English 12: Study Guide for FINAL
Note: Most importantly you should look back through your notes and returned quizzes, tests and assignments and read over them.
TEXTS
that you will need to know (and I mean know beyond comprehension), be
able to relate to themes, to other texts with similar themes (compare
and contrast), be able to explain symbols, make arguments about actions
of characters, etc.
“The Death of Conchobhar”
“Branwen, Daughter of Llyr”
“The Seafarer”, “The Wanderer”, "The Wife's Exile"
Beowulf
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The Canterbury Tales
THEMES:
The Corruption of Power, Christianity vs. Paganism, Man Alone in a
Hostile World, The Roles of Woman, The Role of Christianity, The Roles
of Kings and Warriors, Loyalty, Pride, The Role of Magic, Fate, Faith,
Bloody-Money as a form of Punishment, Banishment, Good vs. Evil,
Hospitality, The Transitory Nature of Life, Revenge
Some
Definitions you’ll need to remember: Wergild, wyrd, kenning,
alliteration, epic hero, epic poem, epic boast, romantic literature,
chivalry
List of Characters that you will need to know:
Conchobhar, Cet, Meis-Geghra, Finghin, Brandigiefran, Branwen, Maholwch,
Manawydan, Efnisien, Nisien, Beowulf, Grendal, Hygelac, Hrothgar,
Shield Sheafson, Wulfgar, Wiglaf, Unferth, Finn, Siegmund, Weltheow,
Morgan Le Fay, Sir Gawain, King Arthur, The Green Knight, The Mistress, and "The Pardoner" "The Wife of Bath" and the "Miller"
from “The Canterbury Tales”
For major characters (or
protagonists) make sure you can discuss character flaws and what those
flaws are meant to do – or how they inform us of someone larger idea.
Motifs:
ambush, birds and horses, the mutilation of horses, betrayal while the
king is away, divine protection, the troublemaker, beheading, kin
killing, important of ancestors, reputation, the arming of the warrior,
the fairy world, green, Yuletide happenings
Symbols: the
brain-ball, the cauldron of resurrection, Heorot, Grendal, the Dragon,
the fiery lake (and Grendal’s mothers’ liar), hrunting, the giant’s
sword, Gawain’s shield, the girdle (remember characters themselves can
also be symbols)
Allusions: for each story or book be able to pick out some allusions and link them to a theme
Irony: For each story or book be able to pick out some ironies
Make
sure you keep a list of events from any book or story that backs up a
theme. You will need to use examples. Specific examples.
You
will need to be able to compare and contrast the three poems – The Seafarer, The Wanderer, The Wife's Exile—with each other and/or be able to
connect to a theme and used to back up a larger book (such as Beowulf).
Be
able to generalize the differences between the following: Anglo-Saxon,
Celtic, and Welsh literature, between Old English and Middle English,
between the ideas of Sir Gawain and The Canterbury Tales.
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