FoleyFoster,Kellie

Kellie Foley Foster British Literature Monday Wednesdays 11 am = = =Wednesday January 27, 2011 = //Gareth Hinds// On Monday January 25, 2011 Gareth Hinds came to speak to my class about his experiences writing and drawing for graphic novels. In class he focused on the book we are currently reading, Beowulf, which is a story of a hero who faces three horrible monsters. What interested me the most about Gareth Hinds was that he had a passion for drawing at a young age and went after what he wanted. Gareth started drawing as a toddler and when he became four or five years old his pictures became more easily depicted. Gareth then continued his love of drawing in middle school and with the help of his father he got even better. After his years drawing for the high-school newspaper Gareth decided to go to art school and try to make a career out of what he loved so much. After school he soon finished his first graphic novel "Bearskin" and won a grant to self publish it, though it did not sell many copies it taught Gareth what he needed to do in order to make a big sell. Gareth then began re-writing old stories and began with the book Beowulf. This alone was not enough to make a comfortable living so he applied and got a job at a gaming company and has done video games such as Star Trek, The Incredibles and a few more.

= Monday February 7, 2011 = In my opinion the end of Beowulf was very entertaining. Beowulf killed the newest beast but not without losing his own life. The whole story was action packed and it seemed only necessary to end it with a great battle. Even though Beowulf died it showed his strength because he was also of old age and still able to kill a powerful beast.

= Monday February 14, 2011 = What are your opinions on the list of rules for courtly love novels? I thought these lists about love were very interesting. I agreed with some but disagreed with others. The one that I liked most was number 13. When made public love rarely endures. I thought this one was the best because I think it can be true in a lot of circumstances. Love thrives on excitement and nothing is more exciting than when people don't know you are together. Also a lot of marriages that last for years soon come to an end when the couple marries. One from the list that I did not necessarily agree on is number 22. Jealousy, and therefore love, are increased when one suspects his beloved. I did not agree with this at all I actually think that the opposite is true. If you really love someone then you should trust them 100% and not suspect them of anything.

= Wednesday February 23, 2011 = What is the most important part of Fitt 3? I believe the most important part in Fitt 3 is when the lady gives Gawain the belt. The lady gives Gawain a belt that seems worthless but whoever wears it will keep them from being killed. Gawain agrees to take it and promises that no one but themselves will know anything of it. Gawain then chooses to hide it from the host and when they exchange gifts for the third time he only gives the host the three kisses and does not bring up the belt. This is very important because at the end the green knight tell him that he is really the host and he only hit him on the third try because Gawain was not honest with him before.

= Thursday February 24, 2011 = My favorite story that we have read so far is both Lanval and Bisclavret. I really liked the way they were written and both had a happy ending. I found these texts to be very flowing and it made it easy to read and understand. = = = Monday February 28, 2011 = Respond to assigned article (on Blackboard) "Undressing Lady Bertilak" I thought the article about Lady Bertilak was very interesting. It went over how the story was being feminist and somewhat anticlimactic. Sir Gawain blames everything on the deception of women and can not believe that he fell for such trickery. The article also talks about his cowardice in accepting the girdle for the protection of his life. Even though Gawain admitted the kisses to the host he purposely did not mention the green girdle that she gave him which has "magical" powers. Though Gawain accepts responsibility after blaming the lady he then pushes the blame again and this time onto the old lady who was never even present at the time when the young lady Bertilak gave him all those gifts.

= Tuesday March 1, 2011 = Sir Orfeo was about a king who played the harp better than anyone. When his wife went out for a picnic under a ympe-tree she fell asleep for hours and when she woke up she wanted to leave the kingdom, and she told her husband about the dream she had and how if she did not return to the tree then she would be cut into pieces and brought back with the man anyways. The next day the king went back with an army but she was taken anyways. The king then exiled himself and for ten years he lived in the woods until one day he saw an army of women. He was very interested and went over and saw his wife. Orfeo then followed them back and played the harp for the gatesman so he could enter. When he did it was a dead place, there were people with missing limbs but they were still alive. He then met with the king of that world and played him a song and the king granted him anything he wanted in return for playing that song. Orfeo of course picked his wife and at first the king said no but then Orfeo said that he must stay true to his word. Orfeo then took his wife out of this kingdom and back into their town and left her at a beggars house while he went to his castle. He met with the new king and the new king saw his harp and asked where he got it and Orfeo said that he found it next to a man that was ripped apart by lions. Once Orfeo saw how sad this new king looked he finally told him that he himself was Orfeo and made him his successor. Orfeo then returned to get his wife (who has not spoken a word since she was found) and bring her back to the castle. = = = Wednesday March 2, 2011 = The Crises of the 14th century were: = = = Sunday March 6, 2011 = The Millers Tale Though The Millers Tale was extremely difficult to read it was actually a good story. I found it very comical especially towards the end. As I was reading I was just picturing everything that was happening; when they were hanging from the ceiling, Absolon kissing Alison's ass or "ars", and Nicholas being poked with the hot poker after farting in Absolon's face. I guess in the end it worked after all, even if it was foolish. They had the whole town convinced that John was a crazy.
 * The Black Death
 * The Famine- where there was too much water instead of not enough water
 * Hundred Years War - Between England and France
 * Uprising of 1381- Which is also known as the "Peasants Revolt"

= Monday March 7, 2011 = My favorite pilgrim was probably the wife. She was my favorite because she didn't bullshit anyone. She was who she was and if you didn't like that well then too bad. I don't think it was a big deal that she had five husbands, today that would be considered a good year.
 * Who was your favorite pilgrim? **

= Sunday March 20, 2011 = Good Bad <-> Knight Parson Wife Prioress Monk Friar Pardoner Summoner ^(Noble) ^ (Is who she is) ^(arrogant) ^(Sells forgiveness notes and fake relics) = Monday March 21, 2011 = The Millers Tale is considered a fabliaux because it is a short story that is comical. Chaucer incorporates everyone in the journey in a part of the story. It is very interesting that stories back in those days incorporated humor that is still used today. When John is in the bath hanging from the ceiling, or when Nicholas gets his ass poked by the hot poker is very humorous to people today as it was back then.
 * Why is the "Millers Tale" a fabliaux /farce?**

Chaucer died in 1400 Millers tale notes! Prologue- Story- Nicholas- is smart and handsome, into astrology, sneaky Motivations- To run off with Alison Interactions:
 * Ribald- off color (a lot like SNL)
 * Subject- an affair between Alison and Nicholas
 * Reve- Oswald- wife cheating on him (Cuckhold)
 * brings in all of the characters from the pilgrimage
 * John- Carpenter- middle class but rich
 * Alison- married john most likely for the money- very young
 * Invites Nicholas (boarder) into his house
 * Nicholas is very "Handy" in all senses
 * Absolon- religious clerk, slacker, well dressed, thinks he's a ladies man, cocky
 * John- Respects him in a sense- nice to him- deceives him- makes him believe there is a flood coming so he hangs from the ceiling- makes the whole town think that he is crazy.
 * Alison- romantic- seduces her and ultimately takes advantage
 * Absolom- Burns Nicholas' ass

=Julian of Norwich 318-326= I found this section very hard to read. What I got out of it was that she was on her death bed and she received a message from God, and this is he experience and what she saw.
 * She asked God for visions
 * She asked 3 petitions: compassion, longing, and contrition
 * She felt no pain
 * She receieved a hazelnut in her hand and saw 3 properties :
 * 1) God made it
 * 2) Got loved it
 * 3) God keepeth it
 * She described in detail of the blood that fell from the garland
 * Three things came to her mind when this happened
 * 1) pellets: for the roundess in the coming of the blood
 * 2) the scale of herring, in the spreading in the forehead
 * 3) the roundness, the drops of eaves
 * Whenever she described things it was in sets of three
 * Said that sin was good and necessary

= Wednesday March 23 2011 = Julian of Norwich in class notes
 * 14th century
 * affective piety- wanted a more personal communication with christ and the cross
 * priests were upset because they are being taken out of the equation
 * strong emotional/ physical relation to God
 * Julian was joyous and positive
 * Margery was depressing and was always crying
 * Anchorites/ess- women who decide to take herself out of the world and puts herself in a small room (anchorhold) she has a window to the church and to the outside for food. Julian was one; after she wrote her book

Julians commandments would be:
 * sin is good
 * compassion
 * contrition
 * charity
 * chosen soul is never dead
 * forgiveness
 * longing
 * mercy
 * belief in thee trinity
 * reform
 * never doubt god
 * god is always there, for good and bad
 * love of god
 * evil can overcome
 * not alone in your suffering
 * the church
 * god = holy
 * appreciate god
 * all shall be well
 * have faith--> second chance

She wanted to suffer like god did.

= Monday March 28, 2011 = Discuss the character of Mak Mak is not a good guy, Mak is a known thief and tricks the 3 shepherds and puts a spell on them. Then Mak steals the lamb (Christ) and takes it home to his wife who is just as wretched.

In class notes The story of the Second Shepards play is a parallel to the coming of Christ
 * play writing began in greece
 * very respected
 * actors weren't well respected- believed actors have low moral skills
 * Christians didnt like plays- had them stopped for a while
 * Wakefield master - 16th century
 * Guilds- shoemakers/ workers took over the plays
 * Three types of plays
 * 1) morality
 * 2) miracle
 * 3) mystery

= April 3 2011 = Renaissance (rebirth) p 450-503 = April 4 2011 =
 * 16th century
 * Giorgio Vasari- coined the term in 1550
 * rebirth of ideas and aesthetic values associated with the classical cultures
 * trying to get rid of the terms middle ages and renaissance
 * the dark ages did have intellectual and cultural life
 * an early renaissance occured in northern europe in the late 15th century- which manifested to france and england
 * leaders
 * 1) desiderius erasmus
 * 2) sir thomas more
 * 3) jan van eyck
 * 4) hans holbien
 * people are skeptic as to if england has experienced anything that can be termed renaissance
 * term renaissance was re-termed early modern
 * end of 15th century
 * war of the roses- tutors won
 * Henry 8th (1491-1547) his older brother dies so he took over- he came to power in 1509 and drains the country of money
 * he had six wives wanting a male son
 * asks for an annulment from the church
 * pope excommunicates henry
 * he creates the church of England and sets himself as the head
 * 1517 martin Luther in Germany nails the thesis to the church door- basis for protestant reformation
 * henry the 8th uses this in his way
 * Mary I was a rabid catholic- doesn't like church of England and marries someone from Spain
 * Catholicism is back in England
 * Elizabeth I Mary's half sister- comes into power her goal is to get the country back together
 * has a lenient view towards religion
 * Golden age- she brings money in, heals the country and the people are loyal to her
 * picks king James as her successor- makes his version of the bible and tries to please the Catholics and the protestants.
 * literature, art, music, philosophy, flower during this time period
 * science invention
 * come up with lists of trends of evolution between the medieval and early modern
 * both had major wars that shifted political religious and cultural views
 * 100 years war and war of the roses
 * medieval period set up foundation for science where the early modern ran with it
 * literature and literacy began to become popular in medieval times but flourished in early modern
 * people were beginning to get rights in medieval period
 * women were earning more respect

= April 6 2011 = Wiki Post: Identify one significant difference of language of the biblical passages one significant difference in the language of the biblical passages is the articles put in. there are only slight differences, some use more words than others and used more modern terms like you instead of ye. The sentence structures are set up differently as well.

= April 11 2011 = Wiki Post: ruminate on to the troops of tilbury on page 697 She cares a lot for his troops and trusts in the protextion of Hod to help them through. She is willing to take up arms and fight and die with them. She trusts in their ability to win the battle. She believes in the power of her men.

Politics of the time period
 * wandering government
 * diplomacy sent embassadors everywhere
 * courtier- 2-4 sons
 * Mary is married to spains king

= April 13, 2011 = Edmund Spenser- The faerie Queene page 573 Group work Canto Three
 * known as one of the premier english writers
 * 1552-1599
 * modest career
 * faerie queene is elizabeth
 * practical patronage
 * got 50 pounds a year from her
 * setting - knights medieval story
 * metaphor/allegory
 * part of his agenda is political and religious (protestant)
 * you meet a dragon (error) who throws up the catholic propaganda pamphlets and books
 * sees the church as corrupt
 * redcrosse knight- represents holiness, england
 * travels with Una who represents purity
 * plot :Una is trying to find the red crosse where she runs into a lion who doesnt attack her because of her beauty.
 * they run into Coreca and her daughter Abessa- Coreca is blind and Abessa is deaf
 * the lion kills a thief and Una runs away and meets up with Archimago who she believes to be the Red crosse

= April 20 2011 = Red Crosse Catholic Church Lion
 * holiness
 * purity
 * granted miracles by god
 * appauled by sin
 * educated in religious matters
 * he is every man
 * the true church
 * error
 * Duessa
 * Archimago
 * natural law
 * strong survives
 * weak get killed
 * only person to take him is una who represents purity

Utopia- Sir Thomas More page 504 Book Two:
 * Henry 8ths time period
 * devode catholic
 * when henry 8th separated and made new church he made people swear oath to him and more refused and was put in jail and sentenced to execution to hang but was instead beheaded which made him a martyr- in 1935 he was named a saint
 * Utopia(perfect) satire showing the problems in england and solutions could be done
 * Book one was written after book two- it is a criticism
 * agriculture- everyone farms people are hard working
 * everyone is equal
 * slaves- they have classes of slaves- make prisoners slaves so they can continue to give to society
 * better to be a slave in utopia then live anywhere else
 * euthanasia
 * war was hated unless it was to protect territory--protect a friends country--deliver a nation from tyranny
 * multiple religions

= April 25 2011 = Option B: For my final project I was thinking of writing about the story of either Utopia or wait for an upcoming story. I will most likely go with Utopia because I like the concept of not having a perfect world but of correction the problems to make everyone happy and have it run smoothly.

Christopher Marlowe
 * The tragical story of dr. faustus
 * bold writer
 * man sells his soul to the devil
 * he goes to hell at the end

= April 27 2011 = Idea of acting :Kelly Stowell I thought that she did a really good job, I really enjoed her second performance of Margaret. She conveyed the emotions of anger and despair very well. I think acting Shakespeare would be a cool experience. I think it would help you to understand the stories and language a lot better. There are also very interesting characters to play from all of of his works so I dont think you would get bored. Ive never really given acting a try atleast not for many years but I think if I did I would want to work on something from Shakespeare.

Poetry: abab cdcd efef gg ---Britain