enjoys a position of extreme power over the slaves, they attribute no worth to him.
71
Halle
Sethe’s husband and Baby Suggs’s son, Halle is generous, kind, and sincere. He is very much alert to the hypocrisies of the Garners’ “benevolent” form of slaveholding. Halle eventually goes mad, presumably after witnessing schoolteacher’s nephews’ violation of Sethe.
72
Lady Jones
Lady Jones, a light-skinned Black woman who loathes her blond hair, is convinced that everyone despises her for being a woman of mixed race. Despite her feelings of alienation, she maintains a strong sense of community obligation and teaches the underprivileged children of Cincinnati in her home. She is skeptical of the supernatural dimensions of Denver’s plea for assistance, but she nevertheless helps to organize the community’s delivery of food to Sethe’s plagued household.
73
Ella
Ella worked with Stamp Paid on the Underground Railroad. Traumatized by the sexual brutality of a white father and son who once held her captive, she believes, like Sethe, that the past is best left buried. When it surfaces in the form of Beloved, Ella organizes the women of the community to exorcise Beloved from 124.
74
Mr. and Mrs. Garner
Mr. and Mrs. Garner are the comparatively benevolent owners of Sweet Home. The events at Sweet Home reveal, however, that the idea of benevolent slavery is a contradiction in terms. The Garners’ paternalism and condescension are simply watered-down versions of schoolteacher’s vicious racism.
75
Mr. and Miss Bodwin
Siblings Mr. and Miss Bodwin are white abolitionists who have played an active role in winning Sethe’s freedom. Yet there is something disconcerting about the Bodwins’ politics. Mr. Bodwin longs a little too eagerly for the “heady days” of abolitionism, and Miss Bodwin demonstrates a condescending desire to “experiment” on Denver by sending her to Oberlin College. The distasteful figurine Denver sees in the Bodwins’ house, portraying a slave and displaying the message “At Yo’ Service,” marks the limits and ironies of white involvement in the struggle for racial equality. Nevertheless, the siblings are motivated by good intentions, believing that “human life is holy, all of it.”
76
Amy Denver
A nurturing and compassionate girl who works as an indentured servant, Amy is young, flighty, talkative, and idealistic. She helps Sethe when she is ill during her escape from Sweet Home, and when she sees Sethe’s wounds from being whipped, Amy says that they resemble a tree. She later delivers baby Denver, whom Sethe names after her.
77
Paul A, Paul F, and Sixo
Paul A and Paul F are the brothers of Paul D. They were slaves at Sweet Home with him, Halle, Sethe, and, earlier, Baby Suggs. Sixo is another fellow slave. Sixo and Paul A die during the escape from the plantation.
78
Faustus
The protagonist. Faustus is a brilliant sixteenth-century scholar from Wittenberg, Germany, whose ambition for knowledge, wealth, and worldly might makes him willing to pay the ultimate price—his soul—to Lucifer in exchange for supernatural powers. Faustus’s initial tragic grandeur is diminished by the fact that he never seems completely sure of the decision to forfeit his soul and constantly wavers about whether or not to repent. His ambition is admirable and initially awesome, yet he ultimately lacks a certain inner strength. He is unable to embrace his dark path wholeheartedly but is also unwilling to admit his mistake.
79
Mephastophilis
A devil whom Faustus summons with his initial magical experiments. Mephastophilis’s motivations are ambiguous: on the one hand, his oft-expressed goal is to catch Faustus’s soul and carry it off to hell; on the other hand, he actively attempts to dissuade Faustus from making a deal with Lucifer by warning him about the horrors of hell. Mephastophilis is ultimately as tragic a figure as Faustus, with his moving, regretful accounts of what the devils have lost in their eternal separation from God and his repeated reflections on the pain that comes with damnation.
80
Nnu Ego
The novel’s protagonist. At the beginning of the novel, slim, long-necked Nnu Ego is known for her youthful beauty and is often compared to her mother, the high-spirited Ona. Although she has her mother’s strength and singleness of purpose, she is more polite and compliant and less aggressive and outspoken than Ona. She leaves her husband after she cannot get pregnant, and she later attempts suicide when her firstborn is found dead. Eventually, she settles into a bittersweet life of challenge and sacrifice with Nnaife and her children in Lagos.
81
Amatokwu
Nnu Ego’s first husband. When Amatokwu fails to impregnate Nnu Ego, he eventually asks her to move to an outer hut to make room for his second wife. He forces Nnu Ego to work in the fields if she cannot be productive bearing children. When he discovers Nnu Ego breast feeding his second wife’s son, he savagely beats her, prompting their eventual divorce. Despite the abuse, Nnu Ego still holds him up as the standard of Ibo manhood.
82
Nnaife
Nnu Ego’s second husband. Nnaife is short, with a large paunch, pale skin, puffy cheeks, and untraditionally long hair. He is both sensitive and tender with his wife as well as nasty and unsympathetic about the demands made of her as a woman. After he loses his job washing for the Meers, he becomes an assistant to a group of Englishmen and is then employed cutting grass for the railroad, where he is forced to join the army. He is sent to India and Burma to fight in World War II. Eventually disillusioned with his life and family, he attempts to murder Kehinde’s Yoruba father-in-law and is sentenced to five years in prison. When he is released early, he returns to Ibuza a broken man.
83
Ngozi
Nnu Ego and Nnaife’s first child. Ngozi dies in infancy, and his death marks a turning point in the novel, prompting Nnu Ego’s suicide attempt. He is a source of guilt and regret, a specter that haunts Nnu Ego for years.
84
Adaku
Nnaife’s brother’s wife whom Nnaife inherits when his brother dies. Young, attractive, peaceful, and self-satisfied, Adaku joins the family in Lagos and soon starts a thriving and lucrative business selling in the marketplace. Her wealth and success go unrecognized because she bears no sons, only two daughters. Tired of her role of inferiority, she moves out of the household and threatens to become a prostitute. The name Adaku means “daughter of wealth.”
85
Adankwo
The eldest wife of Nnaife’s older brother. Tough, strong, wiry, and dependable, Adankwo is in her early forties and a voice of wisdom and reason among the Ibuza women. She advises Nnu Ego to return home to Lagos in order to keep an eye on Adaku. When Nnaife impregnates her with her last child, she refuses to return to Lagos with him and arranges to have Okpo sent instead.
86
Adimabua
The second living son of Nnu Ego and Nnaife, known as Adim. Observant and intelligent, Adim grows up in the shadow of his older brother. He quickly figures out the entitlement due him as a male and realizes the opportunities denied him as the second oldest. Quick to act, he prevents his father from murdering the Yoruba butcher. Like Oshia, Adim aspires to better things and later leaves Nigeria to pursue his education in Canada. His name means “now I am two” and shows his place in the male hierarchy of the family.
87
Agbadi
Nnu Ego’s father. Agbadi is a highly respected local chief known for both his skill at oratory and for his physical prowess. Cold, disrespectful, and cruel to his wives, he is loving and indulgent to his daughter, whom he treats as the embodiment of and last link to his beloved mistress, Ona. He is a constant source of support and a voice of reason in Nnu Ego’s life.
88
Cordelia
Ubani’s wife. Cordelia is kindhearted and a good friend to Nnu Ego when she makes the initially tough transition to life in Lagos. She is also a source of jealousy and conflict. Nnu Ego resents the easier, more stable life Cordelia seems to have, an attitude that sparks squabbles and petty disagreements between the women. Her name reveals the colonial influence on the region.
89
Mama Abby
A prosperous Ibo woman and confidant of Nnu Ego’s. Mama Abby earns respectability through the advancement of her son, the intelligent, upwardly mobile Abby. Her husband was a European who had worked in the Nigerian colonial service. He eventually returned to Europe, leaving his family well provided for. She, too, is of a mixed racial background. Slim, ladylike, and an eventual mother figure to Nnu Ego, Mama Abby is considered upper class but likes to live modestly with other Ibos. Many of the men view her as a negative influence and do not want their wives associating with her.
90
Dr. Meers
Nnaife and Ubani’s employer. Dr. Meers is the chief occupant of the Yaba compound and works at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Taba. The doctor makes little attempt to hide his racist attitudes concerning his African employees, overtly calling Nnaife a “baboon.”
91
Mrs. Meers
Dr. Meers’s wife. Mrs. Meers, the only white female character in the novel, has gray, sunken eyes, and appears to have been prematurely aged by the climate and her life in West Africa. She believes she is kind to her African staff, chiding her husband for his racist remarks, but at the same time she maintains a haughty and aloof demeanor of social superiority in their presence.
92
Obi Umunna
Ona’s father. A great chief and doting father, Obi Umunna is particularly protective of his daughter’s honor and freedom. He allows her to have lovers but does not force her to commit to a marriage. He prizes only an elusive male heir, which his daughter never produces. He is ridiculed for not finding a suitable match for his daughter and viewed by some as an ineffective father because of it.
93
Okpo
Nnaife’s sixteen-year-old bride. Okpo is sent to Lagos to live with the family when Adankwo refuses to leave Ibuza. Though she is Nnaife’s wife, Okpo has childlike qualities herself. She understands her traditional role as a wife and praises and flatters Nnu Ego for raising such clever and accomplished children.
94
Ona
Nnu Ego’s mother. Ona is known for her catlike grace and youthful exuberance as she runs about the village with her breasts exposed. She wears expensive waist beads and is later held to be conservative, haughty, cold, and remote when she wins the role of Agbadi’s favorite mistress. She is often reminded of her place as an Ibuzan women when she openly challenges and taunts her lover.
95
Oshiaju
Nnu Ego’s oldest surviving son, known as Oshia. Medicine men predict Oshiaju will be an intelligent man of infinite resources whose success will provoke jealousy in others. Tender and firm, Oshia physically resembles his father. He aggressively pursues higher education, working in a laboratory in Lagos and eventually winning a scholarship to a university in America. His name means “the bush has refused this,” referencing his health and the long life predicted for him.
96
Taiwo and Kehinde
Nnu Ego and Nnaife’s oldest twin girls. Kehinde is quieter and more introspective than Taiwo. She radically breaks with tradition by marrying a Yoruba man. Taiwo is the more fun-loving and adaptable twin. She aspires for a dependable husband and stable home life, both of which she finds with the clerk Magnus. He finds his ideal match in an uneducated wife content with the more traditional role of bearing and raising children.
97
Ubani
Friend of the Owulums. At first, Ubani is a cook in the Meers’s compound. A good provider, he later gets Nnaife a job cutting grass for the railroad. He is a stable presence in the lives of those around him. He is the one who calmly informs Nnaife that his son, Ngozi, has died.
98
Beowulf
The protagonist of the epic, Beowulf is a Geatish hero who fights the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf’s boasts and encounters reveal him to be the strongest, ablest warrior around. In his youth, he personifies all of the best values of the heroic culture. In his old age, he proves a wise and effective ruler.
99
King Hrothgar
The king of the Danes. Hrothgar enjoys military success and prosperity until Grendel terrorizes his realm. A wise and aged ruler, Hrothgar represents a different kind of leadership from that exhibited by the youthful warrior Beowulf. He is a father figure to Beowulf and a model for the kind of king that Beowulf becomes.
100
Grendel
A demon descended from Cain, Grendel preys on Hrothgar’s warriors in the king’s mead-hall, Heorot. Because his ruthless and miserable existence is part of the retribution exacted by God for Cain’s murder of Abel, Grendel fits solidly within the ethos of vengeance that governs the world of the poem.
101
Grendel’s mother
An unnamed swamp-hag, Grendel’s mother seems to possess fewer human qualities than Grendel, although her terrorization of Heorot is explained by her desire for vengeance—a human motivation.
102
The dragon
An ancient, powerful serpent, the dragon guards a horde of treasure in a hidden mound. Beowulf’s fight with the dragon constitutes the third and final part of the epic.
103
Shield Sheafson
The legendary Danish king from whom Hrothgar is descended, Shield Sheafson is the mythical founder who inaugurates a long line of Danish rulers and embodies the Danish tribe’s highest values of heroism and leadership. The poem opens with a brief account of his rise from orphan to warrior-king, concluding, “That was one good king” (11).
104
Beow
The second king listed in the genealogy of Danish rulers with which the poem begins. Beow is the son of Shield Sheafson and father of Halfdane. The narrator presents Beow as a gift from God to a people in need of a leader. He exemplifies the maxim, “Behavior that’s admired / is the path to power among people everywhere” (24–25).
105
Halfdane
The father of Hrothgar, Heorogar, Halga, and an unnamed daughter who married a king of the Swedes, Halfdane succeeded Beow as ruler of the Danes.
106
Wealhtheow
Hrothgar’s wife, the gracious queen of the Danes.
107
Unferth
A Danish warrior who is jealous of Beowulf, Unferth is unable or unwilling to fight Grendel, thus proving himself inferior to Beowulf.
108
Christian
Husband and father stricken by spiritual crisis. Christian is told by a messenger to leave his doomed city and begin a journey of progress toward spiritual achievement.
109
Evangelist
The messenger carrying the Gospel, or word of Christ, to Christian. Evangelist spurs Christian on his journey to the Celestial City.
110
Obstinate
A neighbor of Christian’s in the City of Destruction who refuses to accompany him.
111
Pliable
A neighbor of Christian’s who accompanies him for a while. After falling in the Slough of Despond, Pliable is discouraged and returns home, only to be mocked by the townsfolk.
112
Help
Fellow pilgrim who helps pull Christian from the Slough of Despond.
113
Worldly Wiseman
A reasonable and practical man whom Christian encounters early in his journey. Worldly Wiseman tries unsuccessfully to urge Christian to give up his religious foolishness and live a contented secular life.
114
Formalist
A traveler whom Christian meets along the wall of Salvation. With his companion Hypocrisy, Formalist sneaks over the wall, instead of following the strait and narrow as Christian did.
115
Hypocrisy
Formalist’s travel companion.
116
Discretion
One of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Discretion takes Christian in and feeds him.
117
Piety
One of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Piety asks Christian about his journey so far.
118
Prudence
One of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Prudence tries to understand Christian’s purpose in traveling to Mount Zion.
119
Charity
One of the four mistresses of the Palace Beautiful. Charity asks Christian why he did not bring his family, which causes him to weep.
120
The Interpreter
Spiritual guide who shelters Christian. The Interpreter instructs Christian in the art of reading religious meanings hidden in everyday objects and events, which he houses in his Significant Rooms.
121
Apollyon
Fierce monster with fish scales, bear feet, and dragon wings. Apollyon threatens Christian and fights him with sword until Christian defeats him.
122
Shining Ones
Three celestial creatures who clothe Christian with new garments and give him the certificate. The Shining Ones act as guardians throughout Christian’s journey.
123
Faithful
Fellow pilgrim from Christian’s hometown who reports on the city they both left behind. Faithful loyally accompanies Christian until he is executed in the town of Vanity for the crime of disrespecting the local Satan-worshipping religion.
124
Talkative
Fellow pilgrim who travels alongside Christian and Faithful for a while. Talkative is spurned by Christian for valuing spiritual words over religious deeds.
125
Mr. By-ends
A user of religion for personal ends and social profit. Mr. By-ends accompanies Christian briefly after Christian escapes from Vanity.
126
Hopeful
Pilgrim who replaces Faithful as Christian’s travel companion and confidant after leaving Vanity, all the way to the Celestial City. Hopeful saves Christian’s life in the river before the gates to Mount Zion.
127
Giant Despair
Master of the Doubting Castle. Giant Despair imprisons Hopeful and Christian for trespassing on his domain and is later killed by Great-heart and Christiana’s sons.
128
Diffidence
Giant Despair’s wife. She encourages the harsh punishment of Hopeful and Christian in the Doubting Castle.
129
Demas
Gentlemanly figure who tries to entice Christian and Hopeful with silver and dreams of wealth.
130
Temporary
A would-be pilgrim whom Christian speaks of in a cautionary way, warning of Temporary’s backsliding before his spiritual progress was complete.
131
Sagacity
An elderly man who visits the narrator in his dream. After the narrator asks after Christian’s family, Sagacity offers to take the narrator’s place as the storyteller and recount Christiana’s journey.
132
Christiana
Christian’s wife and the titular pilgrim in Part II. As a spiritual voyager and a guide to her children, Christiana shows remarkable strength and resilience on the journey.
133
Mercy
Christiana’s neighbor employed by her as a servant on her pilgrimage. She later marries Matthew, Christiana’s eldest son.
134
Matthew
Christiana’s eldest son, who eventually marries Mercy. After stealing fruit from the devil’s garden, Matthew must be healed by Dr. Skill.
135
Ill-Favored Ones
Two strangers who attempt to harm Christiana and Mercy.
136
Reliever
Fellow pilgrim who rescues Christiana and Mercy from the two Ill-Favored Ones.
137
Mr. Great-heart
The Interpreter’s manservant. He protects and guides Christiana and Mercy on their way up the hill of Difficulty and toward the House Beautiful.
138
Watchful
Porter of the House Beautiful.
139
Grim
Master of the lions, who threatens Christiana and Mercy on their way to the House Beautiful.
140
Maul
A giant killed by Great-heart. He accuses Great-heart of kidnapping the pilgrims.
141
Mr. Brisk
Mercy’s suitor. He ends their affair because she is too involved in charity work.
142
Old Honest
An elderly pilgrim. While accompanying Christiana and her group, he relates the sad demise of the pilgrim Fearing.
143
Mr. Fearing
A pilgrim who accompanies Honest for some time. Mr. Fearing is courageous in the face of physical danger but insufficiently certain about his desire to reach the Celestial City.
144
Gaius
A homeowner and host who welcomes Christiana and her group. Two of Gaius’s daughters marry two of Christiana’s sons.
145
Giant Good-Slay
A giant slain by Gaius, Great-heart, and others. He almost devours the pilgrim Feeble-mind.
146
Heedless
A pilgrim who falls asleep near the end of his pilgrimage and talks in his sleep, showing his basic failure to understand pilgrimage.
147
Madam Bubble
A tall, attractive, dark-skinned temptress. Madam Bubble offers Standfast herself and her money if he will stay with her.
148
Standfast
The last pilgrim met by Christiana. Standfast is found kneeling on the ground and praying in thanks for having been delivered from the temptation of Madam Bubble.
149
Mr. Feeble-Mind
A mentally slow pilgrim captured and nearly killed by the giant Good-Slay. Mr. Feeble-Mind is rescued by Gaius and joins Christiana’s group of pilgrims.
150
Mr. Ready-to-Halt
A handicapped pilgrim who joins Christiana’s group on crutches.
151
Mr. Mnason
Pilgrim with whom Christiana’s group lodges. Two of Mnason’s daughters are married off to Christiana’s sons.
152
Contrite
Friend of Mnason’s, who says that the locals feel a burden of guilt after the unjust execution of Christian’s friend Faithful.
153
Valiant-for-truth
A strong, sword-wielding pilgrim. Valiant-for-truth drives off three attackers single-handedly and joins Christiana’s group at the end of their journey.
154
Viola
A young woman of aristocratic birth, and the play’s protagonist. Washed up on the shore of Illyria when her ship is wrecked in a storm, Viola decides to make her own way in the world. She disguises herself as a young man, calling herself "Cesario," and becomes a page to Duke Orsino. She ends up falling in love with Orsino—even as Olivia, the woman Orsino is courting, falls in love with Cesario. Thus, Viola finds that her clever disguise has entrapped her: she cannot tell Orsino that she loves him, and she cannot tell Olivia why she, as Cesario, cannot love her. Her poignant plight is the central conflict in the play.
155
Orsino
A powerful nobleman in the country of Illyria. Orsino is lovesick for the beautiful Lady Olivia, but becomes more and more fond of his handsome new page boy, Cesario, who is actually a woman—Viola. Orsino is a vehicle through which the play explores the absurdity of love: a supreme egotist, Orsino mopes around complaining how heartsick he is over Olivia, when it is clear that he is chiefly in love with the idea of being in love and enjoys making a spectacle of himself. His attraction to the ostensibly male Cesario injects sexual ambiguity into his character.
156
Olivia
A wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady, Olivia is courted by Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, but to each of them she insists that she is in mourning for her brother, who has recently died, and will not marry for seven years. She and Orsino are similar characters in that each seems to enjoy wallowing in his or her own misery. Viola’s arrival in the masculine guise of Cesario enables Olivia to break free of her self-indulgent melancholy. Olivia seems to have no difficulty transferring her affections from one love interest to the next, however, suggesting that her romantic feelings—like most emotions in the play—do not run deep.
157
Sebastian
Viola’s lost twin brother. When he arrives in Illyria, traveling with Antonio, his close friend and protector, Sebastian discovers that many people think that they know him. Furthermore, the beautiful Lady Olivia, whom he has never met, wants to marry him. Sebastian is not as well rounded a character as his sister. He seems to exist to take on the role that Viola fills while disguised as Cesario—namely, the mate for Olivia.
158
Malvolio
The straitlaced steward—or head servant—in the household of Lady Olivia. Malvolio is very efficient but also very self-righteous, and he has a poor opinion of drinking, singing, and fun. His priggishness and haughty attitude earn him the enmity of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria, who play a cruel trick on him, making him believe that Olivia is in love with him. In his fantasies about marrying his mistress, he reveals a powerful ambition to rise above his social class.
159
Feste
The clown, or fool, of Olivia’s household, Feste moves between Olivia’s and Orsino’s homes. He earns his living by making pointed jokes, singing old songs, being generally witty, and offering good advice cloaked under a layer of foolishness. In spite of being a professional fool, Feste often seems the wisest character in the play.
160
Sir Toby
Olivia’s uncle. Olivia lets Sir Toby Belch live with her, but she does not approve of his rowdy behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking, late-night carousing, or friends (specifically the idiotic Sir Andrew). Sir Toby also earns the ire of Malvolio. But Sir Toby has an ally, and eventually a mate, in Olivia’s sharp-witted waiting-gentlewoman, Maria. Together they bring about the triumph of chaotic spirit, which Sir Toby embodies, and the ruin of the controlling, self-righteous Malvolio.
161
Maria
Olivia’s clever, daring young waiting-gentlewoman. Maria is remarkably similar to her antagonist, Malvolio, who harbors aspirations of rising in the world through marriage. But Maria succeeds where Malvolio fails—perhaps because she is a woman, but, more likely, because she is more in tune than Malvolio with the anarchic, topsy-turvy spirit that animates the play.
162
Sir Andrew Aguecheek
A friend of Sir Toby’s. Sir Andrew Aguecheek attempts to court Olivia, but he doesn’t stand a chance. He thinks that he is witty, brave, young, and good at languages and dancing, but he is actually an idiot.
163
Antonio
A man who rescues Sebastian after his shipwreck. Antonio has become very fond of Sebastian, caring for him, accompanying him to Illyria, and furnishing him with money—all because of a love so strong that it seems to be romantic in nature. Antonio’s attraction to Sebastian, however, never bears fruit. Despite the ambiguous and shifting gender roles in the play, Twelfth Night remains a romantic comedy in which the characters are destined for marriage. In such a world, homoerotic attraction cannot be fulfilled.
164
Hester Prynne
Hester is the book’s protagonist and the wearer of the scarlet letter that gives the book its title. The letter, a patch of fabric in the shape of an “A,” signifies that Hester is an “adulterer.” As a young woman, Hester married an elderly scholar, Chillingworth, who sent her ahead to America to live but never followed her. While waiting for him, she had an affair with a Puritan minister named Dimmesdale, after which she gave birth to Pearl. Hester is passionate but also strong—she endures years of shame and scorn. She equals both her husband and her lover in her intelligence and thoughtfulness. Her alienation puts her in the position to make acute observations about her community, particularly about its treatment of women.
165
Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale
Dimmesdale is a young man who achieved fame in England as a theologian and then emigrated to America. In a moment of weakness, he and Hester became lovers. Although he will not confess it publicly, he is the father of her child. He deals with his guilt by tormenting himself physically and psychologically, developing a heart condition as a result. Dimmesdale is an intelligent and emotional man, and his sermons are thus masterpieces of eloquence and persuasiveness. His commitments to his congregation are in constant conflict with his feelings of sinfulness and need to confess.
166
Roger Chillingworth
“Roger Chillingworth” is actually Hester’s husband in disguise. He is much older than she is and had sent her to America while he settled his affairs in Europe. Because he is captured by Native Americans, he arrives in Boston belatedly and finds Hester and her illegitimate child being displayed on the scaffold. He lusts for revenge, and thus decides to stay in Boston despite his wife’s betrayal and disgrace. He is a scholar and uses his knowledge to disguise himself as a doctor, intent on discovering and tormenting Hester’s anonymous lover. Chillingworth is self-absorbed and both physically and psychologically monstrous. His single-minded pursuit of retribution reveals him to be the most malevolent character in the novel.
167
Pearl
Hester’s illegitimate daughter Pearl is a young girl with a moody, mischievous spirit and an ability to perceive things that others do not. For example, she quickly discerns the truth about her mother and Dimmesdale. The townspeople say that she barely seems human and spread rumors that her unknown father is actually the Devil. She is wise far beyond her years, frequently engaging in ironic play having to do with her mother’s scarlet letter.
168
Governor Bellingham
Governor Bellingham is a wealthy, elderly gentleman who spends much of his time consulting with the other town fathers. Despite his role as governor of a fledgling American society, he very much resembles a traditional English aristocrat. Bellingham tends to strictly adhere to the rules, but he is easily swayed by Dimmesdale’s eloquence. He remains blind to the misbehaviors taking place in his own house: his sister, Mistress Hibbins, is a witch.
169
Mistress Hibbins
Mistress Hibbins is a widow who lives with her brother, Governor Bellingham, in a luxurious mansion. She is commonly known to be a witch who ventures into the forest at night to ride with the “Black Man.” Her appearances at public occasions remind the reader of the hypocrisy and hidden evil in Puritan society.
170
Rev. John Wilson
Boston’s elder clergyman, Reverend Wilson is scholarly yet grandfatherly. He is a stereotypical Puritan father, a literary version of the stiff, starkly painted portraits of American patriarchs. Like Governor Bellingham, Wilson follows the community’s rules strictly but can be swayed by Dimmesdale’s eloquence. Unlike Dimmesdale, his junior colleague, Wilson preaches hellfire and damnation and advocates harsh punishment of sinners.
171
Narrator (Scarlet Letter)
The unnamed narrator works as the surveyor of the Salem Custom-House some two hundred years after the novel’s events take place. He discovers an old manuscript in the building’s attic that tells the story of Hester Prynne; when he loses his job, he decides to write a fictional treatment of the narrative. The narrator is a rather high-strung man, whose Puritan ancestry makes him feel guilty about his writing career. He writes because he is interested in American history and because he believes that America needs to better understand its religious and moral heritage.
172
In what century is the story of Hester Prynne set?
17th century
173
What is the occupation of the narrator of this story? (Scarlet Letter)
Customs officer
174
Where do Hester and Chillingworth live before coming to America?
Amsterdam
175
With whom has Chillingworth been living before he appears in Boston?
Native Americans
176
What is situated immediately outside the door of the prison in which Hester is kept?
A rosebush
177
What item in the governor’s mansion shows Hester a distorted reflection of herself?
Suit of armor
178
What methods does Dimmesdale use to punish himself for his sins?
Fasting, scourging/whipping, vigils (extended periods of prayer)
179
In what city do Hester and Pearl live?
Boston
180
How does Mistress Hibbins eventually die?
She is executed as a witch
181
How does Hester support herself financially?
As a seamstress
182
Next to whom is Hester buried?
Dimmesdale
183
What natural phenomenon comes to symbolize both Dimmesdale’s “sin” and Governor Winthrop’s “virtue”?
A meteor
184
Why does Pearl not recognize her mother when she sees her with Dimmesdale in the forest?
Hester removed the scarlet letter
185
How does Pearl acknowledge Dimmesdale as her father at his death?
By kissing him
186
What mark can supposedly be seen on Dimmesdale’s chest?
A scarlet letter A
187
How do Hester and Dimmesdale plan to escape their suffering?
By boarding a ship to Europe
188
How does Pearl become wealthy?
She inherits Chillingworth's estate and marries a noble
189
Where does the narrator first encounter Hester Prynne’s story?
He finds a manuscript in the customs house he is working at
190
What item of clothing does Hester make for Governor Winthrop?
Gloves
191
What color of clothing does Hester always wear?
Gray
192
Where do Hester and Pearl live?
On the outskirts of Boston in an abandoned cottage
193
What does Chillingworth pretend to be?
A doctor
194
What does Hester’s letter “A” eventually come to represent to the townspeople?
Able
195
Why does the narrator lose his job in the customhouse?
A new customhouse president, who is of a different party than the narrator, is elected.
196
In the final chapter of the book, what two emotions does the narrator suggest are closely linked? (SL)
Love and hate
197
Why is Hester upset when Chillingworth tells her the town is considering letting her remove the scarlet letter?
This would be another way in which society exerts power over her identity.
198
Dimmesdale’s name is likely intended to suggest what about his character?
His inner weakness
199
What event finally allows Pearl to realize her full humanity?
Dimmesdale’s public recognition of her
200
What do the Native Americans think Hester’s letter means when they see her on Election Day?
That she is a person of importance
201
What most likely characterizes Hester in her youth?
Passionate and impulsive
202
What can Chillingworth’s death can best be attributed to?
The loss of an object for his revenge (he wastes away after Dimmesdale dies)
203
What describes Pearl in comparison to other children?
More perceptive
204
Which character provides the harshest judgment of Dimmesdale’s hypocrisy?
Pearl
205
Dimmesdale’s public confession and death have what effect on the townspeople?
They idolize him even more.
206
Why does the narrator decide to write about the scarlet letter?
He is interested in American history
207
Why is Chillingworth upset that Dimmesdale has chosen to expose himself?
This allows Dimmesdale to escape Chillingworth’s torture.
208
What does Dimmesdale do after leaving Hester in the forest?
Rewrites his Election Day sermon
209
What is Dimmesdale’s initial reaction to the news that Chillingworth is Hester’s husband?
He is angry and blames Hester for his torment.
210
Why does Dimmesdale forgive Hester for hiding Chillingworth’s identity?
He realizes that Chillingworth is more to blame than they are.
211
How does Dimmesdale react to the suggestion that he escape with Hester and Pearl?
With excitement
212
What is Milton’s stated purpose in Paradise Lost?
To justify the ways of God to men
213
Who does Milton name as his heavenly muse?
Urania
214
1. In the Prologue, who introduces the story of Doctor Faustus?
The Chorus
215
To which Greek mythological character is Faustus compared in the Prologue?
Icarus
216
What fields of learning does Faustus consider before he turns to magic?
Logic, medicine, law, and theology
217
Which characters instruct Faustus in the dark arts?
Cornelius and Valdes
218
When he first summons Mephastophilis, how does Faustus ask him to appear?
As a Fransiscan Friar
219
What is the name of the ruler of hell in Doctor Faustus?
Lucifer
220
How long does Faustus demand that Mephastophilis serve him?
24 years
221
What does Faustus offer in return for this service?
His soul
222
How does Faustus sign his compact with Lucifer?
In his blood
223
What is the meaning of the words that appear on Faustus’s arm in Latin?
Fly, man
224
Who agrees, under duress, to become Wagner’s servant?
The clown
225
What does Mephastophilis refuse to tell Faustus?
Who made the world
226
Which city does Faustus visit extensively in scene 7?
Rome
227
What trick does Faustus, while invisible, play on the pope?
Steals food and disrupts the banquet
228
Which historical figure does Faustus conjure up for the emperor to see?
Alexander the Great
229
Which character is publicly skeptical of Faustus’s powers?
The knight (aka Benvolio)
230
How does Faustus humiliate this skeptic, the knight?
He makes horns appear on his head
231
Who tries to persuade Faustus to repent just before he reseals his pact with Lucifer?
An old man
232
What happens to the horse that Faustus sells to the horse-courser?
Turns into a heap of straw
233
(BEOWULF) Why are the characters so concerned with family heritage and identity?
So they can live up to past ideals and ensure they are remembered
234
(BEOWULF) How does medieval Christianity play out in the tale?
It creates a tension with traditional pagan codes of heroism.
235
(BEOWULF) How can the duty of a warrior vs that of a king be summarized?
The quest for personal glory vs. responsibility for a people
236
How was the story of Beowulf first told?
It was told orally for many generations before being written down.
237
Why is the feasting after Beowulf’s defeat of Grendel so important?
It represents the return to order and new hope after turmoil.
238
Beowulf is a hero in youth because he is strong and brave, but why is he a hero as an older man?
Because of his sense of honor and responsibility
239
What does Grendel represent?
Evil, an outcast, and also is a lonely, almost sympathetic creature at times
240
What defines Hrothgar’s leadership?
Stability
241
Why is Unferth a foil (a contrasting character) to Beowulf?
Unferth’s jealousy and shame make Beowulf’s honor and might clearer.
242
What does Wiglaf represent?
The future and the next generation of heroes
243
Who is Beowulf’s father?
Ecgtheow
244
Who is Hrothgar?
The King of the Danes whose kingdom is terrorized by Grendel
245
Who tries to avenge Grendel’s death?
Grendel's mother
246
What is Sigemund known for?
Slaying a dragon
247
Who helps Beowulf fight the dragon at the end of the tale?
Wiglaf
248
Who is the father of Shield Sheafson?
He is an orphan
249
How does Hrothgar know of Beowulf?
He was friends with Beowulf's father
250
About how long is the dragon?
50 feet
251
How long does Beowulf reign as king of the Geats?
50 years
252
What, according to Beowulf, is better than mourning a death?
Avenging a death
253
Who helps Beowulf against the dragon?
Wiglaf
254
Who taunts Beowulf in Heorot?
Unferth
255
Who is Modthryth?
A wicked queen of legend
256
From whom is Grendel descended?
Cain
257
Who is queen of the Geats?
Hygd
258
Whom does Grendel’s mother abduct and decapitate?
Aeschere
259
How many Geats does Grendel kill?
1
260
What is Hrunting?
a sword
261
Where do the Geats place Beowulf’s Barrow?
On a cliff looking over the sea
262
What is wyrd?
The Anglo-Saxon concept of “fate”
263
Where do Grendel and his mother live?
in a lake
264
What is a scop?
a poet
265
Who guides Beowulf to the dragon’s barrow?
the thief
266
Who gives Hygd three horses?
Beowulf
267
Which character is descended from Shield Sheafson?
Hrothgar
268
What is the name of Hrothgar’s wife?
Wealhtheow
269
How did the dragon’s treasure get in the barrow?
It was buried there by the last survivor of a forgotten race.
270
What is Hygelac wearing when he dies?
Wealhtheow's torque
271
from about when does the only existing Beowulf manuscript date?
1000 AD
272
The narrator learns about Christian from
a dream
273
Pliable turns back to the City of Destruction after a bad experience in
the Slough of Despond
274
After seeing the cross and climbing the hill of Difficulty, Christian falls asleep and loses
his certificate of entry into the Celestial City
275
Discretion, Piety, Charity, and Prudence are
mistresses of the Palace Beautiful
276
Apollyon’s skin is covered with
scales
277
The Giants Pope and Pagan present no danger to Christian because
they are too old and weak
278
faithful is
Christian's travel companion
279
Christian is imprisoned at Vanity for
disrespecting the local religion
280
At the trial in Vanity, Faithful
is executed
281
Demas tempts Christian with
silver
282
Christian is able to escape from the Doubting Castle because
he remembers that he has a key
283
In the Delectable Mountains, Christian is entertained by
shepherds
284
Just before arriving in the Celestial City, Christian nearly dies in
a river
285
Beulah is
a land
286
The streets of the Celestial City are paved with
gold
287
Mercy is
Christiana's servant and companion
288
The garden from which Christiana’s sons steal fruit belongs to
the devil
289
Mr. Brisk spends time with the pilgrims in order to
woo Mercy
290
The pilgrims kill Giant Good-slay just in time to save
Feeble-minded
291
Ready-to-halt is
on crutches
292
Gaius’s two daughters
marry Christiana's sons
293
The pilgrims Heedless and Too-bold are met when they are
asleep
294
After he is killed, Giant Despair’s castle
is destroyed
295
Standfast shows admirable courage in resisting
Madam Bubble
296
in the Celestial City Christiana learns that she will go to meet her Master
from a letter
297
Why does Viola disguise herself as a man?
To find work
298
In which characters can we find echoes of the homoeroticism between Duke Orsino and Viola (as Cesario)?
Antonio and Sebastian
299
Which character serves to break both Orsino and Olivia out of their self-involvement?
Viola
300
Who is Olivia in mourning for?
Her brother
301
Who does Sir Toby fall in love with?
Sir Andrew Aguecheek
302
Who is trying to court Olivia at the beginning?
Count Orsino, Sir Andrew Aguecheek
303
John Proctor
A local farmer who lives just outside town; Elizabeth Proctor’s husband. A stern, harsh-tongued man, John hates hypocrisy. Nevertheless, he has a hidden sin—his affair with Abigail Williams—that proves his downfall. When the hysteria begins, he hesitates to expose Abigail as a fraud because he worries that his secret will be revealed and his good name ruined.
304
Abigail Williams
Reverend Parris’s niece. Abigail was once the servant for the Proctor household, but Elizabeth Proctor fired her after she discovered that Abigail was having an affair with her husband, John Proctor. Abigail is smart, wily, a good liar, and vindictive when crossed.
305
Reverend John Hale
A young minister reputed to be an expert on witchcraft. Reverend Hale is called in to Salem to examine Parris’s daughter Betty. Hale is a committed Christian and hater of witchcraft. His critical mind and intelligence save him from falling into blind fervor. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion, although he later regrets his actions and attempts to save the lives of those accused.
306
Elizabeth Proctor
John Proctor’s wife. Elizabeth fired Abigail when she discovered that her husband was having an affair with Abigail. Elizabeth is supremely virtuous, but often cold.
307
Reverend Parris
The minister of Salem’s church. Reverend Parris is a paranoid, power-hungry, yet oddly self-pitying figure. Many of the townsfolk, especially John Proctor, dislike him, and Parris is very concerned with building his position in the community.
308
Rebecca Nurse
Francis Nurse’s wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman, held in tremendous regard by most of the Salem community. However, she falls victim to hysteria when the Putnams accuse her of witchcraft and she refuses to confess.
309
Francis Nurse
A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem, but he is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife.
310
Judge Danforth
The deputy governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge at the witch trials. Honest and scrupu-lous, at least in his own mind, Danforth is convinced that he is doing right in rooting out witchcraft.
311
Giles Corey
An elderly but feisty farmer in Salem, famous for his tendency to file lawsuits. Giles’s wife, Martha, is accused of witchcraft, and he himself is eventually held in contempt of court and pressed to death with large stones.
312
Thomas Putnam
A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against Francis Nurse for preventing Putnam’s brother-in-law from being elected to the office of minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land.
313
Ann Putnam
Thomas Putnam’s wife. Ann Putnam has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived. The other seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is convinced that they were murdered by supernatural means.
314
Ruth Putnam
The Putnams’ lone surviving child out of eight. Like Betty Parris, Ruth falls into a strange stupor after Reverend Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the woods at night.
315
Tituba
Reverend Parris’s black slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo at Abigail’s request.
316
Mary Warren
The servant in the Proctor household and a member of Abigail’s group of girls. She is a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her, who tried unsuccessfully to expose the hoax and ultimately recanted her confession.
317
Betty Parris
Reverend Parris’s ten-year-old daughter. Betty falls into a strange stupor after Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the forest with Tituba. Her illness and that of Ruth Putnam fuel the first rumors of witchcraft.
318
Martha Corey
Giles Corey’s third wife. Martha’s reading habits lead to her arrest and conviction for witchcraft.
319
Ezekiel Cheever
A man from Salem who acts as clerk of the court during the witch trials. He is upright and determined to do his duty for justice.
320
Judge Hathorne
A judge who presides, along with Danforth, over the witch trials.
321
Herrick
The marshal of Salem.
322
Mercy Lewis
One of the girls in Abigail’s group.
323
What is Giles Corey known for?
Being quick to file lawsuits
324
Who, besides Betty Parris, falls into a peculiar trance?
Ruth Putnam
325
What makes Reverend Hale different from Reverend Harris?
His critical objectivity
326
What does Thomas Putnam hope to gain from the witch trials?
Wealth and land
327
Who asks Tituba to perform voodoo rituals?
Abigail Williams
328
What is one result of the severity of the Puritanical theocracy in Salem?
Everyone is considered either good or evil with no middle ground.
329
What does the hysteria enable the townspeople to do?
Get revenge on anyone they want
330
What is one way in which the witch trials can be read as symbolic of the McCarthy era in America?
Suspected Communists were treated much the same way as accused witches in The Crucible.
331
What does John Proctor hope the revelation of his adultery will do to the witch trial system?
Prove that accusations are not an accurate source of evidence
332
Where does Abigail’s authority come from?
Her claims of religious righteousness
333
Why is John Proctor willing to tarnish his reputation by revealing his affair with Abigail?
So that it will undercut the power Abigail has in Salem
334
What does Elizabeth believe that John Proctor has at the end of The Crucible?
Goodness
335
What drives Abigail to begin the hysteria?
Jealousy
336
Whose testimony convinces Reverend Hale that Abigail is not telling the truth?
John Proctor and Mary Warrens
337
At the end of the play, what does Reverend Hale advise the accused witches to do?
Confess fake sins to save their lives
338
What kind of government does Salem have in The Crucible?
Theocracy
339
What is Parris’s position in Salem?
Minister
340
Before the play begins, what did Parris catch his daughter and other girls doing?
Dancing in the forest
341
Why did Elizabeth Proctor fire Abigail?
Abigail was cheating with John Proctor
342
As the play opens, whom has Parris asked to come to Salem?
Reverend Hale
343
What is John Proctor’s chief complaint against Parris’s sermons?
Too much focus on fire and brimstone
344
What does Mrs. Putnam blame on witchcraft?
The death of seven of her children in infancy
345
In Act II, what does Mary Warren give to Elizabeth Proctor when she returns home from the trials?
A doll
346
What news does Mary Warren bring from Salem?
That someone accused Elizabeth of witchcraft
347
Which commandment does John Proctor forget when Reverend Hale quizzes him?
Thou shall not commit adultery
348
Whom do Ezekiel Cheever and Herrick, the marshal, come to the Proctor home to arrest?
Elizabeth
349
To what does John Proctor convince Mary Warren to testify?
The girls are pretending to be possessed
350
Who is in charge of the court?
Danforth
351
Why will Elizabeth not be hanged if she is found guilty?
She is pregnant
352
On what charge is Giles Corey arrested?
Contempt of court
353
When Mary Warren testifies against them, what do Abigail and her troop of girls do?
They claim that Mary is bewitching them
354
Why does Proctor retract his confession?
Because the officials demand that he sign his name to it
355
What does Abigail do at the end of the play?
She robs her uncle, then flees Salem
