Ass 2.

Epic and ancient epic

1. What is an epic in general and what is an ancient epic in particular?
 Epic is originally Greek and refers to a long poem narrating important historical or
cosmic events in elevated language and involving a panoramic sweep of action and a cast
of protagonists who straddle the human and divine worlds.
 An ancient epic is a lengthy, orally-transmitted narrative poem that tells the story of a
larger-than-life hero's journey, often involving gods, supernatural elements, and themes
reflecting the values of its culture.
The epic of Gilgamesh
1. What civilization did the epic of Gilgamesh belong to?
 Mesopotamian civilization
2. What was the language and written characters used to write Gilgamesh?
 The Sumerian language is used to write Gilgamesh
 It is written in cuneiform script-wedge-shape characters incised in clay and stone
3. Who is the protagonist (main character) of Gilgamesh? Who is his companion?
 King Gilgamesh of the city - state of Uruk in southern Mesopotamia is the protagonists of
Gilgamesh
 His companion is Enkidu
Summarize Gilgamesh in 100 words.
Gilgamesh, a powerful king of the city-state of Uruk in southern Mesopotamia, was a bad
ruler: arrogant, oppressive, and brutal to his people. After that, the people of Uruk
complain to the Sumerian gods about Gilgamesh’s dominating behavior, and so the gods
create Enkidu - a wild man. They confront, then become brothers and have the first of
their epic adventures together. During the first adventure, they defeat the monstrous
Hambaba. Next to their second adventure, Enkidu’s death makes Gilgamesh fall into
being hopeless. Through this, he starts to find immortality, embarking on the flood
survivor Utnapishtim but fails. In the end, returning home, he accepts mortality, leaving
behind many huge legacies and the story passed down to future generations.
The Hebrew Bible
1. Read “Genesis” 1-4 [From Creation to the Murder of Abel] and write down things God
created in order from the beginning to the end.
 First day, God created light and darkness
 Second day, God created the vault ( divided the water beneath the vault from the water
above the vault )
 Third day, God created dry land, seas , plant, trees
 Fourth day, God created sun, moon and stars ( the great light for dominion of day and the
small light for the dominion of nights and the stars )
 Fifth day, God created bird and sea creatures
 Sixth day, God created human and animals
 Seventh day, God created a day of rest ( He had done all tasks and had ceased from all his
tasks in that day ).
2. Who are the killer and the killed in the story of “The Murder of Abel”? What was the
punishment God did on the killer?
 The killer in the story of “The Murder of Abel is Cain
 The killed in the story of “The Murder of Abel” is Abel
  The punishment God did on the killer was if the killer was still on the soil, it will no
longer give him its strength and a restless wanderer shall he be on the earth.
Homer. The Iliad. The Odyssey
1. Who was Homer? Finish the readings about Homer and do some research on the
“question of Homer”. How many “Homer(s)” do you think? Why?
 Homer is the legendary author of the work “ The Iliad and The Odyssey''. However, just
his name is known. The Greek thought that he was blind maybe as the Odyssey's blind
bard Demodocus.They also thought that his birthplace was called Ionia since the Iliad had
numerous accurate descriptions of natural features of the Ionian environment.
 In my opinion, there is only one Homer or there are a lot of Homer. Because all of the
information that we have known about Homer is just a name. There are a lot of things
such as him blind, born in Ionian, all predictions that are not verified. But if Homer is
blind like Demodocus, the only possibility is Homer.
2. Whom does Achilles conflict with? Why?
 Achilles conflicts with Agamemnon
 There is an argument about a woman named Briseis. When Agamemnon is forced to free
his captive, Chryseis, he determines that he is entitled to Achilles's captive, Briseis. Both
Agamemnon and Achilles receive a woman as a trophy of war. After being angered by
Agamemnon's choice, Achilles chooses not to fight with Agamemnon as punishment.
3. Who is Apollo? Who is Zeus? Who is Hera? Write the adjectives/phrases the author uses
when he mentions the name Apollo, Achilles Zeus, and Hera in book 1 (“The Wrath of
Achilles”).
 Apollo, Son of Leto and Zeus , Phoebus Apollo
+ God of the silver bow, who stand over Chryse and Killa most holy, whose might rules
Tenedos, God of Plague
+ Apollo who strikes from afar
 Zeus, Father Zeus , Olympian Zeus
+ Zeus who hurls the thunderbolt
+ Zeus who gathers the clouds
 Hera
+ Hera the goddess of the white arms
+ The ox–eyed lady, Hera
4. What is the name of Achilles’s mother? What advice does she give to him?
 Achilles’s mother name is Thetis
 The advice that she gives to him : Now he stays by his fast- running ships ,nurses his
wrath at the Achaeans, and leaves off the war entirely.
5. Summary the Odyssey in a paragraph of about 50 words.
Ten years after the Trojan War, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, yearns to return home.
Meanwhile, suitors spilled into his palace with the large ambition to dispute Penelope’s
wife's hand and his throne. The son, Telemachus, also starts finding out his father’s fate.
After so Odysseus disguised as a beggar, finally, he also went to Ithaca. Simultaneously,
he also reclaims his identity in the brutal battle and reunion with his wife Penelope,
protecting the Kingdom and the family of himself.

Ass3
Ancient Athenian Drama
Summarize some main characteristics of ancient Athenian theatrical life in a passage of
about
50 words.
During religious festivals honoring Dionysus, Athenian theater strongly developed, particularly
in the City of Dionysia. Plays were performed in open-air theaters built into hillsides, with the
main kinds of tragedy and comedy. Especially, the male actors participated, often wearing masks
to express the different kinds of characters. This colorful art form was an essential part of
Athenian public life as well as a place for social interaction and the study of history and morality.

Sophocles
What name was the middle decades of the fifth century BC in Athens called?
 The major power in the Mediterranean world in the middle decades of the fifth century
B.C.E, a period known as the golden or classical age.
Who was the most important politician of Athens in this period? What was his attitude
towards arts?
 Pericles was the most important politician of Athens in this period, a statement who was
also Sophocles’ personal friend and who particularly encouraged the arts.
 Pericles seems to have instituted various legal measures to enable the theater to flourish:
for instance, rich citizens were obliged to provide funding for theater productions, and the
less wealthy may have had their theater tickets subsidized.
What year did Sophocles win first prize of tragedy competition for the first time? How
many times did he win first prize?
 Sophocles win the first prize in a tragedy competition for the first time in 468 B.C.E
 He won first prize over twenty times.
How many tragedies of Sophocles survive now? Write the title of those tragedies?
 There are seven surviving tragedies including Ajax, Trachiniae, Electra, Philoctetes,
Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Oedipus at Colonus.

Antigone
In Sophocles’ Antigone, what is the relationship between the king, the state, and the law
according to Creon in his dialogues with Antigone and with his son Haemon?
 In the conversation with Haemon, Creon asserts that the law requires the king to have
complete authority over the state that he controls.
Quote exactly the sentences of his dialogues about this relationship.
 “ For he who is a good man in his household will
be shown to be a just man in the city too
I have full confidence that such a man would both
rule well, and serve well as a subject under rules,
and in a storm of spears stand firmly in his place,
a just man and a good one at his comrades’ side.
but that transgressor who does violence to the law
or thinks to give commands to those who are in power
whoever does this can receive no praise from me
The one appointed by the city should be listened to,
in small things and in just things and the opposite.
There is no greater evil than unruliness
 It ruins cities and makes households desolate.”
What kind of law does him want to pursue and protect? What kind of law Antigone want
to follow and protect?
 Creon wants to pursue and protect the law forbidding the burial of the tractor to establish
a strong feeling of community and distinguish between friends and foes.
 Antigone wants to follow and protect the law of the gods’, the “unwritten and unshakable
traditions”, everyone has the right to be buried.
Creon and Antigone articulate different views of the authority that they invoke to justify
their positions. One of these concerns allegiance, another human nature, a third the nature
of the gods. What is Creon’s view of these things? What is Antigone’s? Does the outcome of
the play reinforce one of these views or the other, or does it suggest that both parties to the
quarrel are wrong?
 Creon believes that the citizens of a state must obey the law that the ruler has set at all.
Antigone believes that people should obey god's law instead of the law set by the King.
The conclusion of the play seems to suggest that both sides finally suffer the brunt of
their thoughts. As Antigone consciously disobeyed authority by arguing that death and
the laws of the gods are the highest, she finally lost her life. Because of his arrogant,
stubborn attitude toward the gods and his inability to heed advice from anyone, Creon
and his family suffer even more terrible punishment.

Writing
Read quickly the article attached here (“Creon and the ‘Ode to Man’ in Sophocles’
Antigone” by Gregory Crane) (you may focus mainly on its introduction), and point out its
thesis (luận điểm/ luận đề).
 The article focuses on the opening three strophes, discussing how they fit into the
intellectual climate of Athens in the 440s and into the larger context of the play.
 Having a different tone in the first three stanzas of the ode. Instead of emphasizing the
horror or crimes of humans, people celebrate achievements.
 The first stasimon in the link with current politic’s life.
 The article argued more to do with Creon than most interpreters have felt, and makes an
essential contribution to characterizing him early in the play.
 The shift from the idealistic to the dark points to Creon's development within the play.
Furthermore, Creon provides a backdrop for the sad shift from reformer to tyrannical
despot.

Ass4
Zhuangzi
1. Write down the incidents of fable (ngụ ngôn) and metaphor (ẩn dụ) the author uses in
the excerpts (chapter 1 and chapter 2) of Zhuangzi.
 The story in Universal Harmony is about a fish named Kun and a bird named Peng ( fable
)
 The morning mushroom (metaphor)
 The summer cicada (metaphor)
 The caterpillar in South of Chu (metaphor)
 The rose of Sharon (metaphor)
 The Liezi story( fable )
  The conversation between Yao and Xu You when Yao desired to give Xu You control of
the empire state( fable )
 Jian Wu and Lian Shu’s dialogue about a Holy Man in Gushe Mountain( fable )
 Blind man, deaf man (metaphor)
 The story of the Song man who sold hats to Yue (metaphor)
 Big gourd in Zhuangzi and Huizi’s dialogue (metaphor)
 The piping of Heaven (metaphor)
 Yao and Shun’s dialogue( fable )
 Nie Que and Wang’s dialogue( fable )
 Zhuang Zhou dream...( fable )
2. Summarize (in a paragraph of about 50-70 words) the philosophical lessons the author
wants to conduct after those fables and metaphors.
 The core principle, although it cannot be expressed in words, contains the ever-changing
nature of the universe. Something that always transcends the categories of life, obscuring
life's problems: existence - non-existence, movement - stillness. They all seem to have no
connection, but they support each other to balance each other. Through that, the author
wants to emphasize and convey the lesson that we should all live according to nature,
according to human reason, live respectfully in everything in the world, and nurture good
actions.
Aristotle
1. According to Aristotle, what is a tragedy? What is the emotional effect likely caused by a
tragedy in its audiences?
 Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and possessing magnitude;
in embellished language, each kind of which is used separately in the different parts; in
the mode of action and not narrated; and effecting through pity and fear [what we call]
the catharsis of such emotions.
2. Write down the main aspects which are constitutive of a tragedy according to Aristotle?
Summarize each aspect in a paragraph of about 30-40 words.
 According to Aristotle, the main aspects are Plot, Character, Language, Thought,
Spectacle, and Melody
 Plot: is the primary and most important part of the tragedy. Additionally, the
reversal and the recognition are the tragic effects created by the plot as characters
reflect themselves.
 Character: Tragedy is expressed through characters and their actions, which is
also an essential factor in the unfolding of a tragedy. In addition, characters are
the second most crucial element of a tragedy because they will be the ones who
convey the necessary moral qualities to the audience through the playwright's
preparation.
 Language and Melody: This is the media in which they affect the imitation.
Language is the expression and presentation that the characters in a play want to
convey to the audience. Meanwhile, melody is considered a supplement and
makes the dramatic language more colorful.
 Thought: shows the reasoning and judgment of the characters as they are
described by the author while also enhancing values in the form of maxims and
proverbs
  Spectacle: This is the last essential element of a tragedy. At the same time, it also
shows that we can read a tragedy and still understand the content, not necessarily
depending on how it unfolds, and that the true artist is the one who creates that
scene.

3. According to Aristotle, what is a city-state and what parts does it consist of? What is a
citizen in an Athenian democracy?
 A city state is a composite, one that is a whole and, like any other whole, constitutes out
of many parts. For a city state is some sort of multitude of citizens. A city-state consists
of constitutions and citizens.
 A citizen in an Athenian democracy is someone who is eligible to participate in
deliberative and judicial office is a citizen in this city state, and that a city state, simply
speaking, is a multitude of such people, adequate for life’s self- sufficiency.
Writing
Create a reference consisting of the units of reading excerpted in the textbook (the re-
compiled version by the lecturer) for session 4 (Aristotle, Aristotle’s Politics, Confucius,
Daodejing/Laozi, Zhuangzi) in which they are listed in APA style.
 Aristotle (n.d.). The Poetics (pp. 1102-1106). In M. Puncher, & Long. Le (Eds.), The
Norton Anthology of World Literature (4th ed., Vol. A). Oxford University Press
( Original work published circa 350 century B.C.E )
 Confucius (n.d.). From Analects (pp. 1330-1333). In M. Puncher, & Long. Le (Eds.), The
Norton Anthology of World Literature (4th ed., Vol. A). Hackett Publishing Company
( Original work published circa 475 – 221 B.C.E )
 Laozi (n.d.) The Daodejing (pp. 1341-1349). In M. Puncher, & Long. Le (Eds.), The
Norton Anthology of World Literature (4th ed., Vol. A). Hackett Publishing Company
( Original work published circa 4th-century B.C.E )
 Zhuangzi (n.d). Zhuangzi (pp. 1371-1382). In M. Puncher, & Long. Le (Eds.), The
Norton Anthology of World Literature (4th ed., Vol. A). Columbia University Press
( Original work published circa 3rd-century B.C.E )

Ass5
Ovid and his Metamorphoses
“The Creation”
1. Summarize the process of the creation of the world in book 1 (“The Creation”) of Ovid’s
Metamorphoses by putting the things created in order. You should pay attention to the
paragraphs of the main text in accordance with the numbers in the right side, and
summarize the story based on that order.
 Chaos: Nature displayed a single aspect only throughout the cosmos, Chaos was its name,
a shapeless, unwrought mass of inert bulk and nothing more.
 Earth, Sky, Heaven, Sea: Some god (or kinder nature) divided all the matter apart
 Separating earth from heaven
 Separating sea from earth
 Separating fluid aether from the denser air
 Elements: The elements born by the god including fire, water, air, thunderbolts, lightning,
and so on …
  Landscape: The god also created a lot of different landscapes such as shores, swamps,
lakes, rivers, banks, channels, valleys, stony peaks, and forests.
 Directions: The god also created the main directions including the North, the South, East,
the West, the equator, the poles, and continents.
 Stars: The stars can see in the dark sky
 Animals: The god created the various animals such as fishes, birds, and so on …
 Human: human beings are formed, unlike the others creatures, humans are capable of
logical thought.

“Apollo and Daphne”,

2. In the story of “Apollo and Daphne”, how does Apollo fall in love with Daphne? What is
her attitude to men in general? How does she respond to Apollo when he tries to come to
her?
 In the story "Apollo and Daphne", Apollo falls in love with Daphne after being hit by
Cupid's golden arrows. The golden arrows caused Apollo to have a strong desire and give
up control of Daphne
 When Daphne was shot with an arrow, she had a strong aversion to love and marriage.
She is not inherently interested in men, she accepts men who propose to her, and she likes
to live a single, self-made, independent life. She swore to the goddess Diana, the virgin
goddess, to remain a virgin and not be interested in romantic relationships.
 Daphne rejected Apollo and his offer when Apollo expressed that he had fallen in love
with her. She expressed to maintain her independence. To escape Apollo's pursuit, she
asked her father, the river god Petrus, to turn her into a laurel tree.
3. With what images does the author compare Apollo’s desire and falling in love with
Daphne?
 The author compares Apollo's desire and falling in love with Daphne with the images of
fire, wind, and water. The author compares Apollo's feelings and desire for love towards
Daphne to a burning fire that burns everything. Furthermore, the image of "wind"
highlights the quickness and urgency of his steps when chasing his love. In particular, the
image of "water", the flow of water, shows that his love for Daphne is indescribable in
words because its nature is extremely great. Through this, these images highlight Apollo's
love and his nature.
4. What does Daphne call upon her father’s help for when Apollo chases her? How does
her body change when he almost touches her? What does he tell her when seeing that
change?
 Daphne begged her father to change her appearance to escape Apollo's pursuit. When
Apollo touched Daphne's body, she began to transform into a laurel tree. Her hair turns
into leaves, her arms into branches, and her feet root themselves into the ground. He says
to Daphne when seeing that change, "Although you cannot be my bride/You will
assuredly be my own tree...", which represents his eternal love for Daphne.

The Bible: The New Testament Gospels

1. In what situation was Jesus born? What were the shepherds asked to do with that baby
and what did they do afterwards?
 Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the time when Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a
census to be taken. When Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, Mary, his promised wife, was
 expecting a child. At that time, the inn was full, so Jesus was wrapped in swaddling
clothes and born in a simple environment (a stable or a manger).
 The shepherds were ordered to search for the child in Bethlehem after hearing a message
from the angel of the Lord. They were commanded to tell others about Jesus' birth.
 The shepherds immediately went to Bethlehem and found Mary, Saint Joseph and baby
Jesus, just as the angel had said: "a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger". They went about spreading what they had seen, glorifying and praising God for
all they had seen and heard. Then they took him to Jerusalem.
2. Summarize in a paragraph of about 70-100 words what Jesus taught his disciples in
“The Sermon on the Mount”.
 Jesus imparted valuable life lessons to his followers in "The Sermon on the Mount,"
including how to lead satisfying lives. He highlighted the value of kindness,
understanding, forgiving, and humility. In addition, he understood the importance of
having a pure heart and living a life dedicated to righteousness. Jesus emphasizes the
value of understanding, forgiving, and loving your adversaries. He also imparted to them
the knowledge of prayer, almsgiving, and "wise giving," or giving without anticipating
anything in return. Jesus counseled his followers to value spiritual richness over worldly
wealth and to place their faith in God's providence. His teachings in "The Sermon on the
Mount" generally place an emphasis on virtues that are important in daily life, like being
able to love, understand, be kind, forgive, and have a close relationship.
3. In what situation did Jesus get crucified and how did he get resurrected?
 During the rule of the Roman Empire, Jesus was captured and brought before Pontius
Pilate, the Roman governor, who was eventually shut down.
 Then Jesus was taken to Golgotha. The soldiers stripped him of his clothes, put on a red
cloak, put a crown of thorns on his head, took a reed in his right hand, knelt down before
him and mocked him. They gave him wine mixed with honey and then used a rake to
scratch his side. Jesus to know for sure that Jesus was dead. After his death, he was
buried in a tomb, and a stone was rolled to block the entrance for privacy.
 However, after his death, Jesus was resurrected. There was a great battle, the tombs were
opened and many who had fallen asleep came back to life with the resurrection of Jesus.

Augustine and his Confessions

1. Write down the steps the author goes through in the progress of growing up in his
childhood. What is the role of God in each of them?
 In Book 1 of the Confessions, Augustine describes his infancy and childhood, where he
was dependent on his mother and caregivers for his basic and essential needs. At this
stage, he did not have any consciousness or knowledge about God
 Augustine went on to talk about his time in school, from childhood to adolescence. This
was the period when he began to receive education and learn to read and write. Although
God's role is not mentioned directly, it can be implied that it was God who gave
Augustine wisdom and the opportunity to study.
 Augustine revealed his passion for learning and cultivating knowledge, but at the same
time, he was also distracted by external temptations and indulged in wrong acts. During
this period, God is like a gentle, patient father, guiding his child on the right path. He
always watched, taught, and helped Augustine correct his mistakes to become better with
boundless love.
  Augustine indulged in the pleasures of youth, chasing after the wrong things and evils of
society. During this period, God did not intervene directly, but his silent presence acted
as an inner voice, awakening Augustine to reflect on his mistakes. He allowed Augustine
to go through those things to reflect and reflect on his own mistakes so that he would no
longer make them.
 After a period of falling into evil, Augustine turned to studying Greek literature,
discovering literary works full of wisdom and art. However, some content in Greek
literature contradicts faith. Christianity that he is pursuing. During this stage, God is not
directly present, but is an inner voice, leading Augustine to choose faith. God is like a
compass, silently guiding Augustine to choose the path of loyalty to God and put your
trust in Him.
 Finally, Augustine experienced intense psychological struggle when forced to perform
actions that went against his conscience. He is torn between his personal desires and his
inner moral voice. At that moment, God appeared as a guide to Augustine on the right
path.
 Through every journey of Augustine's life, the image of God is always present and exists
in every important milestone. Each passing milestone leaves behind meaningful and
valuable lessons about humanity along with the image of father, teacher, and guide - God.
God taught Augustine the necessary moral qualities in life, always living for
righteousness, honesty, and eternal faith in God.

Writing
Where is the literature review and where is the thesis presented in the attached article
“Structure and Intention in the Metamorphoses” by Robert Coleman?
 In the article “Structure and Intention in the Metamorphoses” by Robert Coleman, the
literature review is expressed at the beginning of the article. It gives us the most general
view of the flow element of Metamorphoses in literature. This document plays an
important and necessary role in the author's research and evaluation. Thanks to it, the
author sees the weaknesses and limitations in literary works. Thereby, it not only shows
Robert Coleman's certain successes but also the iceberg-like problems that still exist in
the work "Ovid".
 Besides, the main thesis of this article has been highlighted at the beginning of the article.
The author divides it into two main ideas: The Nature of Metamorphoses perpetuity and
some of the implications that it has both for the poem as a whole and the appreciation of
its parts. A series of tight arguments, sharp arguments, and specific and easy-to-
understand evidence for each excerpt and work of Ovid, in the article "Structure and
Intention in the Metamorphoses" by the author, is the clearest evidence of the author's
success as well as the author's talent.

Ass6
Beowulf
1. Summarize the prologue (“The Rise of the Danish Nation”) of Beowulf in 100 words.
 The poem begins with the story of Shield Sheafson, a powerful king of the Spear-Danes.
His death was celebrated with funeral rites and his body was carried full of treasure and
thrown to the bottom of the sea. After his death, Beow took over the rule of the kingdom.
 Sometime later, Beow also died, and his son, Halfdane, became the next king. After
Halfdane, Hrothgar stepped up to rule Danes. Under Hrothgar, the kingdom developed
prosperously and achieved many material achievements. And Hrothgar ordered his men
to build a towering hall, called Heorot, which was the pride of their nation.
2. What are the people and who is their ruler mentioned in the prologue (“The Rise of the
Danish Nation”) of Beowulf?
 The people are Danes.
 Their ruler is Shield Sheafson.
What ritual does his warrior band do for his death?
 They shouldered him out to the sea’s flood, the chief they revered who had long ruled
them. A ring-whorled prow rode in the harbor, ice-clad, outbound, a craft for a prince.
They stretched their beloved lord in his boat, laid out by the mast, amidships, the great
ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures were piled upon him, and precious gear.
Who is his son?
 His son is Beow.
Who is the successor of this ruler’s son?
 The successor of this ruler’s son is the great Halfance.
3. What is Heorot? What is the name of the ogre who attacks Heorot?
 Heorot is depicted as the hall towered, its high and wide. The name of the ogre who
attacks Heorot is Grendel.

“Bisclavret”
1. How is the protagonist introduced in the beginning of the story “Bisclavret”? What does
he usually do in a week and what does he do when his wife insistently asks him about that?
 The protagonist introduced in the beginning of the story “Bisclavret” is the person
named Breton (Bisclavret), a werewolf, a savage beast. In a week, he’d disappear for
three whole days. When his wife insistently asks him about that he told her all the true
2. What are the important things of his in his process of disappearance she wants to know
in order to make her plot?
 The important thing about him during his disappearance that she wanted to know to carry
out her plot was that he told her about where he hid his clothes. Even if his clothes were
lost, he would not be able to return to being human forever but must do “bisclavret”.
What does she decide to do and what lines in the story reveals her decision and attitude
towards him after he reveals the truth?
 She decided to betray her husband. The lines in the story reveal her decision and attitude
towards him after he reveals the truth “Terror, she felt, at this strange story. /She thought
what means she could avail herself of how to leave this man./She could not lie with him
again.”
3. What is her plot? Whom does she have involved in her plot? What does they do after the
plot is fulfilled?
 The wife attempted to steal Bisclavret's clothes. She shared her intentions with the
chevalier - (at first, she refused to love him) talking about how and where to find clothes
to hide them. After all, she wed the chevalier who'd been so long in love with her.
4. What does the king discover and what does he do after that discovery?
 While hunting in the forest, the king found “Bisclavret”. Under a plea for mercy, the king
spared Bisclavret and kept Bisclavret alive with him in the castle.
5. What happens during the festival the king holds in the court? In what way does he come
to know about the whole story of Bisclavret? What does he decide to do afterwards?
 During the festival that the king organized, there was the appearance of a chevalier - who
married Bisclavret's wife. When the wolf saw him, it attacked him fiercely on two
occasions. Bisclavret retreated when ordered and warned by the king but still attacked
until the festival ended. The king also judged that the chevalier must have harmed the
wolf so it extremely hated him.

“Laustic”
1. Who are the main characters in the story “Laustic”? What are the relationships among
them?
 The main characters in the story “Laustic” are a married wife and a single chevalier. They
are neighbors and live next to each other.
2. What does the chevalier’s wife do to keep her affair with the neighboring bachelor? How
does she tell lie to her husband when he asks her about her activities? What does he decide
to do afterwards?
 To keep their affair a secret, the wife and the chevalier talked and threw coins and small
gifts through the window at night.
 When her husband noticed her nighttime habits, she lied to him and said she stayed up to
hear the nightingale because she was fascinated. When she heard those words, her
husband was angry, he laughed loudly and was determined to lock up that bird.
3. What is the result from the husband’s action? What do his wife and her lover react to
that?
 After setting a trap for the bird in the garden his servant caught it. He angered it, broke its
neck, and threw the bird's body at his wife. The wife shed tears, sad and angry at the
people who killed the bird. She conveyed the message she wanted to the chevalier and he
decided to carry the body around.
4. Why is the story named “Laustic”?
 As at the beginning of the text, "Laustic" is an ancient term for a nightingale, the author
was inspired by this to write the story.

Petrus Alfonsi
1. What is the significance of God in the “Prologue” of Alfonsi’s The Scholar’s Guide?
 According to Petrus Alfonsi, God is almighty, the creator of everything in the world as
well as the one who gives humans knowledge and wisdom. Through the symbolic image
of God, Petrus wants to convey the benefits and greatness as well as the image of God to
everyone.
 I agree with Petrus's point of view, on the other hand, I also see Petrus as a bridge
between God and humans. Through Petrus Alfonsi, he points out to everyone, so that
readers can see their mistakes, be strict with discipline, and learn more to become better
in their current life.
2. What are the main themes of the selected stories of The Scholar’s Guide in the textbook?
 The main themes of the selected stories from The Scholar's Guide in the textbook include
issues related to moral qualities, and the nature of life alternating between the search for
knowledge and faith. The content of the stories revolves around these themes with the
desire to motivate people to seriously contemplate, experience, and discipline themselves.
Writing
Based on your reading of one text from the textbook (either Gilgamesh, or Homer’s Iliad, or
Homer’s Odyssey, or Sophocles’ Antigone, or Ovid’s “Apollo and Daphne,” or Augustine’s
Confessions, etc.), 1/ create a topic in form of an essay’s title, then 2/ create a thesis of about 1-3
sentences in length for that essay.

 Apollo and Daphne: Unrequited love and the birth of the laurel wreath symbol.

 Thesis: The myth "Apollo and Daphne" highlights the complexity and fragility of
passionate desire in unrequited love accompanied by unknown consequences. In
particular, the fact that Daphne escaped from the pursuit of love and accepted to turn into
a laurel wreath highlighted the golden perspective of a do-it-yourself independent life.