English 230—Take-home final exam

1500-1700 words--25% of grade

Due Tuesday June 5, 8:00 A.M. emailed as Word attachment to the instructor.

Write a symposium or platonic dialogue featuring six speakers from at least four works conversing about one of the topics listed below. The speakers may be authors or characters in works weÕve studied. Allow the speakers to agree, disagree or respond in other ways to the comments of others. 

The conversation can mix brief quotations--within quotation marks--with paraphrases or extrapolations of what the speakers might say. The paraphrases or extrapolations should adopt the speaker's style of expression. (Include page or title references in parentheses.) You may use some quotes and references to works assigned but not discussed in class.

1. Military values; heroism and war: Beowulf, Lanval, CT, Utopia, Queen Elizabeth, PL, Gay, Swift, Blake

2. Hatred or sympathy for demons, monsters, and outsiders: Beowulf, King Lear, PL, Swift, Blake

3. Idyllic and congenial vs. fallen and hostile nature: Beowulf, Chaucer, Marie de France, Marlowe-Ralegh and songwriters, King Lear, PL, Pope, Swift, Blake

4. Lust--i.e. unsanctioned or unholy sex: Chaucer, Marie de France, Utopia, Shakespeare (sonnets and King Lear), Donne, Wroth, Paradise Lost, Swift, Gay, Blake


5. Marriage: Chaucer, Marie de France, Utopia, Bacon, Paradise Lost, Gay, Swift, Woolstonecraft, Blake

6. Gold and other forms of wealth: Beowulf, Chaucer, Utopia, King Lear, Paradise Lost, Gay, Swift

7. Justice and injustice--economic, political and criminal: Chaucer, Utopia, Ralegh, King Lear, Paradise Lost, Woolstonecraft, Swift, Pope, Blake

8. Truth and falsehood: Chaucer, Utopia, King Lear, Ralegh, Bacon, Paradise Lost, Gay, Pope, Swift

9. Piety and religious experience: Chaucer, Utopia, Bacon, King Lear, Donne, Herbert, Milton, Pope, Swift, Blake

 

Sample exam by Professors Inchausti and Marx for English 253, Spring 2011

 

Another sample exam by a student in English 253, Spring 2011
( to illustrate a freer approach that's also acceptable, but that would be improved by more specific references or quotes from the texts)