Monday, January 29, 2007

middle ages

The medieval "crusade" means holy war. Only those of the holy land was considered in the crusade. The holy land was Jerusalem and associated territory. Jerusalem was govered by muslims but they tolerated christain pilgram because they helped the economy. In 1070, Turks conquered the holy land and mistreated the christians. The crusade began in 1095 and ended on 1291. Some historians say 1798.

Thomas a Becket was a London merchant's son. Later in life he became one of the most pious and devolt archbishop. At age 21, king Henry became king and thomas became his chancellor. In October 1164, Henry and Thomas had got into a confrontation and henry accuased him of being a traitor. thomas was mad for six years about the fight. Thomas later returned to the Canterbury, Thomas told his fellow bishops "many they all be damned by Jesus Christ!" On December 29 henry's knights reached Thomas. One of the knights struck Thomas in the shoulder with a flat sword. After that on other four knights attacked and butchered him. When Henry found out about the death of Thomas, he starved himself for three days.

The Magna Carta was sealed by king John of England on June 15, 1215. He promised to goveren England and deal with all the vassels according to the customs of the feudal law. The Magna Carta had 63 clauses. In 1214, John granted liberities to the church. The Magna Carta was entrusted to 25 barons who authorized the document. The Magna Carta was valid for a short time. John asked the pope of Rome to invalidate the document.

The black death had three different types:bubonic, pneumonic,and septicemic. All three forms are caused by yersinia pestis. The Bubonic mortality rate is 30-75%. The symptoms include: enlarged and inflamed lymph nodes,headache,nausea,aching joints,fever of 101-105 degrees. Pneumonic mortality rate 90-95%. Symptoms include slimy sputum tinted with blood. Septicemic mortality rate close to 100%. There is no cure today. Symptoms include: high fever and deep shade of purple due to disseminated intravascular coagulation. People usually die same day of the symptoms appear.

The knight was a noble and truly perfect knight. "From the moment that he first began to ride about the world, loved chivalry, truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy." The squire was a lover and a lively bachelor. "in stature he was of average lengh, wondrously active, agile, and great of strengh." The yeoman was clothed in a coat and a hood of green. "A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen under his belt he bore very carefully." The prioress spoke french fairly and fluently. "Who, in her smiling, modest, and coy; her greatest oath was but "by saint elroy!" The monk was an outrider and hunting was his choice. "A monk there was, one of the finest sort." The friar a limiter a very festive man. "He had arranged many marriages, giving each of young women, and this at his own cost."The merchant spoke out of his opinions very solemnly. "He wanted the sea guarded at any cost between Middleburgh and the town of Orwel." The clerk studied philosophy long ago. "he took utmost care and heed for his study."

Franklin had been a sheriff and a tax auditor. "There was a franklin in his company; white was his beard as in the white daisy."The shipman's face was burnt brown because of the sun. "There was a sailor, living far out west, for all i know, he was of Dartmouth town." The wife of bath had five husbands. "There was a wife of bath, or a near city, who was somewhat deaf, it is a pity."The parson was a clerk and had religion. "A good man was there of religion, he was a poor country parson, but rich he was in holy thought and work."The miller was stoutly built, broad and heavy. "The miller was a strong fellow, be it known, hardy, big of brawn and big of bone."The manciple was a vulgar man. "The manciple was from the inner temple, to whom all buyers might think of as an example."The reeve was a slender choleric man who shaved his beard as close as ever he can."The summoner had a face that younger children feared. "A summoner was with us in that place, who had a fiery-red, cherubic face, all pimpled up." Wife of bath deaf. She traveled to Jerusalem three times. The wife of bath i later found out that she was married five times.

The story i chose to read was Sir Gawin and the Green Knight.The green knight had just reached the castle. The lord of the castle welcomes him but tells him he needs to rest in the castle with him and his lady.The green knight purposes that he will hunt everyday and Gawain must give the lord at what he caught. When the lord goes hunting his lady enters Gawain's room and tries to seduce him."Twice the lord goes hunting, and each time the lord leaves the castle, his wife sercretly visits Gaiwain's room and tries to seduce him. Though Gawain reasists the lady and excanges only innocent kisses with her, he has become greatly alarmed." Gawain always refuses but gives her innocent kisses instead.Gawain then tells her he must be on his way but she now wants something to remember him by.Everything that she offers he refuses.She later tried to give Gawain her sash and he took it. She told him to keep it hid from the lord. When the lord returns from hunting he gave Gawain a fox and in return Gawain gave him three kisses not the sash."He leaves the castlewith a servant to show him the way. The servant urges him not to keep his appointment, for he will surely die, but Gawain refuses." Gawain finally went on his way. When he reached where he was supposed to go, he met the green knight.When Gawain began to bow the green knight grabbed his ax and was going to strike him.The green knight found out about the kisses and the sash that was given to Gawain. The green knight sent his wife to test Gawain. Gawain was bleeding when he gave the sash back. After Gawain and the green knight talked, Gawain became pure and they went back to the new year's revels.

One thing that reflects the middle ages was that you had to be loyal to your lord. Which Gawain was not because he kissed the lord's wife and she gave him her sash and told him not to tell. When the green knight and Gawain met gawain never hit the green knight, he let the green knight hit him. Gawain admired the lady even though he knew that was the lord's wife. He alter finds out that the green knight's wife was just testing him. At the end the green knight said that Gawain and his wife could be friends but nothing else."I beg you said the lord and said as for my wife she'll be your friend, no more a threat against your life."
I my book a charcter named Beth Ann is wanting to hire someone to kill her sister,kim's husband. The guy that was hired to kill him is having a hard time finding him alone. The killer is now trying to find the quietest gun. One person sits in the car while the other one shoots the gun until they find the quietest one that no one can hear. Beth Ann has just gave the hired killer a picture of Buzz to make sure the killer kills the right person.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Beowulf

In the poem Beowulf, he was like a hero.Hrothgar became king and he built a mead hall.After it was built he handed out gold and treasure.The Mead-Hall was high towered,tall and wide gabled.People were happy until Grendel moved in the mead hall.Hrothgar suffered sorrows for 12 years.The Danes began to forget who God was.Then Beowulf came to fix the problem.LAter Grendel meets Beowulf when they meet they fight and Beowulf kills Grendel. No warriors weresad about the death.Hrothgar gave Beowulf decorated flag,helmet,armor and precious sword.When Grendel's mother found out about he son's death she was very angry.She went into the Mead-Hall and killed Hrothgar's most loyal man.Beowulf and grendel's mother got into a fight she could not injure Beowulf. Beowulf couldn't injure her until he stabbed her in the neck. Beowulf cut off her head and broght it back to the Mead-Hall.
I didn't really like the Beowulf because it is very hard to understand.Something that really stuck out to me was that Beowulf was like a god to the people.The towns people like worshipped him.The anglo-saxon was not a well organized community.The anglo-saxon had a different king for each section.Eventhough christanity was on the rise in England, The anglo-saxon religon was still on the rise.Odin was the most important god in the anglo-saxon.He was god of death,magic,and poetry.We get the name wednesday from odin.There was a dragon who was the protector of treasure of warrior graves.
Beowulf had a lot in common with the anglo-saxon.In the prologue Beowulf was like superman because he comes and saves the day by killing Grendel.Grendel came in the night and ate a man whole including his hands and feet. Beowulf grasped grendels finger until they broke.Beowulf broke his fingers so he would be in pain until he would eventually kill him. "Bewulf's warriors brandished many a sword, inheritances from the ancient days, trying to protect their chief...brave warriors fought striking from all sides, seeking to take Gredel's soul." The end of Grendel's life was miserable.Grendel's death made no warrior sad.Another reason Beowulf had a lot to do with anglo-saxon was that in the prologue they talked of many kings.In the poem you hear of "many danish kings and how they were great warriors.Grendel's mother reminded me of a childhood story when the troll lived under the bridge.In the prologue "Grendel's mother, a monster woman, lived in the terrible water, the cold streams, thought of her misery."
I think that Beowulf is similar to spider Man because when there is a problem with Grendel he was always there to save the day. Beowulf also tried to fight Grendel's mother and the dragon also.He also tries to fight something that is way powerful and too big like the dragon.
I think that Beowulf's death was a tragedy. He died trying to protect everyone even though he knew that he might die. The dragon had bitten him on the neck that made him bleed. They bathed Beowulf until he was clean. He could talk in a low voice until he finally died.
This poem was very hard for me to understand. I may have not answered all the questions appropiately. I was wrte in language that was hard for me to understand.

Independent reading

The book that I'm reading is lethal Guardian. Its about a body that was found of the side of the interstate. The police are trying to find the killer. The carperters are fighting their daughter for custody of their grand daughter. Kim 's sister Beth Ann has just told her boss that she wants to know he will help her kill Buzz, her sister's husband. he told her he wouldn't but he knew someone that would.