The Middle Ages
What character embodies England's greatest legend?
King Arthur (p.2)
What genre is Beowulf?
Oral epic (p.16)
In Le Morte d’Arthur, the character of Arthur is comparable to a real person in his characterization and narrative function; the similarity is particularly obvious regarding Arthur’s death. What is the term for this literary concept?
Christ figure (pp. 53, 58-60)
The Anglo-Saxon term for fate is
wyrd (p.18)
In Sir Gawain, by continuing to wear a green sash, what does every Round Table knight commemorate?
the frailty of human hearts and the virtue of humility (p. 51)
In Sir Gawain, what does the pentangle symbolize about Gawain?
faithfulness (pp. 37,44)
One evidence of the mixing of pagan and Christian elements in Beowulf is
the assertion that wyrd is providence (p.18, 24)
Because they developed from an oral tradition but lacked factual evidence, the Arthurian tales are classified as what kind of literature?
legend (p.53)
In Le Morte d'Arthur, what event most clearly establishes King Arthur as a Christ figure?
his death (pp. 58, 60)
In Sir Gawain, what is the significance of the five points on the pentangle?
they represent the five aspects of Gawain's virtue (p.44)
Beowulf mortally wounds Grendel by
tearing off his arm (p.29)
In Le Morte d'Arthur, what is the name of King Arthur's sword?
Excalibur (p.58)
In Sir Gawain, what is the significance of the green girdle as it relates to Gawain's character development?
Gawain's use of the girdle violates his vow but provides an opportunity for true confession (pp. 37, 45-46, 49-50)
What are the four heroic virtues illustrated by the character Beowulf?
fortitude, prudence, loyalty, and generosity (pp.14-15)
Sir Bedivere's part in Le Morte d'Arthur resembles which biblical figure?
Peter (p.58)
In Sir Gawain, why did the queen tempt Gawain?
the king directed her to tempt Gawain (p.49)
What historical even marks the end of the Anglo-Saxon rule of England and a major shift in English culture?
the Norman Conquest (p.6)