Today we are going to finish SIR GAWAIN and the GREEN KNIGHT and give you some time to work on study questions. Remember you have a quiz tomorrow.
Fit 4 1) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight can be viewed as a journey from life to death and back to life. Discuss how this works. 2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how? 3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why? 4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again? 5) In your opinion who is really in control? 6) Is Gawain a hero?
Essay/Test questions - make sure you use adequate examples from the text:
Analyze and explain the symbolic significance of Sir Gawain’s shield in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 619-669), and evaluate how well Gawain measures up to the expectations suggested by the symbolism of the shield.
How does Sir Gawain differ from Beowulf as a heroic figure? What do the two heroes have in common? How are they different?
Today we are going to review vocabulary and then begin FIT 4.
Fit 4 1) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight can be viewed as a journey from life to death and back to life. Discuss how this works. 2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how? 3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why? 4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again? 5) In your opinion who is really in control? 6) Is Gawain a hero?
Essay/Test questions - make sure you use adequate examples from the text:
Analyze and explain the symbolic significance of Sir Gawain’s shield in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 619-669), and evaluate how well Gawain measures up to the expectations suggested by the symbolism of the shield.
How does Sir Gawain differ from Beowulf as a heroic figure? What do the two heroes have in common? How are they different?
FIT 3 1) Compare each of the hunting scenes with the bedroom scenes in the castle. Explain how the hunting scenes symbolize what is going on in the bedroom and explore how the differ animals hunted relate to the different tactics used by the lady each day. 2) What is your impression of Gawain during this section? How do you think he behaves? Does he uphold his honor while not dishonoring the lady and the lord? 3) What is the climax of the book? 4) What does the girdle symbolize? 5) There are a few allusions to Christ, Mary and faith (or failure of faith) can you pick a couple out and discuss why they are there?
FIT 3 1) Compare each of the hunting scenes with the bedroom scenes in the castle. Explain how the hunting scenes symbolize what is going on in the bedroom and explore how the differ animals hunted relate to the different tactics used by the lady each day. 2) What is your impression of Gawain during this section? How do you think he behaves? Does he uphold his honor while not dishonoring the lady and the lord? 3) What is the climax of the book? 4) What does the girdle symbolize? 5) There are a few allusions to Christ, Mary and faith (or failure of faith) can you pick a couple out and discuss why they are there?
Fit 2 1) Look at the progression of each stanza in this section and briefly list/discuss in order what every stanza is about. 2) Look at the motif of games and discuss how it works in this section. 3) Other than the pentangle describe a symbol in this section and relate it to a theme. Discuss how this symbol reinforces the theme. 4) How is Gawain different in this section as compared to the last?
We are going to finish FIT one today and then I'll give you time to work on the following questions:
Discussion Questions for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Fit I 1) When and where does the story start? Why is the time of year important? 2) How is both the King and Queen described? 3) How does the Green Knight behave? What is the tone of his voice? List some things he says. 4) How is Gawain humble in this section? 5) How do the guests act after the Green Knights leaves.
Today, we will start reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
You will have to compare it to Beowulf either by character, theme,
symbol, or structure. You will do this in a short video. As we read
you will need to answer study questions.
Some themes for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:
Paganism vs Christianity, The Idea of Honor, Good vs Evil, The idea of Faith.
Motifs: Colors, games, religion.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Chivalry
THE THIRTEEN RULES OF CHIVALRY KNOWN AS THE QUEST
1. A TRUE KNIGHT must be a gentleman, yet not fail in duty.
2. A TRUE KNIGHT must uphold the Dignity of Men and Women,
remembering that all are born free and equal in Dignity and Rights.
3. A TRUE KNIGHT’s manner of living is an example to the young.
4. A TRUE KNIGHT shall at no time act outrageously nor do murder or be
cruel in any way to man or beast.
5. A TRUE KNIGHT respects and defends the rights of all men and women to
hold and practice religious beliefs other than his own.
6. A TRUE KNIGHT takes no part in wrongful quarrel, but at all times
supports the lawful rights of all men and women.
7. A TRUE KNIGHT’s word is his bond.
8. A TRUE KNIGHT must be honorable in all things and know good from evil.
9. A TRUE KNIGHT must be of modest demeanor and shall not seek worship
of himself.
10. A TRUE KNIGHT must seek out such Quests as lead to the protection of
the oppressed and never fail in Charity, Fidelity, and the Truth.
11. A TRUE KNIGHT speaks evil of no man. A slanderous tongue brings shame
and disgrace to an Honorable Knight.
12. A TRUE KNIGHT never betrays a trust of confidence given to him by a
brother Knight.
13. A TRUE KNIGHT must so order his life that by his contribution, the people
of the world may hope to live together in greater peace and tolerance.
Compare the above to GAWAIN:
The
poem describes Gawain's armor in detail. He carries a red shield that
has a pentangle painted on its front. The pentangle is a token of truth.
Each of the five points are linked and locked with the next, forming
what is called the endless knot. The pentangle is a symbol that Gawain
is faultless in his five senses, never found to fail in his five
fingers, faithful to the five wounds that Christ received on the cross,
strengthened by the five joys that the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (The
Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption), and
possesses brotherly love, pure mind and manners, and compassion most
precious. The inside of the shield is adorned with an image of the
Virgin Mary to make sure that Gawain never loses heart
The Pentangle
1.
"Fiue wyttez" (five senses): may indicate that Gawain did not sin
through sensual indulgence, but cf. "fyue wyttez" in 2193 (st. 88),
where wyttez have most to do with intelligence, ability to understand a
situation, etc.
2. "Fyue fyngres" (five fingers): no special
significance is apparent here; may signify manual competence or physical
strength. Some critics refer to the use in some devotional manuals of
the image of the five-fingered hand.
3. "Fyue woundez" (Five Wounds
of Christ): a typical subject of meditation; here Gawain's fealty
(Borroff) or faith (Tolkien, Vantuono) is said to depend on them. The
original afyaunce vpon folde 'trust upon earth/in the world' may be
understood as "trustworthiness" if we see the outward-directed virtue as
reflecting something inside Gawain.
4. "Fyue joyez" (Five Joys of
Mary): a variable list, but usually Annunciation, Nativity,
Resurrection, Ascension, Assumption; here Gawain's force (Borroff) or
valour (Tolkien) or bravery (Vantuono) is said to derive from them
(forsnes 'fortitude' in the original).
5. The "fyft fyue" are the social virtues (generosity, good fellowship, cleanness, courtesy, compassion).
Discussion Questions for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Fit I 1) When and where does the story start? Why is the time of year important? 2) How is both the King and Queen described? 3) How does the Green Knight behave? What is the tone of his voice? List some things he says. 4) How is Gawain humble in this section? 5) How do the guests act after the Green Knights leaves.
Fit 2 1) Look at the progression of each stanza in this section and briefly list/discuss in order what every stanza is about. 2) Look at the motif of games and discuss how it works in this section. 3) Other than the pentangle describe a symbol in this section and relate it to a theme. Discuss how this symbol reinforces the theme. 4) How is Gawain different in this section as compared to the last? 5) Discuss the setting.
FIT 3 1) Compare each of the hunting scenes with the bedroom scenes in the castle. Explain how the hunting scenes symbolize what is going on in the bedroom and explore how the differ animals hunted relate to the different tactics used by the lady each day. 2) What is your impression of Gawain during this section? How do you think he behaves? Does he uphold his honor while not dishonoring the lady and the lord? 3) What is the climax of the book? 4) What does the girdle symbolize? 5) There are a few allusions to Christ, Mary and faith (or failure of faith) can you pick a couple out and discuss why they are there?
Fit 4 1) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight can be viewed as a journey from life to death and back to life. Discuss how this works. 2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how? 3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why? 4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again? 5) In your opinion who is really in control? 6) Is Gawain a hero?
Essay/Test questions - make sure you use adequate examples from the text:
Analyze and explain the symbolic significance of Sir Gawain’s shield in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (lines 619-669), and evaluate how well Gawain measures up to the expectations suggested by the symbolism of the shield.
How does Sir Gawain differ from Beowulf as a heroic figure? What do the two heroes have in common? How are they different?
Your essays are due today. Please share them with me.
Also, we are moving on to "Middle English" - we are going to look the final section of the introduction to this period in your textbooks and then ream "Margery Kemp". We will also be getting into "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight".
Today we are going to read the excerpt from "The Book of Margery Kemp" - it's in your textbook on page 116.
Objective: Students will be able to determine an author's point of view or purpose in the text.
So note, at the end of these excerpt, you will need to be able to state
what the author's purpose was in writing it (this question is addressed
in question #8 on page 122).
Remember that you have a TEST today and your essay is due tomorrow.
GOOD LUCK!
Friday, October 8, 2021
BEOWULF STUDY GUIDE:
Beowulf: Final
Give two examples of parallelism in the story and briefly discuss what ideas the poet is backing up with this parallel.
Define kenning and give four examples found in the story. Briefly list what is being described.
Give an example of litotes. Why is it used?
List four symbols and discuss what they represent and to what theme they apply.
What is wergild and how does it appear in the story and why was it important in Anglo-Saxon society?
Briefly, but specifically, discuss the motif of kin-killing in the story? Why does it reappear so often?
Discuss two of the following themes and how they work in the story by given scenes as examples and analysis the scenes in relation to the theme: The role of women; The Role of the King; Christianity vs. Paganism; Beowulf as an Anti-War Statement; The Role of the Warrior; Man Alone in a Hostile World.
What is important about the descriptions of Shield Sheafson? What was his childhood like? What was his burial like?
Why is the Finn story included just before Wealtheow appears?
Discuss the comparison between Beowulf and Siegmund? What purpose does it serve?
Is Beowulf a hero? Why or why not?
Discuss the code of loyalty and how the society is structure. Did some specific examples of loyalty.
What is the meaning of Grendel?
For the following characters please discuss who they are and what they did during this story:
Today, we will continue working with your essays. I have looked at everyone's draft - below is the rubric you should think about.
Also, remember the following daters: TUESDAY - TEST ON BEOWULF; WEDNESDAY - ESSAY IS DUE.
Analytical Essay
Rubric
4
3
2
1
Thesis, opening
paragraph.
W1a
W2a
Student takes a
clear position on the prompt.Thesis
Statement is defensible.Hook and
thesis statement link.Order of
development is present and sets up how the thesis will be investigated.Thesis connects prompt to the text as a
whole.
Student has a clear
and defensible thesis statement.
Thesis connects
prompt to the text as a whole.
Thesis statement is
attempted,
But – maybe not be
defendable.
May not be
clear.May be wordy.
May not connect to
the text as a whole.
There is no
recognizable thesis statement.
Or there may be
multiple thesis statements.
Use of Evidence
W1b
W2b
Evidence is
introduced and relevant to the thesis and analysis is thorough makes clear
how the evidence connects to and defends the thesis.Evidence is properly cited.
Evidence is
introduced and relevant to the thesis.The analysis makes connection between evidence and thesis, but the
quality and/or quantity is inconsistent.Evidence is cited.
Evidence is
relevant to the thesis and there is some analysis attempted, but the analysis
may be taken out of context, misinterpreted, or oversimplified.
Evidence is
attempted, but may not defend thesis or there is no connection made between
evidence and the thesis.
Sophistication of
Writing
W1c-d
W2c-d
Use of prose style
that is especially vivid.Student uses
rhetorical strategies such as parallel structure.Varied syntax.High level vocabulary.Language consistent for an academic
essay.Student’s insight into the text
is persuasive.
Student uses varied
syntax.Some high level vocabulary
present.Prose style is engaging.Language consistent for an academic
essay.Student’s insight into the text
is reasonable.
Student attempts
varied syntax.Vocabulary might be
simplistic or repetitious.Prose style
is sometimes engaging but might be repetitious of ideas.Language may not be consistent for an
academic essay.Student’s insight into
the text is plausible.
Wordy,
repetitious.Vocabulary might be
repetitious or the use of “to be” verbs may be overused.Not engaging.Student’s insight in the text is unclear.
Grammar
L1, L2
1-2 errors that do
not distract from reading.
2-5 errors that do
not distract from reading.
More than 5 errors,
or the errors present distract from reading.
Many errors.Errors seriously distract from the reading
of the text.
