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English Notes Middle English Notes

Lyric Poetry Complete Notes & Questions

Updated Lyric Poetry Complete Notes & Questions Notes

Middle English Notes

Middle English

Approximately 76 pages

For many, Middle English is one of the toughest exams; there's a lot of historical context, a whole new language to learn and so many texts to get your head round!

These middle english notes are designed to provide a detailed encapsulation of the whole topic, providing readers with enough textual analysis, historical context and quotes to go into the exam with lots of great ideas and comparison.

Lyric poetry, the Romances, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales & Dream poetry, Troilus and Criseyde an...

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PAPER 3 EXAM QUESTIONS LYRIC POETRY Specific questions: 1 'In the finest...English lyrics, even very complex thoughts and images can be unfolded with...vivid and personal lucidity' (PETER DRONKE). By what means is this effect achieved? (2000) 2 Either (a) 'Stond wel, moder, ounder rode,/ Bihold thi child with glade mode, /Moder blithe might thou be.' / 'Sone, hou may ich blithe stonde?/ Ich se thine fet and thine honde / Y--nayled to the harde tre.' (Anonymous 13th Century Lyric) Discuss the uses of dialogic form (expressed either as opposition of speakers or irreconcilable opposition of opinions) in the medieval lyric. (2001) 3 The most significant feature of the Middle English secular lyric is its subordinate position in relation to the religious' (Rossell Hope Robbins).Discuss with reference to at least four Middle English lyric poems. (2001) 4 The author or these poems is fascinated by the boundaries between things; between places, between values, between loves' (2002) 5 'The Middle English Lyric is at its most lyrical when it stays closest to song'. Do you agree? (2002) 6 'Whether concerned with love or devotion or death, the medieval lyric writer does not express personal emotion so much as describe a common experience in the first person.' Discuss. (2002) 7 Medieval poetry was written to be heard rather than read; so, probably, was much medieval prose'. How true is this statement and what does it imply for the modern reader or either poems or prose works of this period? (2002) 8 'Lyrics vary so much in subject matter, form and language that we can not easily make any selection which forms a coherent group' a) Consider the variety of medieval lyrics or b) write about a selection of lyrics which seems to you to form a coherent group. (2003) 9 'Quant phrases on a good subject are baits to make an ill man virtuous (Owen Feltam 1623) Analyse some of the ways in which Middle English lyrics address issues of moral, chivalric or courtly virtue and asses their effects. (2005) 10 It is rarely profitable to study lyrics in isolation; they must be seen as part of a broad textual economy to which they contribute and from which they contribute and from which they borrow.' How would you asses the place of lyrics in the textual economy of Middle English writing? (2005) 11 'Poems without contexts' (JOHN BURROW). What are the implications of an absence of context for the interpretation of medieval English lyrics? (2006) 12 How important is an understanding of metre for the appreciation of medieval poetry? You may if you wish confine your answer to the work of any ONE poet. (2006) 13 Analyse the interplay between learned and popular elements in EITHER a) short poems, such as lyrics, carols or ballads, OR b) romances (2007) General applicable questions: 1. Which, if any, of the texts you have studied for this paper could be described as 'oral literature', and why? (2007) 2. "[E]ven love--poetry is made out of words and...its "I" and "you" mark not the prescence but the absense of human subjects" (Spearing). How should modern critics best approach medieval literature written in the first person? ( you do not have to discuss love--poetry in your answer.) (2007) 3. Where in the literature of this period have you found the most significant relationship between content and literary form? (2007) 4. How may an understanding of the manuscript AND / OR printed version of a particular text or texts contribute to our critical judgement about them? (2007) 5. 'Medieval literature is renowned for its diversity and frequent resistance to generic classification.' Illustrate this proposition;.use as examples one or two texts you think do not fit within the terms o f the questions or quotations above (2004) 6. Where in your study of medieval poetry or prose have you encountered stylistic techniques, such as rhyme, metre, diction, which have proved an effective vehicle for particular subject matter? (2003) 7. 'Long before Wordsworth, medieval writers sought wisdom in nature and asked 'Kynde' to 'counseille' them. With what aims and to what effect? (2002) Repeated themes / topics: THEMATIC -- use of nature -- How is complexity / lucidity of images and ideas presented -- Boundaries -- Morality / virtue / courtly ideals -- GENRE -- Lyric and its musical qualities -- Use of first person (to show common experience not personal emotion) -- Oral quality of poetry -- Variety in lyrics -- is there any coherence -- Defies classification -- Can lyrics be understand in isolation -- Need for / use of context -- How important is metre -- Relationship between form and content -- Treatment of biblical material -- Gender -- Form -- Function of lyrics -- Relationship between secular and religious lyrics -- Lyric voice and the use of dramatic voices

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