Review Sheet for Test on Middle Ages/Arthurian Legends
The following works will be included on the test:
 Middle Ages/ Arthurian Legend Intro and History Channel Arthur Clip
 Film “First Knight”
 Arthurian Legends Packet
o Sir Gawain Text and PowerPoint
o Le Morte Text PowerPoint
o Hero’s Journey PowerPoint, Notes, and Clip connecting everything to Beowulf
 Literature book:
o “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
o “Le Morte D’ Arthur”
o “The Once and Future King”
o “The Birth of Arthur”
I.
Middle Ages Intro
A. Know the background/major characters to Arthurian Tales using the PowerPoints/Texts
B. Know the major literary figures and their respective texts.
C. Know the monomyth, Joseph Cambell, and the Hero’s Journey and how it connects to modern texts, stories, and
characters.
II.
Film
A. Be familiar with the stories of Arthur and his knights as they are told in the film. Know what it has in common and
how it differs from the text we read.
i. “First Knight” gives the story from the point of view of Lancelot. What differences are there in this
version? Why would there be differences when the story is told from a different viewpoint? Does the
story lose something without the magical elements of Merlin, Excalibur, etc.?
III.
READ Text/Handouts
A. “The Once and Future King” Be very familiar with this article because it gives the real information about the real
King Arthur. You need to know this. You also need to know the elements of Arthurian legend that are told in this
article.
B. Understand the Arthurian Legends packet, reading strategies, and terms
C. Basic plot elements of Sir Gawain, Le Morte, and Birth of Arthur, and Once and Future King
IV.
Ballads
A. “Lord Randall” – Told in the form of a dialogue between mother and son and is written in Scottish dialect. It’s in a
question-and-answer format that is frequently used in ballads. What is the effect of this? What is the connection
between the death of the dogs and Lord Randall? Who poisoned Lord Randall? What effect is created by the
refrain?
B. “Edward, Edward” – Why is Edward going away? Note the use of “O” at the end of each stanza. What effect
does it have? What kind of person is Edward? What effect does the dialect have on the reading of the ballad?
C. About ballads in general: Ballads are more like a story than a lyric poem. What literary elements are contained in
a story? (plot, etc.) What story elements do you find in each of the ballads? What makes these ballads as
memorable as any good story?
V.
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” (Also look at the study guide questions)
A. Based on the background information, explain why the Green Knight is a romance figure.
B. Why does the Green Knight keep Gawain waiting?
C. How does Gawain react to the Green Knight’s taunts? How might real people react?
D. How many times does the Green Knight raise his ax over Gawain’s head?
E. Why doesn’t the Green Knight kill Gawain?
F. Why does the Green Knight nick Gawain in the neck?
G. What part did the husband play in the temptation of Gawain?
H. How does Gawain feel about how he has acted?
I. What is the Green Knight? Demon? God?
VI.
Literary Terms, Devices, Vocabulary
A. Know the literary devices discussed in the packet, our reading, and how to find them from examples.