In the 7th-11th centuries the culture of the early Britons changed greatly under the influence of Christianity

Answers:

1. – In the 7^th-11^th centuries the culture of the early Britons changed greatly under the influence of Christianity.
2. – The art of reading and writing was practiced in the monasteries and that’s why , I think they became the centers of almost all learning and education in the country.
3. – Though the poets were English, they wrote in Latin. A famous writer of this time was Bede. His famous book “The History of the English Church” was well known in Italy and France, because the people of the Middle Ages considered it a scientific book.
4. – This book is very important and interesting, because it shows what the country was like thirteen hundred years ago and how men acted and thought at that time.
5. – One of the greatest kings of England was Alfred, who is famous not only for having built the first navy but for trying to enlighten his people.
6. – The most of writers were educated in the Universities of course.
7. – I know about Oxford and Cambridge that these universities are the most famous and luxurious all over the world. In 1168 some professors founded schools at the town of Oxford, which formed the first University – The Oxford University. The second university was formed in 1209 at Cambridge.
8. – Wishing to make his people believe that he defended English trade, the king Edward 3 made war with France in 1337. This war is now called The Hundred Years’ War, because it lasted over the hundred years.
9. –the greatest writer of the 14^th century was Geoffrey Chaucer.
10. Chaucer’s earliest poems were written in imitation of the French romances. Italian literature taught him the meaning of national literature. In 1384 Chaucer wrote his masterpiece, the “Canterbury Tales”.

Page 9, answers

1. – The beautiful Saxon poem called “Beowulf” was written among 8^th-10^th centuries.
2. –The action takes place in Scandinavia (Denmark and the south of Sweden) before the resettlement of Angles to Britain.
3. – It tells us about the greatest Beowulf’s victory at the creepy wickedness - Grendel and his mother. Also he got the citizens rid of the Dragon, which was devastating the country.
4. –Just because the sounds, noise and wails of music at the feasts’ time irritated Grendel.
5. – Beowulf was strong indeed, look: “…He caught the Grendel by his arm and tore it off…”, “…Grendel was very strong but Beowulf was stronger…”, “…In the light of the fire Beowulf saw a magic sword on the wall. He quickly took it and killed the witch with it…” (WITH ONE STRIKE!!!! AND THE SWORD WAS VERY-VERY AND VERY HEAVY!!!)
6. –“…He caught the Grendel by his arm and tore it off…”
7. –The witch was Grendel’s mother. She came for vendetta, because she lost her child. “…In the light of the fire Beowulf saw a magic sword on the wall. He quickly took it and killed the witch with it…”
8. –I think because people admire with his strength and heroic feats. I also think Beowulf was unthinkable valiant and strong.
9. –I can compare Beowulf with such Russian heroes like Ilya Muromez, Taras Bulba, Danko from “the old Izergil”, Shtirlez and no doubt with our soldiers at the Great Patriotic War. All these characters were brave and won bloody battles.

Page 12, Answers

1. –When the 3 young men were sitting in the inn, drinking wine and making marry, they heard a noise outside. Then they looked out the window and saw people carrying the coffin. “Who has died?” they asked. The innkeeper told them the name of the dead man. It was the name of their friend, also young man.
2. –The tree guys decided go to the neighbor village, to find and to kill the Death =)
3. – Because they defended on each other, they were brothers and, I think it was desire of revenge for the friend.
4. – They were very greedy and forgot all about Death when they saw the bag full of gold under the old oak tree.
5. – because they didn’t want to meet people and answer their questions about where they found such amount of money.
6. –When the two young men stayed under the oak tree, they decided to kill their friend for gold: “…when he comes back we can easily kill him, that’s all, and all the gold will be ours…”.Their “friend” felt the same. He also didn’t want to share the treasure with them and wanted them to die: “I wish I could have all of it for myself”. Then he bought rat poison and put it into 2 bottles of wine and to bread and meat.
7. – They all were thinking about gold. And here is the provement of their “friendship”: When the two young men stayed under the oak tree, they decided to kill their friend for gold: “…when he comes back we can easily kill him, that’s all, and all the gold will be ours…”.Their “friend” felt the same. He also didn’t want to share the treasure with them and wanted them to die: “I wish I could have all of it for myself”. Then he bought rat poison and put it into 2 bottles of wine and to bread and meat.
8. – I’ve always thought that need for treasures, gold and glory won’t end well!

Page 23, answers

1. –William Shakespeare was born in April of 1564 in the city Stratford-on-Avon. He was the eldest son in the family. His father John Shakespeare was a wool-dealer and glover. In 1557 John married Mary Arden. She had 8 children and William was the 3^rd.
2. –He just wanted to push the fortune.
3. –He became a playwright when he worked at the theatre and helped to the artists.
4. –The works of William Shakespeare are full of emotions I think. When you read it, you can feel the same that characters felt. But to be honest I don’t like his tragedies. Why? Because you feel sorry about the characters and even wanna cry! You didn’t want them to die but they did. Death “walks” nearby his characters. Sometimes I think, William wrote like Solzhenizin!!!
5. –I want to tell you about one of the most famous Shakespeare’s play. Guess what!? Yeah, right. “Romeo and Juliet”. It’s a kind of love-story. Those times rich people couldn’t be with poor. It thought to be the shame of shames… . Romeo was the only child of his rich father. Romeo loved a beautiful girl – Juliet. They will die at one day, moment, like all loving people pray to do. Juliet’s parents wanted her to be married on Paris, whom she didn’t love.They had a lot of secret meetings and decided to become married. One day Romeo pretends dead in a way to escape with Juliet, and when Juliet finds him she decides to drink a poison, but Lorenzo, a brother, monarch and levers’ good friend, in a secret gave her a somnifacient medicine. When romeo woke up – he thought that his “love of life” was dead, killed Paris and drunk poison. The same did Jull, when she saw her boyfriend dead.
6. –I think Hamlet had a very cruel fate. He lost everyone he loved. I think he made correct action - he killed his uncle as his dad’s spirit asked. The final strike to his mind and heart was made by death of his dear girlfriend. His stupid uncle killed him when understood that Hamlet wants to kill him. But before Hamlet dead, the boy fulfilled his father’s spirit’s desire – killed that king.
7. –The main idea of the Sonnet is irresponsible love, I think.

Page 29, answers

1. – Daniel Defoe – the great English writer of the 17^th century, was born in London, in the family of wealthy parents. Daniel got a good education. He had good knowledge of math, history, geography, knew several languages: Spanish, Italian, Latin, ancient Greek and French. Also he travelled many countries and worked as a journalist. He started writing late. Daniel at 1^st wrote some politician pamphlets and even was taken to the prison for them. He wrote novels, numerous pamphlets and historical works. The most famous work I think is “Robinson Crusoe”, which appeared in 1719.
2. – For the 1^st time he wanted to become a priest, but then changed his mind and became a journalist, then a merchant.
3. –While the voyage started the storm and the ship, after the long struggle with waves got a rack, went to the bottom and all sailors were thrown away to the sea.
4. –when he sailed to Africa for the 2^nd time, he and his team were attacked with pirates. Crusoe was taken prisoner and “… when the pirate ship came to the port, the captain took him to his house as a slave. I spent 2 years in pirate captain’s house…”.
5. – He got it from the ship: “…not far from the shore I saw our ship on the rocks. I decided to swim to it and try to get some clothes and food…”
6. – “…The side of the hill near which my tent stood rose up very steeply; it was like a wall. On the other 3 sides I drove 2 rows of tall posts into the ground. I filled the spaces between the 2 rows of posts with pieces of thick heavy rope from the ship. So my tent was surrounded by strong walls from all sides…”. He got there using the ladder.
7. – He met Friday – a savage, whom he saved from the death.
8. –They were taken there at the boat by the Englishmen.
9. –He promised to save the prisoners from the scoundrels. Then Robinson Crusoe wanted go to England with his new best friend – a savage by name Friday.

Page 31, answers

1. – Jonathan Swift was the greatest satirical writers of his time. He was born in Ireland, Dublin in 1667. His father died before his birth and Jonathan lived in the house of a rich man William Temple. Then he died and Swift became a priest. Jonathan Swift died in Dublin in 1745.
2. – The most famous book is “Gulliver’s Travel”.
3. – The books smiles at the authority, cruelness of rich men, society and the temper of lilliputs.
4. – The action of the extraction happens in the Lilliputians’ country.
5. – Jonathan Swift writes satires and every time laughs at the authorities, wealth people and their hard temper.

Page 36, answers

1. – Walter Scott was born in the family of a lawyer in Edinburgh.
2. – The real fame came to Scott after publishing historical novels, the 1^st of them made its appearance in 1814 anonymously, it was “Waverley”.
3. – He wrote more than 25 novels, stories, poems, articles
4. – At the end of his life fortune turned its back on him. The publishing firm of which he was a partner went bankrupt. Scott’s debts were 117,000 pounds. He worked hard to clear them off. The exertion told sadly upon his wealth and he died of nostalgia in his estate at Abbotsford.
5. – The historical processes were full of conflicts.
6. – The central heroes of Scott’s novels are the young men of valour. They’re usually of noble birth however they appear in the books as common men, poor, persecuted.
7. – Very often they are thrown into comradety with common folk and make close friends.
8. –Scott’s strong point lies in a vivid description of the beliefs, manners, customs, language of the epoch plus the strength and movement which his story displays.
9. – Because when you read his historical novels you can become a hero of the epoch, feel everything the heroes felt.
10. – The story takes place near 1194 – after 127 years after the fight near Gassings, outside the Scotland.
11. – Ivanhoe was a kind of perfect knight – beautiful, smart and noble. He was obliged to protect his love, points of view and interests.

Page 43, answers

1. – The great poet of Scotch people was born on the 25^th of January 1759 in a small clay-built cottage at Alloway.
2. – He was educated by the books, which his father brought him from the Edinburg, had very good teachers at school, read Shakespeare and from his books learned good literature English.
3. – He made some acquaintances among fellows of his age from aristocratic society in the town of Ayer, which he would visit on holidays. They were the 1^st teachers of good manners.
4. – In 1786, with help of his friend he published his 1^st poems.
5. – Aristocrats were surprised to see the farmer who moved among them with much dignity, spoke refined English and recited best pieces of old and modern literature.
6. –He traveled on the tour of the South of Scotland where he had never been. Then he visited the north of the country.
7. – He could easily fall in love, but his life-long love was Jean Armour, his wife, whom he married secretly, against the will of her parents. She had a very beautiful voice and sang every song he created.
8. – Because in 1795 he felt seriously ill and left farming with a help of his friends.
9. – His poems’ main idea is that Burns despites the wealth and that money are not important in our lives, some poems’ main idea is love and I think he dedicated them to his wife Jeannie.
10. – Burns always stood for the liberty and attacked social inequality.
11. – Burns wrote a lot of poems about his native land, he was a patriot indeed, he wrote about his people, because he loved them also.
12. – Robert Burns had a really short, sometimes very difficult life. He wrote many poems for his short life and easily felt in love, but fortunately one woman could conquer his heart. He detested impudent aristocrats and didn’t like money and wealthness. He also wasn’t very rich. He taught his children good manners and got very good education.
13. –His sympathy lays to poorness and detesting of the wealth and aristocratical tempers

The essay: “What can you say about Hamlet, the main character of “Hamlet, prince of Denmark”?”

Hamlet became one of the most famous and favorite characters of the World literature. To be honest, Hamlet is not as simple as he thought to be.

Somebody thinks he is a weak, others – that he is a guy with a very strong spirit. I think, the main things in that play are things that the main character survives in his life.

Nay, lived a boy – Hamlet. He had chilly, interesting childhood. Boy was surrounded with his dedicated friends, he loved science. Hamlet was a very educated and clever boy, who should have a perfect future. He should become the king and rule his country and people. But everything changed one day. Hamlet lost his father, later you will know that he was poisoned. Hamlet lost interest to his life after everything that happened with him. Boy saw everything dull and grey.

Once he met a spirit of his father. A ghost asked Hamlet for the revenge and boy prayed to do everything. Also, boy pitches his mother against his uncle… in the end Hamlet unfortunately will die, but to his luck he nevertheless kills his uncle, who killed not only boy’s father, but his mother also.

I think that Hamlet’s optimism makes all his sufferings and negative attitude to imperfection of the world such an imazing strength, which we admire.