Canterbury Tales: Wife of Bath Questions 1-5, 7-8 and 10

1. Describe the knight's original sentence and his revised punishment.

The knight's original sentence was to beheaded, but then it began to be revised to answering the question of the Queen.

2. What agreement does the knight make with the old woman?

The knight agrees to marry the old woman in exchange for the answer of the Queen's question.

3. What information does the old woman share with the knight?

The old woman shares the information of what women desire the most.

4. In what ways does the relationship between the knight and the old woman change during the course of the story?

The relationship between the knight and the old woman change during the story, because the knight admits defeat to the old woman, and then they start talking to each other about which wife sounds better: an old faithful wife or a young lustful wife. The knight admits defeat again and allows the old woman to do whatever she pleases to him.

5. In her tale, the Wife of Bath offers direct statements on friars, women's desires, and marriage. Summarize each statement and then explain what each reveals about the Wife's personality.

The wife of bath doesn't like friars, because they sell women into marriage. Women's desires are having complete control over the relationship or marriage. Marriage is where the woman has complete control and in return the man can do whatever he wants to her body.

7. Review lines 404-432. Is the conclusion of the story satisfying? In your response, consider the knight's crime and the outcome of his actions.

In a way it sort of is because the knight is a slave to his wife now for the rest of his life. However, again it's not, because the knight is sorta getting away with the crime of raping the maiden.

8. The enduring appeal of the Canterbury Tales stems in part from Chaucer's remarkable ability to match stories and storytellers. In what way is the Wife of Bath's unusual tale well-suited to her personality?

The Wife of Bath's tale is well-suited to her personality, because she incorporates her beliefs into the story.

10. Around 1185, Andreas Capellanus wrote The Art of Courtly Love. In this influential work, Capellanus states, "Love makes an ugly and rude person shine with all beauty, knows how to endow with nobility even one of humble birth, can even lend humility to proud." In what ways does The Wife of Bath's Tale reflect Capellanus's understanding of love and its transforming power?

Love can be a powerful thing in both good or bad. It can make us shine or it can make a person ugly or rude. Love is power. The understanding of love can be a powerful thing and can be used to manipulate people or make them shine.

Canterbury Tales: Pardoner's Tale - Questions

1. What event prompts the three rioters to seek Death?

The death of an old friend of theirs prompts the three rioters to seek Death, also hearing stories of Death killing many people in different villages.

2. In what way is their discovery at the old tree unexpected?

They forgotten their journey about finding Death when they find gold coins at the old tree (they wree expecting to find Death, not gold).

3. Describe the events that directly lead to their deaths.

The youngest rioter died by the hands of the two other rioters, then they both died by the posioned wine the youngest rioter brought.

4. Were you able to correctly anticipate everything that happened, or were you surprised by how some events developed?

I was able to make a guess about the deaths of the three rioters being brought upon themselves.

5. A foil is a character who provides a striking contrast to other characters. In what way does the old man serve as a foil to the three rioters?

The old man serves as a foil to the three rioters, because he speaks about how he is waiting for his time to come and speaks the word of God while telling them that Death can be found under the old tree.

7. How essential is irony to the meaning of the store?

The irony is essential, because it reinforces the theme of money being the root of all evil.

8. During the mid-14th century, the Black Death - a massive epidemic of the bubonic plague - swept through Asia and Europe. In Europe alone, one-quarter of the population died. In what ways might these circumstances have made people vulnerable to the tricks of the Pardoner and other unscrupulous clergymen?

The people were probably scared and wanting to redeem their sins so they seek the Pardoner to lift their sins before they die. They were also probably mentally unstable, so they were doing everything they could to stay alive and to be welcomed in the gates of Heaven. Basically, they were scared.

The Book of Margery Kemp: Questions 1-6 & 8

1. Why did Kempe send for a priest?

Kempe had something on her conscience that she wanted to confess before she died.

2. How did Kempe behave in the months after seeing the priest?

Kempe went out of her mind and was disturbed and tormented with spirits for half a year, eight weeks and odd days. She thought devils opened their mouths as if they were going to swallow her.

3. What changed her behavior?

Kempe's behavior changed when Christ comes and asks Kempe why she has forsaken him.

4. What kind of person does Kempe present herself to be, and for what purpose?

Kempe sees herself as someone that was troubled by the devil, and when Christ came to visit her Kempe became sane again. This is like a death and rebirth purpose that she shows us that is happening to her.

5. What conclusions did you draw about each of the following?

• Kempe's personality

Kempe wanted to confess her sin badly, but she became insane with the devil when she couldn't confess her sin, due to people telling her to shut up. Her personality changes when Christ pays her a visit and she is able to overcome the devil.

• Kempe's religious beliefs

Kempe strongly believes that Christ and the devil exist. Kempe believes that the devil and many other souls has taken over her mind and body. However, she is sane again when she recongizes Christ. 

• Kempe's illness

Kempe's illness is due to the fact of her childbirth. After childbirth many women go through a depression, so many Kempe was going through that, which made her mentally ubstable. However, she is cured when she sees Christ enter her room.

• English society in Kempe's time

The english society thinks Kempe is insane and mental unstable. They think that Kempe is hysterical and needs to recover from labor. They also view women as only serving the house or joining societies for God; very little get education. 

6. Kempe undergoes a transformation during her illness. What does this transformation symbolize?

This transformation symbolizes rebirth. Kempe thought she was dying and felt she needed to confess her sin before she departed. However, when Kempe is refused to confess her sin, she goes through this journey of death where the devil and many other souls start to tourment her mind and body. At last, when Kempe is left alone she is able to find Christ and is reborn from seeing him and speaking with him. Kempe becomes sane again and refills her strength with food and water.

8. Readers are often divided in their reactions to the The Book of Margery Kempe. Some feel that Kempe was mentally unstable and should not be taken seriously. Others see her as a strong-minded woman who insisted on the validity of her own spiritual life. Do you agree with either of these opinions, or do you see Kempe differently? Why?

I believe it was both. Kempe could of been mentally unstable, because she just gave childbirth, but during her mentally unstable time she was also viewing her spiritual self. Kempe saw she had committed this sin and wanted to confess it, but once she was refused, she felt like the devil had enter her body. When Kempe is given the time to think about everything she sees Christ and is awaken from her depression, which allows her to become herself.

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight FIT IV Questions

FIT IV

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.

When Gawain cuts off the Green Knight's head, its a symbol of death. When Gawain goes on this journey of finding the Green Knight thats a symbol of a journey to death. When Gawain isn't beheaded and the Green Knight knows about his sin (accepting the girdle) Gawain is reborn by confessing his sin to the Green Knight and asking for forgiveness. 

2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how?

Gawain is reborn physically when he gains more confidence in himself at the castle when the servants are whispering about the glory of King Arthur's knights. Gawain is reborn spiritually when he confesses his sin to the Green Knight and asking for forgiveness.

3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why?

Gawain's point of view, because we don't see how the Green Knight views what has happened. 

4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again?

Gawain will see more great deeds, because the servants at the castle wear a green belt to respect his courage.

5) In your opinion who is really in control?

Sir Gawain

6) Is Gawain a hero?

Gawain isn't a hero.

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight: FIT III Questions

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.

The lord's wife is acting like the animal the lord and is men are hunting. For example, the first hunt is a doe, which is peaceful and graceful, the lady acts peaceful and graceful towards Gawain. Another example is when the lord is hunting the boar, which is aggressive, the lady starts to act aggressive towards Gawain.

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? 

My impression of Gawain is that he is doing his best to stay true to his knight hood and faith. Gawain is behaving like true knight and trying to keep his honour and faith without being rude to the lady and lord. Yes.

3) What is the climax of the book?

The climax of the book was when Gawain accepted the magical girdle from the lady.

4) What does the girdle symbolize? 

The girdle symbolizes a talisman of luck. Gawain thinks that the girdle will help him in his confrontation with the Green Knight. Gawain cannot be cut down as long as he wears the girdle, this breaks the rules of the game by not giving the girdle to the lord.

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?

Failure of faith is when Gawain accepts the girdle from the lady because it shows that he is putting all his faith into the girdle than in Christ and Mary.

Words of the Day #5

Prehensile - adapted for seizing, grasping, or taking hold of something; adj.

He rose to his feet, his long, prehensile fingers curled into fists.

Words of the Day #4

Moras - the unit of time equivalent to the ordinary or normal short sound or syllable; noun

The moras of space are still unknown to many astronauts.

Slake - to cool or refresh; verb

She slake the plants with water, after she found that they have been soaking in the sun for hours.