Question of the Week (12/11/09)

Using evidence from the text discuss the interrelationship of two of the following motifs in Malory's work: courtly love, married love, the knightly vow of friendship, fealty, revenge, the ravishing of maidens, the murder of knights, Christian devotion, diabolism. Post and respond to a classmates' response by Sunday. Don't forget your adaptations are due Monday. Enjoy your weekend.

Question of the Week (12/4/09)

Choose one of the following and comment by Sunday. Don't forget to respond to a classmate's response. 

Point out specific instances of Malory's comic treatment of King Mark, Dynadin, and others, and comment on how humor modifies Malory's overall tone.

Discuss Malory's narrative method, commenting on his apparent lack of interest in chronology of the sort usually found in the modern novel; his juxtaposition of plots and situations which serve to comment upon one another; his fondness for presenting crucial events offstage (such as the murders of Lot, Pellanor, Tristram, and Lamerok).

The Questing Beast

Question of the Week (11/20/09)

It has sometimes been argued that Le Morte d'Arthur was not originally intended as a unified legend, but was merely a sequence of unrelated tales. What arguments can be advanced for and against an interpretation of Malory's tales as coherent legend? Post and respond by Sunday.

Question of the Week (11/13/09)

How is the element of prophecy illuminated in the first two legends you have read? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. Also, is prophecy an element of today's society? Post and respond by Sunday.

Question of the Week (11/6/09)

Compare and contrast Gawain as a hero with Beowulf. What makes them heroic in a traditional and untraditional way?

Visit the Bestiary

Explore the Aberdeen Bestiary, a collection of short descriptions about all sorts of animals, real and imaginary. What parallels are evident between the hunted animals and Gawain? Answer this question and be prepared for class discussion.

Question of the Week (10/30/09)

Using evidence from the text compare and contrast Camelot with Bertilak's court and castle. How are their hosts and inhabitants similar? Different? What bargain is made at the end of Part II? Post your response by Sunday, 11/1, and don't forget to respond to a classmate's response. Happy Halloween!

Question of the Week (10/23/09)

Looking forward to our study of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, share what you know about Arthurian legends? Post your response by Sunday 10/25. Enjoy your weekend.

Question of the Week (10/16/09)

Give an example of Chaucer's use of satire in your favorite Canterbury tale. Don't forget to use supportive evidence from the text. Post your response by Sunday 10/18 and respond to a fellow classmate's response.

Wife of Bath

Question of the Week (10/9/09)

After you have read the Wife's tale, consider first what might have led Chaucer to give her this story to tell. As you know from the reading throughout The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer generally gives his pilgrims tales that fit their character. Thus the Knight, who is the noblest member of the group, recites a chivalric romance, while the Miller, who is one of the commoners, tells a bawdy tale. In other cases, Chaucer creates a dramatic motivation for his pilgrims' choice of tales, as when the Friar's insulting tale of a summoner prompts the Summoner to tell an insulting tale about a friar. Consider all of the following questions from the Wife of Bath's Tale, but answer only one of the following:

• To what extent does the Wife's tale seem appropriate to her character as it has been depicted?
• Does the tale reveal new or unexpected aspects of her character? Does it illuminate any of the very different relationships that she has experienced in marriage?
• The moral of the tale seems to confirm her argument in the "Prologue," that wives should have authority over their husbands, but the proof of the moral seems to come through magic. Are we to take the story at face value, or is it, in the truest sense, a "fairy tale"? How does this reflect on the Wife's character and opinions?
• Does Chaucer in this way represent the Wife as seeing herself as the "loathly lady" waiting for some loving husband to unlock the beauty inside her?

 Post by Monday 10/12 for full credit. Don't forget to read the summoner's and merchant's tales, complete the WofB worksheet and finish your original prologue due 10/13. Enjoy your long weekend.

Homework for the weekend of 10/2/09

Read the Nun's Priest's and the Pardoner's Tale for homework, finish the vocabulary worksheet (handed out on Thursday) and don't forget to answer the question of the week.

Question of the Week (10/2/09)

How does the literary criticism of The Monk's Tale enhance your reading of it? Click on the Question of the Week, it's a link to the Monk's lit crit!

Question of the Week (9/25/09)

Using evidence from the text, what philosophical "moral" does the Reeve draw from his own tale?

Question of the Week (9/18/09)

What lessons from Beowulf can you transfer to your own life? Think about the heroic ideals of this time (i.e. bravery, generosity, kinship or friendship etc.) and how they can be interpreted today. With which character from the poem do you most identify?

Following the Blog

Make sure that you are all following and subscribing to the blog. I'm not seeing our entire class in the followers icons. Remember this is part of your grade.

Grendel's Mom

What would be the name of Grendel's mom? What do you think?

Due Monday 9/14

Create a detailed list of the characters in Beowulf. Make sure you are familiar with at least one quote or reference from the text that relates to the characters. Don't forget to read chapters XXVII-XXXI (27-31). Have a great weekend!

Question of the Week (9/11/09)

What if Beowulf was really just boastful? What if he was all talk and didn't really know all that much about fighting?
Create an alternate version of the story; one that could have happened if Beowulf had lost to Grendel. What would happen to Beowulf's men, Hrothgar, and Herorot? What would Grendel and his mother do? Post your answer to the blog by Sunday.

Question of the Week (8/28/09)

Building on our class discussion, elaborate on what the word “hero” means to you? What value is placed on heroes in our society? Is it someone who puts her life on the line for others? Is it someone who lives with integrity? Or is it someone who simply does more than is expected of her? Is there only one definition of a hero? Explore these questions in writing and don't forget to critique one of your classmates responses.

Getting Started

If you don't already have a google account set one up and join the blog. Click "getting started" (above) for help setting up an account and then start blogging.

Welcome!

Greetings and welcome to your Early English Lit blog. The purpose of this blog is to create a community of writers who share their thoughts and ideas about the texts studied in class.

Each week I will post a question(s) on the blog for you to answer. The question(s) will relate to what has been discussed in class, so you will have a frame of reference from which to draw your response, but your task is to reflect further and showcase this reflection through writing.

After you have answered the question thoroughly (using complete sentences), choose another reflection from one of your classmates and respond critically to it. The goal of both reflections is to show through writing your point of view and that you have read and understood the text. Use your well-constructed written argument (always using quotes and/or direct references to the text in question) to illuminate your point.

*Keep in mind that responding critically to a classmates’ reflection does not entitle you to berate their writing style, grammar or spelling choices. Use this opportunity to create and organize your written argument.

We took Beowulf, the epic poem in Old English, and put it right together with John Gardner's contemporary retelling. If you bring it into today, we really feel that it has something very fresh to say now. Julie Taymor