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Seminar Flashcards

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1
Q

Who was William Jones? + what did he say

A

William Jones was an English Orientalist. He said that the Sanskirt language has a more perfect structure than the Greek, more copious than Latin. The grammar from all 3 is so similar that one can only assume that there is a common source, that may no longer exist

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2
Q

What is Indo-European?

A

Indo-European is the name given to the large and well-defined linguistic family that includes most of the languages of Europe, past and present. And languages found in the areas between Iran and Afghanistan till the northern half of the Indian subcontinent

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3
Q

According to Watkins, a comparatist has one fact and one hypothesis. Which are they?

A

Fact: certain languages present similarities among themselves so numerous and so precise that they cannot be attributed to chance and of suck kind that they cannot be explained as borrowings or as universal features
Hypothesis: these languages must then be the result of descent from a common original

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4
Q

What important development distinguishes the Germanic languages from other Indo-European
languages?

A

the difference between <p> of Latin Pater and of the <f> of OE fæder, the <p> became a plosive</f>

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5
Q

What are the four major dialects of Old English?

A

Norrthumbrian, Mercian, Kentish, West Saxon

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6
Q

Who inhabited Britain before the settlement of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes?

A

Indigenous celtic people, Britons, Romans, Scots

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7
Q

What toponymic (= having to do with place-names) evidence do we have for the settlement of the
Angles and the Saxons?

A

Anglicans = East Anglia + England
Saxons = Wessex, Sussex

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8
Q

Who was Bede?

A

Anglican monk in Northumbria, an author, during the 8th century

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9
Q

Why, according to Bede, did the Angles, Saxons and Jutes come to Britain? And why did they decide to stay?

A

They came with the intention to enslave, they stayed because they got a place to live and they got paid.

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10
Q

What point is Bede trying to make by comparing the Angles, Saxons and Jutes to the biblical Chaldeans in the last paragraph? Why are bad things happening to the Britains?

A

The point Bede is trying to make is that the Britons did not preach enough, it is their own fault they were being punished, were sinful. God allowed the Anglo-saxons to invade Briton because of that.

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11
Q

Who was Gildas?

A

A British monk

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12
Q

Gildas clearly had a more negative opinion about the Anglo-Saxon settlers than Bede did. How can
you tell?

A

Gildas uses a lot of negative words to talk about the Anglo-Saxons. He also compares them to wolfs in sheep clothing

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13
Q

Can you account for this difference of opinion between Bede and Gildas?

A

Bede and Gildas have a different background:
- Gildas was a Briton
- Bede was Anglo-Saxon

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14
Q

For the third-person pronouns, what is the difference between the singular and plural forms?

A

The singular forms are infected by gender. The plural forms are not inflected by gender

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15
Q

how do the third-person forms of possessive adjectives differ from the first-person and second-person forms?

A

To make first- and second-person possessive adjectives, strong adjective endings are added to the genitive pronoun forms. These agree with the nouns they modify, not with their antecedents

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16
Q

Were the people of Kent completely unaware of Christianity when the Roman missionaries arrived in 597 A.D.?

A

They were not unaware, as Augustine set a message stating their arrival

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17
Q

“There was on the east side of the city a church dedicated to St. Martin, built when the Romans
were still in the island.” When did the Romans leave Britain and why?

A

The Romans left Britain in 410, as they were under threat of invasion from Northern Tribes such as the Goths. Legions that were in Britain were called back to defend Rome

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18
Q

What is the general tenor of the instructions that Pope Gregory gave to the missionaries for
converting the Anglo-Saxons?

A

That the conversion should go in small steps. Do not destroy temples, only the idols. Bless the temples and keep some of the Pagan traditions alive, turn them into a Christian version

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19
Q

Who was Coifi? And what is his role in Bede’s account of the conversion of King Edwin?

A

Coifi was a high priestess of King Edwin, a pagan priestess. Coifi agreed with the conversion. Is the first to convert as the old religion did not serve him properly in regards of prosperity. Practised the old religion heavily but did not get rewarded for it. Advises the king to convert, burns a pagan shrine, rides a stallion and carries weapons, which they were not allowed.

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20
Q

Edwin’s counselor compares the life of a pagan with the flight of a sparrow. How are these two things comparable? How might a Christian life be different?

A

Pagan life is like a sparrow: You do not know where it comes from or where it is going. This is how paganism looked from a Christian POV. In Christianity there is a very specific answer to where you come from and where you go to after life.

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21
Q

‘the Passion of St. Edmund’ for his own ‘Life of St. Edmund’. What does ‘passion’ mean in this context and how does it relate to the ‘life’ of a saint?

A

Passion is only in Saints life, held with the killing of Christians, simply because of their believe. Choses to die for his faith

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22
Q

Compare how Edmund is described in the ‘Life’ (through epithets, adjectives, etc.) with how Hinguar is described. What could Ælfric have been trying to achieve?

A

Hinguar –> very negatively, murderous cruelty, cruel king
Edmund –> very positively, blessed, wise, would die for his country/fate
This is done to create contrast, there is no room for interpretation

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23
Q

Are Edmund’s actions heroic?

A

Through the lens of Christianity, for himself his actions are heroic. For others his actions are not heroic

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24
Q

Why are the miracles which occur after Edmund’s death included in Ælfric’s ‘Life of St. Edmund’? Who performed these miracles?

A

The miracles are included as his spiritual presence is still present. Life does not end at death for Christians, this helps believers to show that he really is a saint. God performs these miracles

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25
Consider the roles of the bishop nearest to Edmund and of Bishop Theodred in the ‘Life’. What differences/similarities do you see? What seems to have been Ælfric’s opinion about the bishops in and directly after Edmund’s time?
Bishops advised Edmund to fight or not, to flee or submit to Hinguar. Theodred tells Edmund to believe and give a sacrifice. Thus he sends thieves to die. Bishops are not allowed to do this
26
When did King Alfred the Great rule over England? Name TWO extraordinary feats that he accomplished
King Alfred ruled from 871-899. He successfully defended his kingdom against the vikings. He organized the army and translated important text from Latin to Old English
27
What according to this Preface is Alfred’s motive for initiating a programme of cultural regeneration?
Alfred finds that people are not learned enough, clergy cannot teach the people incorrectly. Too few intellectual men to educate scholars
28
For Alfred, translation is not only a matter of word be worde, andgit of andgiete (p. 435). Consider the wider scope of wendan (to translate) that Alfred sketches in these lines
Alfred translated it himself, so it is his interpretation/vision. Not word by word but with meaning. Non-literal way of translation, but a situational translation
29
In the introduction, Alfred’s Prefaces are referred to as ‘his propaganda’. Reread the opening three paragraphs to ‘Preface to the Translation of Gregory’s Pastoral Care’ with this characterisation in mind (pp. 431-433). What is the effect of the contrast created by Alfred in these paragraphs?
The contrast that is created is that the whole text is set in Alfred's interpretation and opinion. Highlights his revival of learning
30
Alfred recalls England ær ðæm ðe hit eall forhergod wære ond forbærned. Who was responsible for this?
The Vikings were responsible
31
According to the introduction, this Preface of Consolation of Philosophy (Boethuis) was probably not written by Alfred. How is this suggested by the text itself?
'not blame him if he can make it more clear then Alred', indicating that someone else wrote it. All in the 3rd person pronouns. Echoes to another preface (pastolcare). Copy sentences from other prefaces that Alfred wrote (plagiarism)
32
In the opening paragraph of this Preface (Soliloquies, Augustine's), Alfred describes how he collects and gathers trees and branches from a forest. What does this forest symbolize? How about the trees and branches?
The forest symbolises all the information that Alfred gathered over the years. Alfred specifically selects branches from the trees, this represents the filtering out of information Work from different authors is also used.
33
How are the “hæþenum þeodum” [heathen people], mentioned in the second paragraph of Wulfstan’s Sermo Lupi, different from the English people? What is the intended effect of this comparison?
Heathen people are the Vikings. English should respect their religion, like the Vikings do with their pagan gods
34
Who are the “flotmen” [sailors], mentioned in the seventh paragraph, and what does Wulfstan tell his audience about them?
flotmen = Vikings. Vikings are gods wrath, because they do not believe as well as the Vikings do. God allowed the Vikings to be so strong to punish the English for their sin.
35
What is remarkable, stylistically, about the list of sinners in the tenth paragraph of Wulfstan’s 'Sermo Lupi'?
It says a lot about Wulftstan's believes
36
What should the English learn from Wulfstan’s comparison between the English and the Britons? What is the main message of Wulfstan’s Semo Lupi?
If the English keep up, they will end up like the Britons towards the anglo-saxons. Wulfstan's message: there is a way to avoid this punished, it is to get good with God/religion
37
Who do you think were the intended audience for Wulfstan’s Sermo Lupi; lay people or monks and nuns?
The intended audience are the lay people, as 'people' are addressed as everyone. The sins that are listen are among common people and church-specific sins
38
What is the main point Elaine Treharne is trying to make in her article ‘Religious Icons’?
the main point is: that religion may not be as popular today, we treat celebrities like holy religious symbols nowadays
39
When were the Lindisfarne Gospels made and by how many people?
It was written after 950, we are not sure who ade it as the name was added later on We think that the Lindisfarne Gospels were made by Monk Eadfrith. Eadfrith was the bishop of Lindisfarne, the Gospels were made by one person
40
What texts does the book contain and in which language(s)? Lindisfarne
The book contains the first 4 Gospels of the New Testament. The original language was Latin, Old English was added in between lines
41
Why does Ælfric consider it “swiðe pleolic” [a risky piece of work] to translate Genesis?
Ælfric considered it risky to translate Genesis as he was concerned with the laws of the Old Testament and the New Testament --> do not marry your sister
42
What, according to Ælfric, do the “ungelæredan preostas” fail to understand?
Reading the texts does not equal understanding the spiritual meaning of the texts. People might take the OT literally, which could be very dangerous.
43
In your own words, what point is Ælfric trying to make on pp. 742-743?
Translating is dangerous, people will take it literally. The spiritual meaning might get lost
43
“þæt Leden and þæt Englisc nabbað na ane wisan on þære spræce fadunge” (p. 744, last paragraph). What, according to Ælfric, is the difficulty of translating Latin to (Old) English?
Latin idioms and English idioms are not equal to each other
43
Consider the footnote on p. 745 and the examples of paronomasia. What do you notice about the Old English examples vs. the Modern English translation?
Paronosomia might take place. Using the same word with a different meaning, the meaning got lost in ModE
44
Would you ultimately characterise Ælfric's opinion on translating the Bible as positive or negative?
Negative, there is too much room for error, to misinterpret the spiritual meaning of the Bible. Ælfric leaves a warning for future generations
45
What, according to Jolly, is the underlying similarity between a charm and a liturgical prayer?
fundamental believe that words have power, repition (ritualistic), sing it/chanting
46
In what kind of manuscripts do we find the Anglo-Saxon charms?
in medical and religious manuscripts
47
What kind of activities, gestures and practices were used in Anglo-Saxon Charms?
preparing herbs, dancing, singing, carvings/markings left side = side of the devil
48
What, exactly, is the purpose of the ‘charm against a swarm of bees’?
the purpose is to get the honey without disturbing the bees and the bees being able to stay in their hives afterwards
49
Are the charms magic or religion, pagan or Christian? Discuss, provide evidence from the charms you have read.
The charms are both Pagan and Christian
50
At what occasions would poetry be recited?
with a large group of people who wants to learn something events, parties
51
Would poetry be sung to music?
The poetry could be sung after remembering the poem, often played on a lyre
52
Cædmon is compared to clæne neten eodorcende ‘like clean milch-cows chewing the cud’. Explain this comparison; do you think it is meant as a compliment for Cædmon?
Yes it is meant as a compliment. Chewed and redigested the Bible the same way a cow chews and redigests its food
53
On he for ðon fægre ende his lif betynde ond geendade ‘And so he concluded and ended his life with a beautiful end”. Consider the description of Cædmon’s death and contrast this what we learn about Cædmon on pp. 460-461; why would Bede describe the end of Cædmon’s life as ‘beautiful’?
Cædmon ended up devoting his life to God instead of being a drunk. He dies surrounded by fellow brothers, he is not alone anymore
54
In lines 4-5, it is said that “Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum / monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah” [often Shield of Sheaf took the meadbenches / off bands of assailants]. What could this act symbolise?
Sudeing their leaders, show off power --> takes away their wealth
55
Consider the narrator’s advice in ll. 20-25. What do these lines tell us about the Old Germanic heroic ethos?
In order to prosper you need to give away gifts. This is seen as heroism and returned later on in life. The lord gives gifts to his retainers so that they fight for him/loyalty. Start this very young
56
What do lines 50-52 reveal about the religion of the characters that the poet is describing?
heaven + sin = Christianity It is a comment from the Christian poet about ignorant non-Christians, Pagans that do not know what happens after death
57
In line 236, the Danish coastguard carries a mægenwudu, or ‘mighty wood’. What kind of stylistic device is being employed here? What does the word mean?
A kenning was used, it probably means spear
58
The coastguard asks Beowulf and his men to introduce themselves and explain their motives for coming here. Consider Beowulf’s introduction of himself and his troop in ll.260-285; what element does Beowulf leave out of his introduction?
Beowulf talks about his father and his mission, not about himself. He does not even tell the coastguard his name
59
Beowulf calls Hrothgar “leodgebyrgean” [protector of his tribe] (l. 269), why is this slightly ironic? (he does it again in line 429 “wigendra hleo” [protector of warriors])
Beowulf is there to help Hrothgar protect his tribe, as he fails to do so himself
60
How does Beowulf plan to fight Grendel? Why?
Beowulf wants to fight unarmed, Grendel does not care about weapons so Beowulf does not use them himself. This shows bravery
61
In lines 456-472, how does Hrothgar explain the background of Beowulf’s offer to fight Grendel? In other words, which are the social bonds between Hrothgar and Beowulf?
Hrothgar helps Beowulf's father, meaning that B is in-depth by Hrothgar (pays of feud to stop revenge). The social bond was that Beowulf's family owes loyalty/ is Hrothgar's retainer
62
List the terms and phrases that describe Grendel in ‘Beowulf’s Fight with Grendel’. What creature do these descriptions make of Grendel?
Grendel is described with vague phrases, this will make the reader use their own imagination to create Grendel
63
On the basis of your reading of ‘Beowulf’s Fight with Grendel’ reconstruct the fight between the hero and the monster; that is, provide a short summary, of what takes place.
Beowulf's warriors draw their swords but their blades cannot pierce Grendel's hide. After a feverish and bloody one-on-one battle, Beowulf finally tears Grendel's arm off at the shoulder. Grendel retreats to his home in the marshes and dies, leaving Beowulf victorious and Heorot free from the terror of Grendel.
64
Why is the Junius Manuscript sometimes referred to as ‘the Cædmon manuscript’?
Junius thought it was written by Cædmon because of all the Biblical poetry (Genesis)
65
Lines 33-42, describing the Plagues, use imagery that is reminiscent of other Old English poems and feature typical Anglo-Saxon imagery, such as seledreamas ‘joys of hall’. This was one of the ways in which the poet tried to make the story of the exodus accessible and more appealing to the Anglo-Saxons. Can you find other examples like this in the lines of Exodus you have read? (See, for example, how Moses and the Israelites are described and the crossing of the Red Sea)
called Moses 'the general', the Israelite 'army' --> brave valued warriors. Crossing of the Red Sea is described as a very bloody fight with God --> turned into a traditional anglo-saxon battle scene
66
In a similar vein, consider lines 63-134, what imagery does the poet use to describe the journey of the Israelites through the desert?
as if they are travelling with a ship even though they are walking through the dessert
67
kenning: hleahtorsmiðum (l. 43) ‘laughter-artisans’
jester, comedian
68
kenning: banhuses (l. 524) ‘(of the) bone-dwelling’
skeleton/body
69
What exactly is ‘the reward’ for the Egyptians which is referred to in line 507?
The reward is a glorious warriors death. No warrior was left to go back to report the loss, it is not registered but everyone knows about it as we do nowadays
70
Lines 523-526, as the Longman Anthology notes, “is clearly an invitation to read this poem for allegorical meaning’. Do you remember what allegory is? How might the story of Exodus be read allegorically? What might the passage through the Red Sea stand for? What about the ‘Promised Land’ (where Moses leads the Israelites)?
The journey represents God's guidance, the promised land is heaven. Anglo-saxon journey to Ireland mirrors Exodus = escape, passing through water (baptism), average life of Christian. Wilderness = hinder to afterlife
71
Consider the poet’s final reflections, what, do you think, does he mean by “þysne gystsele” [this guest-hall]?
Life on Earth, go to Hell or heaven life on Earth is not permanent
72
Which three libraries store the bulk of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts?
Bodleian library in Oxford, British library in London, Parker library in Cambridge
73
What is the difference between the punctuation used by writers of Modern English and the punctuation used by Old English scribes?
ModE has strict rules for punctuation, Old English does not have these rules
74
What is the main difference between the edition on Brightspace Junius Manuscript and the manuscript facsimile?
Overall structure, usage of symbols and the way words are spelled, caesura
75
Find two types of abbreviations in the manuscript facsimile
"- = m/n AND 7 = and
76
What, do you think, is the overall message of ‘Deor’?
All misfortunes will be overcome/suffering will pass 5 melancholy situations, but all will pass (either mythological or historical)
77
In the refrain of ‘Deor’ there is a reference to ‘þisses’ [this]; consider the end of the poem, what does ‘þisses’ apparently refer to?
Refers to that Deor list his job as a royal poet
78
What, do you think, is the underlying message of ‘The Wanderer’?
All earthly things are fleeting, so not God and heaven
79
What is the “bote” [cure] (l. 113) that the poet of ‘The Wanderer’ offers for the speaker (and the reader)?
Everything on Earth is temporary. If you seek grace you will be saved. There is security in heaven, things are permanent in heaven
80
Study the enigmatic poem ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’ in detail. How many, and what kind of characters do you think appear in the text?
wulf, eadwacer and speaker (female) Woman longing for lover, but stuck with husband. Child can be of both men (lover and husband)
81
Who might be “Wulf” the poem ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’?
the 'Wulf' can be the lover, eadwacer in disguise or an actual wolf.
82
What do the ruins, described in ‘The Ruin’, symbolise?
Everything on Earth is transitory, not permanent. It will waste away
83
The texts you have read for this week are known as ‘elegies’. Normally, elegies are defined as “a lament or poem of mourning”; do you think the term is applicable to all the texts you have read for this week?
yes, in all poems the speaker/character is mourning something no, journey can be besides mourning sometimes. If you believe in God you do not morn as you will end up in heaven with God and everything will be alright
84
Consider the following questions on Riddle 7 to make you see how riddles tend to work: A1) hrægl (l. 1) [garment, armour] and hyrst (l. 4) [ornament, treasure, armour] What kind of bearer do these words evoke?
a knight of sorts
85
Consider the following questions on Riddle 7 to make you see how riddles tend to work: swigian (l. 1) [to become silent] and swogan (l. 7) [to sound, roar, rustle, whistle], swinsian (l. 7) [to make melody, sing] and singan (l. 8) [to sing (of people, of birds), recite poetry, resound]. Why would the poet have used these (seemingly) contradictory images?
to confuse people, to make it harder to solve the riddle
86
Consider the following questions on Riddle 7 to make you see how riddles tend to work: Can you find another example of the use of (seemingly) contradictory images in Riddle 7?
treading the ground VS put to water, object in 3 different places
87
The proposed answer for riddle 5 is ‘shield’; how does this answer fit with the details provided in the riddle? What do homera lafa ‘hammer’s leavings’ refer to in line 7 of this riddle?
'smiths handiwork' + 'wounded by iron' 'hammers leavings = dents/the way the smith makes it
88
The proposed answer to riddle 12 is ‘ox’; do you agree? How does the imagery in the poem fit with this answer?
lines 1-6 are about the life of the ox line 7-13 are about the death of the ox, describes the process of hardening the leather to make something like a hard leather flask
89
Given that this manuscript was copied in a monastery, what is remarkable about Riddle 54?
how sexually tinted it is, since the monks do not have coitus
90
For each of the other riddles you have read (1, 22, 25, 30a, 46 and 47), find out the proposed answer (e.g. by reading the notes). Find evidence and/or arguments for each answer in the texts of the riddles themselves
riddle 1: wind riddle 22: charles' wain riddle 25: onion riddle 30a: wood riddle 46: Lot and his family riddle 47: bookworm
91
“The riddles, like all puzzles that encourage people to see things in a new or different way, could no doubt play a role in training the mind.” (Brewer). To what extent would this suggestion be applicable to the riddles that you have read for today?
most of the riddles have mutiple interpretable answers
92
Were the Exeter Book Riddles meant to entertain or to educate? Or both?
both, you can be entertained when solving them + getting educated whilst solving the riddles
93
Explain why the Franks Casket can be regarded as a multicultural object
there are scenes from Roman, Christian, Jewish and Germanic history
94
What is the relation between the Franks Casket and the riddle, “The fish beat up the seas on to the mountainous cliff; the king of terror became sad when he swam onto the shingle”?
it is a whale, tells story how the whale washed up on shore

Philolgy 2 (4 decks)

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