Dr. Obermeier
Eng 345
Midterm Information Sheet
1. Brief identification of key terms1-2 sentences (see following list) (30%)
2. Analysis of passages from our OE texts4-5 sentences (35%)
3. An essay question tracing certain OE concepts in several worksca. 1 page (35%)
1. The following concepts, movements, names, dates, quotes, etc. represent the minimum you should know with respect to the readings, lectures, and discussions in this course. I want to alert you to items of special importance in the readings and our discussions. These terms are applicable to more than #1. I hope that they will prove useful in organizing your notes and guiding your rereading.
Abbess Hilda
“adorned with rings”
Aeschere
Aidan
Alcuin
Athelstan
“the barrow-keeper”
The Battle of Maldon
Beasts of Battle
“boast-words”
Brunanburh
Bryhtnoth
Caedmon’s Hymn
Comitatus
Credo ut intelligam
Cuthbert
“Deor”
Digression
Dream vision
The Dreamer
Eardstapa
Elegiac Poetry
Eusebius
Exeter Book
Feuds
Finn
Flyting
“formal words”
Freawaru
Golden Age topos
Gregory the Great
Hand-maid of the Saviour
Heatho-Bards
Heorot
Heorrenda
Heremod
Hildeburh
Holofernes
Hrothgar
Hrunting
Hygelac’s thane
Juxtaposition
Kenning
King Edwin
King Oswald
The Last Survivor
Liber Monstrorum
Litotes
Medium Aevum
Mercians
“the mere”
“most eager for fame”
Naegling
Nowell Codex
OE alliterative line
Oral formulaic poetry
Paulinus
Peaceweaving
Ofermode
Physiologus Tradition
Prosopopoeia
Ragnorak
Scop
Saint Alban
Scyld Scefing
Seabirds
Sigemund
Snotor on mode
Stichic poetry
Sutton Hoo
Syncretism
Tolkien
Ubi sunt? motif
Unferth
Vercelli Book
Wealhtheow
Wearmouth and Jarrow
Weland
Wergild
“The Wife’s Complaint”
Wiglaf
“word-hoard”
“Wulf and Eadwacer”
Wyrd
3. I decided not to give out specific topics for the essay questions, but I do want you to think about certain broad thematic patterns such as:
a) the heroic code
b) pagan and Christian elements
c) definitions of literary genres