HAMLET FINAL REVIEW:
1) Define dramatic foil
A secondary character who contrasts with a main character

2) The following characters are dramatic foils for Hamlet. Discuss in detail how?

a) Claudius
claudius is dishonest-Hamlet is honest

b) Gertrude


c) Laertes
man of action-man of thought and no action

d) Ophelia
weak minded-strong minded

e) Polonius
fool-genious

f) Fortinbras
man of action-man of no action

3) What do Fortinbras, Hamlet and Laertes have in common?
each of them lost their father and is out for revenge or to somehow justify themselves and keep their honor.

4) Define the following: soliloquy, monologue, implied metaphor, direct metaphor, extended metaphor
Soliloquy- a speach that one gives to himself. In it they often discuss an important topic or decision in the story.

monologue- a dramatic speach by a single character who is often dominating the conversation. Much like in the case of Hamlet throughout most of the play.

5) Be able to give at least three examples of – implied metaphors, direct metaphors, extended metaphors and discuss what is being compared
implied metaphors-in 'to be or not to be" his life is compared to slings and arrows and to a sea of troubles.
Denmark is hamlet's jail



direct metaphors-polonius to a pimp...........
hamlets pants around his ankles were compared to fetters

extended metaphors-denmark is hamlets jail


6) Be able to give three examples of symbols and discuss how they work in Hamlet.
Skull symbolizes physical death
flute symbolizes men as tools
love letters symbolize rejection
hamlets pants around his ankles represent his imprisonment

7) Be able to give at least three examples of allusions.
cain and able
jephtah
greek gods---hamlets father is the sun god
book of troy the Aeneas

8) Give the four elements of a sonnet
rhyme scheme: ababcdcdefef gg
3 quatrains followed by a couplet
iambic pentameters

9) Give a description (mental, physical, emotional) of the following characters:

Ghost:
physical-dressed in a robe and looks like hamlets father
emotional- distressed becasue he is in purgatory
mental- wants revenge against his brother

Hamlet:
physical-about 30 and well dressed he is a prince
emotional- he is mad about his fathers death and his uncles marriage to his mother and taking of the throne.
mental- sane at first then crazy then sane. throughout he is distressed because his father is dead and he must avenge him.

Gertrude:
physical- quite old but well dressed, she is a queen
emotional- quite unstable, her world is changing rapidly and everytime she is confronted with conflict she either makes rash decisions or listens to the nearest power
mental- unstable
Claudius:

Ophelia:

Laertes:

Polonius:

Reynaldo:

Horatio:

Rosencrantz:

Guildenstern:

Osric:

Fransico:

Barnado:

Marcellus:

Fortinbras:

Gravedigger:

10) Outline the plot according to Exposition, Inciting Event, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and Resolution. Make sure you know where events fall.

exposition-men at gaurd and sighting of ghost. Claudius's speech about how he regrets the kings death and that they will keep hamlet in denmark. Horatio and marcellus find hamlet and get him to talk with the ghost. Hamlet goes with the ghost.

inciting event-Ghost tells hamlet that he is old Hamlet and that claudius was the one who killed him.

rising action- hamlet decides to have the mousetrap play. and consults with horatio to watch the king to determine his guilt. he insults everyone while he is at the play.

climax-claudius acts guiltily and hamlet decides to get revenge.

falling action- hamlet decides not to kill claudius becasue he is praying. Hamlet kills polonius and yells at his mom. Hamlet is banished to engalnd where he is to be killed. Laertes returns and his sister goes crazy and dies He learns of hamlets killing of his father. Hamlet meets fortinbras and sends letters to Horatio. letters get to king
ratio
11) Be able to summarize the following acts in vast detail:

ACT I:
ACT II:
ACT III:
ACT IV:
ACT V:

12) How is Polonius a meddling old fool? Think about how he buts in between Ophelia and Hamlet, How he sends Reynaldo to spy on his son Laertes, How he suggests spying on Hamlet three different times.

13) Do you think Ophelia loved Hamlet? Prove this with examples from the play.

14) In Act II what does Hamlet ask the players to recite? How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

15) What is a fishmonger? Who are fishmongers in the play? Why? Who are fishmongers in the senior class.

16) Who is Jephthah?

17) Explain the quote: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

18) How is Hamlet rude to Ophelia? How is Ophelias rude to Hamlet?

19) What are some of the instructions Hamlet gives to the actors?

20) How is the “play within a play” scene a turning point in the story?
It is when Hamlet finally makes the decision for sure that Claudius killed his father and he decides that he is going to kill him.

21) What are three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy?
Claudius cannot be forgiven for his sins because he still beneifits from them.
He wanted Gertrude
He wanted the throne

22) What proof is there that Hamlet actually goes crazy in Act 3?

23) What is one thing Hamlet says that women do to men?
Hamlet says that women destroy men (when he is talking to Ophelia)

24) Discuss the meaning of the following soliloquys: ACT I SCENE ii lines 129-159

ACT III Scene 1 lines 57-91

ACT IV Scene iv lines 34-68

25) What characters are in the opening scene?
26) Describe Hamlet’s appearance in Act 1.
27) Why does Claudius need to justify him marriage in Act 1.
28) What is the continuous pun on sun? Discuss how Shakespeare and Hamlet are using it. Give some examples of its use.

29) How does Ophelia’s craziness in Act 4 reflect Hamlet’s in Act 2 and 3? How does it differ?

30) Why does Ophelia sing songs of sexual betrayal and death? What does it say about her character.

31) Why does Ophelia die? Do you think her death was accidental or suicide? Why?

32) What is the point of the gravedigger’s riddles and songs? How is the gravedigger a bit like Hamlet?
33) What is Osric’s role in the play. What concerns, Shakespeare’s concerns, does he reinforce.
34) Why does Hamlet ‘defy augury’?
35) How does the dying lines of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes reflect the way their character has been presented throughout the play?
36) Who wins in Hamlet? Why?
37) What is the most disturbing element in Hamlet?
The idea of insest is very disturbing. Also when Hamlet describes and talks of his mothers insest.
38) How does Hamlet reflect contemporary times?
Prostitution of ones morals. Shows in famous people today.
39) What is odd about the following quote: “A bloody deed; almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.”
40) What is disturbing about the following: “Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed; stewed in corruption; honeying, and making love over the nasty sty.”
41) What is one statement about Humanity that Hamlet makes.
42) What is important about the Pirates?
43) How does Hamlet change in Act 5?
44) Do you think Hamlet forsees his own end? Why do you think this?
45) How is Hamlet like Christ?
He says that god is acting through him. He sacrifices himself to purify denmark.
46) What is the purpose of Horatio?
47) What does the following quote mean:
“Alexander died, Alexander was buried/ Alexander returneth to dust; / dust is earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam whereto/ he was converted might they not stop a beer barrel?/ Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay,?/ Might stop a hole to keep the wind away.? O, that that earth which kept the world in awe/ Should patch a wall t’ expel the winter’s flaw.”

48) Quotations from all Acts from various individuals. Be able to state who is speaking, who they are speaking to, and what they are talking about. Look over quizzes and reread important acts.

51) Describe how Hamlet changes (moods and/or temperament) in every act

52) Essay question

Act 5 questions

HAMLET ACT 5: Questions

1) What do you feel is the point of the gravedigger’s riddles and song? How does it fit into the play?
The gravediggers song is mainly reinforcing Hamlets revelation that death is a natural part of life. He says that everyone is once young and loves, then they grow up and start to die ang go back to the land. Then they are in the grave. This fits into the play because everyone is about to die of either poison or sword. He also is a little bit of comic relief to the story of revenge and death. He is a clown. A pit of clay is obviously a grave but it could also be a metaphor for the mind and how it cages in a crazy person, like hamlet. The song could be used by shakespeare to put the point across that the relationship is over between Hamlet and Ophelia. he sings of a young love but then the relationship is over because of death. This is just like the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.

2) In what ways do Hamlet’s reactions to the skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest a change in his outlook? Compare Hamlet’s attitude towards Yoric to Hamlet’s attitude to Ophelia or even his father? How is it different? How is it similar?
Hamlet is fond of Yorik, his childhood friend, he is always jesting or making fun of ophelia and he looks up to only his father. Yorik, along with horatio, is one of the few people that hamlet speaks straightly about. He regards them more as equals. He has changed from being gaurded and witty to being open to his emotions and his compassion for yorik.

3) How old is Hamlet? How do you know this?
Hamlet is 30 years old because the grave digger has been digging graves since the young hamlet was born 30 years ago.

4) What does the violent argument between Hamlet and Laertes add to the play?
It adds to the play becasue it finally shows that hamlet is taking action and it shows hamlets emotions which he usually gaurds so well. Also it gives the play a sense of suspense at what will happen in the conflict.

5) What developments in Hamlet’s character are presented through the story of what happened on the boat? (V.ii 1-62). How has Hamlet changed?
Hamlet's character changed from a reserved and cautious person to a man of action. He suddenly decides to damn Rosencratz and Guildenstern to be killed without any time to pray. Hamlet seems to be much more cruel now, then before when he would use words to harm people instead of actions.

6) How do Hamlet’s motives in killing Claudius seem to have shifted according to his speech beginning “Does it not, think thee…” (V.ii.63)
This is the first time that hamlet shows that he wants to kill claudius not only for his fathers murder and his mothers marriage, but because hamlet wanted to be king. Not only did claudius destroy hamlet's family, but also his future as king.

7) What concerns of the play are reinforced in the Osric episode? (V.ii.80-170)
Osric reinforces the idea of prostitution. He is pretty much doing and saying anything that hamlet wants in order to better himself. Also osric presents a challenge that hamlet must accept to keep his honor.

8) Why does Hamlet ‘defy augury’? (V.ii.192)
He defies augury by deciding that he will either die now or live instead of allowing his life to keep going as planned. In his short speech he say that death will come sometime. If he is meant to die now then he will live. If he is meant to live then let him die. Death is a part of life. This represents a strong contrast from the "to be or not to be" soliloquy of earlier in the story.

9) What does Laertes say is his motive in still resenting Hamlet? How has he already lost this? How does this contribute to the presentation of revenge in the play? (V.ii216-223)
Laertes's main reason for resenting hamlet in scene 2 is to maintain his honor. This is already lost because he has resorted to poison and cheating at sword play to kill Hamlet. He has started to make sly plans like his father did. This makes the theme of revenge seem like a dishonorable thing that is wrong rather than something noble like it was portrayed when Hamlet was going to avenge his fathers death. The reason for this difference could be the mode in which the men were killed. Old Hamlet was murdered in order to better Claudius and for selfish reasons. Polonius was killed in a way that was not so selfish. It was also part of hamlet trying to get revenge.

10) How might the dying lines of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes be viewed as typical of the way their characters have been presented throughout the play?
The queen says "No, no, th drink! O my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I am poison'd" This represents her as a weak character that she is. She follows men's orders for the entire play and in her dieing words she calls out to her son who is one of the men that she follows.

11) Who “wins” in Hamlet? How and why do you think this?
Fortinbras wins in hamlet. He is the only major character, other than horatio, who does not die or go insane (or both). He also acheives his goal. he conquered the land that he originally wanted. He avenged his father because he took over the land. Horatio cannot be the winner because he is a follower. He helps other people throughout the entire play and now everyone is dead so he is not any more well off.

Act 4 Scene 3 and 4

1) In what respect is the play scene a turning point in the play?
The play scene is a turning point because it is considered by some to be the first time that Hamlet goes crazy. It is also when Hamlet finally finds out that his uncle did kill his father.

2) Explain in detail the ollowing parts of plot
Exposition: The backstory of the Fortinbras-Hamlet rivalry s part o the exposition. The gaurds see a ghost and ask for Horacio's help in speaking with it. Horatio attempts to speak with the ghost unsuccessfuly and he makes many assumptions as to why it is there. He notices that it ;is the Old Hamlets Ghost and goes to try to find hamlet because he believes that the ghost might speak to Hamlet.

Then Claudius talks about his sad feelings on the kings death and of how happy he is to be with the queen. He speaks to Laertes and Hamlet and tells hamlet that he cannot go back to university because his mother and the king want him around. Hamlet then has a soliloquy where h talks of the tragedy of his mothers remarriage and how quick it was.

The messengers from the watch tower then find hamlet and tell him of his fathers ghost. Hamlet goes with them to see the ghost. Laertes and Polonius then warn Ophelia about Hamlets love, sayng that he cannot truly love you because he is obligated by his royalty to marry a higher ranking person.
Hamlet, back at the watch tower, decides that he will go with the ghost even though the people there try to convince him not to because they believe that it is evil and will try to kill him.


Inciting Event:
When hamlet goes with the ghost of his father's ghost where the ghost tells him that he is Hamlets father and that he is doomed to purgatory. Old hamlet tells his son that it was claudius who murdered him and married his wife. Hamlet is outraged by this and eventually Horatio and marcellus arrive. Hamlet makes them swear an oath of secrecy and once they have done so he tells them of what the ghost has told him.

Rising Action:
Hamlet has now decided to act crazy so as to trick his step father. He also wants to kill the King. LAertes has gone o to Paris and Polonius sends reynaldo after him as a spy. Polonius wants to know what Laertes is doing there. Then Ophelia tells Polonius of how Hamlet barged into her room half naked and held her without saying anything. he seemed crazy, which is exactly what hamlet want people to think. Polonus tryes to calm her down. Rosencratz and Guildenstren are summoned to the king and queen where they are told to spy on hamlet and see if he is actually crazy or what is wrong with him. Voltemand enters and tells the King that fortinbras is assembling an army but the king sent him to fight in poland instead of attacking Denmark. The king and polonius, who believes that Hamlet is in love with Ophelia, spring a plan to sit and watch as hamlet and ophelia meet and ophelia breaks his heart by giving him back love letters. hamlet s reading a book and Polonius confronts him. hamlet precedes to mock and make fun of the man and completely destroys him.
We then see hamlet confront rosencratz and guildenstern about what they are trying to get from him. He tells that he wont tell them. He then meets the players who he tells to perform a play plus an added scene.
Hamlet then speaks to himself about the ghost and questions weather it was actually his father.

Hamlet delivers his famous to be or not to be soliloquy then meets ophelia who gives him back the love letters while being observed by polonius and claudius. Hamlet sees through the trick and calls her on it and gets very mad. He tells her to go to a nunery and storms off. Just before the play Hamlet finds horatio and tells him his oplan to watch the king throughout the play. If the king shows signs of guilt then hamlet will know that claudius killed his father. He asks horatio to do the same. Claudius stopps the play because he is uneasy and hamlet then knows that his uncle is guilty.

1) Claudius plans to send rosencratz guildenstern and Hamlet to England to "collect tribute" where they will be killed.

2)Polonius is going to hide behind the curtains and listen to hamlet speak to his mother.
3)WHERE IS CLAUDIUS"S SOLILOQUY?

4) It is odd to see the king praying because hamlet does not think the king is good enough to pray.

5)Hamlet does not kill the king because if he kills him while the king is praying then the king will go to heaven and be even better. Hamlet must wait for the king to do something bad.

SCENE 4
1) Polonius tells gertrude to be very harsh with Hamlet. He wants her to confront him about his "pranks" to the king.

2) This quote is what hamlet says when he is killing Polonius. This describes polonius nature. He is like rat that spies on everyone.

3)In this quote he implies that his mother killed the king, not Claudius. Prior to this he had thought that it was claudius alone who killed him.

4)Gertrude says this because she believes that Hamlet has no reason to speak to her as harshly as he does

5) King Hamlet--has hyperion curls, a great commander, he is a mountain, a new light on a heaven kissing hill.

Claudius--moor, a mildew'd ear,

6)He makes the point that hs father was a better man and that it cannot be love that brought his mother and claudius together because she is too old.

7) EVERYTHING is disturbing about this quote!!! he is telling his mother that she is sleeping in a bed filled with a man who is deceitful and everything is bad and wrong.

8)The ghost of his father tells hamlet to stop. He tells hamlet not to be so mean to his mother because she is not so bad.

10) In act I the ghost is angry about his death and wants revenge to be had. In act 3 the ghost is more sympathetic and he remebers his old life when he sees gertrude. This is exactly opposite o Hamlet. As the ghost gets calmer, Hamlet gets crazier. The ghost could be sent to keep hamlet in line.

Act 3.1 Soliloquy "To be or not to be"

To live or to die. That is the question.
is it nobler to suffer
the wounds of misfortune
or to fight your troubles
and put them down but die in doing so.
That is it, that is the end,
The heart-ache and natural hardships
that life has, it is the final thing that leads to death
We are destined to die, to sleep,
To sleep, maybe to dream. That would be great!
In death what will we dream of?
For we will have excaped humanity,
It will make us stop and think,
that is why life's misfurtune is so great.
Who can withstand the brutality of this world.
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man is flawed,
the hurts of unrequited love, the delay in the law.
the insolence of those in power and
the wealth that the wealthy man takes from the poor,
when he might kill himself,
with a small knife, who woud bear the burdens
of the harshness of life,
With the fear of death,
The unmapped territory where noone returns from
puzzles the mind of people,
And makes us cope with the hardships of the world
rather than move on to ones we dont know about
thus we are all cowards by our conscience
and the natural appearance of courage
is paled by our cowardly thinking,
and by doings of great importance
when thinking of this the motives turn askew
and loose the action that they had, Here comes the beutiful
Ophelia! A Nymph in my prayers,
hopefully my sins will be forgiven.

Hamlet Act 3 Questions for StudyAct 3

Scene 1:

1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?
They report that he is not crazy but is definitely different then he used to be. He is hiding things from them and they think he is partially crazy.

2. How does Claudius react when Polonius says, "…with devotion's visage, And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"?

Claudius reacts by finally confirming the ghosts accusation. In his aside he speaks of his guilt for killing the old Hamlet

3. What plan do Polonius, Claudius and Ophelia now put into action?
Polonius and claudius are going to hide and listen while ophelia meets Hamlet and destroys him and see hamlets reaction.

4. What is the nature of Hamlet's soliloquy, lines 57-91?
Hamlet is speaking of his choice between suicide and fighting for life. It is of the hardships of life.

5. What is Hamlet's main argument against suicide?
Suicide is very unnoble and uncourageous.

6. Why does Hamlet treat Ophelia as cruelly as he does? What has changed him?
Hamlet treats ophelia cruelly because he believes that she is being more loyal to her father then to their love. He no longer loves her because she has betrayed him

7. What thinly veiled threat to Claudius does Hamlet voice, after he becomes of his hidden presence? (lines 148-150)

He warns him that he will kill him. "Those that are married already-all but one- shall live" he also says that he will not marry ophelia. Condeming her to either a whore-house or a nunnery.

8. At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet?

The king decides to send hamlet off to england so that hamlet cannot threaten his kingship.

Scene 2:

9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?
Horatio is a good friend and a well balanced man. He is smart and loyal.

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?

Hamlet wants horatio to watch the king throughout the presentation of a play in order to find out if he is guilty of killing the old hamlet.

11. Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play.
in the play within a play the playersacted out the killing of the king and king claudius started to freakout. Meanwhile Hamlet is making fun of everyone and being loud. He embarases ophelia claudius polonius and the queen. The king eventualy gets to embarrassed and fed up and leaves.

12. Why, in line 233, does Hamlet refer to the play-within-a-play as "The Mouse-trap"?
the name of the play represents how the king is going to be trapped and surprised by the play. it makes the king more anxious.

13. What is the King's reaction to the play?
the king becomes very guity and uneasy when he is watching the play. he eventually storms out of the theater claiming that he needs air.

14. In lines 354-363, to what object does Hamlet compare himself? Why?

He is comparing himself to a flute. this is partly because Fortune plays men like flutes. And he is saying that rosencraft and guildenstern cannot play him like a flute. He is too smart.

15. As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of this scene, what does he admonish himself for.
He doesn't want to physically hurt his mother but be verbally harsh to her.

1.2 Soliloquy--Hamlet--Translation

O i wish that i could melt,
and dissappear from this earth,
Or that god had not made
suicide a sin, WHY WHY!!
Everything seems useless and unprofitable
in this world
This world is like a garden full of weeds
That grows things that are useless and gross
Why should it be like this!
The king has been dead nearly two months
He was a glorious king,
A great leader and an excellent husband
i hope he does not meet resistance at the gates of heaven,
i hope he gets there smoothly.
Do i have to remember how he died
and was taken to heaven as if she longed for more soles.
Within a month of his death though,
my mother had found another man.
She mourned heavily but for way to short of a time.
She married my uncle in just a month after my father's death
He was nothing like my father
he morned insoencerely for my father
She married just a month after his death, O it was way to fast
To move to marry a family member
It will not turn out well for anyone,
But my heart will be broken because i cannot speakout against it.

Act 2 Questions-Hamlet

1) What does Polonius tell Reynaldo in the opening of Act II? How does he plan to trap his son?
Polonius tells Reunaldo to spy on his son by telling lies about him to poeple who Reynaldo belives would know Laertes. Reynaldo would then find information about his son through the peoples reactions.

2) What does this say about Polonius?
Polonius is a scheming man. He does not care for privacy or feelings much and is not the brightest man. There are much better ways that he could go about spying on his son.

3) What particularly in Act II scene 1 has disturbed Ophelia?
While she was in her private quarters, Hamlet barged in half naked and acting like a crazy man. He held her for a few minutes and left without saying anything.

4) Why have Rosencrantez and Guildenstern been sent to Denmark?
To find out what is wrong with Hamlet under the orders of the king. Really the king just wants to know what hamlet is up to though.

5) What does Hamlet ask the players to recite? How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

He wanted them to recite a speech that he had heard before of the sac of troy and priam's killing. This reflects his beliefs because he is planning on killing the king. He also wants them to recite the Murder of Gonzago which is another connetction to hamlets future murder of the king.

Identify the following speaker of the following lines and discuss to whom the lines are being delivered, and what the lines mean.

6) “No, my lord, but as you did command/ I did repel his letter, and denied his access to me”
Ophelia speeks this to her father about her shunning of Hamlet. She did not reply to his letters and did not interact with him.

7) “More matter less art”
The queen speaks this to Polonius when she is trying to get him to explain her sons madness to her and the king. She is insulting polonius by almost calling him stupid. She is annoyed by his long and useless speaking.

8) “That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,
Hamlet is speaking here to himself. he is mourning his pitiful situation and is quite mad about how his friends and family have betrayed him. He mourns the situation that he is in.

9) “Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth/ And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,/ with windlasses and with assays of bias,/ By directions find directions out.”
Polonius is speaking to Reynaldo about his mission to spy on Leartes. He wants Reynaldo to tell lies to people in order to get them to tell him the truth about Laertes. This shows how sly polonius is.

10) “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?”
Hamlet is speaking to polonius. He is asking weather polonius has a daughter even though Hamlet knows that he does. This is one of hamlets sly remarks that makes fun of someone. He is criticising polonius here.

11) List three metaphors (1 direct, 1 implied, 1 extended) from the play.
Direct--Denmark is a prison and a horrible place.
Extended--the sun represents son
Implied--lies are poison

12) What proof does Polonius have that he believe indicates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia?
Hamlet running into Ophelias room half naked is Plonius's jusitification that he is in love with his daughter. It makes sense a little bit

13) Explain the quote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” How does this relate to Hamlet.
This quote relates to hamlet because there are certain things that are good for some people and bad for others in the book. Laertes thinks that partying in paris is good, wheras his father doesnt. Also hamlet thinks that denmark is a horrible place because he is burdended by his fathers death and his mothers marriage. But his friends think that it is a good place.

14) What is a fishmonger?
A fish monger is basically a pimp. They exploit others for personal gain.

15) Who was Jephthah?
Jephthah was a man who loved his daughter excessively. Hamlet compares him to Palonius because Hamlet wants to insult Palonius and make him seem overprotective of ophelia.

The Knight-

The knight has traveled across Europe seeking to fight for God. He follows the code of chivalry and is very noble.

He is modest and polite (pg 5)

He has good horses but does not dress fancily (pg 5)

Chaucer views the knight as a good and noble man who is good and just. He admires and respects the knight.

Squire-

the squire is the son of the knight but he is young and noble. He acts mainly to please women, however.

He is young strong and handsome (pg 5)

He wears fanciful clothes and was talented in many educated arts (pg 5)

Chaucer admires this character less than the night but alos respects him because of his fancy clothing and many talents.

Yeoman-

the servant of the knight who is lean and a good woodsman he was well dressed.

Had high quality equipment such as a good bow and peacock feathered arrows (pg 6)

Dressed well and neatly (pg 6)

Chaucer thinks less of this man becasue he dresses up so neatly and yet he is a woodsman and a servant who shouldn't be more fancy then his master.

Prioress-

She is depicted as a proper lady with good manners and dress. She is righteous but isnt entirely devoted to the church. She is very learned and knows French

She has great manners at the table and is a very clean eater (pg 6)

She wore a charm that said "love conquers all" (pg 7)

Chaucer thinks that she is a proper lady and respects her for it but also shows that she is not a perfect nun. She has a desire for court life that shows in her trinket, because it doesnt have a christian saying on it. It more represents something that a noble or lady of the court would wear.

Monk-

the monk loves to hunt, however, he is a man of the church. He is a proper man with good form and money, but he doesn't follow the churces rules well.

He does not take the rules of the church seriouly(pg 7)

He loves hunting (pg 7)

He dresses well and his horse is well (pg 8)

Chaucer thinks down on this man. Although he is a proper man, he is not a good monk. He gives chaucer a portal through which he can criticize the church by making it's man look like a fool.

Friar-

The friar is not righeous at all, he has sex with women, has many mistresses, is glutunous and greedy, beggs for a liing even though he has quite enough money and is entirely devoted o money and women.

He loves money and beggs for a living (pg 9 and 10)

He gives gifts to women and treats them nicely until he has sex with them and marries them off (pg 9)

Chaucer does no like this character. even though the friar is rich, chaucer does not look kindly on his morals and deeds.

Merchant-

Completely oriented around money this merchant trades in the northern seas and is preyed on by pirates. However, there is a hint that he is himself a pirate.

He dresses in a good fashion that is proper yet not exuberant (pg 10)

He is very good at "bargaining" (pg 10)

Chaucer is questionable about this character. he thinks that he is a good fellow but he doesnt know his name and is skeptical about his morals.

Clerk-

Oriented only towards books and learning. He has been educated for years but wont ge a job because he wants to read.

He dresses poorly and his horse is in horrible condition (pg 11)

He owns many books and doesnt have a job (pg 11)

Chaucer does not like the cleric. He categorizes him as lazy and jobless. CHaucer believes that the clerk should have goten a job long ago.

Sergeant-at-law-

He was a judge who had studied law for a very long time and is very prosperous and righteous.

He is very learned about legalities and laws. (pg 11)

He is wise and smart (pg 11)

Chaucer admires and respects this man. He acknowledges his wisdom and respects that also.

Franklin-

a very prosperous man he is motivated by wealth and nobelity. he loves to live higly.

He enjoys extravegant foods and is sure to have a great many feasts every year (pg 12)

He has made a fortune for himself and is very good at gaining money (pg 12)

This man is respected becasue of his money and lavishness, however, chaucer views him as a little too frivolent and spendy. Even though he is wealthy, he still spends too much money on pleasures.

Habbadasher, Carpenter, weaver, dyer, and tapestry maker-

All well off men who had succeeded in life and married. They were average good doers.

They were all nealy trimmed and clothed in fancy but not extravegant ways (pg 13)

They had daggers of silver meaning that they have money (pg 13)

Chaucer admires these men who are normal everyday people who have made a liveing and are prosperous. These trais are the ones that he admires most in a man.

Cook-

a very good cook but it is implied that he is a bit disgusting in appearance.

The cook has a nasty ulcer on his knee (13)

He can make any sort of food and is great with spices and flavors (pg 13)

Chaucer is kind to the Cook but he does not admire or respect him very much. He views him as a little bit disgusting, but talented at what he does.

Shipman-

this man hailed from the west, he owned a ship called the modeleuyne and uses it to steal wine. He is money oriented but is also a good seaman, and captain.

The skipper steals and isnt the most righteous of men-(pg13)

He is not used to land riding (pg 13)

He is an excellent captain and is good at swiping wine (pg 13-14)

Chaucer does respect this man. He views him, even though he does pirate and ignore te finest laws, as a hard working person and an overall good man.

Doctor-

The doctor was a good doctor. However, he did much of his work by following the stars. He also sold perscriptions to people and made a good profit off of it. He is good at making moneyeven if it isnt in the most honest way.

He follows the stars and is an astronomrer as well as a doctor. (pg 14)

He sells and prescribes many drugs (pg 14)

He lives very simply and does not spend his gold because it is supposed to be good for the heart. (pg15)

Chaucer acknowledges hat this man is a somewhat good doctor, however, he does think down on him because of his morals and for no indulging very much.

Wife of Bath

a greedy woman se marries husbands and sexs them to death. She is mostly in i for the money that she gets after each husband. She is well off lready since she travels so much.

She, like the night, has traveled all over Europe and is quite successful (pg 15)

She was not very beautiful and yet she has had five husbands. (pg 15)

Chaucer admires this ladies cleverness and money. As well as her status in life as a well off woman.

Parson-

He is a loyal member of the church, a poor man and a good one.

The parson is a good church goer he is always preached the gospel (pg 16)

He also was poor (pg 16)

Chaucer likes this man for his hard work and dedication. However, chaucer does not like the poor very much.

Plowman-

The brother of the parson, he was an honest worker and a loyal man of god. He was a good man.

He worked hard for an honest living and lived without extremely fancy clothes or ways(pg 17)

He was religious (pg 17)

Chaucer also likes this character. he is a hard worker and a good man. He s not to poor which chaucer admires.

Miller-

A massive miller who is dishonest and hot headed. He is motivated by money and greed.

The miller fights alot and is very strong and hotheaded (pg 18)

He swindled people out of their money by charging them more than what there grain was worth. (pg 18)

Chaucer does not like this man. He views the miller as rash, tempered, and as not a hard worker because he steals.

Manciple-

a man not of noble birth or high stature but a cunning and genius man.

He watches the market and makes a living at speculating. (pg 18)

He can survive in any environment and live as well as he likes (pg 18-19)

Chaucer admires this man for his ability to make money and outsmart any noble or man of higher class than he.

Reeve-

Old thin man who oversees his lords lands, he is a carpenter and a very cunning man. He is rich and beomes so by lightly stealing from his lord here and there. However, he cannot be caught because he is so smart.

No one could accuse him of stealing because they could not get an ounce of evidence against him(pg 19)

He wore fairly nice clothes and his horse was good but he was not too frugal (pg 19)

He is a carpenter (pg 19)

Chaucer thinks that this man is very cunning in his ways, however, again he does not like a theif.

Summoner-

An extremely ugly man, he drinks excessivly, smells bad, and is disgusting. He is supposed to be a church man who collects sinners for the churches court. However, he lets sinners be for just a bit of alcohol or money.

He is as ugly and nasty a man as you can imagine (pg 20)

He accepts a quart of wine as payment for sins and does not take the people who pay. (pg 20-21)

Chaucer, again, does not like a dishonest man. Despite that chaucer is revolted by the mans apperance.

Pardoner-

A holy man who pardons sinners. His main duty though is that he sells fake relics of christianity, passing them off as the real thing. He is another con-artist.

The pardoner has a strong singing voice and was not very atractive (pg 21)

He sold a pillow case as the Virgin Mary's veil along with many other fake relics. (pg 21-22)

Chaucer does not like this man. He views the pardoner as just another con man and does not like it that he doesn't earn an honest living.

Host-

A decent man who is an inn keeper. He is motivated by money but is also a pleasent person and nice character. He is smart as well.

The Host comes up with the idea for the pilgrims to tell stories and the winner to get dinner at the tavern upon their return. (pg 24-25)

He is a merry man who is kind and happy (pg 23)

Chaucer likes this mans kindness and attitude. He respects that the Host follows money because that is a trait that gets men places in life.

Best Pilgrims-

Knight

Parson

Plowman

Sergant-at-law

Squire

manciple

Worst Pilgrims

Friar

Miller

Summoner

Pardoner

Wife of bath

Reeve

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.
The story of Sir Gawain can be viewed as a journey from life to death and back because of the different trials and places where Gawain goes. He starts out in a very lively place, Arthur's Court. Here they are partying and even when the Green Knight gets beheaded he is still alive. This is a place of great health and happiness. Gawain is also still very faithful to the code of chivalry and devoted to god.
However, when he goes to Bertilak's castle and the green chapel he is on a quest where he is supposed to meet death. While on the quest his faith in God dies and he believes that his chivalry honor died as well. The Green Chapel is a symbol of death and rebirth also.
Because the Chapel is a symbol of rebirth, Gawain is reborn into faith and life. He also returns to Arthur, alive, and joins in the joyousness and livelyness of the hall.
2) Sir Gawain is reborn both physically and spiritually at the end of the book how?
Physically he is reborn because he expected to die by the Green Knights axe. His livelyness is reborn uin that he did not die. He was spiritually reborn because he looses faith with god when he accepts the girdle as his protection over the protection of god. When the Knight confronts him he realizes that he has been unfaithful and is reborn into faith.
3) Whose Point of View are we suppose to exact at the end of the book? Why?
At the end of the book we are supposed to be looking through the eyes of Gawain. Throughout the story we look through his eyes at his hardships and trials. We see his personality and character change. The end of the story we see another change in character as he remorses for looseing faith in god. By viewing the story through his eyes, we also are given insight into the "silliness" of the people of Arthur's court
4) Is Gawain ruined as a knight or will we see great deeds from him again?
Gawain is not ruined as a knight. He is just being a sissy and not wanting to go on because he thinks that he has failed. however, with time he will realize that he is doing a greater misdeed by not being a knight than by being a knight who has made a mistake. He will take up the chivalry code again and will be a better knight than he was. This is because he would have already been exposed to his flaw so he can combat it.
5) In your opinion who is really in control?
Morgan Lafey is the controler of the story. She plans and executes the prank on gawain, not by acting herself but by controling those people around her. Bertilak and the lady, however, are not just pawns, they are powerfull people which emphasizes morgana's powers of control. Gawain is not in control because he is the one who gets jipped in the story. He is tricked and falls for it fully.

Fit 3 Questions Continued

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?
Gawain does uphold his honor very well. He refuses to sleep with the lady and is very courteous to the Lord. His only flaw in this it is not giving the girdle to the Lord. Even this, however, is not a high offense because he had promised not to tell anyone about it. Gawain behaves very well in this Fit, this may be because he still follows god. It contrasts to fit 4 where he does not follow god and looks like a fool

3) What is the climax of the book?
The climax of the book is when the green Knight nicks Gawain with the axe. This ties into the idea of the story being a game because the climax is much less gruesome and serious than the reader would have thought it would be. The knight purposely doesn't behead gawain and plays t off as a game.

4) What does the girdle symbolize?
The girdle symbolizes a few things. It is a sign of paganism which contrasts heavily with the overall christian story. It also symbolizes Gawain's failure. He gives up complete faith in god for a material comfort which he does not know will work.

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?

Ln 1255-1257
"They would prefer that pleasure to the richest possession, But praise Him who reigns in Heaven on High, By who's grace i have wholly in my hand the man desired by all."
The lady speaks this when she is attempting to woo Gawain. This could be inserted by the Lady in an atttempt to show that God encourages that "pleasure". She believes that this will allow Gawain to let down his guard and sleep with her. It is also inserted to show the start of Gawains straying from God's righteous path.

Ln 1381
"'Before God,' said Gawain, 'these are the finest beasts'"
This quote shows how God endorses the actions of the Lord and his hunt. Only God would allow him to find and slay such fine beasts. I the lord is blessed by god to have a good hunt then maybe the Lady is as well and she will succeed in her quest to lay with gawain. It also could mean that Satan has finer beasts and represent another striation by Gawain from complete faith.

Ln 1776
"'God help me,' he thought, 'that's not going to happen!'"
From Gawain, this is him subconsciously realizing that he has slightly slayed from thee path of right and honor by kissing and flirting with the lady. He wants god's help, which is ironic because eventually he betrays his faith in God for a girdle that hasn't even proven itself. It also shows that God is still with him because he does not end u sleeping with her. This is a christian statement that ties into the belief that god is always there for people. Even if they temporarily loose faith.

1. Bertilak and Gawain make an agreement to exchange whatever they may obtain throughout the day, Bertilak at the hunt, and Gawain lounging in the castle. Bertilak kills a deer first day and gives it to Gawain. Gawain gets one kiss from the lady and as agreed gives Bertilak the kiss. Bertilak kills a large boar second day, lady gives 2 kisses to Gawain, which again he gives back to the Lord. However on the third day Bertilak only kills a small fox for Gawain. Gawain receives three kisses, which he gives, but shows dishonesty when he denies Bertilak the Green Girdle that the Lady gives him. I interpret the fox as a symbol of deception and dishonesty. He kills a less significant animal, and then ironically Gawain lies and keeps the Girdle, breaking the arrangement of give exchanging. Bertilak is on the merciless hunt, and while he traps and kills his game, the lady is also in a hunt of her own. She traps him with her womanly deception, and tests his honor. The sign of trapping is seen in both scenes. “She comes nearer at that, catches him in her arms,” She catches him like her pray, or game, trust like Bertilak and his animals. “They spread around the crag and the jagged mound till they were certain they’d trapped inside their circle.” Another sign of trapping and hunting is seen in this line. “The lady lured him on, enticing him to sin. But she held himself back so well no blemish appeared.”

Fit 3 Questions

1) Each of the hunting scenes of fit 3 have a corresponding Bedroom scene of Sir Gawain and the Lady of the Castle. In the first hunt, the king goes for dear with his men and easilt hunts a great pile of dear using mostly arrows. This corresponds to the lady's first advances on Sir Gawain. Like the deer her attempts were futile but flattered the other. The hunters acheived great success, and so did Gawain in avoiding laying with her.
The second hunt consists of the men hunting a boar which tears at dogs and hunters and mames many. The lady also trys very abrupt and upright techniues in her effort to lay with Gawain. Still, however, her attempts, and the boars, end in failure as she just extracts a kiss from him and the boar only inflicts wounds upon the hunters but does not escape.
The third and final of the hunts is the hunt of the fox. The most illusive of the creatures. Likewise, the lady is a little more elegant in her ways this time, she isn't charging after Gawain for love. And the fox and the lady both acheive more than any of the previous attempts and still meet failure. The fox is eventually found and skinned, and the lady eventually gives up after three kisses and the giving of her gift of a girdle.

1) Look at the progression of each stanza in this section and briefly list/discuss in order what every stanza is about.
1. This stanza discribes how the spring, and life, pass normally and quickly while Gawain waits for his fate.

2. This describes summer passing as Gawain waits for his meeting with the Green Knight.

3. This stanza describes how the holidays come and a great feast is had to celebrate Gawains honorable quest. He is greatly honored by many knights and he explains to Arthur that it is Gawain's time to depart and meet his fate.

4.explains the intricate and expensive armoring of Gawain for his quest. It shows that he was a very important knight and highly valued.

5. Gawain attends mass in his extravegant atire then the story eners into another description of his horses expensive armor and saddle. The symbol of birds comes up when discribing Gawains armor.

6. introduces the symbol of Gwains sheild and the pentangle

7. explains what each point of the pentangle represents and ties into the knightly virtues.

8. The departure of Sir Gawain and it morns how he was such a good person and would have made a great lord if he could live.

9. follows Gawain through his journey as he travels many lands. Throughout the stanza it speaks of his affiliation with God and his servitude towards Him. Aslo introduces the theme of an outcast and of lonliness

10. Gawain rides on alone and faces many foes that are deadly to most. He is saved by the grace of God until Christmas Eve.

11. Gawain rides through rough terrain and bog on Christmas. He prays to Mary to allow him to attend Mass on Christmas and to find a holy place.

12. Gawain finds a holy castle in the midst of the forest and praises the Lord for it.

13. Sir Gawain examines the Castle and finds it to be an amazing and inpenetrable structure. He wishes to dine here for christmas.

14. Gawain is recieved properly into the castle by a host of respectfull peoples. He is invited to stay at the castle by the lord to stay at as long as he likes.

15. gawain describes his host as a noble fellow. He is taken and clothed in very extravegant "springly" clothes in an elegant room.

16. Gawain reveals that he is indeed a knight of the round table no other than Sir Gawain. This calls great praise to him by the servants of the castle.

17. Gawain meets the lady of the castle and her old keeper. A vivid description is given of both and a sharp contrast is drawn between them.

18. Gawain formally greets the lady with a kiss. The lord challenges the men to play games and dinner is served.

19. An extravegant dinner is served and Gawain and the lady have a good time in eachothers company.

20. The people of the castle celebrate St. John's Day with extreme festivities because many people are leaving the following day. Gawain and the Lord talk in the lords bedroom about how honored the people of the castle are that Gawain could stay there.

21.Gawain tells of his quest to find the Green Chapel and the lord reveals that it is not but a short ways away and therefor Gawain could stay longer.

22.Gawain decides to stay with the lord until the day that he must meet the Green Knight. Gawain and the Lord celebrate with women.

23. The lord introduces the bargain that whatever he acquires in the next days shall be given to Gwain, and all that Gawain gets is for the Lord. Gawain accepts this and they drink merrily.
2) Look at the motif of games and discuss how it works in this section.


The motif of games appears in Fit number 2 when Sir Gawain arrives at the Castle and is recieved royally by the Lord. Games are used mainly in this story to honor people of high distinction or to celebrate a particular important event. The lord puts on games for Gawain because he is a very honored knight. Also, games usually occur before battle or when a hero does a great deed. Games happen in Fit 1 just before Gawain beheads the Green Knight. In Fit 2 they celebrate just before the lord goes hunting, and Gawain, nobely, refuses the lady of the castle.


3) Other than the pentangle describe a symbol in this section and relate it to a theme. Discuss how this symbol reinforces the theme.
The symbol of birds appears in this Fit a few times. First, when Gawain is suiting up for battle he wears silk that has Bird designs on it. Again when he takes off his armor at the castle he puts on robes that have birds. Birds tie into the theme of peace. When he takes off his battle wear he puts on clothing that has birds. Also he wears the birds on his armor as a good luck sign.

4) How is Gawain different in this section as compared to the last?
In this section gawain ios much more noble as compared to Fit 1. In fit 2 he is portrayed as an accomplished knight who has glorious battledeeds and is famed in many lands. In Fit 1 Gawain is depicted as less of a crusader against evil.

5) Discuss the setting.
The setting of fit 2 starts in Arthurs castle, then extends to the English wilderness and finally ends up around christmas time in another castle. Christmas is an important part of setting here, it is a time of merriness and festivities which ties into the idea of the rich castle that Gawain ends up at. Also, it is Halloween when Gawain leaves Arthur. Halloween is traditionally a dark holiday and Gawain's entering into the dark wilderness is parralleled by a dark holiday,

2) Explain how the following themes work and what characters can be looked at as symbols of the theme.

Role of Kings: role of kings is shown by how Hrolf leads his men, and is shown in a bad way by King Frodi when he is not a fair king and doesn’t share his loot. All of the kings of the story represent this theme.

Role of the Warrior: showed best by Bodvar Bjarki when in the final battle he is described as always being by his king in Bear form and always being next to his king during and away from battle to protect him. He is honorable, he does not kill for no reason, and he defends his country and king. King Hrolf’s 12 champions are examples of warriors as are all of the unnamed soldiers.

Role of Women: this is shown by Queen Olof negatively and by her daughter Yrsa positively. Women are traditionally supposed to be wives and peace offerings to powerful men like Yrsa does. Queen Olof is a strong, opinionated woman. Hrolf’s daughter is another example of a traditional woman.

Concept of Magic: shown when Haki the farmer uses magic to move his farm ahead of Hrolf and his men. Also by the brothers Elk-Frodi, and King Thorir who use magic and can sense their brother Bodvar’s death. Magic is also used when Bodvar has Hott drink the Dragon-troll’s blood to become powerfull. Skuld, Bodvar, Elk-Frodi, Hott-Hjalti, Bodvar, and Thorir are magical.

Revenge: is best shown by Queen Olaf’s revenge on Helgi by tricking him into marrying his daughter. Olaf, Helgi, Adils, Elk-Frodi, and Thorir are characters involved in revenge.

Hospitality: shown at Hrolf’s court when the champions are inhospitable to Hott and Bodvar, also the Berserkers are inhospitable. King Adils court is also very inhospitable to the champions and Hrolf when they try to burn them. King Adils, Bodvar, the Berserkers, the Champions, King Hrolf, Hott, and Olaf are involved in this theme.

3) Discuss one event in the story that seems to represent what you believe the book to be about.

When Hrolf and his champions are visiting Adils in order to extract his inheritance is a good example of what the book is about. Adils attempts to kill Hrolf but his champions stand rue to their king and do not reveal which one is Hrolf. They protect him through all of the obstacles thrown at them. I believe this represents that this book is about the relationship between a king and his warrior.

4) How do hrolf and is champions compare with Arthur and the round table?

Arthur and his nights are much more about the code and being honorable. Hrolf’s champions are very harsh, they are brute warriors who demolish every enemy. Arthurs champions are also much more independent, there are many tales of them individually and not as one team like Hrolf’s champions are.

8) Compare Hrolf Kraki to Beowulf.

Hrolf Kraki is similar to Beowulf in that in the final battle he went on a warrior rampage and was an incredible warrior, however, he is a much better king than Beowulf, he controls and leads his men. Also he allows his men to fight for him and protect him. He realizes his importance, where Beowulf is a warrior first. Also, Hrolf does not go about doing things only to gain honor but to attempt to help his kingdom. Beowulf acts mainly to be a warrior and gather honor.

paganism vs. christianity-Good vs. evil
---main character is a religious knight
Role of Warrior (knight) vs role of King
Idea of Hospitality
Chivalry- Faith-truth-honor
Role of women
Pride

Symbols
-green
-green knight
-green sash

2. Explain how the following themes work and what characters can be looked at as symbols of the theme:

Role of Kings: Hrolf, Helgi, Frodi, Halfdan, King Adils, Elk-Frodi, Thorir, Hring, and Hroar are all kings. Some of the kings are fair and good kings like Halfdan, kings were supposed to be leaders and were supposed to win honor for their men
Role of the warrior:
Role of women:
Concept of Magic:
Revenge:
Hospitality:


3. Discuss one event in the story that seems to represent what you believe the book to be about.
4. How do Hrolf and his Champions compare with King Arthur and the round table?
8. Compare Hrolf Kraki to Beowulf.

Beowulf Literary Analysis Project

Logan Weber
Period 3 College Prep English

The Author and His/Her Times
There are many different interpretations of who the author of Beowulf could possibly be. The theory that I will mainly focus on is that the tale was originally passed down through oral tradition but was later interpreted by a monk in England between 800 and 1100 AD. Many of the themes of Beowulf reflect parts of a Germanic Pagan society; these are left over bits of culture from the original oration of Beowulf by the Pagan bards. However, the poem also has colorful inserts of Christianity that I will interpret as being added following the oral tradition.
When focusing upon the scop who originally sang of Beowulf’s glory in the pagan halls there is one main cultural trend of that society which effected the tone and theme of the poem most significantly: that of the warrior culture in the ancient Baltic region. Anglo-Saxon culture in the first millennium was based upon the warrior. The warrior society, however, had many characteristics; wyrd (or fate), wergild (blood money), and honor are three main parts of the warrior culture. Honor was very important to all warriors. They could only make it to Valhalla (heaven) by doing honorable deeds in battle or by showing great loyalty (Garcia). These honorable deeds would be sung at in the giant mead halls of kings by scops. The scop that had sung of Beowulf originally portrayed the main character of his poem as the epitome of a great warrior so that the warriors of the hall would be inspired.










Garcia, Christopher. The Anglo-Saxon Hero Ed. Natasha Boehm. Pace University, n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009 .

Beowulf Dialectical Journal 2910-end

ln2999-3003
"So this bad blood between us and the swedes, this vicious feud, they will cross our borders and attack in force...Beowulf is dead."
Tone: very dark and hopeless. Theme: feuds, although they have been at peace for some time, now that the Swedes have an upper hand the old blood will come back. this shows just how much Beowulf affected life.

ln 3051-3057
"That huge cache, gold inherited from an ancient race, was under a spell...no one was allowed to enter that ring hall unless god himself,...allowed someone, pleasing to Him... to open the hoard."

The cache is cursed.. if the dragon and Beowulf are parallel in that they both hoard something (gold for the dragon and pride for Beowulf) and the dragons hoard is cursed then Beowulf's pride is cursed. It is Beowulf's pride that eventually kills him. Also it is the dragons gold that he is killed for even though it does the keeper no good.


ln 3074-3075
"Yet Beowulf's gaze at the gold treasure when he first saw it had not been selfish."
Shows again what Beowulf's main motivation is in life.. If he isn't killing the dragon for treasure then it must be for fame. Beowulf needs no more treasure, and if he got it then it would go to his warriors.

ln 3100
"his worth and due as a warrior were the greatest."
Theme: good warrior. Beowulf was the best warrior that there could be... However, he was a warrior before a king which is another of his possible tragic flaws. Why don't they think he was a good king?

ln3169-3172
" Then twelve warriors rode around the tomb, chieftain's sons, champions in battle, all of them distraught, chanting in dirges, mourning his loss as a man and a king."

Again with 12.. possibly the twelve disciples.. Are they the twelve men who Beowulf chose to go with him to fight the dragon? They lament him as a "king and a man" but not a warrior... if he was loved earlier for his warrior spirit, and now for his kingship and as an all-around great man then he must have good traits in all of those aspects of life. Why 12?

Beowulf Dialectical Journal 2470-2910

ln2345-2348
"Yet the prince o the rings was too proud to line up with a large army against the sky-plague."

Tragic flaw. Pride is Beowulf's tragic law. He dies because he is to proud to use the aid of his warriors. Theme: good warrior.. and king.... he fights for honor and his country. but he also is a good king in that he is honorable, and will sacrifice himself for his country.

ln 2488
" his feud calloused hand"
The swedes had many feuds. Foreshadow to future Swedish feuds? showing the swedes as a bit of an antagonist in the story.

ln 2497-2500
"I marched ahead of him, always at the front of the line;...As long as this sword shall last. "
Theme good warrior.... also honor... when his sword does finally break his kinsman takes the lead to attempt to slay the dragon. Shows Beowulf's courage.

ln 2658-2660
" should he alone be left to fall in battle? We must bond together, shield and helmet, mail-shirt and sword."

Theme: good warrior... he won't let his king die alone. he seeks glory also. LOYALTY.

ln 2767-2769
"And he saw too a standard, entirely of gold,....it glowed with light"

The golden standard is a symbol for Beowulf's life. Glorious and golden. it illuminated glorious things for those around him and it was extremely precious and valuable.

Beowulf and the Dragon

Beowulf and the Dragon were parallel characters. The Dragon in some stories is a symbol for hate and malice and evil. However in others it is a majestic, powerful, amazing creature. if it is interpreted in the latter form then you could say it was parallel to Beowulf. They were both amazing creatures, full of power and amazing capabilities. Both could not be harmed by a blade (dragon scales and chain mail) and both died at the hands of another great being.... You could interpret the dragon as, not an evil character but a character sent by god to enforce wyrd. It is the wyrm of wyrd.

Literary Terms

Connotation- The idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing.
EXAMPLE: A connotation in Beowulf would be Heorot. Heorot is associated with wealth, power, hospitality, and righteousness.

Point of view- the position of the narrator in relation to the story. The narrators outlook on the story and his attitude towards the characters.
there are three main types. 1st person is when the story is seen from the eyes of one character. 2nd person is when the narrator is telling the story to another character using words like "you". 3rd person is when the author is telling the story about someone else using words like he or she. 3rd person comes in both omniscient and limited. Omniscient is a point of view that follows multiple character around. Limited follows one character.
EXAMPLE:
1st: To Kill a Mocking bird is in first person.. the point of view of scout.
2nd:Bright Lights, Big City by Jay Mclnerney.
3rd: The most dangerous game is 3rd person.

Beowulf Dialectical Journal ln 1320-1950

ln 1347-1353
"they have seen two such creatures prowling the moors,...one of these things, as far as anyone ever can discern, looks like a woman; the other, warped in the shape of a man, moves beyond the pale bigger than any man."

Grendel and his mother. ties to the theme of the underworld. Parallelism to the two giants in Branwen daughter of Llyr? Lonely. Theme: banishment, the two characters are alone, banished from society.

ln 1383-1396
Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, spoke: wise sir do not grieve. It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning....Let whoever can win glory before death. Bear up and be the man I expect you to be."

Theme:Pagan vs. Christianity.....this speech gives Beowulf a pagan influence whereas sometime he is viewed as christian...or as Christ(or anti-Christ)... This also ties into the theme of Fate or wyrd. If a warrior is destined to die than why not make the best of it and die honorably. Why does the author switch from paganism to Christianity so much?

ln 1421
"Aescher's head at the foot of the cliff."

This is Grendel's mothers retaliation for her son's death. Theme: wergild. they pay for Grendel's death with one of there own. Symbolism.... the head means something. Possibly marks victory or vengeance...but really only Feilding knows... Severed body parts symbolize trophies as well, it could be the mothers way of displaying her trophy.

ln1446-1448
"It would keep the bone-cage of his body safe: no enemy's clasp could crush him in it, no vicious armlock choke his life out."

Very similar to Grendel... Grendel was invincible to swords and weapons... it took Christ to kill him. This passage also shows just how invincible Beowulf was; it is possible to be killed even if you have chain-mail on, but not Beowulf. Also a foreshadow to Beowulf's victory. Wyrd...he is destined to win.

ln 1512-1517
"The gallant man could see that he had entered some hellish turn-hole....because the hall-roofing...a gleam and flare-up, a glimmer of brightness."

This is Grendel's mother's lair but it sounds like Heorot when Grendel attacked it the last time. Parallelism between Beowulf's attack and Grendel's? If so, there is a very different outcome, the attacker wins in Beowulf's assault.

ln 1607-1611
"It is a wondrous thing how it all melted as ice melts when the Father eases the fetters off the frost and unravels the water-ropes. He who wields power over time and tide: He is the true lord."

Symbol: the sword symbolizes life and death.... it was created by the giants, who are a race that in some back stories such as Branwen come from the depths o' hell (giving the sword magical powers). The sword "dies" after it kills other things from the underworld. The "fetters of the frost" is like the relieving of Grendel and his mother off of the world and Heorot. the last sentence is a great example of an insert that probably was added by the poet after oral tradition to give the christian flavor.

ln 1713-1722
"He vented his rage on men he caroused with, killed his own comrades, a pariah king who cut himself off from his own kin....He suffered in the end or having plagued his people for so long: his life lost happiness."

Theme: Good King... Heremod is NOT a good king. he is a kin killer and doesn't share his treasure as well as many other bad characteristics. Also foreshadow to his death at the end of the quote.

ln 1873-1876
"Two forebodings disturbed him in his wisdom, but one was stronger: nevermore would they meet each other face to face."

Foreshadows Hrothgar's death. Good King: wisdom. What is the other foreshadow??? is it just Beowulf's departure?

Beowulf Dialectical Journal ln 850-1320

ln 945-949
"so now, Beowulf, I adopt you...no worldly goods than won't be yours."
Greatest Honor. Adoption is the opposite of Banishment. connection for 2 countries. Why would he do this.... is it just to honor or to have an extremely strong "heir"?

ln 1018
"The Sheilding Nation was not yet familiar with feud and betrayal."
What does he mean? Unferth betrayed when he killed his brother. They were in a feud with the Franks according to the poem.

ln 1075-1078
"When morning came...on murdered dears."
Parralelism to the morning in Hereot after Grendel attacks. Sad tone. Draws a connection between the sadness of the ladies of Hereot and those of the tale that the bard is singing.

ln 1096-1107
"Finn swore... A funeral pyre"
Why is he honoring the enemy with a pyre in a pagan world? Theme: Good King, makes peace with the enemy and tries to resolve a feud. Why not just crush the leaderless enemy and resolve it that way. Is pitty honorable?

ln 1116-1118
"Son's body... to sputter....besides his uncle's."
Why burned with kin? Theme: Kin and Honor. Is it honorable to be layed to rest with older and more experience warriors?

ln 1152-1153
"Finn was cut down, the queen brought away"
Foreshadow to Hrothgar and or Beowulfs deaths? Why would they take the queen. Theme: Trophy? Role of women

ln 1205-1207
"Fate swept him away...a feud with the Frisians."
Wyrd. Don't prevoke the Frisians.... foreshadow to the Swedes destroying the geats. Theme: Feud and Blood Money as well as Fate.

ln 1299-1306
"Beowulf was elsewhere...both parties having to pay."
Why did she take his arm and not revenge? Symbolism. The arm symbolized victory and she took it. She could have killed everyone because Beowulf wasn't there to kill her. They both loose. She lost her son and a chance at revenge, the danes lost their trophy and one of their best men.

My rants on how i hate Feilding

He makes me Run
He wont fail me even though i try to
He make me like school more than i should
Logan is a monkey

Beowulf Dialectic Journal Lines 300-800

ln316-318
"May the almighty Father... Watch over your exploits."

Why is the Daneish coast gaurd Christian? A sign of welcome? Theme of hospitality. Is christianity hospitable in the authors eyes?

ln 337-338
"Stoutness of heart, bravery not banishment, must have brought you to hrothgar."

No man would go to Heorot willingly unless he had grea courage. Warns Beowulf, also greatly compliment him and adds to the theme of a good warrior and leader, bravery.

ln 380-381
"with the strength of thirty in the grip of each hand."
Connects Beowulf to Grendel stealing 30 men the first night. Why 30? Does it connect to the Bible? Grendel can hold 15 men in each hand. Beowulfs party is of 15 men. Coincidence?

ln 442-455
"If Grendel wins, it will be a gruesome day;... Fate goes ever as fate must."
Theme of a good warrior: Beowulf will fight to he death no matter what. He fights fair. He will beat grendel on grendels terms... no armor. Theme: Honor, Fate. Fate ties to Paganism. WHy doesn't he want his body to by recovered. WYRD!!

ln 529-589
"Beowulf, Ecgtheow's son replied. " well friend Unferth, you have had your say about Breca and me. But it was mostly beer tha was talking... Now I cannot recall any fight you entered Unferth,... You will suffer damnation in the depths of hell."
Beowulf's Epic Boast. Never breaks calm but he successfully humiliated Unferth. Unferth has no honor, is a kin killer, a coward, and envious. He is much like cain. He is marked by his drunkness. Beowulf proves his point.

ln 696-702
"But Lord was weaving a victory... The ruth is clear, Almighty God rules over mankind and always has."
FORESHADOW!! More christianity. Beowulf would prevail. WHy does god favor Beowulf? Is this an added part by the author after oral tradition.

Bewulf Journal pages 1-21

ln 34-50
"They stretched their beloved lord in his boat...well furbished with battle tackle... decked his body with offerings...bewailing him and mourning their loss."

This passage describes the burial ritual of Shiels Sheafson. Forshadow to the end of the sory and Beowulf's funeral pyre? Theme: he beginning and end of a man's life. The story of Bewulf is argued to be about the life of Beowulf, his beginning and end. All we see of Shield is the beginning and end of his life, and he is very similar to Beowulf in his characteristics. Paralellism.

ln 53-63
"Then it fell to Beow to keep the forts...and then his heir the great Halfdone...Heorogar, Hrothgar, the good Halga, and a daughter... a balm in bed to the battle-scarred swede."

Lineage. The history of he danish kings. Why go into such detail? Is it just to show a powerfull lineage? Historical facts? Interwoven stories? Nameless daughter is married to a swede. Shows the role of women. Why such detail when i doesn't involve the main character?

ln102-108
"Grendel was the name of this grim demon haunting the marches, marauding around the heath and desolating fens... Cain's clan, whom the creaor had outlawed and condemed as outcass. For the killing of Abel the Eernal Lord had exalted a price."

Grendel is from Cain's Clan. Cain couldn't be aided by man because of the mark god placed on him, so he lived in sorrow. Grendel can't be with any men because he is a monster, he lives in exile. PARALLELISM to Cain's story. Christianity becomes part of the story. Why does a monster introduce christianity?

ln154-156
"how he would never parley or make peace with any Dane nor stop his death-dealing nor pay the death price."

WYR-GILD!! Grendel is evil theirfor he refuses and is incapable of paying blood-money. however, like Cain he pays for his sin in other ways, like exile. Beowulf contrasts to Grendel's lack of honor with the honor that he shows when he goes to he dane's to pay off his father's debt to hrothgar by killing grendel. Why don't the dead men's families act?

ln 175-178
"Sometimes at pagan shrines hey vowed offerings to idols, swore oaths that the killer of souls might come to their aid and save the people."

Paganism and Chrisianity clash. why is it that when the author brings pagnism into the story the characters are in great distress? Is pagan more futile? Does grendel symbolize pagan influence?

ln 196-199 and ln 221-223
"There was no one else like him alive. in his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, high-born, and powerfull.
"those seafarers sighted land, sunlit cliffs, sheer crags, and looming head lands, the landfall they sought."

Appositives used to highten meaning. Why are they used to describe the biggest ideas? Is it just to highten one of the five senses, or do hey enhance symbols or themes as well?

Literary Terms

Character flat/ round-
Flat- A character who's background, and traits, are not given to us as readers. They arent 3dimensional
Example- Matholwch is a flat character. All that we know about him is that he is the King of Ireland. however we can make many assumptions based on his actions.
Round- A character who's background and many important fact about them is given to us such as appearance and traits. They are 3dimensional.
Example- Rainsford, from the most dangerous game, is a round character. we learn about his past hunts and his personality and beleifs in the exposition of the story.



Tone- a particular feeling that is given to a word or phrase to enhance its meaning and give it a mood.
Example: The cask of amontillado has a tone of horor that adds to the gruesome feeling of how Montresor is going to murder Fortunado in a horrible way. Everything from the gloomy setting to some of the dialougue between these characters adds to this tone.

JRR Tolkein Beowulf Review

JRR tolkien reviews beowulf by first attcking previous reviews.

He criticizies previous critics like Beowulfiana, Girvan, and many more. His main critique of these men is how they analyze beowulf. Tolkien believes that it should be veiwed as a poem and nothing more. However, many previous authors of Beowulf analysis choose to veiw i as a historical document or a fairytail. This, according to tolkien, makes it hard for them to apreciae what the story really is, a poem.

So many people have analyzed, and re-analyzed Beowulf that they have lost the rue meaning of the author in time. Although i does have many historical facts, such as battles and people, Beowulf has alot of fiction. Many people dont see this. They see the many facts of the story and assume that it is a historical document. Critics go on to notice that many of the "facts" in Beowulf are incorrect, theirfor coming to the conclusion that the author was crazy.

Tolkein points out another major mistake of critics that is they veiw it as a fairy tail. This mistake he says, is made when critics don't veiw the whole document. They see it as just another fairy tail with dragons, monsters, and a hero. Tolkein shows that the story has been analyzed in so many ways that it isnt seen for what it really is anymore, a Poem.







Analysis

I think that tolkein is raging a little bit.He repeats himself alot. He has, however, very good evidence for his statements, and i do agree with him. Sometimes fiction is fiction. even if it has a little fact in it. Writing was originally made to be enjoyed but sometime when it is a great peice, it is analyzed too much and it looses its enjoyment.

Beowulf Notes

2-part structure
Sunrise and sunset of a hero's life

Sunrise

We se the sunrise in Beowulfs career. We are introduced to him as a young man out to win fame and honor his father's debts. His defeat of Grendel and Grendel's mother come at the beginning of his fame. he will go on and win other honors.

Sunset

We see the sunset of Beowulf's career and life. the second part of the story takes place over 50 years after the first. beowulf is an old man and has been king for a long time. We witness the end of a great career.


3-part Structure

3 monsters-3 Battles-each battle increasing in difficulty.

This Structure focuses on the monsters. this is the story of three monsters and three battles. The danger of each battle and each monster increases as the story progresses.

-Grendel: The battle with Grendel is fought in Herot and with Beowulf wait to ambush him. Beowulf fights with bare hands.

-Grendel's Mother: the battle with the mother is fought in her lair. Beowulf, the intruder, swims for a day the depth of a fiery lake while the mother waits and ambushes him. He saves himself by using an ancient sword that he finds in her hall

-The dragon: The worm breathes fire and contains venom. Nothing compares to it and to make matters more complicated Beowulf is an old man.


Interweaving Stories or Interlacing of narrative

-Presenting the narrative with memories of the past. So, you have Beowulf fighting Grendel and then a story of the past that corresponds with what happened, or comments on it.

-Action and Reflection; Action and Wisdom; Glorious Deeds and Feuds; Battles and Wisdom; about Peace

-This structure uses the idea of the Anglo-Saxon belt with the interlacing knots suggesting that all things- past and present- are connected. Wyrd.

Parallelism

-What happens in the story is parallel to a story that the bard sings. Example the bard sings of Sigmund killing a dragon. This song parallels and foreshadows beowulf later killing the dragon. The stories of feuds and ambushes in the text (such as the story of Finn) parallels the ambush and burning of Herot.


Seamus Heaney

-Sees a fifth way to look at the poem
-The story and destiny of three nations
-Danes
-Geats
-Swedes

Line Structure in Old English Poetry

-Old english poetry worked primarily on stresses and alliteration
-Each line had four stressed words. There was a pause or a caesurs after the 2nd stress.
-Each line held three alliterative words.
-Gomban gyldan: paet waes god cyning!

Literary Terms

Caesura: A strong pause within a line.

Alliteration: the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of two or more words.

Litotes: A kind of undersatement, often humorous, where the speaker or writer uses a negative of a word ironically to mean the opposite. Example: She's not the prettiest girl (She's damn ugly) Literary Example: "The Grave's a fine and private place, but none, i think, do there embrace."

Kenning: A metaphorical phrase or compound metaphor (usually a two-word metaphor) used instead of the name of the thing. Example: whale road or sheperd of evil. A compressed metonymy often involving a riddle.

Epic Hero: A hero in an epic. This hero usually has above average strength, intelligence, and morals. He is a symbol for what the culture stands for or believes in. Beowulf- represents the ultimate warrior in a warrior culture. often the epic hero also has a flaw (a heroic flaw) that serves to remind the culture of faults even in the best of things.

Epic Boast: A kind of resume presented by the epic hero. It could be seen today as a type of bragging, but in the warrior culture it was expected of a warrior to discuss his achievements and prowess before asking for the right to fight a foe.

Flytes or Flyting: A game of verbal taunting between warriors. A type of epic boasting. A good example of this would be the verbal exchange between Beowulf and Unferth. A type of epic boasting. He unleashed his WORD-HOARD.

Metonymy: A figure in speech in which one thing is represented by another that is commonly and often physically associated with it. EXAMPLE: Bran's size , "no house could contain him," could be a metonymy for the size of his army or kingdom.

Synecdoche: A figure in speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole. EXAMPLE: All hands on deck, or 12 sails on the horizon.

Appositive: A building up of phrases that mean the same thing. Tjis was characteristic of oral poetry to have a set of stock phrases that could be used to fit a pattern. The build up is supposed to have climatic effect. EXAMPLE: the shepherd of evil, gaurdian of crime.

Motif: Any recurrent image, symbol, theme, character type, or narrative detail, subject.

Motifs in Beowulf: Kin Killing, Feuds and ambushes, Women mourning, The arming of the warrior (swords), Heads and limbs, the giving of gifts.

Allusion: A reference to a person , event, statement, or theme found in literature, the arts, myths, religion, or popular culture. EXAMPLE: Beowulf contains numerous allusions to the bible.


Symbols: Herot, Grendel's Lair, Grendel's, arm, Swords, The dragon's treasure, the Three monsters, Many of the characters in the digressions.

Characters: Beowulf, hrothgar, Unferth, Brecca, Shield Sheafson (Scyld Scefing), Heorogar, Wulfgar, Grendel, Grendel's Mother, Wealtheow.

Roles of women:
Peacemaking, biologically through a woman's marital ties with foreign kings as a peace-pledge or a mother of sons. Secondly, it involves peacemaking socially and psychologically as a cup-passing and peace-weaving queen within a hall.
Hostess, Peace Pledge, Monster.

Comitatus: germanic tribes which invaded britain held strong beleiefs in the basic family unit and were industrious and warlike. They choose their kings for birth and thier generals for merit. Even poor tribal members could become rich and powerful if they were willing and able to prove themselves brave and adept in battle. the practice of Comitatus (a term used by the early historian Tacitus) was an agreement by which a youth would attach himself to a strong leader for the purpose of gaining riches and prestige. This arrangement could have been the precursor oof the lord-thane relationship of feudal institutions of the time, which can also be observed in Beowulf.
-Exile was the worst thing that could happen to a warrior.
-Kin-Killing was the worst crime that one could commit in this society.
-Cowardice equaled failure. It was better to die well in battle than to run away and live to fight another day.

Warior Culture: Warriores kept their armor and weapons at their sides at all times. The beowulf poet praises the Geats. "They were always prepared for war, weather at hom or in the feild, as their lord required" (1246-50). the warriosr's kit would include a helmet, shield, spear, and chainmail, and, if he had high status, a sword. They used crested or combed helmets from the 7th and 8th century, with a very sturdy all-iron construction. Mail shirts cinsisted of rows of riveted rings alternating with of butt-welding rings. the rings were of gray steel , skillfully formed into an intricatee meshm and they liked and jingled on the move. Shields and spears were part of the basic fighting kit of the war-band. Swords were powerful heirlooms. etc...

Christianity: the poet of Beowulf is christian, but the society he describes is not. Sometimes the narrator's voice comments from a christian perspective on pagan values, beliefs, and customs.

Revenge: the death of a kinsman must be avenged by his male relations, in blood or in money.

Wergild- the principal that a man can extract money for the death of kin.

kinsmen: kin isnt just family, it is friends and one who owed favors.

It's not Delivery, It's Displacement

Everyone loves money. It is one of the greatest feelings to get money and one of the worst to lose it. Money is the most essential element to having success. It is needed to do everything from running a car to making a school function. The later of these is where Skagway School has difficulty.
Skagway School is a school that is dedicated to higher learning. To achieve this goal of higher learning they need proper quality funding. In the state of Alaska schools get a certain amount of funding depending on their enrollment count. Skagway, in past years, has had an enrollment count of anywhere from 100 to 120 students; but it has almost always been over 100. That 100-student-mark is crucial one. Schools with an enrollment count of over 100 students get a significant amount more funding then schools below the 100 mark. In our many years with more than 100 students, Skagway School District has been able to afford many learning devices: a set of high-quality digital conferencing equipment, Mac Book computers for each student, and a complete set of river kayaks, mountain bikes and much more. Each of these devices is an essential part of our curriculum. However, as the economy plunges, so does our enrollment. It is currently projected to come in just under 90 students, drastically reducing our funding and possibly causing the school district to relinquish the BASIC learning tools that we have worked hard for.
Nothing can be done for the immediate alleviation of this crisis. However, in the long run, change can be made. Every day I see commercials for companies that try to help poverty all over the globe. According to a study done by Anup Shah, about 27-28 percent of the worlds children in growing countries are underweight or stunted. However, there is poverty everywhere: from Russia, to China, to Africa, even in the US’s largest cities people are living in horrible conditions. My plan is alleviate our crisis by helping these families. I propose that we send people to every third world corner in the globe, from Africa, to Eastern Europe, to even our own backyard in LA and Detroit, and many more. These “missionaries” can bring food and clothing to those in need and attempt to befriend them. Once each family feels as though our missionaries are great friends then we could make a proposal to them. If they allow us to take one child per ten square miles back home with us every year then we will take that child off of their hands. I will first explain to you how this plan will take place. Then I will demonstrate how much sense it makes to follow this plan for both the villages and Skagway School. Finally, I will discuss how the new and improved Skagway will be much improved afterwards.
If my proposal was to work in its entirety then we wouldn’t be able to take just any kids. We would focus on specimens that had something to offer Skagway that no one else could. We would focus on children of age 10 to 15 because the have just started to demonstrate their talents. Skagway School’s sports have always been a focal point, and if we want to continue that tradition then we should attempt to acquire top athletes for each sport. Each year we could deepen our cross country team with a few especially fit Kenyans. Our track team, which has been a bit smaller as of late, could use the speedy quick Jamaicans to help it a little. One of Skagway’s favorite sports is basketball, which would benefit from some southern Californian high-fliers, and maybe even a few of the taller Chinese. Wrestling, also, is a competitive sport, and to keep it strong we could have a few eastern European toughies, and one or two Russians. We could never forget, however, the academic side of school. A friendly Asian professor assures me that the Chinese are the best scientists in the world, and that the Indians are quite prolific at math. However, his method for extraction is of inhumanely packing them into freight containers and shipping them to Skagway for a very cheap fee. On the other hand, it would be very useful to invest in some of these geniuses. This plan, although it could take a while, would both boost our enrollment way over 100, and put some talented people into our school system.

My plan would also help the families of the children. When our missionaries first arrived in these places, we would want the locals would be exposed to a refined society. For that reason, we wouldn't just send anyone to them. According to a study done by a French Friar, anyone can be taught to be a kind and hospitable (the exact traits that we need). An interview from an unnamed guard at the Lemon Creek Penitentiary assures me that there is an excessive amount of minor miscreants that it is getting hard to feed. If we combined both of these educated individuals testimony, then we could use it to train the petty criminals to become hospitable and loving of all. This would help both the local crime rate and foreign exposure to higher classes. As our people learned the local language and became used to each places customs, the locals would become more trusting of them. Then when the proposal is given, they could make no more logical choice than to accept. They would be sending their child to a better place, and they would get to keep that little money that they had been spending on him or her. According to another study, over 80 percent of the worlds population lives on less than 10 US dollars a day, that is less than a foot-long sub at Subway. Once the deal was initially put into place, it could be carried on for as long as we need. Our missionary could move to another region and continue the cycle. Then, whenever we needed a specific talent or a boost in enrollment, we could send a simple letter or, in special cases, a missionary to pick out the ideal child.
Although it could take a while, Skagway would be a much improved borough after the plan was completed. We would have massive ethnic diversity, our test scores would soar to unimaginable heights, and our sports teams would make history. Many of the people that were shipped in to go through our school system would stay in Skagway after they graduate. This would mean that eventually they could have kids and boost our school even more. This event would go down in history as one of the greatest ideas, and it could be used to help any dieing city.
My plan would enable Skagway to not only retain a quality school, but also allow it to excel. It would help both us, and families from around the globe. Finally it would improve the general condition of Skagway. We are in a time of change and it is time that we joined the movement.