Hamlet #1

1. Interest is created in the opening scene by bringing in a ghost. The ghost is of Hamlet's father.
2. We are given that a ghost has been appearing, he looks just like the dead king, he is dressed in armour as if ready for war, and he is not answering any of their questions. We are also given some background information on the death of Fortinbras and why his son seeks revenge.
3. To keep the author's interest Shakespeare makes the ghost return for a second time. Marcellus then tries to strike him with his partisan to get him to stay. The ghost offended then disappears again.
4. The mood is uncanny and dark. Not only are there guards stationed because they are preparing for a war..but a ghost comes as well.
5. The sentries are apprehensive for two reasons. First, they have a feeling that the ghost means bad news for their country. Second, it's not just any ghost. The ghost is said to look just like their king. The ghost is in the exact same armor that the king wore when fighting the king of Norway.
6. Horatio thinks the late kings ghost appeared to perhaps warn them of their countries fate or to tell them of some buried treasure.
7. The character's present in this scene are Barnardo, Francisco, Marcellus, Horatio, and the Ghost.
8. Horatio says that the former king was a great rival of King Fortinbras.
9. Young Fortinbras is King Fortinbras's son. He is the prince of Norway. He wants to avenge his father's honor by attacking Denmark.
10. He says that corpses rose out of the graves and walked the streets speaking gibberish, that shooting stars left a trail of blood, and that the moon was almost totally eclipsed it almost went completely out.
11. Horatio is educated. He is a scholar.
12. Horatio is present to give us background history and set up the story.
13. There has been an ongoing feud between Denmark and Norway. The king of Denmark is dead and is now appearing as a ghost.

Canterbury Tales

The Knight: He follows chivalry, he is a man of military duty, he is symbolic of a Christian Knight.
1. He was a true, perfect gentle-knight. (pg. 5)
2. And in his bearing modest as a maid. (pg. 5)
Chaucer respects him. He thinks he is a honest and noble knight. Perhaps he is the greatest character and most liked by Chaucer because he is spoken of first.

Squire: He is an apprentance of the knight, after the ladies, and a fine horseman who knows how to joust, dance, write and draw.
1. A lover and cadet, a lad of fire. (pg. 5)
2. He could make songs and poems and recite. (pg. 5)
Chaucer also respects him. He is noble and well-educated.

Yeoman: He is another employee of the knight. He is an outdoorsmen and talented woodcarver. He also has an excellent shot with the bow and arrow.
1. He knew the whole of woodcraft up and down. (pg. 6)
2. And peacock-feathered arrow, bright and keen. (pg. 5)
Chaucer doesn't really know what to think about him. He know that he is to well dressed and equipped for what he does. He seems to be trying to outdo a knight.

Prioress: She is very concerned with her outward appearance, seems to care more about animals than humans, and is very proper.
1. She used to weap if she saw a mouse. (pg. 7)
2. Her nose was elegant her eyes glass-grey. (pg. 7)
Chaucer thinks she is very proper and respects her. Perhaps it is suggested that he thinks she is quite intelligent to when he says "her forehead certainly was of fair spread".

Monk: Rather fat, jolly, bald-headed, likes to hunt, living like a lord, dressed proper.
1. His sleeves were garnished at the hand with fine grey fur, the finest in the land. (pg. 8)
2. Hunting a hare or riding at a fence was all his fun. (pg. 8)
Chaucer doesn't like him very well. He cares more about having fun, dressing expensively, and hunting than his work and love for the Church.

Friar: He is jolly and merry yet evil and cunning. He is dressed with expensive clothes, is overweight, greedy, begs off of poor widows, and worst of all has sex with girls than marries them off when they get pregnant.
1. Natural gifts like his were hard to match. (pg. 9)...he gave the gift of babies.
2. He was the finest beggar of his batch. (pg. 9)
Chaucer doesn't like him at all. He cheats people out of his money and altogether has very bad morals. He cares more about being wealthy and money than the Church. Instead of knowing lepers and beggars he knows the innkeepers and barmaid.

Merchant: He is solemn, serious, intelligent, and cunning. He is an expert in finance, but actually in debt. He is an excellent fellow.
1. He was an expert at dabbling in exchanges. (pg. 10)
2. High on his horse he sat. (pg. 10)...proud of himself/intelligent
I think Chaucer likes him. He says he is an "excellent fellow". Maybe Chaucer likes him because he is wealthy and seems to be of the upper class.

Clerk: He is very thin, his clothes are of threads, has 20 book with him, isn't employed because he is still studying.
1. Preffered books than costly clothes. (pg. 11)
2. Moral virtue filled his speech. (pg. 11)
Chaucer think he is stupid for not getting a job. He doesn't like the fact that he is not associated with the church. Doesn't have much respect for him because he is a poor, worthless man.

Sergeant-at-Law: He dressed expensively, smart, knew of every judgement, case, and crime that ever existed.
1. His saying were so wise. (pg. 11)
2. He could dictate defences or draft deeds. (pg. 12)
Chaucer respects this man a lot. He takes him as being very wise and smart. He likes that he is of the noble class and is making his money in a moral way.

Franklin: He's always having parties, a wealthy landowner, acted as Sheriff, checking and auditing each persons property.
1. He lived for pleasure and had always done. (pg. 12)
2. Loved having feasts and the best wine. (pg. 12)
Chaucer respects him because he is of the noble class but then doesn't seem to like him because he is so foolish with his money. Perhaps it is because he tries to flaunt his money and overdue it.

Haberdasher, Carpenter, Weaver, Dyer, Tapestry Maker: All belonged to a guild, wealthy, wives are demanding.
1. They had capital and revenue. (pg. 13)
2. Wives are demanding and controlling. (pg. 13)
Chaucer doesn't seem to mind these men. They are all very average and seem to be of upper-middle class. They have earned their money in a proper fashion.

Cook: Not the cleanliness person, has ulcer on knee, yet still called an excellent cook.
1. Could distinguish London ale by flavor. (pg. 13)
2. Ulcer on knee makes the food unappetizing. (pg. 13)
Chaucer doesn't mind the cook. Thinks its a shame that he is such a good cook but has such a gross flaw. Chaucer definitely doesn't look up to him.

Shipman: Couldn't ride a horse, ignored his conscience, immoral, well-tanned, likes money, pirate, kills all prisoners, and is a good sailor.
1. Prisoners walked the plank. (pg. 13)...killed everybody.
2. Knew all the havens as they were. (pg. 14)...intelligent/good sailor while out on sea.
Chaucer doesn't like this guy but doesn't hate him. He is immoral which he doesn't like, but is also hardworking and a good sailor which he respects.

Doctor of Medicine: Considered a perfect practicing physician. Worked with the pharmacist to make more money off people. Not religious and knows his work well.
1. He did not read the Bible very much. (pg. 14)
2. Yet he was rather close as to expenses. (pg. 15)
Chaucer doesnt' like this guy a whole lot, but he is definitely not the worst of the bunch. He doesn't like the fact that he is not religious or that he is a cheat. But, he is a working man who values his makings.

Wife of Bath: About looking good but is actually ugly, gap-teeth, large hips, she is well off probably because she kills all her husbands, has seen many places, kills her husbands by sex.
1. Is quite ugly..somewhat deaf, gap-teeth, large hips. (pg. 15)
2. Knew the remedies of love's mischances. (pg. 15)
Chaucer seems to think she is a woman of power and kind of admires her. She gets her money by doing dirty work, but Chaucer looks past her killing her husbands because he is so drawn in by the fact that a woman can be so cunning and intelligent.

Parson: Very poor, cared for parishioners, moral and humble, ideal Christian Priest.
1. Poor but rich in holy thought. (pg. 16)
2. He hated cursing to extort a fee. (pg. 16)
Chaucer thinks he is doing a good thing and is a kind person. But he doesn't care for poor people.

Plowman: Ideal Christian man, loves God, helped the poor.
1. Loves God and neighbors as himself. (pg. 17)
2. Would help the poor and never take a penny. (pg. 17)
Chaucer thinks the same of him as he does the Parson.

Miller: Big and brawny, scary and ugly looking (wart on nose & black nostrils), cheated people out of their grain.
1. He could win the ram at any wrestling show. (pg. 18)
2. He was a master-hand at stealing grain. (pg. 18)
Chaucer doesn't like this guy. He is a stealer with bad morals and tries to scare people with his appearance and strength.

Manciple: Not educated, but smart. Frugal. Can outdo all his masters.
1. An illiterate fellow that can outpace the wisdom of a learned man. (pg. 18)
2. Made a living by watching the market. (pg. 18)
Chaucer likes him. He respects that he is so smart and can outdo people of a higher class than him.

Reeve: He is thin, has lean legs, good at his job, manager of a large estate, sucked up to lord by giving gifts after stealing from the lord, many talents.
1. No auditor could gain a point on him. (pg. 19)
2. Has many talents and no need to fight. (pg. 19)
Chaucer likes him for the most part. He is wealthy, smart, and full of talents. Yet, Chaucer thinks that he is foolish for stealing when he already has it so well.

Summoner: Scary appearance, gets drunk a lot, speaks in Latin, blackmailer, could be bribed easily.
1. Children were afraid when he appeared. (pg. 20)
2. For a quart of wine a man could keep his mistress. (pg. 20)
Chaucer doesn't like him. He will ruin anyone for his own personal gain. He thinks he is very immoral. I think he saved the Summoner and the Pardoner for last because he thinks they are the worst characters.

Pardoner: Feminine characteristics, good singer, made money by selling fake relics.
1. Same voice a goat has got, I judge he was a mare. (pg. 21)
2. Made more money in a day than a poor parson in a month. (pg. 21)
Chaucer doesn't like him because he cheats poor people out of their money. He doesn't like dishonest people and perhaps he leaves him for last because he is bad for all of the above AND it is suggested that he is gay.

Host: Merry-hearted man, likes people who are of the higher class, loud, and large.
1. Bold in his speech yet wise and full of tact. (pg. 23)
2. Likes good morals and general pleasure. (pg. 24)
Chaucer doesn't mind the host. He thinks he is a pleasant person but a wannabe of the wealthy, noble class.

Best Pilgrims.
1. The Knight
2. Parson
3. Plowman
4. Sergeant-at-Law
5. Prioress
6. Manciple

Worst Pilgrims.
1. Friar
2. Summoner
3. Pardoner
4. Wife of Bath
5. Miller
6. Shipman

Fit 4

1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight can be seen as a journey from life to death then back to life again. I see life-death-life as Camelot-Castle-Camelot. Life at Camelot was easy, joyful, and full of fun and games. Gawain here was free from dishonoring his lord and was a respectful knight. After his travel to the castle, he has spiritually died. He is tempted and tested and ends up breaking his code of honor. Then Gawain returns home and comes back to life. King Arthur is welcoming and shows his respect by wearing green belts of silk.

2. Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how? Sir Gawain is reborn spiritually after he gives up faith in God from saving him from the Green Knight by accepting the magical girdle. Gawain is reborn physically after he survives the nick of the axe. He realizes that his life has been saved.

3. Whose point of view is at the end of the book? Why? I think the story is told from Gawain's point of view at the end of the book. You see that Gawain is being very humble. Perhaps the author wanted it to be his point of view so we could see how much it means to be a loyal and honorable knight. The author may have been telling us something about his time period. This is very similar to today. If a soldier was told to never leave the battle field and a bomb flew his way, he would probably run because he would think his life is more valuable. I think the author is trying to tell us that human nature will never change.

4. I think Sir Gawain is ruined as a knight forever. He is now mentally unstable. The fact that he has dishonored his king and the lord will live with him forever. You can see this as soon as he respectfully refuses to go back with the Green Knight and have a feast after the Green Knight forgives him. He is so emotionally distraught that he will not be able to move on with his life. He left out on this journey to prove himself a great knight and gain respect and fame just like Beowulf. Only Beowulf gets through his first quest and proves to be successful therefore giving him more motivation and drive for the next task while Gawain fails his first task and loses all inspiration to try again.

5. In my opinion I think that it is the lady who is in control. It was her who chose to play the game and seduce Sir Gawain. She did not have to do this. If she chose not to then the lord would not have been able to set up the game. In other words, there would have been no game without her.

Fit 3 Part 2

2. I think Gawain is very nervous and uncertain of the castle. He tries to behave well and not ashame either his king or the lord, but I think he fails to do this. I feel that he doesn't uphold his honor while not dishonoring the lady and the lord because eventually he does break and give in to accept the green girdle. Even though he does hide the green girdle from the lord as the lady asks of him he is dishonorable to the lord while not playing the game fair. I don't get it, throughout the whole story Gawain refers a lot to God and Mary and asks them for help along his quest. Yet, when it comes down to it he doesn't have much faith that God will save him from the Green Knight because he accepts a magical girdle.

3. The climax of the story is when Sir Gawain meets the Green Knight. The Green Knight then swings the axe which reveals that he dishonored the lord and took the girdle because the axe leaves only a nick on his neck.

4. The green girdle symbolizes Gawain's faults. It was not a fault when he accepted the girdle from the lady, it was a fault when he chose to hide it from the lord. Gawain's nature to be a normal man who wants to spare his life overcomes that of his nature to be a knight. Its only human for a man to be a coward when his life is on the line.

5. Throughout the story it seems that Gawain is very religious and believes that if he prays, God will help him. One allusion would be when Gawain tells the lady "as for your girdle, god reward you...I shall see it as a sign of my fault". Perhaps this is showing you that he is going against his faith in God and instead placing hope in the power of magic. You also see that Gawain prays for the help of the lord and Mary to guide him to some haven where he can attend mass and pray on Christmas morning. Yes, he is granted his request, yet he is lead to a dark castle where people are trying to trick him in one big game. I don't get this because it seems to me that this story is very Christian based yet every time he is either throwing away his faith in God or God is leading him in a bad direction.

Fit 3

In the first hunting scene the lord is seeking out a deer. This is the easiest out of the three hunts. The lord and his men chase the deer until they are "trapped" and then kills them just as the lady is "trapping" Sir Gawain in his bedroom. She slips in and tries to seduce him, but he is able to resist and stay faithful. You see here that this act is very innocent. When the lady first enters the room Sir Gawain is faking to be asleep. Here you see that this is the easiest animal to hunt, but the hardest case for the lady to seduce.
The second hunt gets a little harder. The lord and his men are chasing a boar. Every time they get the boar trapped he fights back ferociously. Not only is this animal taking action, but so is Sir Gawain. As the lady comes to his room the second time, he takes some initiative. It is said that he first gives her a cordial greeting and then he says "I'm at your command, to kiss as you please: you make take one when you like and leave off at your whim." The lady is now getting somewhere in her "hunt". Sir Gawain is beginning to have something to be ashamed of.
The third hunt is the hardest of them all. The lord and his men are chasing a fox. The fox is sly and cunning. This hunt is also said to have taken until the morning where the others were caught by night. Here the lady is able to complete her task and show that Sir Gawain is an unloyal and secretive man. At first, he is able to refuse the gifts that the lady persists he takes. But then, he thinks of his life and decides that it is more precious than the lords game and accepts the girdle.