ENGL 231
Final Exam Study Guide
Please note:
The final exam will be available in our regular Monday night classroom, ATC 103,
from 4:30 until 8:40 on Monday, Dec. 17
For your convenience, you may also take the exam in the Testing Center. The exam
will be available from 8:30 am Friday Dec. 14 until 4:30 PM Thursday, Dec. 20.
Information about the Testing Center (hours, location, policies, etc. is available at their
website: www.brookdalecc.edu/pages/166.asp
The following is an outline of what you should know for the final.
 All answers are in the Weekly Class Notes and the “Prof. Joe Guides.” To
access the Weekly Class Notes or to get copies of the “Prof. Joe Guides,” please
visit the class web page, www.brookdalecc.edu/fac/writing/jvarone/231/
 Exam questions will all be multiple choice, fill-in, true/false, and short answer.
There are no essay questions on the exam.
Part I. Definitions
A. Poetic types: lyric, epic, mock epic, metaphysical, carpe diem, pastoral, sonnet
For each of these you should be able to
 provide a short definition
 be able to name a poem we studied that is an example of that type
B. Poetic devices: couplet, heroic couplet, octave, sestet, quatrain, conceit, turn
For each of these you should be able to
 provide a short definition
 recognize an example of the device in a poem
Part II. Identification / Short Answer
A. Epic and mock-epic
You should be able to
 list the characteristics or conventions that make an epic poem
 identify these specific conventions in the epic poem we read in class
 be able to explain how these conventions are “mocked” in the mock-epic
poem we read in class
B. Sonnets
If I give you a sonnet, you should be able to identify: Where is the turn, what is
the conceit, where is the sestet or octave or quatrain, what is the rhyme pattern
(aabb ccdd etc.)
You should know the standard metaphors of the Petrarchan sonnet
You should know the standard sonnet themes (life is short, etc.) and you should
be know which sonnets are particularly known as examples of those themes (it’s
in the class notes!)
C. Metaphysical Poetry
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Be able to explain what is meant by the following metaphysical “themes”:
1+1=1, body=soul, one=all, earthly bodies=heavenly bodies; body=world
match these themes with a sample poem; in other words, name a poem that
illustrates each theme (it’s in the notes!)
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D. Morality Play and Drama (Everyman and Faustus)
You should be able to define what a morality play is and explain the difference
between a morality play and a drama in terms of their intended purpose, their
authorship, and the characters (in general, not just Everyman)
You should be able to answer the following questions:
 What makes Everyman an example of “medieval man”? What makes
Faustus an example of “renaissance man”?
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In what way is Everyman like Beowulf and in what way is Faustus like
Gawain?
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What is meant by knowledge in Everyman and how is that different from
knowledge in Faustus?
Part III. Time periods/historical influences
You should have a general idea of what was happening in England and the
prevailing values during the following time periods.
 Early Renaissance, later Renaissance or Elizabethan era, Puritan
Rebellion, Restoration
Additionally, you should be able to explain how the times influenced the work of
the following writers:
 Petrarch, Wyatt, Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne, Milton, Pope
Part IV. Example poems
Finally, I’ll select some lines from the following poems. I’ll ask you if you can
recognize the lines (which poem they are from, who wrote it, what kind of poem
it is), as well as simple questions about what the lines mean.
You don’t have to memorize the poem; you should just have a general idea of
what it means. All of the poems were discussed in class and all of the lines will
be lines we discussed in class!
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“The long love that in my heart doth harbor…” (Wyatt)
“They flee from me that sometime did me love…” (Wyatt)
“Like as a ship, that through the ocean wide…” (Spenser, sonnet 37)
“Men call you fair, and you do credit it…” (Spenser, sonnet 79)
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day” (Shakespeare sonnet 18)
“That time of year thou may’st in me behold… (Shakespeare sonnet
73)
“My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun…” (Shakespeare sonnet
130)
“To His Coy Mistress” (Marvell)
“The Sun Rising” (Donne)
“To His Mistress Going to Bed” (Donne)
“Death be not proud, though some have called thee…” (Donne, Holy
Sonnet 10)
“Good Friday 1613: Riding Westward” (Donne)
You should be able to recognize lines from “The Rape of the Lock,” “Paradise
Lost,” and “Doctor Faustus” based on the style, vocabulary, and content of the
lines.