Assignment IV (Chapters 10 – 12)

1. Discuss the background of the book.

Find some information about the Knighthood as a specific class of the English medieval society and present it in class (see “Morality play” by Barry Unsworth p. 7-8 (a Commentary with annotations)).

2. Transcribe, read phonetically correctly and give a possible translation of the following words paying attention to their «archaic» meaning:

tinker (105), weaver (106), hearth (107), loom (108), Lord’s chaplain (108), the Children of the Spirit (109), spawn of Hell (109), God’s service (110), a brood of Satan (111), a minister of Hell (112), a dungeon (115), the Last Days (120), Mass (121), the King of Persia (124), Matthew the Evangelist (130), the Lord’s steward (141), the Lord’s confessor (141), the noble Lord (141).

3. Read, translate and memorize the following words and phrases. Describe the contexts they were used in. Give each word a definition in English (explain the words). Think of a situation (in Russian) using this vocabulary and let your fellow-students translate it into English.

shambling (adj) (106)

scum (n) (109). Compare with: “scumbas”, “scoundrel”, “bastard”

to repent smth (v) (110)

to vouch (for) (v) (111)

to poach (labour) (v) (116)

repugnance (n) (118)

to venture (v) (123)

to enhance (v) (124)

to buffet smb (with smth) (v) (129)

lamentation (n) (131)

to lash (out at smb) (v) (136)

to avail (v) (138)

audible (n) (137)

remnant (n) (142)

Phrases:

to cut smb short (109)

to take all the air of smb (109)

to take down one’s stalls (114)

the rambling of one’s mind (124)

to make a gesture of doing smth (132)

vertit impios et non runt (Latin proverb) (135)

4. Translate the following extracts paying attention to linguistic and stylistic peculiarities of the text.

a) p. 112 – 113 from “They will burn, he said…” up to the end.

b) p. 120 – 121 from “The boy had no sign of frost…up to “…trust.”

5. Questions:

1. Try to give a full account of the course of the further “investigation” the actors conducted in search of the real truth of Thomas Well’s murder? Reconstruct all the peaces of information each member of the company has discovered to be inserted into their evening performance.

2. Could you prognosticate the character of evil-doing in the surroundings the action of the book is laid, having found that it was not Thomas Well only that was murdered but several boys previously?

3. What impression did Martin’s meeting with the accused woman in prison, watched very carefully by the main narrator (Nicholas) make on you? Why do you think Martin appeared in the inn so much convinced that the woman was not guilty of the murder?

4. Convey the course of the last performance in the yard?

5. In what way did your knowledge of the Morality play as one of the main theatrical genres of the English medieval performances deepen after reading this particular part of the book? Could you comment on the complexity of the actors’ reactions to different episodes of their playing?

6. What happened at the very end of the performance and why do think the Lord’s people came to take away the actors?

6. Discussion:

1. Comment on the following phrase: “The Reckoning is coming, the time is near…” (p. 113).

2. Comment on the following phrase: “Truth is your armour and your stay” (p.132).