Identification Of British Poetry To 1660

Which early English manuscript is known for its comical and often obscene riddles?

Which of the following works features the characters Grendel, Wiglaf, Hrothgar, and Breca?

The “Pearl Poet” is responsible for which medieval work of literature?

Thou lykenest wommanes love to helle,To bareyne lond, ther water may not dwelle.Thou lyknest it also to wilde fyr;The more it brenneth, the more it hath desyrTo consume every thing that brent wol be.Thou seyst, that right as wormes shende a tree,Right so a wyf destroyeth hir housbonde;This knowe they that been to wyves bonde.

The above lines are written by which of the following authors?

Lo I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske,As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds,Am now enforst a far unfitter taske,For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds,And sing of Knights and Ladies gentle deeds;Whose prayses having slept in silence long,Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areedsTo blazon broade emongst her learned throng:Fierce warres and faithfull loves shall moralize my song.

These lines begin which work of literature?

Lo! the Spear-Danes’ glory through splendid achievementsThe folk-kings’ former fame we have heard of,How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle.Oft Scyld the Scefing from scathers in numbersFrom many a people their mead-benches tore.Since first he found him friendless and wretched,The earl had had terror: comfort he got for it,Waxed ’neath the welkin, world-honor gained,Till all his neighbors o’er sea were compelled toBow to his bidding and bring him their tribute:An excellent atheling!

These lines begin which work of literature?

In a somer seson, whan softe was the sonne,I shoop me into shroudes as I a sheep weere,In habite as an heremite unholy of werkes,Wente wide in this world wondres to here.Ac on a May morwenynge on Malverne hillesMe bifel a ferly, of Fairye me thoghte.I was wery forwandred and wente me to resteUnder a brood bank by a bournes syde;And as I lay and lenede and loked on the watres,I slombred into a slepyng, it sweyed so murye.

What is the title of the poem from which these lines are taken?

Oh, weep for Adonais! The quick Dreams,
       The passion-winged Ministers of thought,
       Who were his flocks, whom near the living streams
       Of his young spirit he fed, and whom he taught
       The love which was its music, wander not—
       Wander no more, from kindling brain to brain,
       But droop there, whence they sprung; and mourn their lot
       Round the cold heart, where, after their sweet pain,
They ne"er will gather strength, or find a home again.

The author of this poem was __________.

If all the world and love were young,
And truth in every Shepherd’s tongue,
These pretty pleasures might me move,
To live with thee, and be thy love.
 
Time drives the flocks from field to fold,
When Rivers rage and Rocks grow cold,
And Philomel becometh dumb,
The rest complains of cares to come.
 
The flowers do fade, and wanton fields,
To wayward winter reckoning yields,
A honey tongue, a heart of gall,
Is fancy’s spring, but sorrow’s fall.
 
Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of Roses,
Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies
Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten:
In folly ripe, in reason rotten.
 

Thy belt of straw and Ivy buds,
The Coral clasps and amber studs,
All these in me no means can move
To come to thee and be thy love.

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.


This poem is a response to a poem by __________.

The knight of the Redcrosse when him he spide,
Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous,
Gan fairely couch his speare, and towards ride:
Soone meete they both, both fell and furious,
That daunted with their forces hideous,
Their steeds do stagger, and amazed stand,
And eke themselves, too rudely rigorous,
Astonied with the stroke of their owne hand
Doe backe rebut, and each to other yeeldeth land.

From which poem is this passage excerpted?