INDEPENDENT LEAR NING S INC E 1975 British Literature Heroes, Monsters, Fairies, and Kings Enrolled Students Only Open to Eleventh and Twelfth Graders This course presents a selection of works from British Literature, spanning from its origins through the 20th century. Beginning with the earliest written work of British Literature, Beowulf, students will read an illustrated translation of this epic poem whose hero becomes a king by defeating a family of dreadful monsters. King Arthur and the Arthurian legends will be explored in The Once and Future King by T.H. White. The second semester brings a comic confusion of magical creatures faeries, monsters, kings and heroes cavorting in Shakespeare s play, A Midsummer Night s Dream. Students then move forward in time to the 19th century to explore the Hero as a child in David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens. A study of Victorian poems will be followed by a selection of English short stories, where students will need to look more carefully to discover the magical creatures, heroes and monsters within. Written assignments include interpretive essays, creative stories and projects. Materials needed for this course include: Beowulf The Once and Future King A Midsummer Night s Dream David Copperfield The Oxford Book of English Short Stories
British Literature Heroes, Monsters, Fairies, and Kings Sample Lessons, Inc. Post Office Box 1346 Brattleboro, Vermont 05302-1346 oakmeadow.com
Contents Introduction... vii Lesson 1... 1 Thoughts on Literature and Reading Unit 1 Beowulf Lesson 2... 5 A Hero Is Born Lesson 3... 9 The Monster s Revenge Lesson 4... 13 The Hero s Return Lesson 5... 17 The Translator s Task Lesson 6... 25 The Heart of Beowulf Lesson 7... 27 Comparative Essay Lesson 8... 29 Researching the Elements of Beowulf Lesson 9... 31 The Images of Beowulf iii
British Literature Contents Unit II The Once and Future King Lesson 10... 37 Wart s Coming of Age Lesson 11... 41 The Fairy Queen Lesson 12... 45 The Education of the Future King Lesson 13... 47 The Duplicity of Queen Morgause Lesson 14... 51 The Heart of Sir Lancelot Lesson 15... 55 The Knight s Destiny Lesson 16... 59 The Demise of King Arthur s Court Lesson 17... 63 Analysis and Synthesis Lesson 18... 65 The Once and Future King Interpretive Essay Unit III A Midsummer Night s Dream Lesson 19... 69 The Stage Is Set and the Plot Thickens iv
Introduction Lesson 20... 73 Mistaken Identities and Enchanted Love Lesson 21... 77 The Folly of Fairies and Fools Lesson 22... 79 Creative Project Unit IV David Copperfield Lesson 23... 83 The Hero as a Child Lesson 24... 87 Trials and Tribulations Lesson 25... 91 David s Fight with the World Lesson 26... 95 The Hero Is Championed at Last Unit V Poetry and Short Stories Lesson 27... 101 Victorian Poetry Lesson 28... 107 Anthony Trollope: Relics of General Chasse: A Tale of Antwerp Lesson 29... 111 Thomas Hardy: A Mere Interlude v
British Literature Contents Lesson 30... 117 Malachi Whitaker: Landlord of the Crystal Fountain Penelope Fitzgerald: At Hiruharama Alan Sillitoe: Enoch s Two Letters Lesson 31... 121 D.H. Lawrence: The Man Who Loved Islands Lesson 32... 125 Virginia Woolf: Solid Objects Lesson 33... 129 P.G. Wodehouse: The Reverent Wooing of Archibald Lesson 34... 131 T.H. White: The Troll Lesson 35... 135 G.K. Chesterton: The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown Final Project Lesson 36... 137 Final Essay Works Cited... 139 vi
Lesson 10 THE This novel spans the literary genres of fantasy, historical fiction, and legend. It is fairly long, so plenty of time will be taken reading it in order to absorb it fully and allow the opportunity to live in the enchanting world of King Arthur. The story begins with Arthur as a child, one who has not yet even grown into his given name and, rather, is called Wart. As with all children, the events of his childhood help shape the man he is to become. Lesson Goals Study use and effectiveness of various literary techniques Write dialogue to showcase character consistency Interpret significance of specific story elements Digging Deeper ONCE AND FUTURE KING: Wart s Coming of Age The novel, The Once and Future King by T.H. White, is based on Sir Thomas Malory s Le Morte d Arthur (The Death of Arthur). Malory originally wrote the story in Middle English in 1485, translating French stories and drawing on English tales about the legend of King Arthur. Along with Tennyson s version, The Idylls of the King, (also based on Malory), Malory s retelling of the Arthurian legends had been the best known version of the Camelot story. American author John Steinbeck relied on Malory for his own retelling of the story, and he had this to say about Malory s work: I think my sense of right and wrong, my feeling of noblesse oblige, and any thought I may have against the oppressor and for the oppressed came from [Le Morte d Arthur]...It did not seem strange to me that Uther Pendragon wanted the wife of his vassal and took her by trickery. I was not frightened to find that there were evil knights, as well as noble ones. In my own town there were men who wore the clothes of virtue whom I knew to be bad...if I could not choose my way at the crossroads of love and loyalty, neither could Lancelot. I could understand the darkness ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY Read chapters one to ten. Use vocabulary words to describe one or more characters. Write a dialogue between Wart and Kay. Answer two questions (one paragraph each). 37
British Literature Lesson 10 noblesse oblige (fr.) n: the obligation of those of noble birth to act honorably mort n: the note sounded on a hunting horn to announce the death of the deer sward n: a grassy field greaves n: a piece of armor that protected the shin quintain n: a training tool in jousting consisting of a post with a sandbag attached that swung around to hit the unsuccessful rider tuition n: tutoring or instruction, especially of individuals of Mordred because he was in me too; and there was some Galahad in me, but perhaps not enough. The Grail feeling was there, however, deep-planted, and perhaps always will be (Benson 804 805). T.H. White became a scholar of Malory s work while he studied at Queen s College, Cambridge, and he later adapted Malory s Le Morte d Arthur into The Once and Future King. White s work was published in 1939, on the eve of WWII, a war that changed Britain forever. The Once and Future King remains a beloved book. Along the Way As you read, notice and think about these specific passages: In the beginning of the story, the author speaks directly to the reader in an effort to ease the way as the new language is absorbed. You ll find the author doing this occasionally. See if you can notice when it happens and what the author s intent is when using this technique. By the beginning of chapter 2, Wart and Kay s different personalities are already well established. Pay attention to how each character unfolds and the differences between them. When Wart first meets Merlyn, take note of the way Merlyn s room is described. The author uses many literary techniques: sensory language, anthropomorphism a seemingly endless list. The narrative style is very effective in conveying the details as well as the atmosphere of the room and the feelings it evokes in young Art. When Merlyn meets Kay, he makes a dire prediction: Thy sorrow will come from thine own mouth. Keep this in mind as the story unfolds and see if it turns out to be true. Note the use of foreshadowing: for this part of the story is one which deals in troubled times. Humor often surfaces with Merlyn s character, adding an unexpected flavor to the story, and there is a great deal of humor in the match between Grummore and Pellinore. However, Merlyn is making a point by showing this match to Wart. Think about why he wanted Wart to see these two knights. 38
The Once and Future King: Wart s Coming of Age Lesson 10 Reading Assignments Read chapters one to ten of The Sword and the Stone. Remember to keep notes in your Reader s Journal. Lesson 10 Writing 1. Look up the following vocabulary words and use them to describe one or more of the characters we have met so far. You don t have to describe any character in full your main goal is to use these words in context. (You don t have to include definitions of the words, but you ll need to look them up so you can use them correctly.) Try to use all the words in as few sentences as possible while making sure the character descriptions are accurate. benevolent despot probity panoply recreant inexorable 2. Using dialogue format, write a scene where Wart tries to explain to Kay why Merlyn doesn t give Kay adventures. When Merlyn is introduced, we very quickly learn of his magical abilities. In fact, within the first ten chapters, we learn a great deal about who Merlyn is what his temperament is like, how and why he uses his magic, and how he views education. Let Wart and Kay be true to their own personalities and feelings as they discuss what they know of Merlyn and as Wart tries to get Kay to understand why the magician can t give Kay the same adventures that he gives Wart. 3. Write one paragraph each to answer the following questions: a. In chapter 9, in the scene involving Merlyn s hat, the word anachronism appears. How does this word relate to Merlyn s magic? 39
British Literature Lesson 10 b. In chapter 10, Robin Wood describes Morgan Le Fay as a fairy. What does he say about fairies? What is their chief characteristic? What are other names that fairies have been called? Writing Tips A wide and varied vocabulary is a hallmark of good writing, and this novel provides an excellent opportunity to learn new words. When you notice a word you don t know, try to figure it out based on the context before looking it up. You can write down new words and look them up later, or stop reading and look them up before going forward. Try both and see what works best for you. In this way, you can use your Reader s Journal to keep track of unfamiliar words. FOR ENROLLED STUDENTS Begin keeping notes in your Reader s Journal. Remember to include page numbers, quotations, and ideas for later reference. You will be submitting this portion of the Reader s Journal to your teacher at the end of Lesson 12. Remember to send Lessons 9 and 10 to your teacher as soon as they are completed. 40
Lesson 29 THOMAS HARDY: A Mere Interlude This story, described by editor A.S. Byatt as one of the masterpieces of the English short story (xix), describes a tragedy that has an unexpectedly satisfying ending. Lesson Goals Connect story theme with relevant historical details Read to determine explicit information Examine role of narrator Digging Deeper In her review of The Oxford Book of English Short Stories ( The nouvelle cuisine of the turnover ), Elizabeth Lowry notes in Hardy s story a ballad-like detachment, its finely sustained balance between comedy and tragedy. She draws attention to Hardy s sense of irony, his appreciation of the resistance offered by real life to the symmetry that art wants to impose. Byatt writes that, here the distant narrator neutrally unfolds a tale in which the emotions are unexpected and yet steadily consequent from line to line, as are the events. It proceeds evenly, and contains a mystery (xix). ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY Read Thomas Hardy s A Mere Interlude. Write a short story using vocabulary words. Give a short answer to each question. Describe your impression of the story. Complete one of the projects. St. Michael s Mount This brought her [Baptista] to the present, and she turned from the outline of St. Michael s Mount to look about for her husband s form. (73) 111
British Literature Lesson 29 Along the Way Hardy wrote A Mere Interlude at a time when methods of transportation and communication were limited, as well as slow; in a way, this slowness allowed the events in the story to transpire as they did. Indeed, in the fast-moving, connected world we now live in, the events could hardly have taken place. The story is set in the southwest of England, Cornwall, and the Scilly Isles, although Hardy has changed the place names. For instance, Pen-zephyr is Penzance; find it on a map! Penzance Promenade (photo by Charles Winpenny) In her anxiety they had travelled so early that when they reached Pen-zephyr they found there were nearly two hours on their hands before the streamer s time of sailing. Baptista was extremely reluctant to be seen promenading the streets of the watering-place with her husband (71 72). 112
Thomas Hardy: A Mere Interlude Lesson 29 Reading Assignments Read Thomas Hardy s A Mere Interlude. Lesson 29 Writing 1. Using at least half of these vocabulary words, write a one-page short story with an unexpected tragedy and a surprising and satisfying ending. pith provisional temerity flexuous vermiculated ephemeral adumbrated maladroit didactic contiguity When trying to fit certain words into a story, you can often use adjectives to describe characters and create settings and plot developments around specific nouns. 2. Answer the following questions with complete sentences: a. What does the first paragraph of the story tell you about the story itself and about the main character? b. What is the perplexity that Baptista Trewthen describes to her landlady? c. Why does she marry Charles on the spur of the moment? 113
British Literature Lesson 29 d. How does Baptista view her sudden marriage and Charles, himself, once he is gone? e. How would you describe the tone of the scene in which Baptista notices her dead husband s hat? How does she feel when the maidservant tells her the truth? f. What compels her to reveal the secret of her first marriage to her husband? g. What is surprising about how her revelation is received by him? What is ironic about David s overall plan to wed Baptista, given the profession she quit? h. What is the story s final twist? 3. Write one paragraph on each of the following topics: a. Write a character profile of Baptista. Would you say that Baptista is a rebellious type of person or one who is more conventional? Is she impulsive? What would you say is the thing of value, hidden in Baptista like metal in a mine that Hardy alludes to in the first paragraph? b. After being married and on her way home to break the news to her parents (and her fiancé), Baptista is anxious. While Charles inexplicably goes for a swim, her thoughts and anxieties swim through her head. Explain how the author uses her anxiety to parallel the tragedy that is occurring as she sits alone with her thoughts. c. Both Lowry and Byatt comment on the detached, distant narrator (Lowry n. pag.; Byatt xix). What effect does this detachment have on you as a reader? Does it help you to understand the events better? Does it make you feel closer to the characters? How effective is Hardy s writing style for you? Why do you think he wrote the story? d. In the introduction, Byatt says that Hardy understood the way in which human lives, taken individually, do not follow probable patterns (xix). Describe the ways in which your life, or the life of someone you know, has taken unexpected turns. 114
Thomas Hardy: A Mere Interlude 4. Choose one of the following projects to complete: a. Do you think Baptista would have been happier with Charles, had he lived, or with David? Describe how her life would have been in either case and compare the differences. b. Write a scene of the aftermath of Baptista immediately telling her parents and fiancé of Charles and his death. How would each character (her mother, father, and fiancé) have reacted to the news? How would each have counseled Baptista? Remember to add setting details and action to the dialogue. c. There are a number of unexpected events and many twists and turns in this short story. How many narrative surprises did you find? List the many surprising events of the story. What was the most surprising part of all for you? Writing Tips When writing single-sentence answers, make sure your sentence is well constructed and detailed so that it references the question and gives a comprehensive answer at the same time. Lesson 29 115
British Literature Your Thoughts 116