English Literature Flashcard

Front

What characteristic of Beowulf is revealed when he refuses to use weapons to fight the monster Grendel?

Back

Confidence

Front

In Sonnet 14 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, why does the speaker tell her beloved not to love her based on her appearance or thoughts?

Back

Because these things are impermanent.

Front

Which character in The Canterbury Tales exhibits irony?

Back

The Miller, who steals the grain he grinds.

Front

According to the old woman in 'The Wife of Bath's Tale,' what is real gentility?

Back

Performing good deeds.

Front

What is a poem with a fixed rhyme scheme and definite meter, consisting of 14 lines divided into an octave and a sestet?

Back

Petrarchan sonnet.

Front

Define 'Sonnet'.

Back

A 14-line poem typically written in iambic pentameter.

Front

What is the main theme of 'The Wife of Bath's Tale'?

Back

The nature of true gentility and women's sovereignty.

Front

What literary device is used when a character says one thing but means another?

Back

Irony.

Front

What is the significance of the character Beowulf in Anglo-Saxon literature?

Back

He embodies the ideals of bravery, loyalty, and honor.

Front

What is a 'Petrarchan sonnet' characterized by?

Back

An octave followed by a sestet, typically with a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave.