Potential Classical Foundations Exam Questions

These questions could possibly appear on the Classical Foundations exam. There will be a one-hour review session Monday night at 7 p.m. at Fireside Coffee. On the actual exam, there will be six questions, from which you will choose six to answer in well-developed paragraphs of 8-10 sentences.

1. Some critics feel that Beowulf is a text that glorifies the culture of the Norse, while others believe that it is a stern condemnation of their value structure. Make an argument that one of these ideas is correct, or argue for a nuanced middle ground.

2. Other than Antigone, which work best exemplifies the idea of catharsis? Why?

3. Discuss feminist criticism. What are its major objections with traditional literature?

4. Contrast the attitude towards pride demonstrated in The Iliad, The Ramayana, and Beowulf.

5. How does Beowulf illustrate the Norse concepts of Wyrd and lof?

6. How do the three parables we read illustrate the message of the New Testament?

7. The Qu’ran argues for submission to God, as does the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament.  Compare and contrast these messages.

8. How are the Greek concepts of arete and the Hindu concept of dharma similar? How do they differ?

9. Trace the development (historical and linguistic) of Old English from the origins of language in Poland. 🙂

10.  Why is knowledge of the Bible essential to understanding of Western culture? Make an argument that provides at least one literary example.

11. Explain the significance of the argument in the Bhagavad Gita that one must reject over-reliance on the senses.

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Beowulf Resource Guide

beowulf1.jpgAs you read Beowulf and work on your poems next week, you may find some useful resources in the Beowulf Reader Guide.

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AP: Classical Foundations Exam

classicalnotes.pngThe Classical Foundations exam is still a week away, but there’s no time like the present, if you’d like to download the complete set of notes for the exam. Either click on the picture or go to the Classical Foundations folder in the AP downloads. It’s a big file, so be patient about downloading and sensible about printing, please.

Topics on the exam include:

  • Beowulf
  • Hector
  • The Ramayana
  • Antigone
  • The Bible and the Qu’ran
  • Araby
  • Feminist and Aristotelian Criticism
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Deep Thought for the Day

Mark Edmunson, in the New York Times:

…In what’s called the civilized world, the
great enemy of knowledge isn’t ignorance, though ignorance will do in a
pinch. The great enemy of knowledge is knowingness. It’s the feeling
encouraged by TV and movies and the Internet that you’re on top of
things and in charge. You’re hip and always know what’s up. Cool — James Dean-style
cool — was once the sign of the rebel. But the tables have turned:
conformity and cool have merged. The cool character now is the knowing
one; even when he’s unconventional, he’s never surprising — and most of
all, he’s never surprised. Good teachers, by contrast, are constantly
fighting against knowingness by asking questions, creating
difficulties, raising perplexities.

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