British Literature I British Literature I Lumen Learning Cover image “The Failure of Sir Gawaine: Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine at the Ruined Chapel, Number 4″ Tapestry by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris, and John Henry Dearle, available in the Public Domain from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holy_Grail_tapestry_The_Failure_of_Sir_Gawaine.jpg CONTENTS Student Resources...................................................................................................................... 2 • Course Information ............................................................................................................................................ 2 • Timeline of British Literature .............................................................................................................................. 3 • Sample Literary Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 3 Learning to Write Literary Analysis..............................................................................................4 • Approaching Poetry ........................................................................................................................................... 4 • Literary Criticism .............................................................................................................................................. 22 • Additional Resources....................................................................................................................................... 28 Old English Poetry..................................................................................................................... 29 • Dream of the Rood: Background ..................................................................................................................... 29 • The Dream of the Rood ................................................................................................................................... 30 • Bede: Biography .............................................................................................................................................. 37 • Cædmon's Hymn ............................................................................................................................................. 38 • The Wanderer: Background............................................................................................................................. 39 • The Wanderer.................................................................................................................................................. 40 • Additional Resources....................................................................................................................................... 41 Beowulf...................................................................................................................................... 42 • Beowulf: Background....................................................................................................................................... 42 • Beowulf Prelude............................................................................................................................................... 42 • Beowulf Sections 1-5 ....................................................................................................................................... 44 • Beowulf Sections 6-10 ..................................................................................................................................... 50 • Beowulf Sections 11-15 ................................................................................................................................... 56 • Beowulf Sections 16-20 ................................................................................................................................... 62 • Beowulf Sections 21-25 ................................................................................................................................... 69 • Beowulf Sections 26-30 ................................................................................................................................... 78 • Beowulf Sections 31-35 ................................................................................................................................... 87 • Beowulf Sections 36-41 ................................................................................................................................... 95 • Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................... 103 Everyman ................................................................................................................................ 104 • Everyman: Background ................................................................................................................................. 104 • Everyman: a 15th Century Morality Play ....................................................................................................... 104 • Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................... 123 The Second Shepherds' Play ..................................................................................................125 • The Second Shepherds' Play: Background ................................................................................................... 125 • The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Play ....................................................................................................... 126 • Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................... 142 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight............................................................................................143 • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Background............................................................................................. 143 • Preface .......................................................................................................................................................... 144 • Canto I ........................................................................................................................................................... 144 • Canto II .......................................................................................................................................................... 152 • Canto III ......................................................................................................................................................... 158 • Canto IV......................................................................................................................................................... 165 • Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................... 169 Dr. Faustus.............................................................................................................................. 171 • Christopher Marlowe: Biography ................................................................................................................... 171 • English Renaissance Theatre........................................................................................................................ 172 • The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus ............................................................................................................... 177 • Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................... 218 Renaissance Love Poetry ....................................................................................................... 220 • English Renaissance ..................................................................................................................................... 220 • Renaissance Sonnets.................................................................................................................................... 222 • Whoso List to Hunt ........................................................................................................................................ 224 • Rose-Cheeked Laura..................................................................................................................................... 225 • The Passionate Shepherd to His Love .......................................................................................................... 225 • The Flea......................................................................................................................................................... 226 • Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................... 228 Twelfth Night ........................................................................................................................... 230 • William Shakespeare: Biography................................................................................................................... 230 • Act I...............................................................................................................................................................