Keystone School
British Literature Summer Assignment
Dear British Literature Students and Parents,
This year our summer reading assignment for British Literature will focus on Arthurian legends.
There is no more beloved and celebrated character in British Literature than King Arthur.
Together with his Knights of the Round Table, lady love Guinevere, and best friend/betrayer
Lancelot, King Arthur has become a constant influence in Western literature. In fact, King
Arthur was recently ranked as one of the “100 Greatest Britons of All Time.” Not bad for a
fictional character! Arthurian legends have created the foundation and framework for the
modern hero and ideas of “courtly love.” His stories explore ideas about humanity such as the
conflict between good and evil, and questions of identity, love, loyalty, freedom, and death. This
summer I ask that you read two texts based on Arthurian legend from the following lists. As you
read, pay close attention to the major themes, symbols, and character types in each story.
Please complete the following requirements:
1. Select and read one of the following primary texts from the Medieval or Renissance Period:
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Le Morte d’Arthur (The Death of Arthur) – Sir Thomas Malory
Arthurian Romances – Chrétien de Troyes
Lais of Marie de France – Marie de France
Idylls of the King – Alfred Lord Tennyson
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – Anonymous
2. Select and read one of the following modern adaptations/retellings:
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A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – Mark Twain
The Once and Future King – T. H. White
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights – John Steinbeck
The Sword in the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – R. Sutcliff
The Mists of Avalon – Marion Simmer Bradley
Other modern adaptations/retellings welcome with instructor approval
3. Annotate both texts and keep a dialectical journal for each. Take notes on plot,
characterization, setting, symbols, themes, motifs, tone, mood, and anything else you deem
important about the text. Include major quotes and passages with page numbers for easy
reference. You may also make notes and research historical references, words, or ideas you are
unfamiliar with. Your dialectical journal will aid you in the first major class assignment and
should include at least fifteen entries for each text (30 total). Please be careful and diligent in
your work.
The following format is required for your dialectical journal:
Element
Example from Text
Response and Observations
Characterization
“ „ Very well,‟ said the beggar, „I will tell you:
you are searching for Merlin, and you need
look no further, for I am he‟” (Malory 1067).
Merlin takes the form of a beggar in order to
give information to King Uther. This is one
of the many points when appearances betray
the characters. All is not what it seems. I
think that Merlin will help to guide the king.
The pike fish tells this to Wart. I think this
quote is interesting because a very
powerless being (a fish) is explaining
politics to a future king. Also, I know that
the idea of body (strength) over mind (logic)
is not something that Arthur will believe
later in his life.
Themes:
“Might” vs
“Right”
“Power is of the individual mind, but the
mind‟s power is not enough. Power of the
body decides everything in the end, and only
Might is Right” (White 52).
4. Select one of the following creative projects to be turned in during the second week of school.
Projects will be shared in class.
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Adapt one of the pivotal scenes from your selection into a one-act play. This play
will illustrate major elements of fiction such as plot, character, and conflict. As you write
this one-act be sure to include setting and stage directions that describe character action.
You may need to invent or rewrite dialogue to fit your play. Reflect on what elements
are essential to your scene. Select an appropriate title that captures the mood of your
adaptation.
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Write an original narrative poem. This poem will be narrated from the point of view
of a character from selected text. Poems will be well developed (at least 20 lines) and
will reflect a close reading of the text. Your poem should address or touch on key
elements of plot and character. Consider what motivates your character? What is the
conflict your character faces and how will she/he deal with this conflict?
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Create a book jacket or DVD cover. This book jacket or DVD cover will reflect
critical thought and engagement with the text. Consider how best to represent the text.
The finished product should include: a ten sentence synopsis of the text, a book/movie
title and tagline, critical reviews of the book/movie, and an original cover illustration,
photograph, or collage.
The dialectical journals will be due on or before August 16. The creative project will be due on
or before August 22. These two assignments will constitute your first grades for the semester.
Please feel free to contact me over the summer to ask questions or discuss your summer
assignment. I can also answer any questions you might have about our upcoming class.
I look forward to working with you in the fall!
Ms. Provencher
[email protected]
Publisher Book Descriptions and Instructor Recommended Editions
Le Morte d’Arthur (The Death of Arthur) – Sir Thomas Malory
Random House Publishing, ISBN: 0375753222
The legends of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table have inspired some of the greatest works
of literature--from Cervantes's Don Quixote to Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Although many versions
exist, Malory's stands as the classic rendition. Malory wrote the book while in Newgate Prison during the
last three years of his life; it was published some fourteen years later, in 1485, by William Caxton. The
tales, steeped in the magic of Merlin, the chivalric code, and the age-old dramas of love and death,
resound across the centuries.
Arthurian Romances - Chrétien de Troyes
Penguin Classics Series, ISBN: 0140445218
The twelfth-century poet, Chrétien de Troyes, is chiefly responsible for the preservation of Arthurian
myth and its eminent role in European literature. This sensitive translation of his verse narratives features
four romances. It includes tales of Lancelot and early Grail legends and offers lively, accessible views of
the ideals of French chivalry.
The Lais of Marie de France – Marie de France
Penguin Classis Series, ISBN: 0140447598
Marie de France (fl. late twelfth century) is the earliest known French woman poet and her lais - stories in
verse based on Breton tales of chivalry and romance - are among the finest of the genre. Recounting the
trials and tribulations of lovers, the lais inhabit a powerfully realized world where very real human
protagonists act out their lives against fairy-tale elements of magical beings, potions and beasts. Marie De
France takes a subtle and complex view of courtly love, whether telling the story of the knight who
betrays his fairy mistress or describing the noblewoman who embroiders her sad tale on the shroud for a
nightingale killed by a jealous and suspicious husband.
The Idylls of the King – Lord Alfred Tennyson
Penguin Classics Series, ISBN: 9780140422535
Tennyson had a life-long interest in the legend of King Arthur and after the huge success of his poem
"Morte d'Arthur" he built on the theme with this series of twelve poems, written in two periods of intense
creativity over nearly twenty years. "Idylls of the King" traces the story of Arthur's rule, from his first
encounter with Guinevere and the quest for the Holy Grail to the adultery of his Queen with Lancelot and
the King's death in a final battle that spells the ruin of his kingdom. Told with lyrical and dreamlike
eloquence, Tennyson's depiction of the Round Table reflects a longing for a past age of valor and
chivalry. And in his depiction of King Arthur he created a hero imbued with the values of the Victorian
age - one who embodies the highest ideals of manhood and kingship.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – Anonymous
Penguin Classis Series, ISBN: 9780140424539
Composed in the fourteenth century, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is as beloved as it is venerable,
combining the hallmarks of medieval romance-pageantry, chivalry, and courtly love-with the charm of
fairy tales and heroic sagas. When a mysterious green knight rides on horseback into King Arthur's court,
interrupting a New Year's feast, he issues a challenge: if any of King Arthur's men can behead him and he
survives, then a year later he is entitled to return the strike. Sir Gawain takes up the challenge and
decapitates the green knight, only to see him pick up his severed head and ride away, leaving Gawain to
seek him out to fulfill their pact. Blending Celtic myth and Christian faith, Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight is a Middle English masterpiece of magic, chivalry, and seduction.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – Mark Twain
Oxford World’s Classics, ISBN: 0199540586
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is one of Mark Twain's most ambitious and well-known
novels, first published in 1889. Main character Hank Morgan is a 19th Century businessman who is
transported back in time to King Arthur's court where he meets legendary figures such as King Arthur and
Merlin. Both for his own profit and to save his life, Morgan utilizes his knowledge of the future to amaze
the locals. Many scholars cite this novel as an early pioneer in the time travel genre. Brimming with social
commentary, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is as much of a literary delight as it is a time
travel adventure to medieval times.
The Once and Future King – T.H. White
Any Edition
Quartet of novels by T.H. White, published in a single volume in 1958. The quartet comprises The Sword
in the Stone (1938), The Queen of Air and Darkness--first published as The Witch in the Wood (1939)-The Ill-Made Knight (1940), and The Candle in the Wind (published in the composite volume, 1958). The
series is a retelling of the Arthurian legend, from Arthur's birth to the end of his reign, and is based
largely on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d‟Arthur. Students are required to read The Sword in the Stone.
Other books in the series are strongly encouraged.
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights – John Steinbeck
Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, ISBN: 0143105450
John Steinbeck's retelling of Malory's beloved Arthurian stories will capture the attention and imagination
of legions of Steinbeck fans, including those who love Arthurian romances, as well as countless readers of
science fiction and fantasy literature. Featuring the icons of Arthurian legend-including King Arthur,
Merlin, Morgan le Fay, the incomparable Queen Guinevere, and Arthur's purest knight, Sir Lancelot of
the Lake-these enduring tales of loyalty and betrayal in the time of Camelot flicker with the wonder and
magic of an era past but not forgotten.
The Sword in the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – Rosemary Sutcliff
Puffin, ISBN: 9780140371499
A retelling of the classic Arthurian legend follows the adventures of the boy who became a king, his
councilor Merlin, his beloved Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table. Students selecting this text
are also encouraged to read The Light Beyond the Forest: The Quest for the Holy Grail and Road to
Camlann: The Death of King Arthur, the remaining two books in the trilogy.
The Mists of Avalon – Marion Zimmer Bradley
Any Edition
Even readers who don't normally enjoy Arthurian legends will love this version, a retelling from the point
of view of the women behind the throne. Morgaine (more commonly known as Morgan Le Fay) and
Gwenhwyfar (a Welsh spelling of Guinevere) struggle for power, using Arthur as a way to score points
and promote their respective worldviews. The Mists of Avalon's Camelot politics and intrigue take place
at a time when Christianity is taking over the island-nation of Britain; Christianity vs. Faery, and God vs.
Goddess are dominant themes.