605 Matching Annotations
  1. Mar 2019
    1. e

      The main character is going to visit his cousin at a prestigious law school university and is curious about knowledge. It is weird that a child would want to learn so badly.

    1. m

      It is cool reading about the women in this book. I had to look up historical information and family trees to understand some of the basic info. I found the politics intriguing. It seems a lot like Game of Thrones. I see a lot of Cerci Lanaster (Game of Thrones queen) as Catherine of Medici. Also the series "Reign" helped me understand more of the Mary/Elizabeth connection.

      I thought Jane;s story was tragic, especially because she was so young and had so little say, only ruling for 9 days. Every girl wants to be princess when she is young, but this little girl died at 17 with her husband and than father afterwards. Yikes.

      I think the fight between the Catholics and Protestants is an important historical event we need to remember so that history does not repeat itself. Today in Israel we can see a religious war. Too bad people cannot have peace and acceptance of one another. The women in power here did the best with what they had and considering the time and the opponents constantly waging against them. These women were some kick-butt leaders.

    2. This makes me that I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a people. T

      She didnt ask to be Queen. There was no left.... everyone was dying....

    3. love and yet am forced to seem to hate,

      In the TV series she comes off as a hateful and winey charater. It is hard to unsee her as anything else after the show. I guess this is why Hollywood can have so much power of peoples perspectives and how they see history.

    4. ‘Father, although it hath pleased God to hasten my death by you, by whom my life should rather have been lengthened,

      I can't imagine a betrayal as bad as this and she is so accepting and shows forgiveness. If it were me, I don't know that I would be so forgiving.

    5. Can neither the punishment of the Israelites

      The Israelites from the Old Testament who forsooke God and began worshiping idols and was punished by God until they asked for mercy.

    6. Lord Guildford Dudley who was the son of a very powerful man named John Dudley who was the Duke of Northumberland.

      Was this the man Elizabeth was infatuated with?

    7. And I, thus loving you, cannot but think that ye as heartily and faithfully love me; and then I doubt not but that we shall give these rebels a short and speedy overthrow.

      She reminds me of Hilary Clinton in her "I love everyone speech"

    8. I do wholly commit to your mercy and fatherly pity, desiring no state, no condition, nor no manner degree of living but such as your grace shall appoint unto me,

      It sounds like she is begging for her life. She is saying that she does not want or desire his estate or anything, just that she is sorry.

    1. Before her in her soul she saw him verily by contemplation, and that caused her to have compassion. And when they came up onto the Mount of Calvary she fell down that she might not stand nor kneel but wallowed and wrested with her body, spreading her arms abroad, and cried with a loud voice as though her heart should ‘a burst asunder, for in the city of her soul she saw verily and freshly how our Lord was crucified. Before her face she heard and saw in her ghostly sight the mourning of our Lady, of St. John and of Mary Magdalene, and of many other that loved our Lord. And she had so great compassion and so great pain to see our Lord’s pain that she might not keep herself from crying and roaring though she should ‘a been dead therefore.

      She is having a vision.

    2. I will no longer thou fast, therefore I bid thee in the name of Jesu eat and drink as thy husband doth.”

      Jesus gives her permission to break her fast on Fridays.

    3. . And then she asked her husband mercy for she would not follow his counsel aforetime, and she said that her pride was cause of all her punishing and she would amend that she had trespassed with good will.

      Her business fell apart and so she stopped having sex with her husband believing it was a sin and why her brewing did not work.

    4. All her desire was for to be worshiped of the people.

      So basically she is a narcissist. She wants people to idol her so she wears nice clothes and "seeks mens counsil"

      An attention hore.

    5. nd after that she had conceived she was labored with great accesses till the child was born,

      Her emotions started after conception, so she could not have had post partum depression.

    1. Tell time it is but motion;

      If time is only motion, does it even exist? Or is time just something people made up in their minds to make things make more sense. What if time wasn't real at all?

    2. But could youth last, and love still breed, Had joys no date, nor age no need, Then these delights my mind might move To live with thee, and be thy love.

      I don't necessarily agree that youth is associated with love. A lot of older poems think love is youthful. I think love is old. Granite with age people can become more cynical, but with age people also are more likely to mature and learn selflessness which is necessary to love. There is also different types of love. I mean puppy dog love may be youthful but true love is an old virtue.

    1. Lord

      I think it was a lesson on lust, consequences and vengeance, trust and loyalty and betrayal. The lust between Gwen and Lancelot and the consequences of that decision. Vengeance in Gawaine and the consequences that led from that. Mordred was a lesson on trust and betrayal for sure. It also shows forgiveness and mercy. I found the forgiving element to be a bit refreshing. We don't have a lot of stories today with themes of forgiveness. It had a lot of themes and lessons. I think it was interesting reading this version because it was so different from other stories of Arthur I have read.

    2. Queen Morgan le Fay

      I thought Morgan Le Fay would have been more active in Arthur's death like in the TV show and movies. I kind of want to learn more about her.

    3. and there came an arm and an hand above the water and met it, and caught it, and so shook it thrice and brandished, and then vanished away the hand with the sword in the water.

      So Cool!

    4. Therefore, said Arthur unto Sir Bedivere, take thou Excalibur, my good sword, and go with it to yonder water side, and when thou comest there I charge thee throw my sword in that water, and come again and tell me what thou there seest.

      I always thought it was Merlin who threw the sword into the lake! This is nifty.

    5. so as to-morn to be put in a delay. For within a month shall come Sir Launcelot with all his noble knights, and rescue you worshipfully, and slay Sir Mordred, and all that ever will hold with him. Then Sir Gawaine and all the ladies vanished.

      This is so similar to the trojan war it is crazy.

    6. Is not King Arthur your uncle, no farther but your mother’s brother, and on her himself King Arthur begat you upon his own sister, therefore how may you wed your father’s wife?

      This is super wordy, but it is basically saying King Arthur and Arthur's sister are the parents of Mordred.

    7. . And so when she came to London she took the Tower of London, and suddenly in all haste possible she stuffed it with all manner of victual, and well garnished it with men, and so kept it.

      Does anyone know what this means?

    8. Sir Gawaine was borne into King Arthur’s pavilion, and leeches were brought to him,

      It was believed that leaches would suck out the sickness from your body. So they were used medicinally in the story's time period.

    9. Then had Sir Gawaine such a grace and gift that an holy man had given to him, that every day in the year, from underne till high noon, his might increased those three hours as much as thrice his strength, and that caused Sir Gawaine to win great honour

      Sir Gawaine is a super hero for three hours of the day! Coolio.

    10. And this Sir Gawaine came every day, and he failed not but that he smote down one knight or other. So thus they endured half a year,

      I think Lancelot is acting like a coward.

    11. for I will always flee that noble king that made me knight. And when I may no further, I must needs defend me, and that will be more worship for me and us all than to compare with that noble king whom we have all served.

      Really? That is not very noble to flee.

    12. Sir Mordred was King Arthur’s son, he gave him the rule of his land and of his wife;

      This makes a bit more sense why Arthur listened to Mordred in the first place. I need a family tree. lol

    13. And sithen it liked us to take a part with you in your distress and heaviness in this realm, wit you well it shall like us as well to go in other countries with you, and there to take such part as ye do.

      The Lords want to go with Lancelot.

    14. And therewithal Sir Launcelot kissed the queen; and then he said all openly. Now let see what he be in this place that dare say the queen is not true unto my lord Arthur, let see who will speak an he dare speak.

      Dang. He is just goanna go ahead and kiss the Queen in front of Arthur and the whole army. Lol

    15. But in this land thou shalt not abide past fifteen days, such summons I give thee: so the king and we were consented and accorded or thou camest. And else, said Sir Gawaine, wit thou well thou shouldst not have come here, but if it were maugre thy head. And if it were not for the Pope’s commandment, said Sir Gawaine, I should do battle with mine own body against thy body, and prove it upon thee, that thou hast been both false unto mine uncle King Arthur, and to me both; and that shall I prove upon thy body, when thou art departed from hence, wheresomever I find thee.

      Sir Gawain is going to give Launcelott 15 days to leave in accordance with the Pope's orders, but tell Launcelott he not okay with him and will kill him if he sees him on the country's land again. Basically banishing Launcelott.

    16. , I will never forgive my brothers’ death, and in especial the death of my brother, Sir Gareth. And if mine uncle, King Arthur, will accord with thee, he shall lose my service, for wit thou well thou art both false to the king and to me.

      Sir Gawaine still refuses to accept peace and says that if Arthur gives peace to Launcelott he will stop serving Arthur.

    17. Launcelot, I will be a thousandfold more gladder to bring her again, than ever I was of her taking away; with this, I may be sure to come safe and go safe, and that the queen shall have her liberty as she had before;

      Launcelot agrees to release the Queen.

    18. So when the Bishop was come to Joyous Gard, there he shewed Sir Launcelot how the Pope had written to Arthur and unto him, and there he told him the perils if he withheld the queen from the king.

      This bishop is showing the letter written by the Pope to Launcelot to release the Queen back to Arthur.

    19. How the Pope sent down his bulls to make peace, and how Sir Launcelot brought the queen to King Arthur

      This story reminds me a lot of Helen of Troy and the Trojan war.

    20. So when Sir Gawaine was hurt, they on King Arthur’s party were not so orgulous as they were toforehand to do battle. Of this war was noised through all Christendom, and at the last it was noised afore the Pope; and he considering the great goodness of King Arthur, and of Sir Launcelot, that was called the most noblest knights of the world, wherefore the Pope called unto him a noble clerk that at that time was there present; the French book saith, it was the Bishop of Rochester; and the Pope gave him bulls under lead unto King Arthur of England, charging him upon pain of interdicting of all England, that he take his queen Dame Guenever unto him again, and accord with Sir Launcelot.

      The Pope sides with Arthur.

    21. wherefore we pray you, and charge you as ye will have our service, keep us no longer within these walls; for wit you well plainly, we will ride into the field and do battle with them; for ye fare as a man that were afeard, and for all your fair speech it will not avail you.

      Luncelot's Knights beg him to go into battle. I don't think this is such a good idea....

    22. My king, my lord, and mine uncle, said Sir Gawaine, wit you well now I shall make you a promise that I shall hold by my knighthood, that from this day I shall never fail Sir Launcelot until the one of us have slain the other.

      Sir Gawaine declares Sir Launcelot as his rival.

    23. nd much more I am sorrier for my good knights’ loss than for the loss of my fair queen; for queens I might have enow, but such a fellowship of good knights shall never be together in no company.

      This is saying that he is more upset to lose his knight than to lose his Queen and that Queens can be replaced.

      This shows the attitude that men had for women in these days.

    24. howbeit in very truth Sir Launcelot saw them not, and so were they found dead among the thickest of the press.

      I guess this goes to say: Be careful who you hang around and who you make friends with.

    25. I pray you make you ready in your best armour, with your brethren, Sir Gaheris and Sir Gareth, to bring my queen to the fire, there to have her judgment and receive the death. Nay, my most noble lord, said Sir Gawaine, that will I never do; for wit you well I will never be in that place where so noble a queen as is my lady, Dame Guenever, shall take a shameful end.

      Gawaine is telling the King that he will not be with him in the death of the Queen, and does not support the King's decisions. It is a bit bold to defy a King. Also he is saying the terms "My Lord" in reference to the King, not "Your Grace." This is a more casual way of speaking to a King and usually not taken well.

    26. he slew your brother, Sir Agravaine, a full good knight, and almost he had slain your other brother, Sir Mordred, and also there he slew thirteen noble knights; and also, Sir Gawaine, remember you he slew two sons of yours, Sir Florence and Sir Lovel.

      There are some family connections here.

    27. I will not meddle me thereof, nor revenge me nothing of their deaths;

      Sir Gawaine is being the bigger person and saying that even though Lancelot slayed his family members he will not avenge Lancelot. He says that he had advised his family members of the consequences and they choose anyway.

    28. so there he left the queen, and went until his lodging.

      He didn't stay with her. Hmmmm. How could he keep his promise of rescuing her if he wasn't even with her to know because he asleep in his own room.

    29. That shall never be, said Sir Launcelot, God defend me from such a shame, but Jesu be Thou my shield and mine armour!

      It is crazy that Lancelot and the Queen are having this long conversation with the guards all gathered around them pointing weapons at them. Why would the Knights even let them talk? The first thing I would do is separate the two lovers, not let them plot on how to escape or let the Queen go to foreign lands. Ahye.

    30. CHAPTER III.

      What is up these chapter names? It gives away what the whole section. Talk about spoilers. Although I do find it a bit comical how the author words it. lol

    31. Sir Gawaine

      Remember how in the Green Knight Sir Gawaine was the one who was judged. I wonder if story this occurred after Sir Gawaine's mission because here he is not willing to judge his fellow knight. In the Green Knight he said he would not judge a man again. He is keeping his word here in this story.

  2. Feb 2019
    1. mortal

      This was such a long story. I felt like this should have been a week long assignment. I think it was a really thoughtful piece. I would have loved to have analyzed it longer and discussed it in smaller pieces. It almost needed to be broken down into smaller sections. I also think this would have been a very hard read if a person didn't understand the Biblical context messages within the story or the history of the time. To grasp it fully there is a lot of background info a reader need.

    2. But I say not that every one is bound, Who’s fitted out and furnished as I’ve found, To go and use it to beget an heir; Then men would have for chastity no care.

      She is now saying sex is not just for making children because some people cannot have children.

    3. Bade not each separate man he should go sell 115 All that he had and give it to the poor And follow him in such wise going before. He spoke to those that would live perfectly;

      She is saying that Jesus did not pick perfect flawless or sinless disciples. The Disciplines he picked where also sinners and he told them to follow him. Basically she is saying no one is perfect.

    4. see.

      I am so surprised that this kind of open thinking and analytical skills was written down on paper for the time. Very bold move Chaucer. Did it then survive the Crusades because that would be impressive.....?

    5. Pray you, now, tell me. Or where commanded he virginity?

      This is also true... The Bible says to refrain from sexual impurity, but never defines what "sexual impurity" is. Would sexual impurity be defined as pre-martial sex, or more than one partner, or provocative dancing, or something else.... Does the laws at the time define sexual impurity, because the ideas one has on what is pure or impure will change throughout time and societal views.

    6. But no specific number mentioned He, Whether of bigamy or octogamy; Why should men speak of it reproachfully?

      That is true... there was no distinguished number in the Old Testament. Not until the New Testaments was Bigamy or Octogamy discouraged, and even then it is not banned just written that it wasn't his ultimate marriage plan.

    7. Praise be to God that I have wedded five!

      She is justifying her five marriages with Biblical context and saying that she is not ashamed of being married five times.. If Solomon, who is loved by God, can have multiple wives, then why can she not have multiple husbands?

    8. But well I know and say, and do not lie, God bade us to increase and multiply; That worthy text can I well understand.

      The verse so many forget and also the same verse that is constantly being used to justify pre-martial relations.

    9. And I would ask now why that same fifth man Was not husband to the Samaritan?

      Don't we all wonder why the Samaritan woman didn't mary the man she was with. Then again, maybe she just got tired of getting married or thought it was over-rated. I mean after five times, its like "Nope learned my lesson on the fifth mistake..."

    10. Samaritan:

      a biblical story about a Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well. She had been with five men. The story showed how Jesus could forgive all people.

      I wonder if this story is related or connected to the Samaritan Bible story.

    1. Twas all in vain, no man his reasons heard; With oaths imprenive he was so sworn down, That he was held for mad by all the town; For every clerk did side with every other. 740 They said: “The man is crazy, my dear brother.” And everyone did laugh at all this strife.

      I feel so bad for him.

    2.  Off went the skin a hand’s-breadth broad, about, The coulter burned his bottom so, throughout, 705 That for the pain he thought that he should die. And like one mad he started in to cry, “Help! Water! Water! For God’s dear heart!”

      Ouch.

    3.  This carpenter replied: “Alas, my wife! 415 And shall she drown? Alas, my Alison!” For grief of this he almost fell.

      I almost feel bad for John now. He is told the world will end and he thinks of his wife not himself.

    4. And if you tell a man, you’re ruined quite; This punishment shall come to you, of right, That if you’re traitor you’ll go mad- and should!”

      He warns John not to break his secret or he will go mad.

    5. She was enamoured so of Nicholas That Absalom might go and blow his horn;

      It is weird that she likes Nicholas. I mean he literally grabbed her and was like "yo, sleep with me," and she was like "cool." This Absalom dude is trying much more and she is like "Nah." Nicholas literally did nothing but practically molest her....wtf

    6. She was a primrose, and a tender chicken

      Such a male writer..... yeah lets compare a woman's body to that of a chicken...... ahye

      Don't tell her of the comparison.

    7. cuckold.

      Google: a man whose wife is sexually unfaithful, often regarded as an object of derision. "jokes in literature about elderly cuckolds and misers are rife"

      verb: cuckold; 3rd person present: cuckolds; past tense: cuckolded; past participle: cuckolded; gerund or present participle: cuckolding

      (of a man) make (another man) a cuckold by having a sexual relationship with his wife. "in the novel Humberto cuckolds his employer"

      •(of a man's wife) make (her husband) a cuckold by being sexually unfaithful. "he was repeatedly cuckolded by his wife Aphrodite"

    8. Worthy to be kept in memory; 5 And specially the gentle folk, each one.

      The previous story was of moral context. this upcoming one will be of questionable moral context.

    9. Of stories touching on gentility, And holiness, and on morality; And blame not me if you do choose amiss.

      I wonder how readers in the 1300/1400s took this short story. Everything we have read so far has been over chivalry and morally acceptable stories for the time. This one is saying up-front that this will be of questionable context. It is like the PG-13 of the times.

    10. “I have a noble story in my store, With which I will requite the good knight’s tale.” 20 Our host saw, then, that he was drunk with ale, And said to him: “Wait, Robin, my dear brother, Some better man shall tell us first another: Submit and let us work on profitably.”

      It is always the drunk ones who give the best tales....lol

    1. How we conducted ourselves that very night When at the hostelry we did alight

      The story now changes from describing characters to telling of actions by characters.

    2.  A SERGEANT OF THE LAW

      315-330 describes the sergeant of the law. Reminds me of current day lawyers. All these characters have the stereotypical personality of their jobs.

    3. FRIAR

      210-270. Hubert the Firar is described as merry, festive, a gossiper and a drinker. He likes obtaining money from his confessions and has married many woman off. He can sing and play the rote. He looks for an advantage when dealing with people and will not help lepers. He prefers to do business with the rich.

    4. MONK

      165-205 describes the Monk. He loves hunting and is more in touch the current times than other monks. He has many horses with him as well as fast greyhounds. They were expensive. He is described as fat, bald and bulging eyes wearing fur.

    5. QUIRE

      80-100 describe the Knights son a squire. He is described as young, humble and physically fit. He has blonde curly hair and likes to music, dance and jousting.

    6. Madam Eglantine

      120-160 describes Madam Eglanine as modest and likeable person who was very clean (good table manners), fluent in French, charitable and tender at heart (caring for dogs). She also wears green in a neckalace

    7. It seems to me in accord with reason To describe to you the state of every one Of each of them, as it appeared to me,

      He is going to describe the various people in the following text.

    1. there lives a man in that waste, the worst upon earth, for he is strong and stern and loves to strike, and more man he is than any upon middle-earth, and his body bigger than the best four that are in Arthur’s house, Hector, or others. He makes it so to chance at the Green Chapel, that none passes by that place so proud in arms that he but does him to death by dint of his hand; for he is a mighty man, and shows no mercy, for be it churl or chaplain that rides by the chapel, monk or priest of the Mass, or any man else, he is as quick to kill him, as to live himself.

      Sounds like we finnaly found the Green Knight!

    2. It was the merriest meet that ever men heard,

      I thing the fox represents Gawain. Notice how the last chapter ended by saying Gawain was the happiest he had ever been. Here it make a similar reference saying the death of the fox had the merriest meet.

      Also note: "Meet" is not spelled "Meat" here. Hmmmm

    3. and besought him, for her sake, never to reveal it, but loyally conceal it from her lord.

      This is kind of like Launfal when his fairy told him not to tell anyone.

    4. Now, dear, at this our parting set me at ease: give me something, a gift, if only your glove,

      She always wants something else in addition to what she already has.