Middle Ages Reading Assignments

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1 Shannon McGregor, Women Writers (LIT 190), Middle Ages Section 1 Middle Ages Reading Assignments In this section, students will learn literary terms. Review the terms in Dr. Wheeler s Literary Vocabulary site ( and write definitions with the terms below. oral tradition: lyric poem: fable: folk tale: alliteration: assonance: consonance: plot: Exposition/commencement: where the protagonist, his or her flaws, background information, setting, and potentially foreshadowing to the conflict and the antagonist are introduced Rising action: where characters are developed thoroughly, the antagonist reveals his or her intentions for conflict and foreshadowing are offered, and the protagonist's ability to overcome the flaw/tragic end because of the flaw is revealed Climax: the highest point of conflict--where the protagonist and antagonist's clash produces a result of the protagonist overcoming the flaw or ending in tragedy--the climax is defined with the protagonist's issue, not the antagonist's Declining action: the tension in the conflict lessens and the protagonist's end is coming to a close Resolution/Denouement: the central conflict is resolved and the protagonist's fate for the conflict is final

2 Shannon McGregor, Women Writers (LIT 190), Middle Ages Section 2 character: protagonist: antagonist: major: minor: dynamic: static: flat: round: symbol: literal definition: figurative definition: rhyme scheme: blank verse: free verse: couplet:

3 Shannon McGregor, Women Writers (LIT 190), Middle Ages Section 3 heroic couplet: quatrains: sestets: octets: stanzas: poetic transitions: rhythm: Furthermore, think of it similarly to transitions in composition and usually occur with or between lines, couplets, quatrains, sestets, octets, or stanzas. syllable: stressed syllable / unstressed syllable meter: monometer: dimeter: trimeter: tetrameter: pentameter: hexmeter: septameter: octometer: nonameter: foot: anapest : dactyl: iamb: pyrrhic: spondee: trochee:

4 Middle Ages Historical Background Notes (Abrams) Medieval English Period (500 A.D. to 1500 A.D.) Dark Ages mistakenly believed that no learning takes place time of law and order for what will become Great Britain Christianity Shannon McGregor, Women Writers (LIT 190), Middle Ages Section 4 Old English Period (500 A.D. to 1100 A.D.) begins with Anglo-Saxon Period (500 A.D. through the 8th Century, or 799 A.D.). many invasions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in 500 A.D. Germanic tribes, same tribes from whom the Romans constantly protected their empire King Arthur led resistance to the Anglo-Saxon leaders during this time: Arthur lost and fled to the western-most part of Wales and, eventually, to a portion of France known as Brittany, which is where the tales of King Arthur originated and it could also solidify and add value to the French connection when the Normans conquer the Vikings in A.D. St. Augustine converts the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity o oral tradition o literate few o Beowulf, pagan oral tradition, written or recorded in the 700s after St. Augustine s conversion by scribes who were Christian, holds epic war and gore scenes common to tales told for generations by bards. 856 A.D. Viking Invasion of England o 870, Vikings obtained all the kingdom except Wessex, which was owned by King Alfred o 878, King Alfred defeated the Vikings and negotiated the Treaty of Wedmore Vikings were to accept Christianity Kingdom divided into two separate halves, Dane law in the northern portions of the island and English law in the southern portions. Alfred ordered all Anglo-Saxon literature to be written down by scribes in order to preserve the Old English literature. Middle English Period or Norman Period (1066 A.D. to 1500 A.D.). 1066, William the Conqueror of Normandy defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings o Feudalism, barons, and servants (villains or slaves) o English language expands: monosyllable words or parts of words formed the Anglo-Saxon language fused with new French- and Latin-based words (baron, villain, and literature) 1070 to 1100, Cathedral building 1215, Signing of the Magna Carta , the Black Death, millions died (if there were a God that he could create something as terrible as a plague to kill so many loved ones). Death was the concern, not heaven. 1381, Peasant s Revolt , Hundred Years War with France 1375 and 1400, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 1485, Everyman--allegory written to restore belief in God 1440, Gutenberg invented the printing press 1453, Fall of Constantinople o Humanism

5 Shannon McGregor, Women Writers (LIT 190), Middle Ages Section 5 Assignments For each of the assignments below, students must read the material indicated and answer one of the questions below the reading assignment to complete a journal entry. The questions are offered to help us conduct classroom discussion and guide the questions on the midterm and final exams. The due dates are located to the left of the assignment. When asked questions about literary terms, meter, rhyme, or critique, they have specific answers that students will find in the Gilbert and Gubar texts or at the Dr. Wheeler site. However, the application of the definition can often have many interpretations. In other words, I do not always have a predefined answer in my head, so students should write and apply what they see, returning to the journal entry ater class and updating the end of the entry for accuracy. The original journal entry should not be deleted or rewritten. I would love to see your learning. Relax, explore, ask, research, discuss, and enjoy the learning. The nature of literary study is to be open to multiple interpretations and conducted with much thought and elaboration. That is how new information is learned. 1/15: Log into Turnitin, using the instructions in the syllabus for assistance. 1/15: Read the Middles Ages history (Gilbert and Gubar, Vol. 1, 1-17): Write answers to each of the following questions in your journal. A. Describe what you believe to be the most important commentary regarding the status and needs of women during the Middle Ages--not the Renaissance. B. What is the nature of women, according to well-known writers? C. What models are the most significant to define the nature and role of women? D. What occupations did women have during these time periods? How did their positions change? E. What were women's rights during the Middle Ages? How did their rights change? Did any of the laws reflected in the history above or Gilbert and Gubar's historical description show a change the rights of women? F. What is(are) the subject(s) of the writings of women of the Middle Ages? 1/15: Read Gilbert and Gubar's biographical information about Marie de France (17) and her lai Bisclavret (18-24). Record a journal entry from one of the questions below, which will be assigned in class: A. The style in which Marie de France writes is called a lai, or in plural lais. Look up the term in the Literary Reference Center Plus and describe how Bisclavret is considered a lai. Include the purpose of the story and the purpose of writing the story as a lai. B. What are the rhythm, meter, and rhyme (rhyme scheme) in the poem? These answers can be found in Dr. Wheeler site and in the chapter readings on poetry as well as in the reference databases in the library. C. Based upon the descriptions of lyric poem, fable, and folk tale at the Dr. Wheeler site, which would you consider Bisclavret? Define all three and describe how Bisclavret does or does not meet those qualities. D. Use the Dr. Wheeler site to define oral tradition. Identify parts in Bisclavret that appear to be part of the oral tradition and describe how they are. E. Name one theme that pervades Bisclavret and describe its importance. Remember to use evidence from the text to support the answer, and cite lines (l. ##) rather than pages. 1/20: Read Gilbert and Gubar's introduction to Julian of Norwich (37) to learn more about her, and read the excerpts from A Book of Showings to the Anchoress Julian of Norwich (38-45). Scholars evaluate potentially canonical works based upon 1) form, 2) function, and 3) value (how does the work add impact). A. A Book of Showings is an example of non-fiction in prose form. Why is prose appropriate, whereas poetic form would be inappropriate? What is the purpose and function of A Book of Showings? Describe. B. Symbols are present throughout Norwich's work. Trace one symbol throughout the work, defining the term literally and figuratively as well as showing how the symbol remains static or changes throughout the piece.

6 Shannon McGregor, Women Writers (LIT 190), Middle Ages Section 6 C. In relation to value, discuss one point that comes through Norwich's religious writing that you have not previously seen or heard in other pieces of religious writings. What makes her point important to women's studies? Why? 1/20: Read Gilbert and Gubar's introduction to Margery Kempe (45-6) and the excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe (47-59). A. The Book of Margery Kempe is an example of non-fiction in prose form. Why is prose appropriate, whereas poetic form would be inappropriate? What is the purpose and function of The Book of Margery Kempe? Describe. B. In relation to value, discuss one point that comes through Kempe's religious writing that you have not previously seen or heard in other pieces of religious writings. What makes her point important to women's studies? Why? C. Compare and contrast her works to the works of Julian of Norwich. What is the focus? What degrees of holiness do you find? Which woman do you think is the more devout? What did others think of the women, and why would this opinion matter then and now? 1/22: Read Gilbert and Gubar's introduction to Juliana Berners (60) as well as her poems from The Book of St. Albans (60-2). A. Recalling above that form, function, and value are the primary concerns literary scholars have when evaluating potentially canonical texts, look up the meaning of advice poetry, occasional poetry, and instructive or instructional poetry in Literary Reference Center Plus. Select one of Berners' poems to demonstrate how it models those characteristics. B. What is the form of the lines of Berners' poetry? Use the definitions and types of rhythm, meter, and rhyme to define and support the answer. C. In Berners' poem "Hunting Terminology" in the Beasts of Venery stanza, why does she mention Tristram? Who is he, and what is his significance to the material? Students can locate the answers by searching for Berners, Juliana or Juliana Berners, "Hunting Terminology" or Beasts of Venery, and Tristram in the library databases or from a reliable resource on the Internet (not Answers.com, Wikipedia, or SparkesNotes.com, or other random sites but literary program-supported sites). D. What does her writing reveal that the others' pieces do not? What would make a scholar want to make sure that Berners' works are included in an anthology? Is this an example of verse or poetry. 1/22: Read Gilbert and Gubar's introduction to Anne Askew (62) as well as her poem The Ballad Which Anne Askew Made and Sang when She Was in Newgate (63-4). A. What is the form of the lines of Askew s poetry? Use the definitions and types of rhythm, meter, and rhyme as well as the definition of ballad to define and support the answer. B. What is a ballad? Why did she choose to write this style? Is it appropriate for her message? Why or why not? Works Cited Abrams, M. H. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed., Vol. 1. New York: Norton, Print. Askew, Anne. The Ballad Which Anne Askew Made and Sang When She Was in Newgate Gilbert and Gubar Berners, Juliana. Excerpts from The Book of St. Albans Gilbert and Gubar Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar (eds.). The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women: The Traditions in English. 3rd ed. Vol.1. New York: Norton, Print. Julian of Norwich. Excerpt from A Book of Showings to the Anchoress Julian of Norwich Gilbert and Gubar Kempe, Margery. Excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe Gilbert and Gubar Marie de France. Bisclavret Trans. Dorothy Gilbert. Gilbert and Gubar

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