40 Matching Annotations
  1. Jul 2019
    1. Lady Mary Wroth was the first Englishwoman to write a complete sonnet sequence as well as an original work of prose fiction. Although earlier women writers of the sixteenth century had mainly explored the genres of translation, dedication, and epitaph, Wroth openly transgressed the traditional boundaries by writing secular love poetry and romances. Her verse was celebrated by the leading poets of the age, including Ben Jonson, George Chapman, Josuah Sylvester, and others. Despite the controversy over the publication in 1621 of her major work of fiction, The Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania, Wroth continued writing a second part of her romance and composed a five-act pastoral drama, Love's Victory.

      The eldest daughter of Sir Robert Sidney and Lady Barbara Gamage, she was probably born on 18 October 1587, a date derived from the Sidney correspondence. She belonged to a prominent literary family, known for its patronage of the arts. Her uncle, Sir Philip Sidney, was a leading Elizabethan poet, statesman, and soldier, whose tragic death in the Netherlands elevated him to the status of national hero. Wroth was influenced by some of her uncle's literary works, including his sonnet sequence Astrophil and Stella (1591); a prose romance, intermingled with poetry, The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia and a pastoral entertainment, The Lady of May.

    2. From: The Countess of Montgomery’s Urania 

      Having attained the top, she saw under some hollow trees the entry into the rock : she fearing nothing, but the continuance of her ignorance, went in; where she found a pretty room, as if that stony place had yet in pity given leave for such perfections to come in to the Heart as chiefest, and most beloved place, because, most loving.

    1. XLVII. OF NEGOTIATING.

      Men discover themselves in trust, in passion, at unawares; and of necessity, when they would have somewhat done, and cannot find an apt pretext, if you would work any man, you must either know his nature and fashions, and so lead him; or his ends, and so persuade him; or his weakness and disadvantages, and so awe him; or these that have interest in him, and so govern him. In all negotiations of difficulty, a man may not look to sow and reap at once; but must prepare business, and so ripen it by degrees. If a man deal with another upon conditions, the start of first performance is . To deal in person is good, when a man's face breedeth regard, as commonly with inferiors.

    2. VIII. OF MARRIAGE AND SINGLE LIFE.

      Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which, both in affection and means, have married and endowed the public. Who, though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences; nay, there are some other that account wife and children but as bills of charges; nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer; for, perhaps, they have heard some talk, "Such an one's a great rich man" and another except to it.

    1. To the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty

      Elizabeth I succeeded to the English throne when her half-sister, Queen Mary I (1516–1558) died on November 17, 1558, after a five-year reign. Although it was a smooth succession (the act of the new monarch taking over for the last monarch), an air of uncertainty loomed over England. Elizabeth had been named Mary's heir by their father, Henry VIII (1491–1547), but Henry's questionable marriage to her mother, Anne Boleyn (c. 1504–1536), raised doubts about Elizabeth's claim to the throne. According to the Catholic Church, Henry was still married to his first wife when Elizabeth was born, making her birth illegitimate. Henry VIII had cut England's connections with the Catholic Church in Rome, however, and most Protestants ignored any question of legitimacy. If anything, the English people worried more that the heir to the throne was a woman; few of them thought that women were capable of ruling the land. “Welcome therefore O Queen … / Welcome to joyous tongues, and hearts that will not shrink, / God thee preserve we pray, and wish thee ever well." Mary's reign had been a difficult time for Elizabeth. The queen, who had restored England to Roman Catholicism upon taking the throne in 1553, suspected Elizabeth of being a Protestant, a crime punishable by death by burning at the stake. She also thought Elizabeth had participated in a rebellion. As a result Mary imprisoned her sister for two months in the Tower of London, a fortress on the Thames River in London that was used as a royal residence, treasury, and, most famously, as a prison for the upper

    1. THE UNDERTAKING

      The very first stanza springs my mind toward that of a hidden homosexual relationship. To state, “I HAVE done one braver thing than all the worthies did” is a bold statement unless you did something that could potentially hurt you in the end or that could have hurt you during its course. I instantly think of confessing love to someone of the same gender happens to be a very brave feat; the risk of being harshly or potentially violently turned down rides high, and the risk of being found out by the community after the confession rides even higher. If that person accepts the proclamation of love and a relationship forms, keeping it hidden from everyone is difficult. Who wants to live a love life that not even their parents know about? To keep that love hidden is often a braver and more challenging dead than the confession itself. The idea of hiding creeps back in for the sixth stanza, where the speaker says that their love will be hidden. He does not sound upset about this knowledge that even his loved person will hide their feelings, rather he sounds encouraging. The stanza seems to be saying that everything will be all right even if they do have to keep hidden. Stanza seven finishes the poem with the speaker telling the lover that in accepting the confession and the love, he is braver than the worthies too. He continues by saying that next comes the hard part, which is to keep that hid.

    1. Christopher Marlowe: Doctor Faustus

      it deals with the themes at the heart of Christianity’s understanding of the world. First, there is the idea of sin, which Christianity defines as acts contrary to the will of God. In making a pact with Lucifer, Faustus commits what is in a sense the ultimate sin: not only does he disobey God, but he consciously and even eagerly renounces obedience to him, choosing instead to swear allegiance to the devil. In a Christian framework, however, even the worst deed can be forgiven through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ, God’s son, who, according to Christian belief, died on the cross for humankind’s sins. Thus, however terrible Faustus’s pact with Lucifer may be, the possibility of redemption is always open to him. All that he needs to do, theoretically, is ask God for forgiveness. The play offers countless moments in which Faustus considers doing just that, urged on by the good angel on his shoulder or by the old man in scene 12—both of whom can be seen either as emissaries of God, personifications of Faustus’s conscience, or both.

    2. blood

      Blood plays multiple symbolic roles in the play. When Faustus signs away his soul, he signs in blood, symbolizing the permanent and supernatural nature of this pact. His blood congeals on the page, however, symbolizing, perhaps, his own body’s revolt against what he intends to do. Meanwhile, Christ’s blood, which Faustus says he sees running across the sky during his terrible last night, symbolizes the sacrifice that Jesus, according to Christian belief, made on the cross; this sacrifice opened the way for humankind to repent its sins and be saved. Faustus, of course, in his proud folly, fails to take this path to salvation.

    1. So with the Squire, th’admirer of his might,

      One of the sprites obtains a false dream from Morpheus, the god of sleep; the other takes the shape of Una, the lady accompanying Redcrosse. These sprites go to the knight; one gives him the dream of love and lust. When Redcrosse wakes up in a passion, the other sprite (appearing to be Una) is lying beside him, offering a kiss. The knight, however, resists her temptations and returns to sleep. Archimago then tries a new deception; he puts the sprite disguised as Una in a bed and turns the other sprite into a young man, who lies with the false Una. Archimago then wakes Redcrosse and shows him the two lovers in bed. Redcrosse is furious that "Una" would spoil her virtue with another man, and so in the morning he leaves without her. When the real Una wakes, she sees her knight is gone, and in sorrow rides off to look for him. Archimago, enjoying the fruits of his scheme, now disguises himself as Redcrosse and follows after Una.

    2. the Faerie Queene

      The Faerie Queene tells the stories of several knights, each representing a particular virtue, on their quests for the Faerie Queene, Gloriana. Redcrosse is the knight of Holiness, and must defeat both theological error and the dragon of deception to free the parents of Una ("truth"). Guyon is the knight of Temperance, who must destroy the fleshly temptations of Acrasia's Bower of Bliss. Britomart, a woman in disguise as a male knight, represents Chastity; she must find her beloved and win his heart. Artegall, the knight of Justice, must rescue the lady Eirene from an unjust bondage. Cambell and Triamond, the knights of Friendship, must aid one another in defense of various ladies' honor. Finally, Calidore, the knight of Courtesy, must stop the Blatant Beast from spreading its slanderous venom throughout the realm. Each quest is an allegory, and the knight given the quest represents a person's internal growth in that particular virtue. Such growth happens through various trials, some of which the knights fail, showing how personal development is a struggle requiring the aid of other forces and virtues to make it complete.

    1. In these few lines, I have wrapped up the most tedious part of grammar, and also the ground of almost all the rules that are so busily taught by the master, and so hardly learned by the scholar in all common scholes

      This shows how he made all the rules of grammar and writing as easy as possible. This also shows that even though it is hard, it was still able to be taught and or learned.

    2. First, let him teach the child chearfully and plainly the cause and matter of the letter

      With more people gaining access to education, debates arose regarding curriculum and methods of teaching. Though strict instruction and beatings were the norm, a few influential educators began to argue in favor of a more lenient approach that, they believed, would inspire their students to love learning. Richard Mulcaster for example, the first headmaster of the Merchant Taylors' School, developed an educational philosophy that acknowledged children's different abilities, emphasized the importance of exercise and sports, recommended greater respect for the English Language, and supported education for girls.

    3. become devils in life and condition.

      A literary device, metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

    4. Yanity and vice and any licence to ill living in England was counted stale and rude unto them.

      The memory arts in Renaissance England not only shape curricular matters such as the humanist project of reviving the classical past and its wisdom through learning Greek and Latin but also influence the psychology of pedagogy – the examination of the scholar's wits most famously explored by Juan Huarte in 1575 (Engel). Ascham argues that schoolmasters do not know how to identify the best minds among students. They favour quick wits instead of hard ones, failing to realise that quick wits are quick to forget, while hard wits, like inscriptions made in stone, which require effort, retain things the longest. Ascham's logic operates according to the fundamental Aristotelian distinction between the “hard” and “soft” mind. The excerpt conforms to similar reasoning in observing that the youthful mind is impressionable like the newest wax, another classical trope for memory storage. As a result, young students are most receptive to the love of learning and do not need to be beaten to retain their lessons, especially as such trauma may induce forgetfulness.

  2. Jun 2019
    1. “All our life is in three:

      Is this saying that everything in life comes in threes? Is this where that modern day myth comes from? I remember when I was younger and anytime something bad happened, my mom would tell me that everything comes in threes and that if that was the third bad thing that happened then nothing else bad would happen. Is that what this is referring to?

    2. “Sin is behovable—[playeth a needful part]—; but all shall be well” After this the Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had to Him afore. And I saw that nothing letted me but sin. And so I looked, generally, upon us all, and methought: If sin had not been, we should all have been clean and like to our Lord, as He made us.

      I feel like what this is trying to say is that even though it may not seem like it to use, that God purposefully created sin in the world. Without it, the world would not be able to function as it should. I think that this is referencing to the first sin committed by eve. In a Christian belief in the state of sin in which humanity has existed since the fall of man, stemming from Adam and Eve's rebellion in Eden, namely the sin of disobedience in consuming the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I feel like that Satan’s sin was pride. He was so beautiful, so wise, and so powerful as an angel that he began to covet God’s position and authority. He chafed at having to serve God and grew angry and rebellious. He did not want to serve, he wanted to be served; he, as a creature, wanted to be worshipped. "How starkly contrasted to our savior Jesus Christ, who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

    3. “Sin is behovable—[playeth a needful part]—; but all shall be well”

      Sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law, but sin is a necessary evil. Even though we all hate it, it is inevitably. I believe what the message the is trying to be portrayed is that the world would not function and would not work without their being sin in it.

    4. for to love and have God that is unmade.

      I believe what this is saying is that even though we can not see God and he is not a physical thing on the earth, his love is unconditional and is in fact there. I like how this is another way of saying God is more than a spirit even though we can not physically see him in our everyday lives. He is not like a tree or a bush, but we all just know that he is there. I feel like this is a really cool way of expressing how power God truly is without using a ton of words or a super long description. I feel like the use of short descriptions worked in this case because at this point in the story, the reader can understand the meaning of God based on previous text and the use of context clues.

    5. privy

      A short way of saying the word private. sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private).

    1. Wearing a large wimple,

    2. wimple

      A wimple is an ancient form of female headdress, formed of a large piece of cloth worn around the neck and chin, and covering the top of the head. Its use developed in early medieval Europe. Today the wimple is worn by certain nuns who retain a traditional habit. When I think of wimple, I think of a hijab that modern day muslims wear as a symbol of their religion. The reason that I connected the two of them is because they are both signs of religions and are bother worn on the head of females or women.

    3. Dartmouth

      Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a former city and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia.. Dartmouth is still the geographic name that is used by all levels of government for mapping, 9-1-1, planning, and is recognised by the Halifax Regional Municipality as a place-name for civic addressing.

    4. Very many fattened partridges he kept in a mew,

      Stables usually with living quarters built around a court. Make a characteristic high-pitched crying noise (of a cat or some kinds of bird). The high-pitched crying noise made by a cat or bird or other animal.

    5. Woe to his cook, unless the sauces were Poignant and sharp, and ready all his gear.

      Sharp or pungent in taste or smell. Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret. The use of comparing him to cooking is the use of a literary device called a metaphor.

    6. Not one word spoke he more than was necessary;

      He is only doing what he needs to get by. He focuses all of his time on learning and focuses on nothing else. This may be why he looks so thin, he spends all of his money on learning rather than food

    7. solicitous

      Being characterized by or showing interest or concern. Having eager or anxious to do something.

    8. charitable

      Relating to the assistance of those in need. The apt to judge others leniently or favorably.

    9. And she spoke French fairly and fluently

      I feel like that this kind or contradicts itself. Why is it saying that she spoke French fairly and fluently? When someone says they can speak a language fairly, I personally tend to associate that with them only getting the basics of the language, but when someone says I can speak a language fluently, I associate that with them being able to consistently speak another language with hesitation. So how she can speak a language fluently and fairly at the same time is confusing.

    10. A forester he truly was, I guess.

      I like the way this is worded to show how he was an outsider. It is a great way to show his feelings with out just flat out saying them, You kind of have to use context clues to understand the reference. I feel like it adds to the overall piece.

    11. yeomanly

      of, relating to, or having the rank of a yeoman. 2 : becoming or suitable to a yeoman : sturdy, loyal yeomanly surveillance efforts.

    12. at Tramissene

      The location at a town in Northwestern Algeria, and the capital of the the province of the same name.

    13. And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest,

      At this point, it is referring to the night. But why did the author choose to state it as 'the sun had gone to rest'? Was it because it was a more calm and gentle approach compared to 'it was night'?

    14. array,

      An impressive assortment, display, or range of a particular type of thing. Showing he had a large assortment or amount of clothes compared to the average person.

    15. sundry

      Sundry persons refer to several people or things that are all different from each other. Scientists, business people, and sundry others gathered on Monday for the official opening.

    16. It happened that, in that season, on a day

      It is a specific moment. An exact time in the year. I like how it is being emphasized that it was not just the average day, but a time for religious renewal.

    17. That sleep through all the night with open eye

      They can not focus on sleeping, hints why they sleep with open eye. They are being aware of there surroundings at all times.

    1. Master Wace, the writer of this book, cannot add more to this matter of his end than was spoken by Merlin the prophet. Merlin said of Arthur—if I read aright—that his end should be hidden in doubtfulness.

      I think that this is saying how the author of thinks that Merlin was a prophet. I think that Master Wace's point of writing his book was to end of the thoughts of doubt and curiosity. I like how the author helps shoe the intent of the writing of the book and really shows why it was written.

  3. earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
    1. His beard, that once was black and trim, Was white, and lengthened to his knee;

      In this part of the story, the reader can now the character is now older and has aged. It has been 10 years since he had left, but this is a long time to be grieving. The changing of his beard and the color of his beard helps shows the timeline since he has left and how it has affected him.

    1. The third part of Beowulf was a great continuation of part I and part II. It begins to dig deeper into the idea that killing one another or fighting or violence causes the destruction throughout the land and throughout the people. In the third part, the "grave cost" as mentioned. Now in the story, I am pretty sure that it wasn't literally referring to how much it costs to build a grave, but I interpreted it as that. I took it as it costs a lot of money to build a grave, and if people keep killing one another, then eventually there won't be any money left because it has all been used to build graves. Therefore causing destruction on everyone else. I really enjoyed how the story takes a different direction in the third part. In this first and second part, it was talking about good versus evil and religion. In the third part, it takes that a bit deeper and goes into about how good versus evil affects the lived of everyone else in the land and not just one person but as the land as a whole. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed getting the read the third part of Beowulf.

    1. I noticed that throughout this story, certain things would stand out to me more than others would. For example, the line "Afterwards a boy-child was born to shield," stood out more. This is partly because it is physically on a different line than the upcoming or previous text, but also on a deeper level. The use of "boy-child," as a way to show someones level of maturity is an interesting choice. It helped me understand that the person being referred to in this line was more mature compared to others around their age. Not only did this unique diction catch my eye, but I think it helped me understand that this time period was a difficult time for everyone and that fact that the "boy-child," was mature for his age really spoke to me. It help me connect to my own experiences where I have had to mature more rapidly than my peers. It was nice to see a connection. When I first thought about this story, I thought that this was not going to be relevant, but after I finished reading it, I quickly realized that even though timed were way different during the Anglo Saxon period, some things can still be seen as indicators or as connections to the modern day.