MP #8

8. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

MP #7

7. Does the essay merely function as a satirical attack?  Does Swift ever present any serious proposals for improving conditions?  If so, where?

MP#6

6. Which groups of people are singled out as special targets for Swifts’ attack?  Are the Irish presented completely as victims, or are they also to blame?

MP#5

5. When does the reader begin to realize that the essay is ironic?  Before or after the actual proposal is made in paragraph 10?

MP#4

4. Look closely at paragraphs 4, 6, and 7, and study how the appeals to logic are put in mathematical and economic terms. list them here

MOdest Proposal #3

3. Would it be possible to read this essay as a serious proposal?

Modest Proposal #2

2. A clear difference exists between Swift and the persona who makes this proposal.  Characterize the proposer.

Modest Proposal #1

1. “A Modest Proposal” is an ironic essay: the author deliberately writes what he does not mean.  What is the real thesis?  Is there more than one?

Jonathon Swift

Jonathan Swift, 1667-1745 •  Anglo-Irish Dean of St. Patrick’s
•  Author of Gulliver’s Travels, 1726
•  THE great prose satirist of the English language.
•  His tombstone reads, "He has gone where savage indignation can tear his heart no more." A hero’s welcome (parades, church bells ringing, bonfires, the whole enchilada) awaited Jonathan Swift when he arrived in Dublin during the late summer of 1726.  This because—in addition to his success with Gulliver’s Travels—he had rallied public opinion for the cause of Irish economic and political independence in his role as M.B. Drapier of St. Francis Street (an alias).  In his Fourth Drapier Letter, addressed to the “Whole People of Ireland,” he declared that “by the Laws of God, of Nature, of Nations, and of your own Country, you are and ought to be as Free a People as your brethren in England.”
Strangely enough, this was the same man who referred to Ireland as “the most miserable country upon earth” and wrote “I do suppose nobody hates and despises this kingdom more than myself” and described the trip from England to Ireland as “a passage to the land I hate.”  Instead of the “fat deanery or lean bishopric” he so assiduously but vainly sought near his literary friends in England, he returned to Ireland for good in 1713 as Dean of St. Patrick’s, to make this “wretched Dublin in Ireland” his permanent home, “a poisoned rate in a hole,” as he vividly describes his situation to his friend Bolingbroke.  However, he was constantly role-playing and he just as often praised Ireland and the quality of his own life there

Irish History

READ AND COMMENT: 
Irish History to 1729

390-461       St. Patrick brings Christianity to Ireland 795-1014     Vikings begin series of invasions
1170           Long-term British involvement in Ireland begins
1541            Henry VIII of England, a Protestant, declares himself King of Ireland
1649            Oliver Cromwell crushes Irish opposition.
By 1703,     Protestants own 90% of the country's land.
1695-1728     Penal Laws: Acts against Catholics. These

o Prevent Catholics from bearing arms and owning horses worth over five pounds.
o Restrict their rights to education.
o Stop them buying land and on death, Catholic property has to be divided among all sons.
o Ban Catholics from serving in the army, holding public office, entering the legal profession, becoming MPs or voting.

Lear #11

Play "count the bodies" at the end.  Who, by the end, has died.  How many were "guilty" and how many were "innocent."  What does this say about the concept of poetic justice?

Lear #10

Discuss the symbolism of EYES in relationship to Gloucester.

Lear #9

Discuss Regan, Goneril, and Edmund and their "relationship."

Lear #8

Describe the Dover Cliff incident. What role does it serve in the plot?

Lear #7

Discuss Edgar and "Poor Tom"--is Edgar mad? If not, why is he acting like he is?  Compare and contrast to Lear and his madness.

Lear #6

Shakespeare is an expert at using WEATHER to convey his character's emotions.  Compare the STORM outside to the STORM in Lear's mind in Act III.

Lear #5

Trace the growing cruelty of Regan and Goneril.

Lear #4

Discuss the role of the FOOL in this play.  Does he love Lear?  How does he show it?  What can the Fool do (get away with) that no other character can?  Why??

Lear #3

Parents and children:  (subtitle--and you thought dysfunctional families were new!)   We are shown two families rather closely--Lear and his three daughters and then Gloucester and his two sons.  Do a little research and tell me what a RENAISSANCE reader would think made a GOOD family--and then show how these families are good and how they are not.  Which of Gloucester's two sons loves him?  How does he show this?  How does Gloucester treat him--initially?  Compare to Lear's treatment of his daughters.

Lear #3

Discuss the character of KENT--how is he consistent throughout the play and how does he change?

Lear #2

Right away, let's establish the idea of "who really loves King Lear" and "who really speaks the truth?"  Starting with the three sisters--which one is Lear's "true" daughter and how does she show it?  How does Lear react to this?

King Lear #1

Describe the character of King Lear at the beginning of the play.  What motivates him?

MDA#9

Is Guinevere, in any way, a FEMINIST character??

MDA #8

What is the chivalric code?  What is the Christian code? How was Lancelot loyal to the chivalric code, but not the Christian code and how does that lead to his demise?

MDA #7

In Morte D'Arthur, Love versus Duty is an important theme. What is Malory's view of the importance of these two ideals? Which does he value more? Explain.

MDA #4

If you had to make a movie of one chapter of Le Morte D'Arthur, which one would you choose, and why? Who would you cast in each role?

MDA #3

Why are all these knights so concerned with chivalry? How do they define chivalry? Do you think it still has a place in our culture today or is chivalry, as they say, dead?

MDA #2

What is your favorite popular adaptation of Le Morte D'Arthur or the Arthur story in general? How does it compare to the book?

Morte D'Arthur #1

Which character in the Morte D'Arthur do you most admire and why? Are there any characters that you admire?

Prologue #2

What are the Wife's view on marriage and sex?

Wife of Bath Prologue

How many husbands has the Wife (Alisoun) had?   Trace them here:  For example, #1 was when she was 12 years old and  . . .

WIfe of Bath #12

How does the Hag's transformation externally match or mirror an internal transformation of the rapist knight who earlier gave no respect to women?

Wife of Bath #11

How does the Tale of the Wife of Bath connect to her message in the prologue?  How might her story be a type of wish-fulfillment for aging?

Wife of Bath #10

What two options does the Hag present the Knight?  What option does he choose (trick question!)? How does the hag then change?

Wife of Bath #9

What does the hag teach the young knight about nobility in her lecture?  What makes a person "Noble" or "Gentle" according to her?

Wife of Bath #8

What does the Old Hag say she wants in return for providing the answer to the knight's riddle?  What is the Queen and the court's reactions to the Knight's answer?

Wife of Bath #7

What problem does the Knight find when he starts asking women what they want?    What are some of the answers he receives?

Wife of Bath #6

What is the initial punishment King Arthur orders for the knight?  Who intervenes and requests a special trial?   Who is in charge of this special trial?  What must the knight do to save his head?   How long does the knight have to fulfill his mission? 

Wife of Bath #5

What crime does the lusty bachelor commit?  What is "maidenhead"?

Wife of Bath #4

LOTS of horses in this tale.  What would a HORSE symbolize in this period?  Might have to do some research to find this one.

Wife of Bath #3

What happens to the maid riding alone through the corn? 

Wife of Bath #2

According to the Wife of Bath, why can't people see elves anymore?  What has driven them out of their  natural habitat?

WIfe of Bath #1

What is the setting of the tale???

Beowulf #9

Look at the religious references in the poem: what are the names for God? What biblical events are mentioned, and who mentions them? What specifically pagan practices (sacrifice, burial, augury, etc.) are described? How do the characters see their relationship to God (or the gods)? Why would a Christian author write a poem about a pagan hero?

Beowulf #8

When Beowulf dies, does he go to Heaven? Why or why not??  Support your answer

Beowulf #7

Who are the Swedes and Frisians? Why are we given so much detailed information about the history of their quarrels with the Geats?

Beowulf #6

Where does the dragon come from? Why does he attack the Geats? Is the dragon a greater or lesser threat than Grendel? Why does Beowulf go to fight him?

Beowulf #5

What do the poets within Beowulf sing about? To whom do they sing their songs? What is the purpose of their performances?

Beowulf #4

Who is Unferth, and why is he so hostile to Beowulf? Why is he allowed to speak that way?

Beowulf #3

Trace the history of the hall Heorot – why was it built, what happened within its walls, how and by whom was it destroyed?

Beowulf #2

What is Grendel’s lineage? What do the characters in the poem know about Grendel? How is this different from what we the audience know?

Beowulf #1

Who is Scyld? Where does he come from? Where does he go? What does he do? Why does the poem begin here, rather than with Hrothgar and Grendel?

Britain Before the Renaissance Project

Post here what 1) area of life and 2) what work you will be examining in your September 10 presentation.  This is also a good place to have discussion/ask questions about your topics and projects.