The test will have three sections: Identification (35 points), Short Answer (30 points) and Essay (35 points).  

ID Section: Answer seven of eight for 35 points (5 points each) This section is designed to test whether you have read the works and are sufficiently familiar with them to recognize important themes, ideas, characters, etc. I will give you eight short quotations or terms or character names or dates. You will need to identify and give the significance of each quotation, character, term, date, etc. You do not need to write more than two sentence on any answer. Be careful--it is easy to spend too much time on this section.

On the ID questions: you must identify the work to which the passage/character/term relates, but that’s only ONE out of the five points. The most important element is your explanation of the significance of the passage/character/term. If your answer is logical and well-supported, you may well get some credit even if the answer is wrong. DO NOT leave ANY question blank. Even a "stupid" guess is better than no answer at all. Often guesses aren’t guesses at all; they are the result of the analytical process this class is designed to promote. 

Here is a basic hint on how to narrow down the possibilities when identifying a passage: take note of the form of the passage you are asked to identify. If it is in Middle English, it is from The Canterbury Tales; if it is in prose, it is from  Morte Darthur; if it is in alliterative verse, it is from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight or Beowulf.  To tell the difference between Sir Gawain and Beowulf, look at the verse structure and content.

To try some sample ID questions, click here.

Short answer section: Answer three of four for 30 points (10 points each) This section is designed to test whether you have paid attention in class. It will ask you to discuss issues, problems, themes, etc. that we discussed in class. You will need to write a short but well-supported paragraph on each question. Be sure to answer the question I ask. Good support is important, but don’t write more than a good solid paragraph in response to the question. It can be tempting to write too much, especially when you KNOW the answer. Keep your eye on the clock.

The essay: Write one clear, concise, well-supported essay for 35 points. This section is designed to test whether you understand the material well enough to make connections between works on your own. Remember, since these questions are often interpretive there may be no single RIGHT answer; instead, I am looking for intelligent, well-supported answers that are consistent with the texts and with the historical realities of the eras.

On your test, you will find ONE of the following questions (no choice):

1. Compare and/or contrast the standards of virtue either implied or stated in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and "The Wife of Bath’s Tale."

2. Discuss how the form, religious themes, and social attitudes revealed in Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales reflect the historical and social changes that took place between the eras in which the two were written.

3. Compare/contrast the qualities of effective leadership as they are portrayed in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Morte Darthur.

4. Discuss the attitudes toward the role and nature of women expressed in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and "The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale."

5. Compare and contrast the presentations of the role of pride in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and "The Nun's Priest's Tale."  

Description of my grading process: the discussion of each work (or, in the case of question 2, subject area) is worth 10 points; the overall unity and completeness of the answer is judged in the remaining 5 points. When I ask for compare/contrast, you do not necessarily need to do both for all three works; instead, emphasize whichever you think is most important. In question 5, I want contrasts to be emphasized, though you may discuss some comparisons in order to set up the contrasts. In some cases (as in question 4), I will subdivide the 10 points per work into two five-point sections, one for "role" and the other for "nature." The key to doing well is to read the question carefully and answer all sections of the question. Think about your answer ahead of time, and have evidence clearly established in your mind before you sit down to write your essay. The good news is that you have the questions in advance and can prepare; the bad news is that this means you have no excuse for doing a shoddy job.

Essays are not judged by length; they are judged by their effectiveness in answering the question. If you want to get a good grade, give me good, clear insightful thinking supported by effective use of evidence. I do not appreciate BS, and I’ve been around long enough to smell it when it’s in front of me. I'm particularly impressed when you use evidence that goes beyond what we discussed in class. 

General Advice
DO NOT spend an inordinate amount of time on any single section of the test. Each section should take no more than 20 minutes; you should be able to finish the first two sections more quickly than that, if you know the works and the material well.