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Course Overview
Course
Number
Course Code GE-Eng 100-2FU/ GE- Eng 204
Descriptive World Literature
Title
Credit Units 3
School Year/ AY 2020-2021/ 2nd Semester
Term
Mode of Online/ Offline Learning
Delivery
Name of Imelda B. Yaoyao
Instructor

This is a three-unit course that deals with the literatures around the world. This course provides
Course students with wider access to the historical background of literary periods and acquaints them with
Description those elements that are part of the artists’ times and those that are universal. It aims to provide them
enjoyment in interacting with the world’s literary treasures. It guides them in undertaking a journey
into the global village and appreciate cultural diversity without abdicating national values, or see the
past participating in the present, in the people’s present individual and social lives.
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
1. Explain literary texts, approaches, theories and criticism of literary pieces
2. Describe the literary pieces, cultures and values from selected countries for better
understanding of the borderless world
Course 3. Present ideas comprehensively through essays, answering questions and concept maps
Outcomes 4. Appreciate the diverseness and uniqueness of each selected literary texts.

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Module Guide
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The module on World Literature will serve as your instructional or learning materials of the
course for the whole semester. These learning materials were designed in order to address the
need of flexible learning modalities as instructed by the Commission on Higher Education
(CHED).
This course module is divided into two sets – one set for the Mid Term and another set for
the Final Term. Each set consists two modules with two or three lessons per module.

Each module contains the following parts:

 Learning Outcomes – This part contains the objectives of each lesson. They are stated
as a challenge for students to meet.
 Introduction – This gives an overview or a brief background of the lesson. It enhances
further the focus of the lesson and the clarity of the challenge. Here, you need to read in
order to get oriented on what the lesson is about.
 Activity – This is the first phase of the lesson. In the activity phase, you are engaged in a
learning exercise, after which you are made to answer some guide questions if indicated.
 Analysis – In this phase of the lesson, you are helped to look back to and think of the
activity. This phase is a thinking exercise for you to integrate bits of information and
concepts to enable you to draw generalization in the abstraction phase.
 Abstraction/Generalization – With the help of guide questions, you are expected to
connect information and concepts in order to come up with generalizations/abstractions.
Here, your generalizations are clarified.
 Application – This is the phase for the transfer of learning. If you gained mastery of
concepts, theories and principles, you will show evidence of your learning in this phase
by applying what were learned in real life situations. You need to answer all the items on
this part.
 Evaluation – This is the last part of the lesson. It will measure the extent of your
understanding on the concepts of the lesson. This has to be answered since it will be
rated.
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MODULE 1

INTRODUCTION to LITERATURE
GREEK LITERATURE
ROMAN LITERATURE

LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION to LITERATURE
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INTRODUCTION
Lesson 1 of this module is a sort of review on the concepts of literature since this lesson has been a part
of your lessons during your junior and senior years in school. Literature is always a part of language classes and
is indispensable topic in language teaching and learning.
Included here are notes on the basic concepts of literature and short exercises to check your knowledge
about literature.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
After reading this lesson, the students are expected to:
 Distinguish literary genres;
 Identify literary concepts; and
 Compose own examples of some of the elements of prose and poetry.

ABSTRACTION
What is Literature
Literature is a body of written works. The name has traditionally been applied to those imaginative
works of poetry and prose distinguished by the intentions of their authors and the perceived aesthetic excellence
of their execution.
The 11th edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary considers literature to be “writings having
excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.” Derived from the
Latin littera, “a letter of the alphabet,” literature is first and foremost humankind’s entire body of writing; after
that, it is the body of writing belonging to a given language or people; then it is individual pieces of writing.

For Brother Azurin, literature expresses the feelings of people to society, to the government, to his
surroundings, to his fellowmen and to his Divine Creator.

The Scope of Literature

When can a piece be considered as literature?

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 Not everything expressed in words—even when organized and written down—is counted as
literature. Those writings that are primarily informative—technical, scholarly, journalistic—would
be excluded from the rank of literature by most, though not all, critics. Certain forms of writing,
however, are universally regarded as belonging to literature if they possess something called
artistic merit.

 The purest (or, at least, the most intense) literary form is the lyric poem, and after it comes
elegiac, epic, dramatic, narrative, and expository verse. Poetry that fails as literature is not called
poetry at all but verse. Many novels—certainly all the world’s great novels—are literature, but
there are thousands that are not so considered. Most great dramas are considered literature
(although the Chinese, possessors of one of the world’s greatest dramatic traditions, consider their
plays, with few exceptions, to possess no literary merit whatsoever).
 The essay was once written deliberately as a piece of literature: its subject matter was of
comparatively minor importance. Today most essays are written as expository,
informative journalism, although there are still essayists in the great tradition who think of
themselves as artists.

 Some personal documents (autobiographies, diaries, memoirs, and letters) rank among the world’s

greatest literature. Some examples of this biographical literature were written with posterity in
mind, others with no thought of their being read by anyone but the writer. Some are in a highly
polished literary style; others, expressed in a privately evolved language, win their standing as
literature because of their cogency, insight, depth, and scope.

 Many works of philosophy are classed as literature. The Dialogues of Plato (4th century BC) are

written with great narrative skill and in the finest prose; the Meditations of the 2nd-century Roman
emperor Marcus Aurelius are a collection of apparently random thoughts, and the Greek in which
they are written is eccentric. Yet both are classed as literature, while the speculations of other
philosophers, ancient and modern, are not. Certain scientific works endure as literature long after
their scientific content has become outdated. This is particularly true of books of natural history,
where the element of personal observation is of special importance.

Forms of Literature
1. Poetry- a composition usually written in verse. Poems rely heavily on imagery, precise word choice and
metaphor, consist of patterns of stresses (metric feet) or of patterns of different –length syllables and
may or not utilize rhyme.
2. Prose- consists of writing that does not adhere to any particular formal structures. It is spoken or written
language without metrical structures as distinguished from poetry or verse.
Kinds of Poetry
1. Narrative poetry- a poem that tells a story.
a. Epic- tells the life and works of heroic or mythological person or group of persons. It is
considered as the oldest form of literature since its existence is known in ancient history. Ex.
Iliad and Odyssey.
b. Ballad- songlike poem that tell a story, which often deals with adventures or romance. Ex.
“Lord Randall.”
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c. Metrical Tale- a narrative that relates a real or imaginary event in simple and straightforward
language. The characters are ordinary people concerned with ordinary events. Ex. “Canterbury
Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer.
d. Metrical Romance- a long narrative poem that presents remote or imaginative incidents rather
than ordinary, realistic events. Ex. Morte d’ Arthur by Malory.
2. Lyric Poetry- a poem that expresses the emotions, feelings, and observations of the writer. It presents
an experience or a single effect, but it does not tell full story.
a. Song- a lyric poem that has been set to music to be sung
b. Sonnet- a fourteen-line poem focused on a single theme
c. Elegy- a solemn and formal lyric poem about the death that reflects a serious or tragic theme
d. Ode- a long, formal lyric poem with a serious theme. It often honors people or commemorates
them
Kinds of Prose
1. Fiction- (from the Latin fingere, “to form, create”) is a prose writing that tells about imaginary
characters and events. Some writers based their stories on real people and events, while others rely on
their imagination.
a. Short story- a brief prose narrative that is based on a single main incident which is designed
to produce a single dominant impression. It contains few characters and single plot that
resolves around the main character.
b. Novel- a prose fictional work of considerable length that deals with a series of complications
involving characters in a particular setting. It has more characters with several sub-plots and
settings.
c. Drama or play - written in scripted form and played on stage through mime and dialogue
d. Fable- brief story with animal characters that teaches moral lesson
e. Parable- short narrative that is at least allegorical and that illustrates a moral or spiritual
lesson
f. Legend - a story that reflects the people’s identity or cultural values, generally with more
historical and less emphasis on the supernatural
g. Myth- fictional tale originally with religious significance that explains the action of gods or
heroes, the causes of natural phenomena or both
h. Folk Tale- a story featuring characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, talking animals
and others. Its sub-class is fairy tales which usually have a happy ending.
2. Non-Fiction- a prose writing that presents and explains ideas or tells about real people, places, objects
or events
a. Autobiography- (from Greek word auton, “self”, bios “life” and graphien, “write” is a
biography written by the author about himself
b. Biography- based on the written accounts of individual lives
c. Essay- a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject usually in prose and
generally analytic, speculative and interpretative
d. Diary or journal- a book for writing discrete entries arranged by date, reporting on what has
happened over the course of a day or other period
ELEMENTS of POETRY
1. Sound- Poets choose words that involve certain sounds, and use sound effects to create a mood or
establish a tone.
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a. Alliteration is a repetition of the same consonant sounds in a sequence of words, usually at the
beginning of a word or stressed syllable: “descending dew drops;” “luscious lemons.” Alliteration is
based on the sounds of letters, rather than the spelling of words: for example, “keen” and “car”
alliterate, but “car” and “cite” do not.
b. Assonance is the repetition of similar internal vowel sounds in a sentence or a line of poetry, as in “I
rose and told him of my woe.”
c. Rhyme is the repetition of identical or similar concluding syllables in different words, most often at
the ends of lines. Rhyme is predominantly a function of sound rather than spelling; thus, words that
end with the same vowel sounds rhyme, for instance, day, prey, bouquet, weigh, and words with the
same consonant ending rhyme, for instance vain, rein, lane. The rhyme scheme of a poem, describes
the pattern of end rhymes.
Rhyme schemes are mapped out by noting patterns of rhyme with small letters: the first rhyme sound
is designated a, the second becomes b, the third c, and so on.
Example
I wondered lonely as a cloud a
That floats on high o’er vales and hills, b When
all at once I saw a crowd, a A
host of golden daffodils b
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, c
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze c
The pattern is ababcc
d. Rhythm is the term used to refer to the recurrence of stressed and unstressed sounds in poetry. Poets
rely heavily on rhythm to express meaning and convey feeling. It is like the beat in music.

2. Figurative language is a form of language use in which the writers and speakers mean something
other than the literal meaning of their words.
 A simile involves a comparison between unlike things using “like” or “as”.
Examples
My love is like a red, red rose.
His mind is a sponge.
 Metaphor is a comparison between essentially unlike things without a word such as “like” or
“as”.
Examples
My love is a red, red rose.
He is a walking encyclopedia.
 Personification gives human qualities or attributes to an object, an animal or an idea.
Examples
Only the moon was the witness in the incident.
Time had fallen asleep in the afternoon.
 Hyperbole is a deliberate overstatement or exaggeration intended not to deceive, but to
emphasize a statement for humorous effect.
Examples
He almost died laughing.
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She cried forever.

 Irony is a statement of one idea, the opposite of which is meant.
Examples
You’re so lovely today; you look like a Christmas tree.
For Brutus is an honorable man.
 Oxymoron is the combining of contraries (opposites) to portray a particular image or to produce
a striking effect.
Examples
Parting is a sweet sorrow.
Sound of silence
 Apostrophe is a direct address to an inanimate object, a dead person (as if present), or an idea.
Examples
“Love, thy will be done.”
“O death! Where is thy sting.”
 Metonymy consists of substitution of the literal noun for another which it suggests because it is
somehow associated with it.
Examples
Lend me your ears. (listen)
I give you my heart. (love)
3. Imagery is the concrete representation of a sense impression, feeling, or idea that triggers our
imaginative re-enactment of a sensory experience. Images may be visual (something seen), aural
(something heard), tactile (something felt), olfactory (something smelled), or gustatory (something
tasted).
4. Stanza is a grouping of lines, set off by a space, which usually has a set pattern of meter and rhyme.
5. Tone conveys the speaker’s implied attitude toward the poem’s subject. Tone is an abstraction we make
from the details of a poem’s language: the use of meter and rhyme (or lack of them); the inclusion of
certain kinds of details and exclusion of other kinds; particular choices of words and sentence pattern,
or imagery and figurative language (diction). Another important element of tone is the order of words in
sentences, phrases, or clauses (syntax).
Tone maybe “ironic”, “playful”, “sincere”, “angry”, etc.
6. Speaker- the person who expresses his/ her thoughts and feelings in the poem
7. Theme- the central thought of the poem. It is what the poem has to say. Love, hatred, vengeance, are
some of the common themes.

ELEMENTS of FICTION
1. Plot
The sequence of incidents or events through which an author constructs a story.  The plot is not merely the
action itself, but the way the author arranges the action toward a specific end (structure)

Important Elements of Plot

 Conflict- a clash of actions, ideas, desires, or wills
Types of Conflict:  Person vs. Person, Person vs. Environment, Person vs. Self.
 Protagonist- The central character in a conflict
 Antagonist- Any force arranged against the protagonist- whether persons, things, conventions of
society, or the protagonist’s own personality traits.
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 Suspense- The quality in a story that makes readers ask “what’s going to happen next?”.  In more
literary forms of fiction, the suspense involves more “why” than “what”. Usually produced through two
devices; either mystery (an unusual set of circumstances for which the reader craves an explanation) or
dilemma (a position in which a character must choose between two courses of action, both undesirable.)

2.Characterization
Analyzing characterization is more difficult than describing plot; human nature is infinitely complex,
variable and ambiguous.  It is much easier to describe what a person has done instead of who a person is.
•In commercial fiction, characters are often two-dimensional, and act as vehicles to carry out the plot.  The
protagonist must be easily identified with and fundamentally decent, if he has vices they are of the more
‘innocent’ type, the kind the reader would not mind having.
•Characters are presented in two different ways- directly and indirectly.
•Direct Presentation- The reader is told straight out what the character is like.
•Indirect Presentation- The author shows the character through their actions; the reader determines
what the character is like by what they say or do.
•Dramatization- Characters are shown speaking and behaving, as in a play.

Types of Characters
 Flat Characters- Usually have one or two predominant traits.  The character can be summed up in just a
few lines.
 Round Characters- Complex and many faceted; have the qualities of real people. 
 Stock Characters- A type of flat character.  The type of character that appears so often in fiction the
reader recognizes them right away.
 Static Character-  A character that remains essentially the same throughout .

3.Theme
Theme of a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the unifying generalization about life
stated or implied by the story. While theme is central to a story, it is not the whole purpose.  The function of a
literary writer is not to state a theme but to show and describe it. Theme does not equal “moral”, “lesson”, or
“message”.

How are themes formulated

1. Theme should be expressible in the form of a statement with a subject and predicate.
2. The theme should be stated as a generalization about life.
3. Be careful not to make the generalization larger than is justified by the terms of the story.  Avoid terms
like, every, all, always, in favor of words such as, some, sometimes, may.
4. Theme is the central and unifying concept of a story. Therefore, it accounts for all the major details of
the story, is not contradicted by any detail of the story, and cannot rely upon supposed facts.
5. There is no one way of stating the theme of a story.  As long as the above requirements are met, the
statement is valid.

4.Setting
The setting of a story is its overall context- where, when and in what circumstances the action occurs.

 Setting as Place- The physical environment where the story takes place. The description of the
environment often points towards its importance.
 Setting as Time-  Includes time in all of its dimensions.  To determine the importance, ask,
“what was going on at that time?”
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 Setting as Cultural Context-  Setting also involves the social circumstances of the time and
place.  Consider historical events and social and political issues of the time.

5. Point of View
Point of View is simply who is telling the story. To determine POV ask, “who is telling the story”, and “how
much do they know”?
Types of Point of View

1. Omniscient POV- The story is told in third person by a narrator who has unlimited knowledge of events
and characters.
2. Third Person Limited POV- The story is told in third person but from the view point of a character in the
story.  POV is limited to the character’s perceptions and shows no direct knowledge of what other
characters are thinking, feeling, or doing.
3. First Person POV- The author disappears into one of the characters.  Shares the limitations of third
person limited.  Uses the pronouns “I” and “We”.
4. Second Person POV-  Uses the pronoun “you”. 

6. Style
Style is the manner in which an author uses words, constructs sentences, incorporates non-literal
expressions, and handles rhythm, timing, and tone.

When asked to discuss style, you are being asked to describe how or explain why the words, sentences,
and imaginative comparisons are effective in terms of what is being created. 
Diction includes:
  1. Vocabulary- Choice of words
  a. Simple words- Everyday word choice. (“She was sick for a long  time.)
  b.  Complex words
  c.  Concrete words- Things we can touch, see, etc. (Jeans, book,..)
  d.  Abstract words-  Words that express intangible ideas (freedom, heritage, something)

2. Syntax- arrangement of words, their ordering, grouping and placement within phrases, clauses, and sentences.

3. Rhythm- The pattern of flow and movement created by the choice of words and the arrangement of phrases
and sentences.  Rhythm is directly affected by the length and composition of sentences, the use of pauses within
sentences, the use of repetition, and the ease or difficulty in pronouncing the combinations of word sounds in
the sentences

Why Study Literature?

Different authors provide some reasons why students need to study literature.

 Students learn to appreciate words and their power. Through the text or words they read, students
travel to other realms and times; they understand about their own culture and others’; they learn to
empathize with characters, to feel their joys and pain.

 They learn to consider multiple perspectives and understand the complexity of human nature. In
Literature, as in life, things aren’t always so clear cut, in black and white. And therein lies the value of
the subject – it prepares one for the ambiguities of life, to take uncertainties in one’s stride.
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 Students develop a sense of individuality and creativity, as they develop their own opinions about
issues in their texts. They also learn skills of persuasion – they need to convince others of their
interpretations, and this builds their confidence.

 Students learn skills of self-management as well. In Literature you’re always looking at different
ways of answering questions, and you can apply this in life as well, to find other solutions to problems.

 Literature develops in students enduring values, such as integrity, compassion, loyalty and
responsibility. The texts that students explore
give them multiple opportunities to discuss and reassess their own values and beliefs. These act as a
compass in life as students grow up.

 Expanding horizons. Literature opens our eyes and makes us see more than just what the front door
shows. It helps us realize the wide world outside, surrounding us. With this, we begin to learn, ask
questions, and build our intuitions and instincts. We expand our minds.
 Building critical thinking skills. When we read, we learn to look between the lines. We are taught to
find symbols, make connections, find themes, learn about characters. Reading expands these skills, and
we begin to look at a sentence with a larger sense of detail and depth and realize the importance of
hidden meanings so that we may come to a conclusion.

 A leap into the past. History and literature are entwined with each other. History is not just about power
struggles, wars, names, and dates. It is about people who are products of their time, with their own lives.
Without literature, we would not know about our past, our families, the people who came before and
walked on the same ground as us.
 Appreciation for other cultures and beliefs. Reading about history, anthropology, or religious studies
provides a method of learning about cultures and beliefs other than our own. It allows you to understand
and experience these other systems of living and other worlds. We can learn, understand, and appreciate
it.

 Better writing skills. When you open a book, when your eyes read the words and you take in its
contents, do you ask yourself: How did this person imagine and write this? Well, many of those authors,
poets, or playwrights used literature to expand their writing.

 Addressing humanity. All literature, whether it be poems, essays, novels, or short stories, helps us
address human nature and conditions which affect all people. These may be the need for growth, doubts,
and fears of success and failure, the need for friends and family, the goodness of compassion and
empathy, trust, or the realization of imperfection. We need literature in order to connect with our own
humanity.

APPLICATION
Read the following lines from a poem and do the tasks indicated.
But, children, at midnight,
When soft the winds blow;
When clear falls the moonlight,
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When spring- tides are low;

When sweet airs come seaward
From heaths starred with broom,
And high rocks throw mildly
On the blanched sands a gloom;
Up the still, listening beaches,
Up the creeks we will hide,
Over the banks of bright seaweed
The ebb-tide leaves dry.
We will gaze from the sand hills
At the white, sleeping town;
At the church on the hillside-
And then come back down,
Singing: “There dwells loved one,
But cruel is she!
She left lonely forever
The King of the sea.”
Answer the following:
1. List the images you find in the poem.
2. Label the rhyme pattern of each line of the poem.

EVALUATION
A. Explain why each of the following is a form of literature. Give one-sentence explanation for each.(2 pts.
each)
1. Lupang Hinirang
2. Riddles
3. Journal
4. Essay
5. Legend
B. Given are phrase descriptions of literary concepts. Identify what is being referred to. (1pt. each)
1. The story teller of a story
2. Time and location where the story happens
3. A story which involves complicated plot
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4. Repetition of sounds at the end of words in a poem

5. Series of action in a story
C. Formulate your own figure of speech based on the given description. (2 points each)
a. Metaphor- (You are to compare your mother with something/ object). Then in one sentence explain
why.
b. Hyperbole- (How you feel about your student’s life under this blended mode of learning)
c. Irony- (Description of the time of the pandemic)
d. Simile- (Comparison of yourself to an object) Then in one sentence explain why.
e. Apostrophe (You will ask a question about justice.)
D. Explain how the study of literature help you academically. (5 points)

LESSON 2
THE GREEK LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION
The Greeks are recognized as an exceptional people. They are known in history as the “noble Greeks.”
Because of their attainments in literature, sculpture, architecture, and philosophy, the term “the glory that was
Greece” is particularly applicable to them.
In this lesson you will see why Greek literature becomes so popular that until now it is being used as
reference in studying literature. You will also see their culture, the people and the life in Greece in the ancient
time through their masterpieces.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
 Describe Greek forms of literature; and
 Analyze sample Greek literary masterpiece.
ACTIVITY
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Think about each statement and decide whether you agree or disagree with the ideas of these famous
Greeks personalities. Write A on the line before the number if you agree, and write D if you disagree.
________1. The wisest man and woman should rule. (Plato)
________2. Excellence is not an act; it is a habit. (Aristotle)
________3. Political freedom allows for a rich culture. (Pericles)
________4. No system of government could be perfect. (Aristotle)
________5. Do not assume that something is true before it has been
proven to be true. (Socrates)
________6. The method of teaching people by asking them many questions is the most
effective way to teach. (Socrates)

ANALYSIS
With those famous lines from famous thinkers,
1. As a student, do you think Aristotle’s idea about excellence is true? Why?
2. What about the Aristotle’s point of view on government, is it true in the Philippines?

ABSTRACTION
Now, let’s get to know Greek literature’s beginning!
Greek Art and Literature
 The Greeks produced a civilization that has never been surpassed in the world. Greek art is well-
known throughout the world.
 The four major forms of Greek art are architecture, painting, sculpture and pottery. Of what they
accomplished in art little remains, and nobody is even sure that what still exist is the best. But what
remains has aroused the admiration and astonishment of the world.
 The Greeks produced the earliest literature in Europe. They serve as the pioneers of all western
literature in both prose and poetry. In literature, they are all supreme --- the world has produced no
epic poet to compare with Homer, no lyric poet to equal Pindar.
 The Greeks cultivated prose rather late, but history has no greater practitioner than Herodotus and
Thucydides; and there is no prose, aside perhaps from the Bible, more poetic than that of Plato.
 Of the four great tragic poets the world has produced, three are Greeks; the fourth is Shakespeare.
 Greek history goes back to the Bronze age between 300 and 1200 B. C.
 In the Golden Age or Classical Age of ancient Greece, Parthenon was built in Athens, and
Sophocles wrote Oedipus the King. Democracy begun.
 Democracy as a form of government, came from the government of ancient Greece.
 Understanding and judging Greeks by their own standard seems difficult because of the following
reasons:
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1. Probing a distant past is extremely difficult. Documents and monuments exist but they are
incomplete and cannot be reconstructed as they were.
2. We read Greek works through translation and translations are indispensable since ancient
Greek is now a dead language; nobody speaks it any longer. But translation can only
indicate; it cannot replace the original. Translation cannot duplicate the rhythm, tone, sound
in poetry.
 Greek literature is divided into three periods;
1. Pre-Homeric Age and the Homeric Age. This extends from the remote antiquity to the age
of Herodotus (484 B.C). This period includes the earliest poetry of Greece and the works of
Homer.
2. Athenian period to the Golden Age of Pericles. This extends from the age of Herodotus to
the death of Alexander the Great (323 B.C.)
3. Period of Decline extends from the death of Alexander the Great to the enslavement of the
Greeks by the Romans and extends to A.D. 1453.

Qualities of Greek Literature

1. Permanence and Universality
Greek literature has an enduring quality. It is as alive today as it was written more than 3,000 years ago.
It is read and admire by all nations of the world regardless of race, religion, or culture.
2. Essentially Full of Artistry
Greek art is the highest form of classic art. The Greek mind become the foundation of the literature of
the Western world, and its masterpieces afford the most splendid examples of artistic beauty and
excellence that the world has ever known. The Greeks had such a great love of beauty that they
surrounded themselves with beautiful objects like wares, vases, baskets, etc.

3. Originality
The quality of literary originality does not mean that all literary types originated from Greece. The
drama had been produced by the Egyptians and narrative poetry from India. The Greek mind modified
and improved all that it touched.
4. Diversity or Talent
The Greek mind was ever searching, ever seeking, fond of diversity of application.
5. Intellectual Quality
The Greek mind challenges one to think for some purpose-to bring about some inner transformation.

APPLICATION
A. Lyric Poem
Read the poem and answer the questions that follow.

A Girl in Love

Oh, my sweet mother, ‘tis in vain,

I cannot weave as once I wove,
So ‘wildered is my heart and brain
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With thinking of that youth I love.

Comprehension Questions
Answer the following:
1.Give the rhyme pattern of the poem.

2.How old do you think is the persona in this poem?

3. Would you say that this is the first time she has fallen in love? Why do you say so?

4. If you were to paint the picture suggested by the poem, how would you paint the girl? Her hands? Her eyes?
Is she sitting down or standing up? What objects should be near her?

5. What universal concepts about mother and daughters are shown in the poem?

1. EVALUATION
Read the story and answer the questions that follow.

The Elopement of Paris and Helen

The most beautiful woman in the world was Helen, one of the daughters of Tyndareus, king of Sparta.
Her mother was Leda, who had been seduced (or raped) by Zeus in the form of a swan. Helen had scores of
suitors, and her father was unwilling to choose one for fear the others would retaliate violently.

Finally, one of the suitors, Odysseus of Ithaca, proposed a plan to solve the dilemma. He suggested that
Tyndareus allow Helen to choose her husband and require all of Helen’s suitor to respect whom she choose.
The suitors duly swore the required oath they would defend the marriage of Helen.
 17

Helen chose Menelaus to wed, and Tyndareus made him the king of Sparta. So matters stood when Paris
gave the golden apple to Aphrodite. The Goddess of love and beauty, knew very well where the most beautiful
woman on earth was to be found.

When Paris had a diplomatic mission to Sparta, Menelaus and Helen received him graciously as their
guest. Menelaus, trusting completely Helen and Paris, left for Crete to bury his uncle, Crateus.

Paris with Aphrodite’s help, kidnapped Helen and sailed to Troy carrying part of Menelaus’ treasure,
Hera, still jealous over his judgement sent a storm. The storm made the lovers land in Egypt. Then, the ship
landed in Sidon before reaching Troy. Paris, fearful of getting caught, spent some time there and then, sailed to
Troy. Paris’ abduction of Helen had several precedents. It was taken from Argos, Europa, was taken from
Phoenicia, Jason took Medea from Colchis, and the Trojan princess Hesione had been taken by Heraclus who
the Trojan princess Hesione had been taken by the Heracles who gave her to Telamon of Salamis. According to
Herodotus, Paris was emboldened by these examples to steal himself a wife from Greece, and expected no
Retribution, since there had been none in the other cases.

Menelaus asked Agamemnon to uphold his oath. He agreed and sent him Nestor along with other
emissaries to all the Archean kings and princes, who were called to make good their oaths and retrieve Helen.
Calchas had prophesied that the first Archean to walk on land after stepping off a ship, would be the first to die.
Thus even Achilles hesitated to land. Finally Protesilaus, leader of the Phylaceans, landed first. Achilles
jumped second and killed Cycnus son of Poseidon. The Trojans then fled to the safety of the walls of their city.

After the withdrawal of Achilles, the Achaeans were initially successful. Both armies gathered in full for
the first time since the landing. Menelaus and Paris fought a duel, which ended when Aphrodite snatched the
beaten Paris from the field. The truce was broken, the Archean army nearly reached the wall, and Diomedes,
with the assistance of Athena, nearly killed Aeneas, and wounded the gods Aphrodite and Ares. Through the
next days, however, the Trojans had the upper hand. They drove back the Acheans to their camp. On the first
day of the Trojan attack they were stopped at the Achean wall by Poseidon.

The next day, though, with Zeus’ help, the Trojans broke in to the Achean camp and were on the verge
of setting fire to the Achaean ships. An earlier appeal to Achilles to return was rejected, but after Hector burned
Protesilaus’ ship, he allowed his close friend and relative Patroclus to go into battle wearing Achilles’ armor
and leading his army. Patroclus drove the Trojans back all the way to the walls of Troy and was only prevented
from storming the city by the intervention of Apollo. Patroclus was then killed by Hector of Patroclus.

Achilles, maddened with grief, swore to kill Hector in revenge. He was reconciled with Agamemnon
and received Briseis back, untouched by Agamemnon. He slaughtered many Trojans, and nearly killed Aeneas,
who was saved by Poseidon. Achilles fought with the river Scamander, and a battle of the gods followed. The
Trojan army returned to the city, except for hector, who remained outside because he was tricked by Athena.
Achilles killed Hector, and afterwards he dragged Hector’s body from his chariot and refused to return the body
to the Trojans for burial. The Achaeans then conducted funeral games for Patroclus. Afterwards, Priam came to
Achilles’ tent, guided by Hermes, and asked Achilles to return Hector’s body. The armies made a temporary
truce to allow the burial of the dead. The Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector.

Comprehension Questions
 18

1. Enumerate 5 main characters of the story and give one sentence descriptions for each.
2. What practices in the story are similar in the Philippines?

3. Based on the story, how did Greeks value the following:

a. Power
b. War
c. Romance
d. Loyalty
4. Name one principle that most Greek people abide in those times as reflected in the story Elopement of
Helen.

5. Do you consider elopement a practice to do? Why?

Lesson 3
ROMAN LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION
The literature of Rome holds a secondary position in the classic literature of antiquity, probably because
the Roman was less thinker and creator and more a doer than the Greek. The early Romans made little progress
in literary composition until they conquered and enslaved the Greeks. When this historical event happened, the
Romans were so impressed by the artistic attainments of the Greeks that they set about imitating Greek
literature, resulting in the unique situation of “the conquered becoming the conquerors and the conquerors
becoming the conquered.”
In this lesson, you will know how Romans established their forms of literature and how they portrayed life on
it.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
After reading this lesson, the students are expected to:
 19

 Describe Roman people as portrayed in some of their literary works; and

 Interpret Roman literary pieces.
ACTIVITY
Give 5 words associated with the word originality.
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________
4. __________________
5. __________________
ANALYSIS
As a person, do you want to have somebody copy your original work like research output, module output, song
composition, etc.? Why?
Why are there people who love to copy other people’s work?

ABSTRACTION
 Roman literature was greatly imitative of Greek models. What Homer was to Greeks, Virgil was
to Romans.
 Greek literature was translated into Latin, and it provided the models that the Roman youths
studied and learned by heart.
 There is a predominance of satire in Roman literature. The satire is literary type used to attack
evils in the society. It is invented by the Romans.
 Virgil was the greatest writer that Rome produced. His masterpiece is Aenied, the great epic of
Rome. His idea of Aenied is derived from Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.
 One of the principal contributions to freedom made by the Romans was their system of checks
and balances, a set up in which no one person or area of government could gain too much power
by overruling another by means of a veto (Latin for “I forbid”). They also introduced the rule of
law, rather than the rule by the people.
 Rome gave the world two centuries of peace and prosperity. It was an age identified as Pax
Romana or ”Roman Peace”, a time when no military force on earth could equal the power of
Rome.
 Pax Romana was the time of massive building projects such as Colosseum, the Forum, temples,
and victory arches.
 Roman literature gave us Virgil’s Aeneid, a national epic, and Horace’s nature poems, satires,
and his famous work, “Metamorphosis”, a collection of stories.
 It was during this time of peace that our Lord Jesus Christ was born.

Roman Writers
Virgil Horace Martial Epictetus
 20

APPLICATION
A. Read the following poems. Greater number of poems like of Martial (AD104) are violent satires
attacking the loose morals of his time, but a few are for their sweetness of tone, their pleasing
description of nature, and their graceful turns of thought.

From Bad to Worse

I had a cold. The doctor came
And five assistants, too;
They laid ten icy hands on me,
And now I’ve got the flu.

Playing Safe
You’ve buried four rich wives and they say
The excellent wine you serve every day
Had something to do with the slaughter.
What a silly talk! It makes me laugh!
Yu’ve pure vintage wine in the carafe-
No, thank you, I believe I’ll have water.

A Hinted Wish
You told me, Maro, whilst you live
You’d not a single penny give
But that, whene’er you chance to die,
You’d leave a handsome legacy;
You must be mad beyond redress
If my next wish you cannot guess.

Procrastination
Tomorrow you will live, you always cry;
In what far country does this morrow lie
That ‘tis so mighty long ere it arrive?
 21

Beyond the Indies does this morrow live?

‘Tis so far –fetched, this morrow, that I fear
‘Twill be both very old and very dear.
Tomorrow I will live, the fool does say;
Today itself’s too late—the wise lived
yesterday.
Comprehension Questions
Answer the following:
1.Romans are known for satire. What satire is implied in the first poem?
2. Why is poem number 2 entitled “Playing Safe?” How is playing safe shown in the poem?
3. Which two lines contain the whole idea of the poem “Procrastination”? Rewrite the idea in your own words.
4. What procrastination do you have in your life? How does it affect your life as a student or as a person?

B. Read the summary of Aeneid and find out how Roman life was like as portrayed in the story.

Aeneid: A Summary

Aeneid, tells the story of Aeneas's journey in search of the land where he is destined to build the city that
will one day become the great Roman Empire. Largely influenced by Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, the Aeneid
begins halfway through Aeneas's journey, as he nears the city of Carthage, ruled over by Dido, who built the
city after fleeing from her murderous brother. Over dinner one night, he tells Dido and her court about his
travels thus far.

Aeneas recounts the story of the fall of Troy, and how he was forced to leave the city of his birth with
his father Anchises, his son Ascanius, and his wife Creusa. During the flight, he lost Creusa, whose shade
appeared to him, telling him to follow his destiny, which is to build a great city and take a royal bride. Aeneas
and the other Trojan refugees set out to sea, where they had a great many adventures before arriving in
Carthage: believing that their destined land was in Crete, they founded a city there, only to be struck down by a
plague that forced them to leave; they fought against the Harpies and were cursed by their leader, Celeano; they
 22

fled the island of the Cyclops to avoid being slaughtered by the one-eyed beasts; Anchises died on the island of
Drepanum.

When Aeneas finishes telling Dido his tale, she realizes that she has become inflamed with love for him,
and she pursues him relentlessly. Juno manipulates the situation so that the pair spends the night in a cave,
where they become lovers. Eventually, however, Aeneas realizes that he has been abandoning his destiny by
dallying in Carthage, so he readies his men to leave. Dido has convinced herself that the two are in fact husband
and wife, and she is so distraught by her lover's abandonment that she builds a funeral pyre and slays herself on
it using Aeneas's sword. As Aeneas and his men sail away from Carthage, they see the city aflame, the residents
in a panic, but they do not know that the queen has died. The fleet sails to Drepanum, where they engage in
celebrations commemorating the one-year anniversary of Anchises's death, and Aeneas receives a prophecy
telling him to travel to the Underworld to meet with his father.

With the sibyl of Cumae, Deiphobe, as his guide, Aeneas travels through the Underworld in search of
Anchises. On the journey, Aeneas sees a great many terrible sights, including restless souls who have not
received proper burials, the ghosts of dead babies, and the terrifying fortress Tartarus, where the most horrible
sinners live in eternal torture. When he finally locates his father in the beautiful Elysium, where only the most
heroic souls go to rest, Anchises shows him the shades that, once reincarnated, will become the heroes of the
Roman Empire. Aeneas returns to the land of the living, certain of the need to fulfill his destiny, and then sets
sail for Laurentum, where he will build his great city.

When Aeneas and his men arrive in Laurentum, they are greeted warmly by King Latinus, who has
heard a prophecy that his daughter, Lavinia, should be wed to a foreigner. Juno, however, angered by the treaty,
sends one of the Furies to stir up trouble. The Fury Allecto starts a war between the Trojans and the Latins by
striking anger into the heart of Turnus, Lavinia's other suitor. She also inspires Latinus's wife, Queen Amata, to
do all that she can to prevent the Trojans from building their city in Laurentum. Turnus calls the Latin men to
arms against the foreigners, and a terrible, drawn-out battle ensues. Aeneas seeks the aid of King Evander, ruler
of a poor neighboring kingdom, and the Etruscans, who wish to avenge the wrong done to them by Mezentius,
one of Turnus's supporters. King Evander entrusts his son, Pallas, to fight at the great warrior's side, but Pallas
is brutally slain by Turnus - a move that Turnus will come to regret.

Eventually, even the Latins come to realize the inevitability of the Trojan victory, and they call for a
one-on-one duel between Turnus and Aeneas. Just as the duel is about to begin, however, Turnus's
sister Juturna inflames the Latin troops. A young Trojan is killed, and the battle begins once again. Finally, even
Turnus realizes that the only way to end the slaughter is through a duel, so the two meet in a field. Aeneas
clearly has the upper hand throughout the battle, even though Turnus is aided by his sister, Juturna,
until Jupiter intervenes and declares that the gods may no longer meddle in mortal affairs.
Finally, Aeneas strikes Turnus to the ground, and the fallen man pleads for his life, or at least for his
corpse to be sent back to his father for burial. Although Aeneas is momentarily moved by his adversary's plea,
he sees that Turnus has callously slung Pallas's belt across his shoulders, and Aeneas decides not to be merciful.
The epic ends with Aeneas plunging his sword through Turnus's heart and then with Turnus's moaning shade
fleeing to the Underworld.

EVALUATION
Answer the following:

1.Using a timeline, illustrate the journey of Aeneas in the epic Aenied. Feature only the major events.
2. What are the dominant characteristics of the people portrayed in the epic story of Aenied?
3. Romans introduced to the world the concept of peace. Which part in the story proves this?
4. What values can we get from the epic Aeneid?
 23

References
Books
Applebee, A. et al. (2001). The Language of literature.USA: Mc Dougal Littell Inc.
Balita, C. (2017). Ultimate Learning Guide to English. Manila: Ultimate Learning Series
Lapid, M. and Serrano, J. (2015). English Communication arts and Skills through WorldLiterature.
Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House Inc.
Perez, A. (2001). Creative Writing. Quezon City: Omniscience Publishing Inc.

Electronic Resources
Breanna Sahr https://www.theodysseyonline.com/7-reasons-why-literature-is-so-important

Kenneth Rexroth . https://www.britannica.com/art/literature

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/essay
https://www.schoolbag.edu.sg/story/why-study-literature-as-a-humanities-subject#:~:
https://literaturenotesforyou.weebly.com/elements-of-prose.html

http://www.unm.edu/~hookster/Elements%20of%20Poetry.pd
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-aeneid/study-guide/summary#:~:
 24

MODULE 2
ENGLISH LITERATURE
AMERICAN LITERATURE
 25

LESSON 4
ENGLISH LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION
English literature is considered the largest body of literature ever written. It has continuously existed for
over 15 centuries. It ranges from the Anglo Saxon period up to the modern times. According to Winston
Churchill, “English literature is a glorious inheritance which is open to all- there are no barriers, no coupons,
and no restrictions.”
In this lesson, you will be exploring England, and the land of the famous epic, “Beowulf”. You will see
how English literature flourished.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After taking this lesson, the students are expected to:
 Describe the culture of people depicted in some master pieces; and
 Interpret content of some literary pieces.
ACTIVITY Study the pictures below. Give a title and write a one-line caption for the pictures.

ANALYSIS
 26

1. What event or activity is seen in both pictures?

2. Do they have similar manner of doing such act?
3. When do these scenes usually happen, and what triggers people to do such acts?

ABSTRACTION
The beginning of English Literature
 Julius Caesar crossed the English channel and found the land occupied by peace- loving agricultural
people called Celts.
 In 449, invasion from European continent took place in the land. The invaders belong to Germanic tribes
called the Jutes, Angles, and Saxons.
 People were divided into two classes; the earl (the ruling class) and the churl (war captives of the tribe)
 The earl was loyal to his king, brave and revered leader in times of war and peace, wise judge and
generous giver of material rewards for services rendered.
 Social system was simple.
 Justice was founded on the spirit of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But this was softened by
a system of “blood-money” whereby a fine could be given to the killer to the family of the man he
killed.
 The warrior was the most important human being because he was the man who solved all problems.
 War was the general way of life.
 The churl tilled the land, hunted, and fished for his earl. They outnumbered the earls.
 The women were considered valuables only for domestic duties, marriageable commodities or purely
decorative elements of society
 It was solely a man’s world.
 The code followed was warrior’s code of pride, loyalty, and courage to one’s king.
 Early in the history of England, the priest came, who was the bringer of the new world of knowledge
and culture.
 Christianity was established in Britain before AD 400.
 When the Romans left, Christianity was kept alive by the Irish missionaries.

Eight Periods of English Literature

1.The Anglo-Saxon period (the earliest time- 1066)
 The making of England; the invasion of Roman Empire in 4th AD; the attacks of Danish Vikings
 Beowulf, became the earliest literature, the national epic of the Anglo-Saxon

II. The Medieval Period (1066 –15th century)

 The Norman conquest under William, Duke of Normandy, the battle of Hastings in 1066; the mark of
establishment of feudalism
 Famous literary forms are ballad, romance, allegory, Chaucer’s works
 27

 Ballad- the most important department of English folk literature; a story told in song, usually 4-line
stanzas with the second and fourth lines rhymed Ex. Ballad of Robin Hood
 Romance- the prevailing kind of literature in feudal England; a long composition, sometimes in verse,
sometimes in prose, describing the life a noble hero Ex. The Romance of King Arthur
 Allegory- a form of extended metaphor in which objects, persons and actions in narrative are equated
with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself Ex. Ideas of patience, purity, and truth are
symbolized by the person who are characters in the story.
 Chaucer-the founder and father of English poetry; the first great poet who wrote in the English language
making London dialect the standard for the modern English speech. Ex. The Canterbury Tales
III. English Renaissance (15th and 16th century)
 Hundred Years’ war and civil war; the weakening of nobility and the rising of bourgeoise; the new
Monarchy, the Reformation and the weakening of the power of the church; enclosure movement and
commercial expansion
 Renaissance means rebirth or revival of letters; thinkers and scholars made attempts to get rid of those
old feudalist ideas, to introduce new ideas
 Humanism- emphasizes dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life; belief in the
right to enjoy the beauty of life
 Edmund Spencer known as the poet’s poet
 Francis Bacon- first English essayist, famous for his Essays
 Drama- the highest glory of the English Renaissance with Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare, and Ben
Johnson
IV. The Period of Revolution and Restoration (the 17th century)
 Clash between the King and the Parliament; Civil War; Charles I was executed
 John Milton- revolutionary poet, Paradise Lost is his known work
 Metaphysical school of poetry- break away from the convention; simple diction, common speech words
and cadences, actual life imagery, argument with the poet’s beloved, with god, or with himself
 John Donne - leading figure of the metaphysical school of poetry

V. The Period of Enlightenment and Classicism (the 18th century)

 Age of Reason, a progressive intellectual movement, to enlighten the world with the light of modern
philosophical and artistic idea, to celebrate reason, equality in science, call for reference to order, reason
and rules
 Classicism-all forms of literature should be modeled after the classical works of the ancient Greek and
Roman writers
 Sentimentalism came into being as a result of bitter discontent with social reality.

VI. The Romantic Period (the turn of the 18th and 19th century)
 French revolution and English industrial revolution
 Romanticism- puts individuals as the center of art, making literature as an expression of his/her feelings
and attitudes
 28

VII. Critical Realistic Period (the mid and late19th century)

 The struggle between workers and capitalist; the Victorian morality
 Fiction is the highest achievement
 Critical Realism- concerned about the fate of the common people. It awakens the public consciousness
to the social problem and in the actual improvement of the society
 Naturalism- literature must be true to life exactly reproduce real life without any selection. It usually
writes about the lives of the poor and oppressed

VIII. the Modern Period (the 20th century)

 The gap between the rich and the poor; the postwar economic dislocation and spiritual disillusion; the
rise of all kinds of philosophical ideas like Karl Marx, Darwin
 Modernism in fiction-; the golden years of modernist novels
 Modernism in drama
 Modernism in poetry
Famous English writers
Geoffrey Chaucer Christopher Marlowe William Shakespeare
Francis Bacon Sir Walter Raleigh John Donne
John Milton Alexander Pope Thomas Gray
William Blake William Wordsworth Charles Dickens
Robert Browning Percy Bysshe Shelley George Eliot

APPLICATION
Read the poem from an English poet and answer the activity that follow.

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love

BY CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE
Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove,
That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

And we will sit upon the Rocks,

Seeing the Shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow Rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing Madrigals.
 29

And I will make thee beds of Roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of Myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty Lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and Ivy buds,

With Coral clasps and Amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love.

The Shepherds’ Swains shall dance and sing

For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me, and be my love.

Comprehension Exercises
Answer the following:
1. Who is speaking or the speaker in the poem?

2. To whom does that shepherd was expressing his love?

3. What are the promises he offered to the nymph?

4. Do you think this practice still happens at present like in the Philippines? Why?

5. As an English writer, how does he value the feelings for a woman?

EVALUATION
Read the summary of King Arthur’s story and do the tasks indicated after.
 30

KING ARTHUR and the LEGENDS of the ROUND TABLE

The stories begin with the tale of the English King Uther, who has fallen in love with Igrayne, the
beautiful wife of one of his vassals. Uther asks his adviser, the wizard Merlin, to assist him in seducing
Igrayne. Merlin casts a powerful spell and Uther appears to Igrayne as her husband, and they have sex.
Igrayne becomes pregnant and gives birth to a boy, Arthur. Merlin takes Arthur away, hiding him among the
household of another of Uther’s vassals, Sir Ector.

Years later, young Arthur travels to the Sword in the Stone, where an inscription promises that
whoever can pull the sword free shall become King of England. Arthur pulls the sword free and is proclaimed
king. There is some resistance initially, but after a short time, Arthur is crowned. However, almost
immediately a formal rebellion breaks out in the north, led by King Lot of Orkney, who is Arthur’s uncle.
One of Arthur’s loyal knights, Sir Pellynore, meets Lot in a duel and kills him, ending the rebellion. To make
peace, Arthur marries Lady Gwenyvere. As part of her dowry, she brings a roundtable with room for 150
knights. Arthur populates his newly founded Fellowship of the Round Table with 149 men, leaving one spot
open.

Arthur receives word from the Emperor of Rome, Lucius, who demands a tribute from the new
English King. Arthur takes counsel with his advisers, who urge him to march on Rome to make war. Arthur
decides to do so; defeating the Emperor in battle, he is proclaimed Emperor in his place. As Arthur returns
from the war, he claims every place he passes through as part of his empire.

Some of Arthur’s knights have been captured by a rogue knight, Sir Tarquin. Sir Lancelot, a knight
whose reputation as a gallant and successful adventurer is unmatched, arrives, setting them free.

A young man arrives at Arthur’s court, taking work as a kitchen worker. He engages in a series of
duels with knights, however, and wins each one, proving himself to be of much better skill. He gains a wife,
and then reveals himself to Arthur as Sir Gareth, Arthur’s nephew. Later, the knight Sir Tristram falls in love
with Isolde. His uncle, jealous, marries her instead, forcing Tristram to ask for her hand on his behalf.
Tristram kidnaps Isolde and lives with her for a while, but returns her to his uncle, as it is the right thing to
do. His uncle rewards this by killing him.

King Arthur determines to go on a quest for The Holy Grail. All of his Knights of the Round Table
wish to glimpse this holy relic, which supposedly has miraculous healing powers. Only knights who are pure
of heart and chaste in morals are able to perceive the Grail. Sir Lancelot, acknowledged as the best of all the
knights, realizes that his pursuit of glory in the mortal realm has left the Grail blocked to him. He leaves off
the quest but redeems himself when he saves Queen Gwenyvere from being framed for murder.

Lancelot and Gwenyvere fall in love and conduct an illicit affair. Their affair is exposed by Mordred,
 31

Arthur’s son from an unintentionally incestuous affair, and Sir Aggravayne. The Queen is condemned to
death for adultery, but Lancelot and a group of allies rescue her in defiance of the King. They are pursued,
and Lancelot kills several knights in a battle, including Sir Gareth. As a result, Arthur is urged to go to war
against Lancelot. Leading his loyal knights, he lays siege to Lancelot’s castle.

With the knights gone, Mordred seizes power. He sends out fake announcements of Arthur’s death,
declaring himself king. Arthur, hearing of this, returns with his army and is met by Mordred’s forces. The two
men duel at the Battle of Salisbury Plain. Arthur kills Mordred but receives a mortal wound. He commands
his sword be thrown into a lake; Arthur’s body is taken to Avalon on a mysterious barge.

The Queen and the Knights of the Round Table are devastated. Gwenyvere tells Lancelot she believes
their sin doomed Arthur. She joins a nunnery, and Lancelot and the other knights go into monasteries. When
Gwenyvere dies, Lancelot tenderly buries her next to her husband, then passes away himself. However,
legends persist that Arthur is not truly dead; rather he was taken at the moment of death and kept there,
sleeping, and will return at the time of England’s greatest need. A new King is declared.

https://www.supersummary.com/king-arthur-and-the-legends-of-the-round-table/summary/
Comprehension questions
1. Name 5 main characters of the story and give a description for each..
2. How Arthur becomes a king in the story?
3. If given a chance to become a king like Arthur, what would you tell to your people as a king of authority?
4. What kind of culture and people is portrayed in the story? Describe.
5. Do we still have that culture today? How?

LESSON 5
AMERICAN LITERATURE
 32

INTRODUCTION
American Literature is known for its diverseness and uniqueness. Three periods characterized American
literature—The Puritan period, the Revolutionary Period, and the Modern period. During the Puritan period,
people tend to believe that their emigration was part of God’s plan. During the Revolutionary period, Americans
decided to form and establish national identity through their literature, and on the latter part, they followed other
western movements like Idealism, Romanticism, Naturalism and many more.
In this lesson, you will see how American literature started and prospered.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
 Draw literary devices in some of the selected literary pieces;
 Perform interpretative reading of a poem; and
 Describe character traits depicted in some selected pieces.

ACTIVITY
List as many descriptions you have about America or the U.S.A. based on your personal knowledge or
understanding. It may include description of people, place, culture, economy, politics, etc. Fill in 5 major
descriptions that would definitely identify America in the map found below.
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ANALYSIS
Which characteristics do you think is dominant among Americans even during the ancient times?
America has been considered as one of the powerful countries in the world. Give a sample evidence or proof of
being one.
Now let’s find out!
ABSTRACTION
 For almost a century and a half, America was merely a group of colonies scattered along the
eastern seaboard of the North American continent—colonies from which a few hardy souls
tentatively ventured westward.
 After a successful rebellion against the motherland, America became the United States, a nation.
 By the end of the 19th century this nation extended southward to the Gulf of Mexico, northward
to the 49th parallel, and westward to the Pacific.
 By the end of the 19th century, too, it had taken its place among the powers of the world—its
fortunes so interrelated with those of other nations that inevitably it became involved in two
world wars and, following these conflicts, with the problems of Europe and East Asia.
 Meanwhile, the rise of science and industry, as well as changes in ways of thinking and feeling,
wrought many modifications in people’s lives. All these factors in the development of the United
States molded the literature of the country.
 The American Literature was influenced by the Puritan-Calvanistic doctrine.
 Literatures were not purely religious. Mot works were about the triumph of some individuals in
the New World.
 Revolutionary Literature (1760-1787), was influenced by the Puritans, but the latter stages where
characterized by an outpour of patriotic verses that were satirical attacks against the loyalists.
Poems in this era were commonly about the coming greatness of America.
 Early National Literature (1787-1836) was characterized by the emergence of self-conscious
national literature. American writers strove to strengthen American literature, but most of the
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themes during this era revolved around universal themes such as romance, virtue, vice, and
seduction.
 American Renaissance (1830-1850) is known as the American Romantic Movement. It started
with the development of American literature in the 1830’s and the 1840’s. Transcendentalism
emerged as a common theme in this era.
 Post-Civil War literature as the period from dawning of realism to the advent of naturalism. This
was characterized by the movement away from the American Romanticist ideas, to a worldly
realism that dealt with actual places and situations. Works with touches of regionalism also
flourished in this era.
 Post World War Literature was characterized by the disillusionment with ideals and with
civilization. Writers are called the “writers of the so- called lost generation”.
 The1930’s was influenced by the rise of fascism and the depression in Europe. Most of the works
were insinuating protest and revolution, most likely from the working class. Short stories
emerged as the common literary genre.
 Literature since World War II
1940-1950 –drama begun to flourish,
1960’s - literature was affected by social movements.
Many writers aligned themselves with ethnic and feminist themes
Contemporary- characterized by diversity in terms of themes and genres
Famous American writers
Benjamin Franklin, Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emily
Dickenson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, TS. Eliot,
William Faukner, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, F.Scott Fitzgerald,
Henry David Thoreau. Walt Whitman

APPLICATION
Let’s try this !
The poem Oh Captain! My Captain! is a tribute for Pres. Abraham Lincoln who was assassinated. It employs
several figurative language to make the poem more appealing. Read the poem and answer the tasks indicated.
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Oh Captain! My Captain!
by Walt Whitman
O Captain ! my Captain! Our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While
follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart!
Heart! Heart! O the
bleeding drops of red, Where on
the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold
and dead.

O Captain! My Captain! rise up an her the bells; Rise

up – for you the flag is flung- for the bugle trills, For you
bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths- for you the shores a –crowding, For you the
call , the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; Here captain!
Dear father! This arm
beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, The
ship is anchor’d safe and sound, it’s voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes with object won: Exult O
shores, and ring O bells! But I
with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead
APPLICATION
A. Do as indicated:
1.The images found in the poem are: ____________________________________
2. Captain is not literally a captain of the ship but it refers to _____________. The ship is compared to 3.
______________________. These are examples of metaphor.
4. Write the line in the poem which is an example of apostrophe, where somebody or something (not present) is
being called. __________________________________
5. Alliteration or repetition of sound is evident in the poem like ________________________.

B.You are to present an interpretative reading of the poem O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman.
Have it in video. See rubrics for rating on the last page of this lesson.
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EVALUATION
Read the biography of Benjamin Franklin. Answer the questions that follow.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN- A BIOGRAPHY

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children
and had to leave school at ten years old because his father could not afford his schooling. Even though he could
not afford to attend school, Franklin believed that education was very important. He loved to read and often
read many books on science, philosophy, literature, and many others. Benjamin worked extra hard to educate
himself ultimately learning five languages, becoming a scientist, inventor, diplomat, writer, philosopher,
musician, economist, philanthropist, and the list goes on. Franklin lived a very productive and interesting life. In
1726, he set up his own printing shop in Philadelphia where he made most of his fortune. He was married in
1730 to Deborah Read Rogers and had two sons and one daughter.
Among the many things that Franklin began or invented:
 Founded the first city library, the Library Company of Philadelphia (1731)
 Founded Pennsylvania Hospital (1751) with Dr. Thomas Bond
 Founded the Pennsylvania Gazette (1729)
 Started the first organized fire department (1736). He is quoted as saying, “An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure.”
 Founded the first college in the city, which became the University of Pennsylvania (1749)
 Founded the citizen’s “Night Watch” which he later turned into the first Philadelphia police department
 Invented the Franklin stove, or fireplace
 Invented the bifocal eyeglasses
 Invented the lightning rod, his most famous invention
 Founding father and signer of the Declaration of Independence
It is not to say that Americans have enjoyed independence since 1776, partly because of Benjamin
Franklin’s efforts. Benjamin Franklin will be remembered for many things, but mostly for improving the world.
Franklin was vital to the United States as he traveled to France and negotiated the financing procurement of
materials needed to fight and win the Revolutionary War against Britain. Franklin was vital in winning the war ,
even sending officers to train American revolutionaries who had no previous military training.
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Even though Franklin was born in Boston, the city of Philadelphia is remembered as the home of
Benjamin Franklin. Note from the list above—many of his ”Firsts” achievements were in Philadelphia. Just
when many people are retired, Franklin was still active and energetic until his death at the age of 84 in
Philadelphia on April 17. Around 20,000 people attended his funeral paying respects to the man who was
called, “The harmonious human multitude.”

Comprehension Questions
1.Why did Benjamin Franklin leave school at ten years old?
2.What did Franklin teach himself?
3. What attitude or characteristics of American people are portrayed in the biography?
4. If you were not able to attend school because of financial constraint, would you still try and pursue
education? How?
5. What insight about life can we get from Franklin’s biography. Write a 2 paragraph reflection about it.
REFERENCES
A. Books
Applebee, A. et al. (2001). The Language of Literature. U.S.A. : Mc Dougal Littell Inc.
Balita, C. (2018). Ultimate Learning Guide to English. Manila: Ultimate Learning Series
Lapid, M. and Serrano, J. (2014). English communication Arts and skills Through Anglo- American and
Filipino Literature. Quezon City: Phoenix publishing house, Inc.

B. Electronic Resources
https://www.supersummary.com/king-arthur-and-the-legends-of-the-round-table/summary/
https://www.poetryoutloud.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Poetry-Out-Loud-Scoring-
Rubric_updated_6.6.19.pdf

Rubrics for Poetry Reading

Knows the Poem The performers know the The performers know The performers know The performer could not
poem well and has the poem pretty well and some of the poem, but say the poem without
obviously practiced has evidently practiced does not appear to have using a written copy.
reciting the poem several reciting the poem once practiced. Refers to notes
times. There is no need or twice. Refers to notes 3-4 times, and the
for notes and the once or twice, but the performer appears ill-at-
performer speaks with performer is relatively ease.
confidence. confident.
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Speaks Clearly Speaks clearly and Speaks clearly and Speaks clearly and Often mumbles or can
distinctly all (100-95%) distinctly all (100-95%) distinctly most ( 94- not be understood OR
the time, and the time, but 85%) of the time. mispronounces more than
mispronounces no words. mispronounces one word. Mispronounces no one word.
more than one word.
Posture and Eye Uses posture Uses posture appropriate Sometimes stands up Slouches and/or does not
Contact appropriate for the for the poem and straight and establishes look at or try to involve
poem, looks relaxed establishes eye contact eye contact. audience during
and confident. with all members of the presentation.
Establishes eye contact audience during the
with all members of presentation.
the audience during
the presentation.
Volume/Voice Volume is loud enough to Volume is usually loud Volume is usually loud Volume too soft or
be heard by all audience enough to be heard by all enough to be heard by all performer mumbles.
members throughout the audience members. audience members. Audience often has
presentation. Performer generally Performer speaks so fast trouble understanding.
Performer speaks clearly speaks clearly and paces that audience has trouble
and paces performance. performance. Is easily understanding.
Is easily understood by understood by audience
all audience members all members most of the
the time. time.
Acting/Dialogue Performer uses consistent Performer often uses Performer tries to use Performer recites the
voice inflection, facial voice inflection, facial voice inflection, facial poem, but does not use
expressions, and expressions, and expressions, and voice inflection, facial
movement to make the movement to make the movement to make the expressions, or movement
poem more believable, poem more believable, poem more believable, to make the poem more
more entertaining, and more entertaining, and more entertaining, and believable, interesting, or
more easily understood. more easily understood. more easily understood. clear.
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