BEOWULF; AUTHOR: Unknown Anglo-Saxon poet; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Epic Poem; YEAR OF WRITING: 8th to 11th
ZEITGEIST: The zeitgeist of the Anglo-Saxon era was that fate and the natural world were something to be fought
against by individuals. More specifically, those individuals that could overcome fate were strong, overcoming their
enemies by means of force rather than diplomacy or cleverness. With the introduction of Christianity, many of
these ideas were adapted by members of the clergy to depict heroes as those who had God on their side. Beowulf
saves Hrothgar and Heorot from Grendel through strength of arms, in the manner of an Anglo-Saxon hero. There
are also clear Christian overtones, as the narrator often cites God as the source of Beowulf’s success.
SETTING (time/place): 5th century, Scandinavia (Denmark & Sweden); PUBLICATION: 975-1025 AD
CHARACTERS: Beowulf – protagonist, hero of Geats; Hrothgar – king, helped by Beowulf; Grendel – ravishes Heorot
hall, fights Beowulf; Grendel’s mother – avenges Grendel, fights Beowulf; Wiglaf – fights dragon with Beowulf
PLOT: Heorot in trouble (Grendel)  Beowulf to the rescue; battles Grendel + its mom  Beowulf fights dragon
REACTION: “Overall good. Unbelievable at times however an enjoyable read” – Khlo S.
QUESTIONS: How does Beowulf hold his breath underwater, while fighting Grendel’s mother, for so long? Then
again, we are talking about a story with a dragon antagonist. Whatever.
Quotes: “Oh, cursed is he who in time of trouble had to thrust his soul into the fire’s embrace, forfeiting help; he
has nowhere to turn. But blessed is he who after death can approach the Lord and find friendship in the Father’s
embrace” (180-188).
Related works: Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus; Hrόlfs saga kraka; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9
THE MISANTHROPE; AUTHOR: Moliére; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Play; YEAR OF WRITING: 1660s
ZEITGEIST: The Enlightenment era was characterized by a turn towards science and logic in all matters of life.
SETTING (time/place): Late 17th century, Celimene’s upper-class Paris home; PUBLICATION: 975-1025 AD
CHARACTERS: Alceste – title character, critical of hypocrisy yet a practitioner, in love with Celimene; Celimene –
coquette, seeks attention while being with Alceste; Philinte – Alceste’s homie, #realtalk with Alceste, “fake”/cordial
to others; Eliante – Enamored with Alceste, does not receive his love, hooks up with Philinte; Oronte – son of
important man, does not take criticism well, royally screws Alceste over
PLOT: Alceste mired in a “libel” lawsuit  Challenges Celimene’s “honesty” as she receives & returns attention to
other men  “Chill out, bro” – Philinte  Alceste gets into another lawsuit (Oronte)  Celimene proven to be
unfaithful (love letters to many different men)  Alceste gives up, attempts to become hermit
REACTION: “Alceste has a point! Unfortunately, he takes it to an extreme that makes him seem irrational” – Old
Chinese proverb
QUESTIONS: Did Alceste actually follow through with his vow to leave the city and live in solitude?
Quotes: “The failings of human nature in this life give us opportunities for exercising our philosophy, which is the
best use we can put our virtues to. If all men were righteous, all hearts true and frank and loyal, what purpose
would most of our virtues serve?” – Philinte
Related works: The School for Wives, The Imaginary Invalid, The Miser; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9
MACBETH; AUTHOR: William Shakespeare; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Play; YEAR OF WRITING: 1606
ZEITGEIST: Macbeth represents the lavish, greedy nature at the time. Shakespeare is quick to criticize the lack of
humanity we possess when our eyes lock on monetary gains.
SETTING (time/place): 11th century Middle Ages, Scotland (England, briefly); PUBLICATION: 1623 (first folio)
CHARACTERS: Macbeth – general to thane to king, bloody ascension; Lady Macbeth – wife of Macbeth, persuades
him to murder King Duncan; Banquo; three witches; King Duncan; Malcolm
PLOT: Macbeth awarded thane position  Hungry for power, kills King Duncan  Proceeds to kill others in his
way  Macbeth killed by MacDuff
REACTION: “What a terrible, morbid, bloody story” – Sonny An
QUESTIONS: Would Macbeth still have done what he did if the three witches never entered his life? Did they merely
expedite his pursuit for the crown?
Quotes: “Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a
soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would
have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?” – Lady Macbeth
Related works: B. V. Karanth's Barnam Vana of 1979; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9
CATCHER IN THE RYE; AUTHOR: J.D. Salinger; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Novel; YEAR OF WRITING: July 16th, 1951
ZEITGEIST: Birth of Suburbia and the resulting culture
SETTING (time/place): Pennsylvania, city life, early 1950s; PUBLICATION: July 16, 1951-Little, Brown and Company
CHARACTERS: Holden Caulfield – protagonist, academically-challenged 16-year old junior; Jane Gallagher – while
never making an appearance in the novel, respected and even loved by Holden, not “fake”; Phoebe Caulfield –
Holden’s younger sister, simultaneously representing innocence and maturity
PLOT: Holden Caulfield is expelled yet again for unimpressive academic record  passes judgment to people in
the city  begins to find fault in himself as he spends time with Phoebe
REACTION: “He’s just dumb” – Jack Bishop; “He’s incredibly relatable” – Sonny An
QUESTIONS: I’m curious to read a “sequel” to the Catcher in the Rye. It is only at the near end of the book when
Holden’s character begins to change – did Salinger write any follow-up on his widely acclaimed novel?
Quotes: “I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to
go over the cliff”
Related works: Nine Stories, Raise high the Roof Beam ; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9
THE CANTERBURY TALES; AUTHOR: Geoffrey Chaucer; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Short Stories; YEAR OF WRITING: 1475
ZEITGEIST: The zeitgeist of the Medieval Era is one of new thoughts and ideas. At the time period there was massive religious
influence, especially the influence of Catholicism. This was in stark contrast to the pagan oriented Anglo-Saxon writings. In
addition to Catholicism there were a small amount of Jewish Literature and some secular writing. Many of these literatures
were anonymous and were full of literary devices such as allegories.
SETTING (time/place): 1366-1395/Ye Old England; PUBLICATION 14TH CENTURY, ENGLAND
CHARACTERS: Wife of Bath – married five times, wears red (lust, seduction?), rotund butt; The Miller – ugly, brutish,
vulgar, profane; The Pardoner – fake “priest”, sells “charms”
PLOT: Each plot varies from teller to teller. In the three we have listed, the Wife of Bath, the Miller, and the Pardoner
each have their own stories, set in slightly different locations.
REACTION: “Wow, this is really sexual” – Sonny An
QUESTIONS: Was Chaucer a high-standing man in his time? If so, is that why he took on the persona of so many
ratchet persons as a way to express his innermost perverted and grotesque imagination without marring his
reputation?
Quotes: “Thus swyved was this carpenteris wyf, / For al his kepyng and his jalousye; / And Absolon hath kist hir
nether ye; / And Nicholas is scalded in the towte. / This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!” (Miller’s Tale)
Related works: The House of Fame, The Book of the Duchess; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE; AUTHOR: Tennessee Williams; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Play; YEAR OF WRITING: 1947
ZEITGEIST: This time period and location was known for being Gothic. In this case, Gothic fiction. This was a merge
of elements of goth, Southern humor and new Naturalism. It employs the use of ironic events to examine Southern
values. It uses its gothic tools not only for suspense but to explore social issues and cultural character.
SETTING (time/place): Laurel, Mississippi (The French Quarter); PUBLICATION: Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York
City, New York, Dec 3, 1947, Irene Mayer Selznick
CHARACTERS: Blanche, Stella, Stanley
PLOT: Blanche goes to visit her sister, Stella, in Laurel, Mississippi. Stella and her husband, Stanley have a rough
relationship and Blanche feels sorry for her. However, we also learn that Blanche also has a secret life and after
she gets raped by Mitch, the person she falls in love with, she is taken to an insane asylum.
REACTION: The ending of the story, though predictable, was still very surprising.
QUESTIONS: Why did Stella put up with Stanley even after it is clear that he is violent?
Quotes: “They told me to take a street-car named Desire, and transfer to one called Cemeteries, and ride six
blocks and get off at—Elysian Fields!”
Related works: Summer and Smoke, The Rose Tattoo, The Sound and the Fury; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9
A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY; AUTHOR: John Irving; TYPE OF LITERATURE: Novel; YEAR OF WRITING: March 1989
ZEITGEIST: A Prayer for Owen Meany is a Bildungsroman, or a “coming of age story.” This era/genre is
characterized by a sensitive person who searches for answers to life’s questions with the expectation that they will
gain experience from the world.
SETTING (time/place): New England (1940s – 1980s); PUBLICATION: March, 1989
CHARACTERS: John Wheelwright, Owen Meany
PLOT: Narrated by John Wheelwright, Owen Meany’s best friend. It is narrated in two time frames. One is the
present day in 1987 and the actual story is told in the 1950s – 1960s. Cumulation of Owen Meany’s life and how he
died and legacy he left.
REACTION: The plot is very creative as it is in the narration of Owen Meany’s friend from a later period in life. The
foreshadowing in the book lead me to accept Owen Meany’s last token of friendship to John. Though, I did not
expect John’s mom would die from getting hit in the head from a foul ball that Owen Meany hit.
QUESTIONS: How did Owen Meany based off of his characterization, have enough power to foul the ball and chip it
into John’s mom enough to kill her? How did Dick Jarvits have a grenade on him?
Quotes: “JUST THINK OF THIS AS MY LITTLE GIFT TO YOU”
Related works: Martin Eden, Sons and Lovers, The World According to Garp; NOTECARD BY: TEAM 9