Summer Reading Questions for Junior Honors English
Central Dauphin High School
Mr. Bennett
Answer only ONE of the following as instructed:
1. Beowulf is an early Anglo-Saxon epic poem. As such, it contains numerous examples of
Anglo-Saxon cultural capital (the knowledge, values, attitudes, and beliefs that form a
culture). As you read the poem, identify aspects of this cultural capital as they are revealed
through the actions of the characters. Use these observations to develop a “description” of
Anglo-Saxon culture. Your essay should contain numerous, specific examples from the text
to back up your “description.”
2. Beowulf shares many common characteristics with other famous heroic tales, such as the
Arthurian legends. Yet, Beowulf is very different from the chivalrous Arthur in numerous
ways. Contrast the heroic characteristics of Beowulf with King Arthur and theorize why the
“heroic ideal” would have changed so dramatically over a period of four hundred years.
3. A Man for All Seasons illustrates the Renaissance belief that reason and law could
“elevate” humans. This unshakable belief in Humanistic thinking is the force that propels Sir
Thomas More toward his demise. Discuss how More’s faith in the power of reason places
him in conflict with young King Henry’s “desires.” Explain how More expects the law to
protect him. Please cite specific statements made by King Henry and Thomas More in your
essay.
4. Sir Thomas More utilizes the principles of rhetoric (the art of logical argument) to make
his case against King Henry’s divorce. Trace his use of rhetoric as he desperately attempts to
save his own life from a corrupt and unjust bureaucracy and analyze the effectiveness of his
reasoning. Use specific examples from the play.
5. The history of the English language is inextricably tied to the history of the English
people. This begs the question: Does the culture advance the language, or does the
language advance the culture? Assess the relationship between Old English (the language)
and cultural values as revealed in Beowulf with the relationship between Elizabethan English
and the cultural values revealed in A Man for All Seasons. Create you own, original “theory”
concerning the question. You should use actual words and phrases from the texts to support
your assertions.