Vocab #4

Vocab Fall List #4

1. Obsequious (adj.) – attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery.

2. Beatitude (noun) – a state of supreme happiness.

3. Bode (verb) – indicate by signs

4. Dank (adj.) – unpleasantly cool and humid

5. Ecumenical (adj.) – of worldwide scope of applicability

6. Fervid (adj.) – extremely hot; intense emotions

7. Fetid (adj.) – offensively malodorous

8. Gargantuan (adj.) – of great mass

9. Heyday (noun) – the period of great prosperity/productivity.

10. Incubus (noun) – someone who depresses of worries others; a situation resembling a terrifying dream.

11. Infrastructure (noun) – the basic structure or features of a system or organization.

12. Inveigle (verb) – influence by gentle urging

13. Kudos (noun) – an expression of approval and commendation

14. Lagniappe (noun) – a small gift

15. Prolix (adj.) – tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length

16. Protégé (noun) – a person who receives support and protection from an influential patron

17. Prototype (noun) – a standard of typical example

18. Sycophant (noun) – a person who tries to please someone for a person advantage

19. Tautology (noun) – useless repetition

20. Truckle (noun) – try to gain favor by cringing or flattering.

Canterbury Notes

Prologue

• Setting: Medieval Times, journeying to Canterbury
• Narrator describes twenty-seven pilgrims traveling to Canterbury 
• The pilgrims all go together and each tells a story. The best story will get a free meal a tavern at the destination
• Pilgrims: Knight, Squyer, Yeman, Prioresse, Nonne, 3 Preestes, Monk, Frere, Marchant, Clerk, Man of Lawe, Frankeleyn, Habaerdassher, Carpenter, Webbe and Dyere, Tapicer, Cook, Shipman, Doctour, Wyf of Bathe, Persoun, Plowman, Miller, Maunciple, Reve, Somnour, Pardoner.

Beowulf Essay

            In a lot of cases heroes change over time depending on what characteristics society deems valuable. Like in Beowulf, the hero Beowulf has confidence and so much so that it is almost arrogance. He is a warrior, representing courage, brute strength, and pride. He was the perfect symbol of what a hero was supposed to be in his society. However, in today’s society he might not be deemed very heroic. The hero that most likely embodies the heroic characteristics that our society wants is Captain America.

            Today people want a hero who is strong, smart, and selfless. Captain America fits that description perfectly. He is genetically enhanced to have superhuman strength. Before he was Captain America, he was Steven Rodgers, a very weak and depended on strategy and cunning to get him where he needed to be. Because he was so weak Steven understood getting pushed around, therefore having compassion for others and always standing up for someone who need help.

            The story of Beowulf and the story of Captain America are almost completely different besides the fact that there is a villain that needs to be defeated. Beowulf introduces the hero by having him go and rip off the arm of a monster like it’s an easy feat. Captain America however is introduced by being rejected by the army because he doesn’t fit the physical standards a soldier needs. Just how these two characters are opened shows how different on what the time period deems heroic. The age of Beowulf doesn’t need or want their hero to have had struggle, while it is important that the hero of today have had gone through some sort of trial or endeavor.  Towards the end of the stories the two heroes begin to have more similarities between them. Both heroes even die while doing good (Captain America is thought to be dead). Beowulf becomes more selfless and Captain America acts and relies on strength more.