LCCCBritishLiterature

A Note about Podcasts

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 18:04:00 -0800

Hi! Thank you for stopping by to listen to the Podcast series. You will notice that some of the podcasts are more "introductory" than others. This is because the lecture notes, themselves, come from copyrighted material. Therefore, the lecture notes exist beyond the walls of WebCT in compliance with copyright laws.

Module 4 Assignment 6

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:47:00 -0700

Sonnets

1. This is about continuous beauty. Old people die and make relatives sad. Eventually you become your own enemy and the beauty dies also.

12. This questions beauty because summer comes to an end. Therefore, all beauty will come to an end at some point. When someone stays beautiful forever they are to be saved and studied to find out why.

15. Youth is the best time in life. After that it all goes downhill, so live it up.

18. His love is perfect. Even more perfect than beauty. It is a never ending love and beauty, better than a warm summers day.

20. This brings Shakespeare's homosexuality to light. It is about a gentle man who is adored by both men and women. He believes this person is a woman in a man's body. Although his loves this man, he knows that he is meant to be with women.

29. He feels like an outcast. He wishes that he was more like this other man. What used to satisfy him no longer does. When he feels like this though, he thinks of the one eh loves, and he is no longer sad.

30. This is about him thinking about his past. He dwells on the time that he wasted and all the things he wanted to do but did not do. He cries about all this and friends that he has lost. When he thinks about his love though, all those feelings go away.

31. This is about the loss of past lovers and friends. They stand for death and now so does he.

33. He has seen many beautiful mornings and they have been hidden by dark clouds. He applies this to his feeling of happiness that is hidden by the loss of his love. Despite his loss, he loves the man anyway.

William Shakespeare

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:21:00 -0700

William Shakespeare was a great playwright and poet. He was born circa April 23, 1564. He went to grammar school in Stratford. He was married to Anne Hathaway and had two daughters and a son. The son died around age 14. The years before Shakespeare became known as a writer, are known as his "dark years" because there was no record of his life at this time. His career began as a playwright. He also acted in many plays. He became a poet when the plague caused the theaters to be shut down. He helped to open the Globe Theater and was a member of the Chamberlain's Men acting group. He owned many properties and was very popular with royalty. He died on April 23, 1616.

http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography

http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/

module 4 assignment 5

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 07:28:00 -0700

Donne seemed to be very against the idea of having a nation that did not have the church as the center of government. He wanted to make the Americas another Britain. The goal for the Americas, though, was to make it a different place. He did not understand how people could live without the Anglican church. If more people would have listened to Donne about his ideas and beliefs, we would not have the America that we have today. The whole concept of freedom may have meant something totally different. Who knows, The USA may have been run by the Anglican church, and we may have still been just a territory of England instead of one of the strongest countries in the world.

module 4 assignment 4

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 07:22:00 -0700

Christopher Marlowe wrote beautiful love poems. He must have been a busy person to have written so many plays and poems...and be a spy in the Queen's secret service. It seems that in 16th century everyone who worked for the Queen was accused or accusing others of treason or blasphemy. Although, it was probably very difficult not to commit some sort of crime with how strict laws were, especially about religion. Marlowe died fairly young, but he created many works and a history that we still read about today.

Module 4 Reading Assignment 3

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 08:20:00 -0700

After reading this section, I have not changed my opinion on Elizabeth. She was a very courageous women who turned England around. She was a great example to women of power. She seemed to really care about her subjects and did what was good for them. The only was that I was disappointed that she never got married. Not because I think she needed a man to help her run England, but because if she would've had a child to take over the throne she could have taught them her ways of ruling and England would have continued to prosper as it did when Elizabeth was queen.

Elizabeth Video

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 08:36:00 -0700

1. Why did Mary hate Elizabeth?
Mary hated Elizabeth because Elizabeth was protestant and Mary was Catholic. Also, Elizabeth was the daughter of Mary's father, Henry VIII, and Anberline. She was a illegitimate child.

2. What was the role of the Anglican church in Elizabeth's reign? What is the significance of Elizabeth's position? The Anglican church during Elizabeth's reign was the official church of England. It was the unified church of the Protestants and the Catholics. Elizabeth was the ruler of both church and of state.

3. Who wanted to marry Elizabeth and why? The King of Spain wanted to marry Elizabeth in order to ensure England as an ally. The Duke of Anjour also wanted to marry Elizabeth to ensure England as an ally of Scotland. Lord Robert Dudley wanted to marry Elizabeth because he loved her.

4. Who was Elizabeth's lover? Does she kill him? Why or why not? Lord Robert Dudley was Elizabeth's lover. She does not kill him when he commits treason because she wants to be reminded of how close she came to danger.

5. Discuss her transformation into the Virgin Queen. Why is this significant? She cuts her hair short and paints her skin white. She announces that she is married to England. This is significant because there would not be an heir to continue her rule.

6. It si said that Elizabeth I was one of the best English monarchs. Based on this movie, why do you think this is true? I believe this is true because she unified the religions in England and let people know that she was not fooling around in doing so. Also, she did not take anyone's hand in marriage just to save herself.

7. How does her role change the definition of women in power? Her role changes this because she proves that she does not need a man to make decisions on what is best for her country. She went against what everyone else thought was right and became a strong leader by herself.

Module 4 Reading Assignment 2

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 06:51:00 -0700

Here are some websites that are very informative about Edmund Spenser and "The Faerie Queene".

http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/spenser/texts.htm

http://www.literature-study-online.com/essays/spenser.html

http://www.enotes.com/faerie-queene/

http://www.bartleby.com/65/sp/Spenser.html

http://www.beyondbooks.com/leu11/2c.asp

Module 4 Reading Assignment 1

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 06:42:00 -0700

Here are 5 websites that discuss Sir Thomas More's "Utopia".

http://www.beyondbooks.com/leu11/2a.asp
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=3380
http://www.apostles.com/utopia.html
http://www.outlawsandhighwaymen.com/more.htm
http://www.thomasmorestudies.org/curriculum/bacon.html

"Utopia" was so revolutionary because it gave insight to the outside world beyond Europe. People then still did not believe that any other place existed besides what they new. The idea that there may be something else beyond their continent was unbelievable.

Module 3: Reading Assignment 6

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 11:16:00 -0700

My Question: How was death personified in the Pardoner's Tale? How does this relate to what the Pardoner Preaches? Give Examples.

Answers:

What is the moral of the Pardoner's Tale and how is this contradictory to what he preaches?

The moral of the Pardoner's Tale is Money is the root of all evil. I'm not sure that this is contradictory to what he preaches, but I do think it is contradictory to the way he acts. He does tell people that money is the root of all evil. He says that to solve thei problems they should give up their money. What better person to give their money to than to him? He basically steals from these people who are very naive when it comes to penance.

In the Nun's Priest's Tale, the story is told as if the animals in the barnyard are people.There is a comparison between the rich and the poor. The poor being the old peasant women who has little and doesn't seem to need much and the rich, portrayed by Chaunticleer, who has a lot of responsibilities, like making sure to crow so the sun comes up. Why do you think Chaucer used animals as the main focus to tell this tale?

I think that Chaucer chose to use animals in this story because it shows the animalistic qualities that humans have. Plus, a story using humans to compare the rish and the poor would be alot more boring. Animals bring a humorous quality to the story also.

Module 3: Reading Assignment 5

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 7 Jun 2006 17:29:00 -0700

1. I think that the message that this tale is trying to convey is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Although not conveyed until the end, the knight would not have known the hag's true beauty unless he kissed her. Once he kissed her, her true beauty showed.

2. If I had to cast a current actress to play the role of the Wife of Bath, I would probably choose Diane Keaton. I feel that she is a very independent individual. She always plays such strong roles that show her courage and independence. She does not seem like she would bow down to anyone, let alone a man.

3. I think that Chaucer's position on marriage is that it is supposed to be a once and done sacred commitment that two people in love make to one another. He uses marriage as the satire in the Wife of Bath's tale. He obviously feels that the way that she treated marriage was not right. She treated men as her servant instead of her equal. Although in Chaucer's time men and women in marriage were not completely equal, the men were definately not considered the lesser of the two!

Module 3: Reading Assignment 4

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 7 Jun 2006 17:01:00 -0700

1. The point of the Canterbury Tales is to teach lessons in an amusing way. The satire of each person's lifestyle is written to amuse the audience. Also, it is written to give insight to the not so perfect lives of people who are perceived otherwise.

2. I think Chaucer will make a mockery of these topics because they are of the serious nature. In the text, when he is describing each person who is involved in one of these topics, he seems to focus on it. Which, I feel, could be some sort of foreshadowing on these subjects. Some examples are when he talks about the wife of Bath, he focuses on the fact that she has been married numerous times. Also, when he describes the friar, who is a religious figure, he points out the fact that he is also a beggar, which I'm sure will be focused on later in the tales.

3. The innkeeper is the most captivating to me because he gets everyone to share their stories. This is what leads to the satire in the story. He seems to pull it all together.

Module 3:Warm up

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 6 Jun 2006 08:52:00 -0700

For many years, I have been alone. Destined to live my life in this tower with nothing to occupy my time but sewing, and watching the people of Camelot, whom I long to live among. Bound by this curse that is upon me, I have watched many people in love go by and marry. I have sat by and watched my true love from afar, and I cannot bare to watch him any longer. As I continue to go unnoticed, I will take my life. For if I cannot live with the one for which my heart throbs, and without this dreadful curse, then I shall not live at all.

Unknown to you,
The Lady of Shalott

Extra Credit Definitions

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Wed, 31 May 2006 22:36:00 -0700

Please go to the wiki to find out the answers to the extra credit definitions!

Module 2 Assignment 5

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:51:00 -0700

Dear Judith,

I was glad to hear that you stood up for yourself and did not lay there with fear. By decapitating that man, you not only showed bravery for yourself, but also encouraged your people to do the same. However, just as you prayed for the courage to get yourself out of the situation you were in, I advise you to do the same for forgiveness. You are a spectacular and courageous woman, but taking someone's life is serious business. Although you saved your people, at the same time you committed a mortal sin. I do feel that you did the right thing, but I now feel that you should pray for God's forgiveness. Keep up the courageous work.

Sincerely,
Erin

Module 2 Assignment 3

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 30 May 2006 17:09:00 -0700

Not to make a joke out of an epic tale, but as I was reading this (especially at the end), I was reminded of Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". After Grendel attacked the meadhall, the people just rebuilt the door and sang as if they were rejoicing. The fact that this made Grendel angry and retreat seems very similar to the classic children's story. I felt that it really demonstrated how monstrous Grendel really was. It also brought more light as to who his mother was. It was definately much easier to read than Beowulf. I enjoyed it.

Module 2 Reading Assignment 2

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 30 May 2006 16:45:00 -0700

The Christian images in Beowulf seem to play an important role as to why Grendel attacked Heorot. Grendel was a descendent of Cain. God would not bless any descendents of Cain, but he did bless all other human beings. This is what provoked Grendel to do what he did. If it were not for the jealousy he had for the people who were blessed by God, the story of Beowulf would not have taken place.

Module 1:Activity 1

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Thu, 25 May 2006 19:08:00 -0700

Major works of Renaissance literature were ballads, books of manners, romances, scientific texts, histories, translations, dramas, poetry, and satire. Humanists greatly influenced literature of this time period. Desiderius Erasmus and Sir Thomas More were two very literary influential humanists.
Some major authors of the Renaissance were John Skelton, Chris Marlowe, Henry Howard, and, of course, William Shakespeare. Drama was a major contributor to the literary world during the Renaissance. The first public theatre was built just outside London. William Shakespeare is a very well known playwright of this time period.
Poetry also developed its own British style. It divided into two categories; Metaphysical, meaning intellectual, and Cavelier, which were more Classical. Satire, which is sarcastic humor about a serious event, also became very popular.

Works cited:

www.athena.english.vt.edu
www.luminarium.org/renlit

Extra Credit: Audio CD

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Mon, 22 May 2006 06:44:00 -0700

If you purchased the text for class from our bookstore, you received a CD packaged with your text. Please listen to these audiotexts and answer the questions at the end of this post:

1. Track 1: The Dirge (Tim Murphy)

2. Track 5: Wife of Bath (JB Bessinger)

3. Track 6: There is no Rose (choral arrangement)

Questions (please post to blog):

1. Do these audio files help you understand the text? Why or why not?

2. Which one is the most interesting?

3. Sum up each piece and offer a one paragraph review.

Beowulf Study Questions - Extra Credit

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Mon, 22 May 2006 05:47:00 -0700

Here are some questions up for discussion on Beowulf. You can earn extra credit (2 points for ech question) by offering complete answers here on the blog. Please include the question you are addressing in your response.

Warm-up

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 17 May 2006 17:36:00 -0700

Well, I too had British literature in high school, 11th grade to be exact. Oh, so long ago. So, from what I can reamember, I read the Tell Tale Heart, Paradise Lost, Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales). I do remember reading Shakespeare. I have read Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, and various sonnets. I also read Beowulf, but for some reason I don't remember liking it much. Well, I guess we shall see. I wish everyone the best of luck in this class!

Lecture Notes: Beowulf

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Sat, 13 May 2006 19:20:00 -0700

Beowulf is written in the Heroic mode. There is only one surviving copy in print, so the author is not known. Further, it isn't known if this piece was written at the time of the events it details or if it is a memory written down much later in time. It seems to illustrate Scandanavian lore, though none of these characters are present in the historical Scandanavian texts. Most scholars assume that this story was told in Scandanavia, but written down later by monks or scholars in England. The Christian references in the text seem to point to some sort of Christian influence interfused with Germanic and Scandanavian tribal influences. It appears that the text, or oral story, to be exact, did not originally contain Christian references (to Cain and Abel or the Great Flood, for example); these elements were probably added later.

There are a whole host of people that study this text, but it is assumed to be dated at about 1000 AD. Since it has some Homeric elements, it is thought to be a stem from or an assist to that Homeric tradition noted for heroic literature. We don't know much about the one surviving copy, but we can try to explore the issues as we see them surfacing in the text.

It is important to pause and think about the language of Beowulf. Old English differs greatly from modern English (the language we speak). In its original text (a little bit like Russian), there are inconsistencies in spelling and grammar, and meaning and inflection is generally part of the word root or ending. In fact, some of the letters don't even appear in our alphabet. Most importantly, we need to remember that Beowulf would have been presented in the oral tradition; this is a text meant to be heard...like Shakespeare...and, in reading, we lose a lot of the flavor of the text. I know it is tough, but try to imagine a friend telling you this story at the bar. There would be hand gestures and the fullness of language.

Beowulf was a member of the Geats clan; they were a seafaring tribe likely from the coast of Sweden. They disappeared, literally, from history, probably through conquest, but they really did exist. So, is Beowulf real? I don't know. If he was real, he was likely born in 495 AD (Klaeber) and defeats Grendel and his mother is about 515 AD (Klaeber). Eventually, Beowulf becomes King of the Geats (this is documented in history) and then is killed later (some say 50 years, but there is no proof) by a dragon. Obviously, the dragon is speculative.

We are most interested in Beowulf's treatment of Grendel and Grendel's mother. Grendel is said to be of the line of Cain (from the Biblical Cain and Abel story). There is some speculation that Beowulf is similar in stature to something like the Loch Ness Monster, and his ancestors were the only survivors of the 40 day flood (Noah's Ark). Grendel's mother, however, is not portrayed in such grand terms; it is thought that she was smaller in size. They lived together in an underground system called a lair.

Grendel is problematic because he disregards law and custom. His mother, of course, demonstrates pure wrath and vengeance. As a didactic text (one that instructs), the characters of Grendel and his mother demonstrate the rules society should follow in terms of greed, uprisings, revenge, etc. However, the question remains...what would Grendel's mother say about the whole thing?

Here are some things to consider as you read:

1. What makes Beowulf a hero? What makes Grendel a monster?

2. Is it possible that Beowulf and Grendel represent types of persons found in society? If so, who?

3. How does exile function in this work?

4. For whom do we feel sympathy?

5. How would a feminist approach this text? A Marxist?

6. Should we feel sorry for Grendel's mother? For Grendel?

7. Can you see in the text where Christian influences are inserted? Find examples and post them on the blog.

Lecture Notes: Old English

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Fri, 12 May 2006 22:04:00 -0700

Generally, the Middle Ages are split into two sections: Old English and Middle English. However, that segmentation seems a bit complicated, and it easier, I think, to divide the eras into "Old English" (pre-Norman Conquest) and "Middle English" (1066 - post-Norman Conquest).

As you will read, your text offers a complete history of this time period. Don't get bogged down with this information. Here are some important highlights:

1. There were two worlds colliding; there were "Pagan" cultures interfused with "Christian" culture. This is important; often, the texts of the period speak to trying to better one over the other. Since monks usually were the only people "writing" down these stories, it is pretty obvious which side they supported. Poets explored the tension between the two groups.

2. Texts weren't readily accessible to the people, so many of the stories were passed down through an oral tradition. This means that we may never know the true origin of certain works (like Beowulf).

3. There are two primary poetic modes: heroic and elegiac. Beowulf is cnsidered an example of the heroic mode because it illustrates bravery, loyalty, vengence, and desire for treasure. The elegiac mode illustrates the loss of those concepts (the loss of treasure, for example). There is some debate, however, about the definition of Beowulf. Some will argue that it is elegiac.

Beowulf PodCast 3

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Fri, 12 May 2006 17:04:00 -0700

This is the third podcast of Dr. Breeden's version of Beouwulf.

Beowulf PodCast 2

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Ritter-Guth) — Fri, 12 May 2006 16:44:00 -0700

This is the second Beowulf podcast of Dr. Breeden's version of Beowulf.