Dr. Goldstein
ENGL 4610
Fall 2003
Study Guide for Final Examination
Materials and Exam Time
Bring two blank blue books and a pen and (optionally) a dictionary. You should also have a watch. Please do not write your name anywhere inside the book. You may consult a dictionary but no other source. The exam will begin promptly as scheduled. You may turn in the exam as soon as you complete it, but I strongly urge you to think of additional examples, edit your prose, and check over your work carefully if you have extra time. Budget your time! (I will keep track of time on the blackboard.)
Objective Information
Be sure you know the authors and titles of all the works studied in the course (underline titles of long works); the approximate date of composition; the original language of composition, and whether the original composition is in prose or verse. You should know the main storylines and names of the major characters of each work (since spellings and forms of names can vary from version to version, any standard spelling will suffice; e.g., Guinevere or Guenevere are both acceptable variants). For Malory, in addition to the reading assigned on the syllabus you are responsible for familiarity with the following passages that we looked at in class: the begetting of Mordred (p. 30), the Pentecost Oath (p. 77), the begetting of Galahad (p. 464-65) and Lancelot’s denial to the Queen (p. 471); the sequence of events from Lancelot on the ship to his final meeting with Galahad to his partial vision of the Grail (574-76).
You are responsible for material on the web outline, “The Generation after Chrétien,” concentrating especially on section 3, listing the three prose works of the Vulgate Lancelot-Grail cycle; you needn’t be prepared to give any other titles from the outline or to identify any of the named authors with the exception of Robert de Boron. You are responsible for all the assigned reading in Pearsall since what was covered on the midterm, paying especial attention to points discussed in class (e.g. the ideological message of the Vulgate text of the Grail and how Malory responded to it). You should also be able to identify William Caxton and the Winchester MS. You are responsible for the important information from the oral presentations as conveyed in the handouts (use your judgment about what is most important). You are responsible for a general understanding of the contrasting styles and content of the excerpts we viewed from the two French film adaptations (you should also know the directors and titles of the two films as listed in Pearsall).
Format of the Exam
Part 1 (15 points) will take the form of short-answer questions on the historical and cultural backgrounds to medieval Arthurian literature for material covered since the midterm. Note: this will not use the matching column format of the midterm. The best way to prepare for this section will be to review your class notes (especially material from the board), the assigned portions of Pearsall, the handouts from the presentations, and the web outline mentioned above.
Part 2 (35 points) will give you a selection of brief passages from the primary texts on the syllabus beginning with Peredur and the assigned selections of Chrétien’s Perceval through Malory. For each passage you will be asked to identify the title of the work and the context, followed by a sentence or two stating the significance of the passage. To study for this section you should review the primary texts, especially focusing on episodes and passages we discussed in class.
Part 3 (50 points) will ask you to write two essays from a choice of three questions that prompt you to discuss a specific theme or critical problem in more than one text. This is the only section of the exam that is comprehensive, covering all of the major works on the syllabus.
Although the evaluation takes into account that you are writing under time pressure, you are expected to think about and carefully plan your essay before you begin writing, making sure that you have an introduction that makes a specific claim, a main body that supports your argument with as much specific reference to the details of the texts as you can manage, and ends with a strong conclusion that doesn’t simply repeat the claim. You are welcome to use the blue book or exam sheets as scratch paper to help you plan your essays. If time allows, you should go back over the essays and edit for clarity and accuracy.
The best way to prepare for this section is to review all the primary texts and your class notes, and to be mentally prepared to apply your knowledge and demonstrate your understanding. If you do not have much experience with writing essay exams, I also recommend you consult a composition handbook for advice about taking essay exams.
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