Introduction
While we are confident that you spent your summer reading the top ten British novels and Googling fun British Lit facts in preparation for our class, we want to ensure that EVERYONE has an opportunity to familarize themselves with the basics before we delve into "the good stuff"!
This webquest is a FUN (yes, we mean fun;) way for you to gain some knowledge and demonstrate your academic prowess and acumen to your teachers. Click on each tab provided and you'll have everything you need to "get 'er done"!
NOTE: Anything in underlined bluish-purple is a hyperlink so if you didn't understand an underlined word written above or anywhere else in this webquest, just click on it for the definition! Gotta love technology!!! :)
Task
You will work with a partner to complete this assignment. You will need to use the links provided on the next page to locate the answers for each question. We recommend that one of you completes the first worksheet while your partner completes the second worksheet. Once you are both finished you can exchange answers for the sheet that you did not do; this will allow you to save time and still ensure that you have addressed all of the information. If you find you do not agree with an answer your partner provided feel free to locate the information yourself and write in the response that you believe is the correct answer. No excuses for unfinished work. If you partner is absent or working to slowly for you then do what you need to do to ensure that the work is completed on time.
Process
Use the websites on the next page to complete a forty-four question evaluation. You are each responsible for answering twenty-two of the questions on one of the two worksheets you and your partner were given. When you are done, be sure to exchange papers to obtain the answers for the questions your partner answered.
You may look at as many items in each site as you would like but your goal is to locate the answers to ALL of the questions using the sites listed on the Evaluation tab.
Each of the questions on your worksheet are listed on the EVALUATION tab but you 
should use the worksheet provided in class (and on Edmodo) to record your answers.
DON'T get frustrated and DON'T expect all of the answers to jump up and wave at you... It wouldn't be a QUEST if you didn't have to do some hunting around for the correct responses!
Evaluation
How will be I Assessed?
You will be graded based on your ability to accurately and completely answer each question. Some questions have more than one part so make sure that you address EVERYTHING that you are asked for each question. All of the information you need can be found in each of the links, you just have to take the time to LOOK. Scroll down to see the questions... they match the ones on your worksheet! ;)
Anglo-Saxons 449-660
Norton's Anthology of English Literature
- What is an Epic?
- What are the characteristics of an epic poem?
- How is Old English poetry marked?
- What is the greatest enduring epic poem of all literature?
- Why are most Old English poems anonymous?
The Middle Ages 1066-1485
Norton Anthology - The Middle Ages
Medieval Literature and Culture
- Who was William the Conqueror, and what did he bring to English people?
- What does Magna Carta mean and what did it do for the people of England?
- Explain Feudalism.
- Who had the most power during the Middle Ages?
- Explain the power of courtly love and chivalry.
- What are the characteristics of narrative poem and what narrative poem did Geoffrey Chaucer produce?
- What is a ballad?
- What are two favorite Romance narratives from this literary period?
- What is the difference between Middle English and Old English?
The Renaissance 1485-1660
English Renaissance Literature
- What does Renaissance mean and what were people most interested in during this time?
- What is pastoral poem? Give an example.
- What are the characteristics of a sonnet?
- Who is the most notable playwright of the Renaissance period? Name two of his dramas, a tragedy and a comedy.
- What is the King James Bible and why is it the most widely accepted translation?
- What was the “great vowel shift” and how did it effect the English language?
- What genre of writing is Pilgrim’s Progress?
- What form of poetry did John Donne represent?
The Restoration and the 18th Century 1660-1798
Restoration and the 18th Century
- What was the Enlightenment and what did the writings of this period inspire?
- What is the most significant literary legacy of this period?
- What are the characteristics of satire and who are the most notable satirists?
- What did the Printing Press spread to the middle and lower classes?
- What is a form of non-fiction writing that offers a writer’s opinion on a particular subject?
The Romantic Period 1798-1832
- Romanticism developed as a reaction against ______________________________?
- Romantics valued _____________________________ over reason.
- William Blake wrote lyrical poems contrasting ___________ and __________________.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth collaborated to produce __________.
- Jane Austen wrote novels of the genteel society, so her novels are referred to as novels of ________________________________________.
- Mary Shelley wrote _______________, a piece of _________________ literature as dark tale warning society against the dangers of science.
The Victorian Period 1832-1901
Literature of the Victorian Period
- Who is this period of change named after?
- What did she represent?
- What did Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poetry reflect?
- How and why did the Victorian attitude shift towards the end of the period?
- What is the focus of psychological realism?
The Twentieth Century 1902-today
20th Century British Literature
- How did Britain’s relationship with the world change?
- What country fought for its independence from Britain during WWI?
- What was the result of this fight for independence?
- What are the distinguishing traits of modern literature?
- What is postmodern literature and how does it differ from modern literature?
- Name one significant author of modern literature and explain her/his contributions.
Conclusion
If you answered EVERY question thoroughly and worked for accuracy you should have an "A" or close to it. You will be graded out of 40 questions which means that you can answer four questions inaccurately and still earn a perfect score since there are forty-four available questions.
Each of the authors, time periods, poetry, and writings mentioned will be a part of our studies this school year. This webquest was intended to provide you with a foundation to build upon throughout the year.
"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." -Bergson
Credits
This WebQuest was created by Miss Sonya Leigh McGee, Salem High School - September 2015
It was based on the British Literature Overview lesson developed for the 12th grade curriculum at Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
This WebQuest is for instructional/educational use only