UNIVERSITETET
I OSLO
Institutt f or litteratur, områdestudier og europeiske språk
SKOLEEKSAMEN
2005/HØST
ENG2155 – Aspects of Chaucerian Language and Literature
Varighet: 4 timer
Mandag, 05.12.2005
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Anmerkninger/Retningslinjer: Følgende hjelpemiddel er tillatt: Godkjent engelskengelsk ordbok
OPPGAVEN
Answer ALL questions in Part I, and ONE question from Part II
PART I (50 %)
1.
‘The General Prologue’, lines 477-497.
A good man was ther of religioun,
And was a povre persoun of a toun,
But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk.
He was also a lerned man, a clerk,
That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;
His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche.
Benygne he was, and wonder diligent,
And in adversitee ful pacient,
And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes.
Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes,
But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,
Unto his povre parisshens aboute
Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce.
He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce.
Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder,
But he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder,
In siknesse nor in meschief to visite
The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite,
Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf.
This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf,
That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte.
480
485
490
495
a)
Translate this passage into idiomatic present-day English.
b)
Transcribe lines 477-486 phonemically in such a way as to indicate Chaucer’s
probable pronunciation.
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PART II (50 %)
2. Explain the relationship between Chaucer’s diphthongs and those of present-day
English. You should include examples for illustration.
OR
3. Give an account of the morphology of adjectives in Chaucerian English. You should
include examples for illustration.
OR
4. Charles Muscatine has said of ‘The Parliament of Fowls’ that ‘the chief critical problem
has been to explain the apparent discordances among its successive parts’. What do you
consider to be the main parts of the poem? Give your reasons for agreeing or
disagreeing with Muscatine.
OR
5. Helen Cooper has suggested that although he is ‘a mere cock’, it would be a far more
sound and productive exercise to write an essay on the character of Chauntecleer than on
that of the Nun’s Priest. Write an essay where you compare what you know of the two
and give your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with Cooper.
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