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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Sir Orfeo hide during bad weather?

2. When the Green Knight hesitates at his second blow, what does Sir Gawain call him?

3. What kind of tree does Lady Heurodis fall asleep under?

4. What does Sir Orfeo do that brings all of the animals around him?

5. What does the narrator's "precious pearl" fail to have?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Pearl, why has God called her?

2. Why does the Green Knight get angry at Sir Gawain when he delivers his first blow to Sir Gawain?

3. What happens when Sir Orfeo sees Lady Heurodis on horseback?

4. When Lady Heurodis disappears, what does Sir Orfeo do?

5. What happens when the Green Knight finally delivers his one blow to Sir Gawain?

6. Why does Sir Orfeo leave his kingdom with only a beggar's cloak?

7. According to Chapter IV of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," what is happening as New Year's draws near?

8. Why does Sir Gawain not heed the advice of "the lord"?

9. What does Pearl say happens to all whom enter the kingdom of God?

10. Why is the narrator of "Pearl" concerned with resigning to die?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways is the supernatural highlighted in both "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Sir Orfeo"? How are the illustrations of the supernatural similar? Is the use of the supernatural consistent within both texts? Which text takes the supernatural to a more extreme level? For what purpose does it serve?

Essay Topic 2

In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" there is an overwhelming sense of the importance of imagery in its relation to constraint. The girdle, armor, and even food cause feelings of constraint. Discuss three specific constraints as detailed in the text. What is the object? Why is it considered a constraint? How does Sir Gawain succeed at destroying the constraint that the object produces?

Essay Topic 3

In both "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Pearl" religious belief can be seen as important to survival. In what ways do both texts illustrate the importance of religious faith? Find at least three examples from each text and compare how each is illustrated in the texts.

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