lit final notes

8/12/2019 Lit Final Notes

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I. Anglo-Saxon Era

A. Historical Background

British Isles —Geography

● Currently known as the swaggin United Kingdom. Consist of dem Wales Scotland England andNorthern Ireland (NSEW, North South East West is easy to remember).

● It be part of the common market and the European Union● The island country that’s fairly small. The modern United Kingdom be 88,000 square miles

California is 160,000. Since then the UK has gone down in power. It has lost some countries tocolonization and other is gave up. For latitude be at North Canada on top in the WashingtonCanadian border on the bottom. It be cold in winter, damp, not very cold. The reason being theGulfstream Ocean current. There’s a metric ass ton of fog in Southern England and there ain’t no point on the British isles where it be more than 60 miles from the ocean. In the southeast berolling hills farmland. But further north and west you get, more mountains. English seafaringpeople. Fishing major industry. Shifting its focus of empire. English channel provides someprotection. Avoided role in wars of continent.

Prehistory

● The islands are populated by Celtics. They were stone age people. Nomadic tribes. ThePhoenicians of the continent sometimes traded but never went back twice because there’snothing there. This led to the rumors of Atlantis.

● Stonehenge: as a stone circle one and. Over 40 stone circles in Euro. Stonehenge be the mostfamous because it be the biggest and most intact. It consists of 82 bluestones. Each weighed 5to 8 tons. In the upright position some are 28 feet tall. Stones are scattered randomly. Theywere build 1000 years before Christ. Structure in the center in the altar and it has somethinglike blood on it. Probably from human or animal sacrifices.

Roman Occupation:

● In 55 BC Julius Caesar invaded England. Kind of. Cesar first invaded Gaul. The Celtics assistedthe tribes in Gaul. They gave them the the arrows and spearheads. In retaliation he invaded heinvaded England. Lands at Hastings. They became bogged down in England. Problem was thateach tribe was separate and a few how to fight many battles instead of one big battle.

● The 54 BC he invades again this time with his good troops. Leads to Celts stop supplying Gauls.Then, he leaves. This invasion led to Britain being on the maps.

● 100 years later, 43 AD, Emperor Claudius invades Britain. Lands at Hastings, move north andwest. Takes 4 years to conquer all of England. Many of the Celts assimilated through marriageafter generations. Celtic culture disappears, and Rome remains for 400 years. Scots start raids.

● 120 AD, Emperor Hadrian orders wall across Britain in North for protection. BY 208-211 AD, wallbe finished. The wall was 60 miles long colt 40 feet high and made of stone. It was wide enoughfor four soldiers to march or a chariot. Every mile had a post with three –five soldiers. Usedbonfires the signal. Every 10 miles was a fort with 2 to 3000 soldiers. However it did not stop



the Scottish. They just raided around the fort also boats.● Over time, the expense of maintaining Britain was too much. Hadrians wall marks farthest

north/west of roman empire. Pressure of barbarian hordes force Roman withdrawal by 410 AD.Once they leave, barbarian invade England, and influx of barbarians for 100 years.

● After 499 two tribes remain in England. The angols and Saxons. By the sixth century BC tribes

assimilated due to trade and intermarriage. They did not destroy the roman buildings they justignore them. The Anglo-Saxon were agricultural and proud of the warrior heritage.Tribes/groups were at war with each other but it was more like sporting events. War also leadto increased trade.

● In 597 Pope Gregory I sent Christian monks to Britain. They landed at Canterbury. AndCanterbury becomes the center of the catholic church in Britain. These monks were good atconverting. They converted the chiefs of the tribes. And they turned the boys of the villagesinto priests. This eliminate the problem of communication.

● At this point the roman catholic church was on same page calendar wise. However, the Anglo-Saxons were illiterate. So the Christian monks invented old English which was phonetic.

● In the late seventh century Norse invaded. After raiding, some started staying. In 871, KingAlferd comes to power. Unifies tribes to oppose norse. Called england’s first king. Under hisleadership, in 878 write a treaty with the Norse. Gave Norse half of England up. He died a fewyears later, and the treaty collapses. Overtime, the norse are pushed back. By 1050 AD,Vikingsare driven back. Now, it be land of Angols, or Angland.

● During AS period, Kings/kingdoms established. Society was primordial.Kings,nobles,freemen,unfreemen. They didn’t trade slaves. Captured from war, and oftenmarried into family. There was very little trade with continent. No urban centers or cities.Biggest event be Christianity enters Island, and Old English be biggest lit. event.

B. Literature

1. Beowulf

● be an epic poem(written in elevated style, using adventures of divine/semidivine personage totell history of people). Composed in oral tradition over several generations by Norse. Bring it w/them when they invade Britain. Adopted by AS around mid 6 th century. Written down sometimearound 700 AD. Only one surviving manuscript. Probably written by A Christian monk bymemory(leads to emendation). Not translated into modern English until 1500 by Raphael theEnglish scholar.

● But Beowulf was the epic hero up. Grendel was evil symbolized. It was written with the

prologue and 43 books. Each book was rather thin. Prologue introduces characters and plot. Inbook one King Hrothgar up be the king of . Danes. In his hubris, he builds up Herot(mead hall).Grendel be coming. Bk. 2, Grendel attacks, danes unable to fight back. Bk. 3, Beowulf comes tohelp. Comes from the Geats, and comes for Glory. Bk. 4- 9, journey of Beowulf, doesn’t arrive tillbook 9. SUMMARY: Nightfall, Danes leave, Beowlf and company stay. Grendel attacks, fightswith Beowulf, and mortally wounded(arm ripped off). Crawls back home to die. Danes celebratebut are attacked again by Grenel??. Then, BEO goes to grendel's lair. be giving magical



sword(not) by friend Wulfgar who be jealous. Tells Beo. That he needs magic sword to kill him.Lies. Finds out that it be actually mama Grendel who attacked last night. Sword shatters, Beo atrisk. But in treasure piles(grendels hoard treasure), finds another sword and cuts off her head.Now, BK 23 be finished. Beo returns home, be named king. Rules with honor for 50 years. After50 years, country attacked by fire-breathing dragon. Along with friend wiglaf. Kill dragon, but be

mortally wounded. Taken back home, names Wiglaf new king, then dies. Final books detailfuneral(cremated on pyre, accompanied with weapons, food, treasure). Gave more accurate pic.Of funerals.

II. Medieval ERA

A. Historical Background

● Time between collapse of roman empire and renaissance. (476 AD-1492). Develops afeudal system.

● Feudalism: differs from one part of Europe to another. Contains some generalcharacteristics .(1) Manor: self contained farm. Self sustained. Owned by liege lord.Member of aristocracy. Word was law .(2) peasants: tied to the land, but not slaves.Have obligations to liege lord. Follow rules, serve etc. Could not leave land. (3) FeudalContract: System of customs/traditions/expectations. Liege lord be parental figure, hasobligations to peasants, keeps farms safe, run farm well, keep manor maintained, allout of private pocket.

● Chain of inheritance. When a father dies, everything passes to oldest surviving son.Others will stay on the manor or marry oldest daughter of another lord. Or mightbecome night, or enter the clergy. Catholic church be the unifying religious / political

aspect in middle ages. had influence everywhere. That can also buy position in upperechelon of church(Bishop, etc). Up

● Evolution of feudalism happens all over Europe except in England because of thebarbarian hordes. Due to the reigns feudalism does not evolve.

● 1050 AD last of the Vikings are driven out. At this point in the land was more tribal innature. More like war chiefs.

● 1066 AD. Across channel be Normandy. Duke dies, leaves legit son who be weak, andWilliam the Bastard, who be strong. Takes control. William not liked by Catholic church,decides to invade Brittany. Goes to the 2 nd /3 rd lines of heirs, and they join him, and form

army. Now, he be known as William of Normandy. Then, invades Brittany, Brittanysurrenders. Duke of Brittany now vassal of Normandy. To get land for knights in Army,William decides to invade England, and conquers it(from Hastings). Now, land consistsof England, Brittany, Normandy. Because of this, known as William the Conqueror.

● With invasion of William, England becomes feudal. Knights given land, becomelandlords . But, Feudalism doesn’t quite catch on. So, they modify it. Sometimes fir e king.



Have parliament to argue taxes, etc.● After William, growing sense of the nationalism. Now, conflict between king and church.

Conflict arises over criminal clerics, since any member of church be tried by church.● 1162 AD, Henry II be having struggle with archbishop of Canterbury. Henry says people

charged of civil issues tried in civil court, not church. Because of this, Archbishop spendstime in France, and dies in France. Now, Henry appoints Thomas Becket(childhoodfriend) as new archbishop. But, Becket has strong conscience, so tries to do job well.Oath to pope, not king. Immediately clashes with king. Henry feels betrayed. One day,accidentally orders murder of Becket. Becket on steps of high altar is killed. Resulted inHenry’s friends(who kill ed becket) to be executed, Henry forced to recognize supremacyof church.

● 11 th – 13 th century, feudal Europe embarks on crusades. Sponsored by Pope. Goal was totake holy land, then to protect pilgrims going to holy land, then to raid/pillage. Lost toMuslims.

● 1189-1192: The 3 rd Crusades. Important because England is major part. Forces led byRichard I(Lionheart).Gets captured on way to Crusades by Christian group. Held forransom but, England can’t pay because of crusades. Now in debt. Regent prince johnneeds to raise money. So taxes, but everyone is already poor. Taxes bothnobility/commoners. Manages to get money , but doesn’t sen d it. Allows Richard to stayin captivity. Richard escapes and returns. Richard forgives John, and heads back tocrusades. Dies and John ascends the throne

● Church don’t want John to be king instead wanted Arthur of Brittany. John wasn't agood king. Gets in fight with pope. John is excommunicated, so all of England isexcommunicated. Gets back in Pope’s graces by giving him Eng land. Pope gives it backas vassal state(also had to give up Brittany, and places in France). Lost lands lead tomassive loss of revenue. John becomes a tyrant, responds harshly to complaint.

● 1215, Barons rise up, compel John to sign MAGNAS CARTAEat Runnymede. Means“Grands Chartae”. Guarantees freedom of church from govt. interfering. Guaranteescertain baronial privileges, become law unto themselves, and free from taxation. Alsoguarantees custom(tax) of towns. Only barons can tax towns. John ignores, claims hewas under duress. Never lives up to contract. When he dies, next king follows MagnaCarta. MC lays down principle of governed have rights. Becomes common law.

● 1327, Edward III now king of England. Cousin Charles IV of France dies. Edward laysclaim to French throne, so does someone else. Edward goes through William theBastard, other is not illegitimate, and it does not lead to war.

● 1330, 100 years war. Actually a series of war. France won, England loses all possessionsin France. Both come out ahead, since they start having sense of being a nation. Laidhistory for AP EURO.



● 1348-49, Black death. Bacterial infection, contagious, highly deadly. Sweeps all overEurope due to increased movement among people. Spreads through rats/fleas. Mutatesinto pneumonic plague(airspread). In one year, kills 20-50% of people in Europe. Leadsto class order breakdown(started w/ crusades), bring feudalism to knees. Money is what

keeps manor afloat. Plague killed many nobles. Things improve for peasants who arenow more in demand. Rise of middle class as peasants get money and livestock (sheep)● Chivalry is the code of honor in battle and daily life. Courtesy, behaving with honor, and

being religious.● Courtly Love: Love among aristocracy, among court. Fairly common in lit. Imitates life.

Group of monks in Italy write down fiction, notice patterns, make list of rules for courtlyrules.

o A parody. Make fun of way we treat literature.o Love is a malady. Something you catch, has identifiable symptoms. Pale,

trembling, fears, sighs, weeps or yells out for no apparent reason, moans orgroans, unable to sleep, loses appetite, can be driven mad and can die.

o Power of love can not be denied. Can fall in love by catching sight of anotherperson. Demands absolute fidelity.

o Nothing can denied to beloved. Love source of all joys and virtues, can be sourceof evil. Kept secret, love emotional.

o CONFLICT between courtrly love and chivalry is a theme in most medieval lit.B. Literature

1. Geoffrey Chaucer(1340?--1400)

a. Biographyi. Poet, one of the most influential writers in English History. Was a scribe.

Writes as a hobby. We don’t know much about his youth/birthday. Fatherscribe at royal court(assumption) since Chaucer is also a scribe. Weassume Chaucer grew up at court. Educated alongside royalty/nobles.Close to prince/king. 8 years old at time of black death, so remembers itas an adult.

ii. 1359, appears in official records. Sees military service in France. Capturedand ransomed. Edward III paid. Shows he was important. 1362, English

declared official language at court(previously French). Makes Chaucereven more important. 1366, gets married to lady in waiting to queen.Daughter of Aristocat of one of powerful families of England. (Shows Ed.III organized it). Wife very wealthy, retirees in 1367. Gets pension( 10pounds). Doesn’t need more. 1374, 100 years war heats up. Returns tpublic service. Made controller of customs, which is principle of revenue.Customs official often corrupt, but CHaucer is honest. 1370s, serves as a



vii. CHARACTERIZATION: Creates 3D character. First in English history to doso. Going to revolutionize literature. Talks about actual humans, can berelated to by readers.

b. Literary Works: Canterbury Tales

i. Prologue:Has introduction of all the characters.ii. Nun’s Priests Tale 1. Fable because animals talk2. Chauntecleer, a proud cock who dreams of his approaching doom

in the form of a fox. Frightened, he awakens Pertelote, the chieffavourite among his seven wives. She assures him that he onlysuffers from indigestion and chides him for paying heed to asimple dream. Then the foz flatters him to get him out of thecage, but then he flatterz the fox in a reversal and convinces themto insult the men and then the fox goes away and Chauntecleerwins.

iii. Pardoner’s Tale: Three drunk men who try to find death.1. Deathly Hallows, gold, poisoning, stabbing, stupid

iv. Wife of Bath’s Tale: Tale of knight who raped women, went on a quest,got answer married an old woman, who turned out to be a pretty one.moral of the story: Rape gets you hot girls

2. Sir Thomas Malory:a. Biography

i. Man who came up w/ King Arthur. Does not make them up. Collects andcondenses them. Know very little about STM until later. Multiple STMexisted at court.

ii. Born in 1395. Not contemporary of Chaucer. Born to his title. By early20s, respected liege lord. Seems to be active at court. Serves as knight in100 years war. Married Eliz. Walsh. Have a son named Robert. Has seatin house of lords. In mid to late 20s, Malory in dispute w/ King. Problemcentered around conduct of warfare. England invented longbow, whichcan penetrate armor. Longbow weapon of peasants, but peasants killingknight, not honorable.

iii. Around 1449, England suffers from political unrest. Knights not happywith war decisions. Dispute over tract of land against King. Malory ischarged with crimes, attempted murder of Kings relative, stealing frommonastery, robbing monks on road, , rape of Joan Smith. Charged withcattle rustling.

iv. King confiscates property, gives land to church(political move). Malory



Canterbury finds it, and passes the word.At Easter, all knights come to pull sowrd from stone.So a contest is held to determine king until the real king comes. Ector, Kay, and Arthur compete.Arthur forgets Kay’s sword so he runs back to get his sword, and without being able to find it,he pulls the sword out of the stone and gives it to Kay. (IMPOSSIBILITIES LISTED HERE: Arthur

forgets the sword and hes a Page, wouldn't happen. Also he somehow doesn’t know of thesword’s significance, and it implies he can’t read the inscription, and he assumes that Kay won’tnotice the difference). Thought to be hand of God guiding these events. Sir Kay tells his fatherthat he pulled it out, but when Ector makes him swear, he says Arthur did it. Arthur puts thesword back in and pulls it out, but knights refuse to accept his rule. Next year same thing, samewith year after. 3rd time, the nobles are forced to recognize Arthur as king.m, Mallory ends upshowing common people determining government on accident (revolutionary at the time).Many knights follow him, but many do not. He must go to war against the rebel lords. He asksMerlin for help, who takes Arthur down to Lady of the Lake (a Nature Spirit), who gives ArthurExcalibur. A magical sword, and is told as long as he wields it, he can’t be defeated in battle, butis also told that the scabbard is just as important, as with it he can’t be mortally wounded. Withall of these, he goes to war for several years, and finally wins and unites England. He is now ayoung man, and he turns to Merlin, who tells him to get married. Merlin arranges a marriagewith him and Guinevere (French princess). She comes to Arthur with a dowry, including a roundtable (more like a doughnut doe). He and her decide to establish a country of justice with lawsALL must follow. He invites knights of realm to join him, and thus creates Knights of RoundTable to help him because everyone has an equal hearing. Merlin tells him to keep right handside empty for knight who’s coming. Word spr eads, and knights join. May be 12, 15, or more,no one knows (12-15 accepted). Lancelot du Lake (Lancelot of Lake) is the perfect knight (and isfree of false modesty which can be annoying at times). HIs entrance into Camelot almost killsking by joust and swordplay when they meet on a bridge. They become friends over the fight tocross the bridge though, and when Lancelot finds out who Arthur is, he is taken into castle ofCamelot (Arthur’s capital), and is given the right hand seat, causing some disconten t. Gwen is jelly of how much attention Arthur gives Lancelot (both have dat yung bromance going) so sheslike ayyy joust time then hires 3 knights to defeat them. They get their asses handed to themand one dies and Lancelot leans down and so does Gwen and then their eyes meet and theyrelike shieeeeeeeet i need you. So anyway the knights do a good job of going on quests and stuffand soon theres nothing to do, so Merlin suggests going after dat yung Holy grail. If they find itCamelot will be swagged out, but only the pimpest and most perfect of the knights can get it (atthis point Lances a ton looks like the guy), and the others will die. So the knights go and do aton of individual quests. NEXT PART. Aite so Arthur has this half sister Morgawse (not MorganLa Fay, half sister of Igraine and Tintagal). Morgawse hates Uther after talking to Morgan, whocould see thorugh Uthers disguise, and in turn hates Arthur because his dads a slut. So whatdoes this hoe do? She casts a spell on him and rapes him, because apparently incest is wincest.



Tudor Lineage:

● Owen Tudor m. Catherine (Queen Mother) ○ Edmund Tudor

● Edmund Tudor m. Margaret Plantagenet ○ Henry Tudor

● Henry VII, née Tudor, m. Elizabeth of York ● War of the Roses (civil war for the throne; Lancaster (red) vs York (white))

○ Defeats Richard III in battle ○ Henry VII was the first Tudor monarch and married her to unify Lancaster & York and

he’s a good leader/administrator ○ he goes on grand tours on the countryside to keep nobles in check

■ Spends more time in rebellious areas, so they have less money to raise an armyagainst him.

■ runs England like a business (penny pincher) & makes a profit ● Eldest son Arthur & Catherine of Aragon are engaged, then Arthur dies

○ Henry (VIII) m. Catherine of Aragon, marriage is annulled (which means the marriagenever happened)

○ Henry VIII breaks from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England- usesthis to divorce Catherine

■ Divorces her because Henry thinks he si nned by marrying a widow, and that’s why she won’t have any male sons.

○ other wives: Anne Boleyn (rude, gets beheaded), Jane Seymour (likeable, dies in birth toEdward), Anne of Cleves (German, end marriage but are friends), Catherine Howard (he was displeased and made a random law so she was beheaded), and Catherine Parr(calming influence+brings children to court/influences Elizabeth)

○ Henry’s harshness with Catholics=avoided religious wars in England ○ unites England and Wales (but not Scotland) ○ improves British navy

○ Mary (only surviving kid, of 6) ● After Edward’s death Jane Grey is crowned b/c Elizabeth was illegitimate and Mary was catholic

○ overthrown in 9 days by Mary; executed ○ Mary converts country to Catholicism (“bloody mary”) ○ marries Philip of Spain (proxy; they never actually met) ○ dies of ovarian cancer, thinks she’s pregnant (karma)

● Elizabeth=queen ○ religiously tolerant, settles conflicts, country back to protestantism ○ armada read below ○ “virgin queen”=never marries b/c she likes power, but has affairs ○ Dudley=her lover, childhood friends, stops when his wife dies ○ Earl of Essex=2nd lover, ends up getting sentenced to death for trying to seize the throne ○ Henry Stuart (Lord Darnley)=passionate affair

● Mary Queen of Scots=Henry’s relative of some sort ○ John Kn otts rules as regent in her place (Presbyterian), while she’s in France ○ Mary’s engaged to francis of france, he dies, she returns to scotland ○ = catholic threat ○ elizabeth marries her to darnley to get rid of them both ○ Darnley dies of suspicious circumstances (he is abusive, and has public affairs) ○ Mary then marries the Earl of Bothwell



○ Scottish nobles force her to abdicate her throne ○ Mary comes to Elizabeth and asks for an army to take back Scotland. ○ Elizabeth responds by kindly throwing her in the Tower of London for 20 years ○ Mary is the focus of many plots to kill the Queen. ○ After Mary signs a document saying she will take the throne upon Elizabeth’s death, she

is executed. ○ James I (Son of Mary) then becomes King when Elizabeth dies.

Henry VIII’s Wives and Children:

● Catherine of Aragon (divorced) ○ Mary

● Ann Boleyn (beheaded) ○ Elizabeth

● Jane Seymour (died) ○ Edward

● Anne of Clives (divorced) ● Catherine Howard (beheaded) ● Catherine Parr (survives)

Basic Summary of the Era

● Rome collapses in Italy (last place to fall to feudalism)● Renaissance moves quickly through Europe because an increase of communication (change is

sudden and rapid) ● Renaissance era belief: Everything is as good as it is going to get.● Politics

○ The idea o f birthright into status still exists, but there can be upward movement in one’sown class ○ National government gains power and respect ○ Parliament gains some power, not much

● Religion ○ Catholics v. Protestants ○ Persecuted Calvinists come to England for protection, and become a political force ○ Henry VII

■ Burns 10 heretics (in~24 years) ○ Henry VIII

■ Burns 81 heretics (in ~38 years) ○ Mary

■ Burns 300 heretics (in 4 years) ○ Elizabeth

■ Burns 5 heretics (in ~40+ years) ● England

○ Now a world power and building an empire ■ Colony in Newfoundland ■ Colony in Roanoke ■ Colony in Jamestown



■ Plymouth becomes a thing ■ East India Company in 1600

● Start by creating a trade mission in some foreign land ● Then it receives Royal Protection ● Then the Crown takes over entirely

Dat Spanish Armada of 1588

Britain's refusal to play by the rules and their hilarious tactics coupled with Spanish stupidity leads toBritish control of the seas and extreme nationalism

● Starts with English Privateers (civilian ships with licenses to be pirates) raiding Spanish ships inthe Caribbean

○ They plunder, then go buy pardons from the Queen ● Sir Francis Drake decides to sack an entire city because he is insane

● Goes the long way around South America, sacks the city and comes home to buy a pardon ● The Spanish get angry at Queen Elizabeth, who plays it off saying that Drake would never do such

a thing ● Drake shows up and says he sacked Panama (lol) and Elizabeth gives him a pardon and tells him

to leave the Spanish New World alone ● Drake thinks she is all *wink wink* about it, and then goes and sacks Cadiz on the Spanish

mainland, and then captures a Spanish Galleon and tows it home to England. ○ (what happens to him after that?) YOLOd out of the history books

● Spain declares war on England and creates the Spanish Armada, the largest war fleet everassembled (except maybe outdone by the naval landings on D-Day, or at Iwo Jima during WWII)

● Britain has just a little more than nothing to bring against Spain. ● Spain still manages to lose the naval battle for many reasons.

○ The fleet is massive, the ships are massive, they all move super slow, and are very hard tocommand as a cohesive unit.

■ British ships are tiny, low to the water, and race around the Spanish shipsharassing and poking holes at their waterline.

○ Spain has too many officers, and they get in the way of commanding each other ■ British ships act independently (and aggressively) and do whatever they can to

damage the Spanish ○ The Spanish are stupid enough to start shooting each other with their broadsides as

British ships sail between them. ○ Also bad weather sinks many damaged ships

● Spain abandons this and sails to Holland to pick up a bunch of soldiers

● The messenger ship is slower than the fleet, and then the fleet has to dock overnight. ● The English light some ships on fire and sail them at the Spanish ships, which have to then sail

out to sea to avoid not exploding/catching fire. ● Spain just gives up entirely and sails the long way around the British Isles to get home.

○ Lo and behold, a storm wrecks the remaining fleet, and Spanish naval power is forevercrippled

● England unifies as a result: doesn’t matter what your religion is, the Spanish suck and need to beturned back.



● Known to be very good at Pastoral imagery; famous for vivid imagery, and one darn good story ● List of thuggin’ works by Spenser

○ The Shepherd's Calendar ■ English Renaissance Pastoral Poetry

● credited with starting the pastoral tradition in English literature ■ First major pastoral piece of work ■ 12 descriptive poems, 1 for each month ■ wins him court recognition as a poet

○ Amoretti ■ a sonnet sequence; composed of sonnets he wrote to Boyle when they were

courting (Boyle helped select sonnets) ■ 89 Spenserian Sonnets ■ 1590- ’94 ■ Shows the evolution of a relationship

● published a year after their marriage ○ The Faerie Queene

■ Narrative poem

■ Meant to be an epic poem spanning 12 books ■ Writes 6 books and portion of 7th ■ Would have been an epic ■ Constructs a complete allegory (characters, action, and setting are all symbolic)

● Book 1: Red Cross Knight - Holiness ● Book 2: Sir Guyon - Temperance ● Book 3: Britomart & Belphoebe -Chastity● Book 4: Triamont & Campbell - Friendship ● Book 5: Artegal - Justice ● Book 6: Calidore - Courtesy

■ Each faces off against their anthesis ■ Book 1:

● The Faerie Queene - Glory ● Lady Una - Oneness, truth ● Archemago - not holy-ness ● Duessa - Duality, falsehood ● ^Fidessa - Fidelity

■ Moralistic tale, wants everyone to be better people; makes it simple enough forpeople to read

■ Writes 1000s of lines in Spenserian stanza (w/o violation)

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)

● poet and playwright ● contemporary of Shakespeare but superior (friendly rivals) ● born in Canterbury ● father is shoemaker ● educated at grammar school in Canterbury

○ becau se of its location, it’s associated with the cathedral, therefore, Marlowe waseducation in a classical form vs. common basic education

● attends Cambridge University (with scholarships and grants)



● after graduating, goes to London and becomes actor ○ Actors are very looked down on because of drugs/sex (corruption & immorality) ○ shortly after, becomes playwright

● also writes lyrical poetry ● famous plays (all Renaissance tragedies) include Tamberlaine, Doctor Faustus, The Jew of Malta,

and Edward II ○ most famous is Doctor Faustus (magnum opus)

■ Dr. Faustus is scholar who learns everything and becomes bored ■ he makes a contract with the devil in which he gets to study forbidden material

for 20 years in exchange for going to hell ■ Then goes to hell (huge surprise)

○ Doctor Faustus is outstanding in its language and construction; Marlow writes it whenShakespeare is just starting

■ we study Shakespeare because he has 32 works vs. Marlowe’s 4 works ● Marlowe dies in a barroom brawl, stabbed to death.

○ May have been a spy for the queen or simply over who was to buy the next round ofdrinks, but unsure.

● Enjoyed by Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618)

● bigger than life, flamboyant ● born to his title, landed aristocracy

○ is a land owner and has an automatic seat in Parliament ● competes for affection of Elizabeth with Earl of Essex (probably not sexual) ● explorer of New World; one of the original colonizers

○ Names Virginia after Elizabeth ○ Organizes Roanoke and Jamestown

○ Brings back potatoes & introduces tobacco to England (used for medicinal purposes) ● fortune falls when Elizabeth dies

○ James I dislikes Raleigh ○ spends 2-3 bouts in prison (thrown into the Tower of London until there was better

evidence of crime found; 15 yrs) ○ arrested & charged with treason, spends 15 years in Tower of London

● released and sent to explore New World, ordered to hunt and find gold (basically exiled; about 2 years in Roanoke)

○ returns empty handed (so that the crew can be with their families) and is thereforeexecuted due to treason

● he’s not an author, doesn’t publish (write fanfiction) ○ writes The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd

William Shakespeare (1564?-1616)

● commercial playwright; superbard (poet & playwright); epitomizes the power of literature (mostfamous author in history)

○ outstanding commercial dramatist, good poet ● typical Renaissance man-knowledgeable in a broad range of subjects



● born to mild economic conditions ● contemporary of Spenser

○ know of each other’s work, probably never meet ● contemporary of Marlowe

○ friendly business rivals ● contemporary of Ben Jonson in whose plays he acted● wrote Sonnets at same time as Amoretti ● born in Warwickshire (agricultural region)

○ Father John (local merchant active in town government) is merchant in Stratford○ mother, Mary Ardon, is daughter of prominent family in community

■ comfortable (financially) ○ is 3rd out of 7 children

● beyond this point, its just speculation of his childhood ● 1568: John is elected bailiff of Stratford on Avon

○ assumed William went to grammar school in Stratford (unlikely that he went to prepschool and university)

○ granted access to Warwick library

● 1582: first time he appears on public record, marries Anne Hathaway (local girl, probably apartier)

○ Shakespeare was 18 y/o, Hathaway was 26 y/o ● 1583: daughter Susanna is born, she survives him and takes care of him in old age ● 1585: Anne gives birth to twins Hamnet and Judith, Hamnet dies at age 11 of illness, Judith

marries and survives father ● 1586: goes to London to make fame and fortune

○ England is in Recession ○ works in London for 20 years ○ intention was probably to get enough money and send for Hathaway; doesn’t happen, AH

dies in Stratford (4 days travel time between London and Stratford)○ writes histories (very accurate, for a publishing house; probably family histories),tends

horses at theatre (like valet parking), tries acting, and revises play scripts ● becomes friends with Earl of Southampton (major investor in theater) ● 1590s: writes poetry ● 1592: Henry VI, Part I produced, first major piece of work ● 1593: Venus and Adonis is published, erotic scandalous poem ● 1593: joins Lord Chamberlain’s Men where he makes fortune, works as actor/playwright, and

invests proceeds in company ● 1594: Rape of Lucrece published ● 1596: Hamnet dies

○ writing shifts to tragedies after son Hamnet’s death ○ Shakespeare feels guilty and then is convinced that that he’ll be forgotten because he has

no sons to pass his name● 1599: Lord Chamberlain’s men build Globe Theatre ○ state of the art @ the day; big money maker

● 1603: Queen Elizabeth dies and James I ascends○ gets own performance because of delayed coronation due to bubonic plague ○ Lord Chamberlain’s Men perform for James; he’s delighted (important business move) ○ and puritans become powerful (in Parliament); desperate to close theaters and dance

halls (against everything that is fun, including chairs) ■ James allows the theater to function because he likes Shakespeare



● 1609: Sonnets published without Shakespeare’s knowledge (10 years to attribute to him) ○ published without the support or cooperation of Shakespeare

● 1610: retires and returns to Stratford ○ buys New Place and lives with Susanna but Anne lives in separate cottage ○ continues writing poems and managing Globe Theatre ○ becomes manager of King’s Men, ou t the Black Friars

● 1616: dies of fever; Ben Jonson ○ Shakespeare catches fever after a night out drinking with Jonson ○ buried near Trinity Church in Stratford, under the altar

■ he pays to be buried there, not a commemoration ● 1623: First Folio published which was first official collection of work, meant to keep memory alive

and economic venture (published by the Lord Chamberlain’s men○ we don’t know if most of it is modified (because there’s no copyright at the time

● Sonnets ○ written in 1590s ○ published in 1609 by Thomas Thore who initially took credit for printing the collection ○ sonnet sequence

○ all are spoken, speaker isn’t always poet ○ example of invention: revisit idea (different imagery and focal point) ○ subject is eternal triangle between Shakespeare, Dark Lady, and Young Man ○ 154 Elizabethan sonnets (1-126: to young man, 127-152: to the Dark Lady, 153 & 154: do

not belong in sequence) ■ 1-17: Procreation ■ 18-28: Ambassage ■ 29-32: Thoughts in Absence ■ 33-37: Reactions to Friends Disloyalty ■ 48-66: Anxiety and Depression ■ 67-74: Corruption and Death ■ 75-99: Perils to Friendship ■ 100- 108: The Truant’s Muse (writer’s block) ■ 109-126: In Retrospect ■ 127-132: Intro to Dark Lady ■ 133-142: The Will Sonnets (haha, Will)■ 143-152: Exit the Dark Lady

Vocabulary

1. Types of Poetrya. Narrative- Poetry that tells a story, popular across the ages

b. lyric- expresses an emotion or sentiment or describes an eventc. Dramatic- A play written in poetic form

2. Verse Formsa. Verse- a group of lines that form a unit in a poemb. Stanza- a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poemc. Couplet- two line unit of poetry unified by rhyme and idead. Blank Verse- unrhymed verse with metere. Free verse- unrhymed verse with no meter



f. Rime Royal- 7 line stanzas in iambic pentameter with rhyme scheme ABABBCCg. Sonnet- 14 line lyrical poem written in iambic pentameter with a specific rhyme

schemeh. Petrarchan Sonnet- 14 line lyrical poem written in iambic pentameter with an

octet followed by a sestet with one of five rhyme schemes

i. Elizabethan Sonnet- 14 line lyrical poem written in iambic pentameter with threequatrains and a final couplet with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg

j. Spenserian sonnet- 14 line lyrical poem written in iambic pentameter consistingof three quatrains and a concluding couplet with a rhyme scheme of abab bcbccdcd ee

k. Spenserian Stanza- 9 line closed stanza written in iambic pentameter with thelast line in iambic hexameter with rhyme scheme of abab bcbc c

3. Figurative Languagea. metaphor- an implied comparisonb. simile- is an explicit comparison using like or asc. personification- giving human characteristics to something that is not

humand. irony- an apparent contradiction involving humour or mockerye. allusion- a reference to another piece of work or incident intending to

invoke the full connotation of that work or incidentf. extended metaphor- when an entirety of a work is dedicated to a single

comparisong. motif- recurring image or dominant idea in a workh. imagery- visually descriptive languagei. invention- author repeats the same thing in a different manner

j. conceit- an elaborate and surprising comparison of 2 different subjects

k. ellipsis- words are omitted but meaning is understoodl. symbol- concrete object that represents an abstract idea that is generally

understoodm. oxymoron- the combination of two ordinarily conflicting terms into one expression

to produce a striking effectn. hyperbole- exaggeration for effect

4. Sound Devicesa. alliteration- the repetition of initial consonant soundsb. consonance- the repetition of internal and ending consonant soundsc. assonance- the repetition of vowel soundsd. onomatopoeia- the pronunciation of a word is similar to the sound the word

describese. rhyme- a pattern of similar sounds at the ends of a poem’s lines f. internal rhyme- a pattern in which the word in the middle of a line rhymes with the

word at the end of that lineg. refrain- the repetition at intervals of a word or phrase

5. Metera. foot- a unit of poetry consisting of a specific number and pattern of stressed and



unstressed syllablesb. iamb- a two syllable foot of meter with the stress on the second syllablec. troche- a two syllable foot of meter with the stress on the first syllabled. monometer- meter of one foot per linee. iambic pentameter- meter of 5 iambs per line

6. Tragedya. Tragedy

i. a five act poetic drama written in a formal styleii. Having the 3 unities, a chorus, featuring a revenge motive, fate, and

supernatural elements.iii. All violence takes place offstage. The protagonist is a tragic hero

b. dilemma- a choice the tragic hero must make in which either option will lead tohis destruction

c. Unitiesi. TIme: The action of the play takes place during a 2 hour periodii. Place: The action of the play takes place in one locationiii. Action: the plot is simple and straightforward

d. Tragic Heroi. Protagonist of the tragedy of noble birthii. Has a tragic flaw, a positive trait blown out of proportioniii. Hero will face a dilemma and as a result of his choice evil will be let loose

in the worldiv. The hero will be destroyed and become self aware of their tragic naturev. The destruction of the hero results in a purging of the evil released on the

world and the audience is upliftede. Narrative Terms

i. plot- sequence of events in a storyii. generating circumstances- the circumstances that bring about the conflict

in the plotiii. rising action- beginning in generating circumstance and ending in climax,

the series of events built from the conflictiv. turning point- the point in the plot where a significant change leads to the

climaxv. climax- the point in the plot that is most intense during which the conflict

is resolvedvi. falling action- events after the climax that lead to the conclusionvii. setting- the context in time or place where the story takes placeviii. tone- a writer’s attitude toward the subject matter revealed through diction

or figurative languageix. point of view- the perspective from which the story is toldx. theme- central idea of a work of literaturexi. character- a fictional personality created by the authorxii. characterization- actions, dialogue, narrative description that reveal a

sense of the character’s personality to the reader



xiii. protagonist- main character in a storyxiv. antagonist- a character or force in conflict with the protagonist

f. Misc. Literary Termsi. Epic Poem- a long narrative poem written in an elevated style recounting

the deeds of a heroic character who embodies a particular value in

societyii. Emendation- the alteration of a story to have it conform the values and

ideals of contemporary society often unconsciousiii. Romance- A type of narrative fiction or poem that is an idealized vision of

reality is presentediv. pastoral poetry- poetry that presents the countryside in an idyllic manner

showing its superiority to the cityv. Sonnet sequence- a group of sonnets composed by one poet with a

unifying theme or ideavi. Allegory- the elements of the story are symbolic representations of an

abstract idealvii. closed stanza- a single idea is completed within a stanzaviii. renaissance man- polymath, Leonardo Da Vinci is definitely a

renaissance manix. companion poem- parallels the poem in theme structure and content, not

a parody

AP LIT ESSAY TOPICS:

1. Chaucer and his characterization techniques (identify one character and evaluatedevelopment)

2. King Arthur legend specific to Morte Darthur, and its appeal/significance3. Hamlet as a tragedy, how it adheres to classical tragedies/how its different and how is it

effective still4. Hamlet as a tragic hero (Compare/contrast to classical tragic hero) and evaluate him as

a tragic hero.

5. Define an era (look at one of the eras: Anglo-Saxon, Elizebethan) Select up to twoauthors and explain their significance and impact on this era and how they epitomizedthis era

6. Outside reading (Characterization): Select 1 character and see how the author developsthem.

7. Outside reading (Theme): Select 1 theme the author puts forward and describe how theauthor employs that theme effectively.

lit final notes

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