Some potential works you might consider for this week's essay include:
Remember, each of these questions requires a condensed, well-developed paragraph of 8-10 sentences. Your goal is to include as much specific detail and information as you can. The actual test will only require you to answer five or six questions, but you need to prepare for all of them. 
1. Make the argument that Beowulf is a) a tragic hero, b) an epic hero that embodies the values of his culture, or c) some combination of both.
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.
Say you want to download a complete set of notes for the Classical Foundations test. I'd click on the delightful picture here, or go to the Classical Foundations folder.
It's a big file, so be patient about downloading and sensible about printing, please.
The translation we are using for class is a reasonably good one, but doesn't make the division of lines as clear as it could. The following translation should give you a better sense of what Old English poetry might look like:
Then the angry sea-wolf swam to the bottom carried to her den the lord of those rings, clutched him so hard he might not draw sword, no matter how heartstrong. Terrible water beasts attacked as they plunged, strange sea creatures
I've posted a timeline of the events of the classical foundations world to help give you a little bit of context. You don't need to know it, but you can download it here.
This map is a representation of the peak of the Islamic Caliphate, the territory controlled by Muslims at their peak, in about 720 CE, right before the Battle of Tours.
