ENG 228: Midterm
You should allow yourselves no more than two hours to complete the midterm (around 60–70 minutes of writing time should be sufficient, plus “reading” time and note making).
Answer all three sections.
Section 1: Identifications (15 points)
Respond tothree only from the following five questions.Two images appear on the next page. Your response should be no longer than two regular sentences; writing more will not enhance (and may detract from) your answer. Basic and obvious answers are fine.
You may also (or instead) comparethe comic features of one or both of those shows to the often harsh, immoral worlds of the plays we have read.
4.How do these lines from AnnaBarbauld’s poem to a prominent opponent of the slave trade connect with or supplement “Abolitionist” arguments, strategies, and “feelings.”
Cease, Wilberforce, to urge thy generous aim!
Thy country knows the sin, and stands the shame!
The preacher, poet, senator in vain
Has rattled in her sight the Negro’s chain;
With his deep groans assailed her startled ear,
And rent the veil that hid his constant tear;
Forced her averted eyes his stripes to scan,
Beneath the bloody scourge laid bare the man,
Claimed Pity’s tear, urged Conscience’s strong control,
And flashed conviction on her shrinking soul…
…Still Afric bleeds,
Unchecked, the human traffic still proceeds;
She stamps her infamy to future time,
And on her hardened forehead seals the crime.
Image 1: From Eikon Basilike (1649).
Image 2: Engraving of “Albion” (England) arising by William Blake
Section 2: Passages(45 points)
Identify the author and work and comment briefly on threeof these five passages, remarking on the deployment of language and use of literary form. Strong answers will attend both to the specifics of the given passage and relate their discussion to the wider literary aims and significance of the work as a whole.
By haughty Celia spent in dressing;
The goddess from her chamber issues,
Arrayed in lace, brocades and tissues.
Strephon, who found the room was void,
And Betty otherwise employed,
Stole in, and took a strict survey,
Of all the litter as it lay;
Whereof, to make the matter clear,
An inventory follows here.
And first a dirty smock appeared,
Beneath the armpits well besmeared.
Strephon, the rogue, displayed it wide,
And turned it round on every side.
On such a point few words are best,
And Strephon bids us guess the rest,
But swears how damnably the men lie,
In calling Celia sweet and cleanly.
Now listen while he next produces
The various combs for various uses,
Filled up with dirt so closely fixt,
No brush could force a way betwixt…
Joseph Surface.Oh Madam! Punctuality is a species of constancy—very unfashionable quality in a lady.
Lady T. Upon my word you ought to pity me. Do you know that Sir Peter is grown so ill-tempered of late and so jealousof Charles too. That’s the best of thestory, isn’t it?
Joseph.[Aside.]I am glad my scandalous friends keep that up.
Lady T.I’m sure I wish he would let Maria marry him, and then perhaps he would be convinced. Don’t you, Mr. Surface?
Joseph.IndeedI do not.[Aside.] Oh, certainly I do, for then my dear Lady Teazle would also be convinced how wrong her suspicions were of my having any design on the silly girl.
Lady T.Well, well, I’m inclined to believe you, but isn’t it provoking to have the most ill-natured things said to one. There is my friend Lady Sneerwell has circulated I don’t know how many scandalous tales of me, and all without any foundation, too; that’s what vexes me.
Joseph.Aye Madam, that is the provoking circumstance—without foundations; yes, yes, there’s the mortification indeed. For when a slanderous story is believed against one, there certainly is no comfort like the consciousness of having deserved it.
Lady T.No, to be sure. Then I’d forgive their malice. But to attack me, who am really so innocentand who never says an ill-natured thing of anybody, that is, of my friends—and then Sir Peter tooto have him so peevishand so suspicious—when I know the integrity of my own heart—indeed ’tis monstrous.
Joseph.But my dear Lady Teazle,‘tis your own fault if you suffer it. When a husband entertains a groundless suspicion of his wife and withdraws his confidence from her, the original compact is broke and she owes it to the Honour of her sex to endeavour to outwit him.
Lady T.Indeed! So that if he suspects me without cause it follows that the best way of curing his jealousy is to give him reason for’t…
“That I want nothing,” said the Prince, “or that I know not what I want, is the cause of my complaint: if I had any known want, I should have a certain wish; that wish would excite endeavour, and I should not then repine to see the sun move so slowly towards the western mountains, or to lament when the day breaks, and sleep will no longer hide me from myself. When I see the kids and the lambs chasing one another, I fancy that I should be happy if I had something to pursue. But, possessing all that I can want, I find one day and one hour exactly like another, except that the latter is still more tedious than the former. Let your experience inform me how the day may now seem as short as in my childhood, while nature was yet fresh, and every moment showed me what I never had observed before. I have already enjoyed too much: give me something to desire.” The old man was surprised at this new species of affliction, and knew not what to reply, yet was unwilling to be silent. “Sir,” said he, “if you had seen the miseries of the world, you would know how to value your present state.”“Now,” said the Prince, “you have given me something to desire. I shall long to see the miseries of the world, since the sight of them is necessary to happiness.”
“You are very kind, I am sure; and I wish with all my heart it may prove so, for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled so oddly.”
“You allude, perhaps, to the entail of this estate.”
“Ah! sir, I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor girls, you must confess. Not that I mean to find fault with you, for such things I know are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estates will go when once they come to be entailed.”
“I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins, and could say much on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate. But I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them. At present I will not say more; but, perhaps, when we are better acquainted—”
He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls smiled on each other. They were not the only objects of Mr. Collins’s admiration. The hall, the dining-room, and all its furniture, were examined and praised; and his commendation of everything would have touched Mrs. Bennet’s heart, but for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his own future property. The dinner too in its turn was highly admired; and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins the excellency of its cooking was owing. But he was set right there by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him with some asperity that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen. He begged pardon for having displeased her. In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour.
Every conversation of the cottagers now opened new wonders to me. While I listened to the instructions which Felix bestowed upon the Arabian, the strange system of human society was explained to me. I heard of the division of property, of immense wealth and squalid poverty, of rank, descent, and noble blood.
The words induced me to turn towards myself. I learned that the possessions most esteemed by your fellow creatures were high and unsullied descent united with riches. A man might be respected with only one of these advantages, but without either he was considered, except in very rare instances, as a vagabond and a slave, doomed to waste his powers for the profits of the chosen few! And what was I? Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant, but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property. I was, besides, endued with a figure hideously deformed and loathsome; I was not even of the same nature as man. I was more agile than they and could subsist upon coarser diet; I bore the extremes of heat and cold with less injury to my frame; my stature far exceeded theirs. When I looked around I saw and heard of none like me. Was I, then, a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled and whom all men disowned?
I cannot describe to you the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me; I tried to dispel them, but sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had for ever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst, and heat!”
Section 3: Essay Questions (40 points)
Choose one of the following essay questions (all three options deliberately appear below).
Your answer should address two works from the class in detail and attend to specific textual episodes from the two works under discussion.
Do you agree with this statement? Your response should compare a poem we have read to a work of prose or drama, with attention to their respective formal features.
Does satire “tickle” its readers, to make its point? (You need not talk about Dryden or poetry).
Does literature support and uphold established authority, or seek to challenge constructions of power? You may think about state power (political, military, religious) and/or social power (especially classed and gendered).
Why Work with Us
Top Quality and Well-Researched Papers
We ensure that our writers and editors work within the work guidelines and follow all paper instructions to the letter. When placing an order, you choose the academic field and expert level (high school, college, university, or professional). Our team then assigns your paper to a writer with a respective qualification or degree to ensure that you receive quality work.
Professional and Experienced Academic Writers
We employ professional writers with more than two years of experience in academic and business writing. Most of our writers and editors are native English speakers to ensure quality and professional work. We are confident that our team of professional writers can handle all types of business and academic writing work.
Free Unlimited Revisions
We provide a free revision service for all orders. If you feel that our writers missed something, you can request a revision of your paper at no additional cost. When we deliver your work, you have seven days to go through it and request a revision or modification if you are not satisfied. You can also contact our support team directly for any clarifications and queries on revision.
Prompt Delivery and 100% Money-Back-Guarantee
We ensure that all papers are delivered on time. In case we need more time to master your paper requirements and deliver quality work, we may contact you and discuss a deadline extension. If a deadline extension is not feasible, depending on the work and submission deadlines, we guarantee a 100% refund.
Original & Confidential
To ensure that we deliver plagiarism-free work, we use various writing and plagiarism checking tools. Our professional editors' team carefully goes through all work and references used in papers to ensure proper referencing and that original work has been done. We also guarantee confidentiality in all the services that we provide.
24/7 Customer Support
Our support team is available round the clock for any customer queries and communication. We guarantee 24/7 customer support and assistance. Feel free to contact us at any time of day for questions and follow-ups.
Try it now!
How it works?
Follow these simple steps to get your paper done
Place your order
Fill in the order form and provide all details of your assignment.
Proceed with the payment
Choose the payment system that suits you most.
Receive the final file
Once your paper is ready, we will email it to you.
Our Services
You do not have to spend sleepless nights worrying about your paper. We got you covered. We offer all kinds of writing services.
Essays
Regardless of the type of academic paper you need and its urgency, we have writers on call ready to work on your paper. Feel free to choose the field, educational level, and type of paper you want, and we will deliver it at an affordable price. We are here for all your academic and business paper needs. With our round the clock service, we guarantee that you will receive your work on time.
Admissions
Admission Essays & Business Writing Help
Admission essays are written by students wishing to join a college, graduate school or university, as applications for enrollment. We guarantee quality admission essays and business papers with our professional writing and customer care support services.
Reviews
Editing Support
We have experienced academic writers and editors who are on standby to make all the necessary changed to your paper at your request. We ensure that your paper is polished and appropriately formatted (APA, Harvard, Chicago/Turabian, MLA formats) before it is delivered.
Reviews
Revision Support
We provide revision support, where you can request a revision of a delivered paper if you feel that it can be improved or repolished. Your paper is checked by an experienced writer or editor for revamping and improvement upon a revision request. Revision service is free, and you can use it as many times as you wish until you are satisfied with your paper.