High School English Resource Plans – Literature

british literature

The British Tradition I: Poetry, Prose, & Drama from the Old English & Medieval Periods, Memoria Press [Publisher] – Level 5 Year 1

The “Introductions” in the MP books may be omitted.

• Warrior & Priest, Introduction pp. 6-11 (stop at the break)
• Introduction pp. 11-17
• The Seafarer, The Wanderer, pp. 20-26
• Anglo-Saxon Riddles, pp. 27-28, & The Battle of Brunaburgh, pp. 29-31
• Andreas “A Legend of St. Andrew, pp. 32-34
• Bede, pp. 36-42 (stop before The Sending of Augustine)
• Bede, pp. 42-48
• Cuthbert’s Letter on the Death of Bede, pp. 49-51
• Caedmon’s Hymn, p. 52
• The Dream of the Rood, pp. 53-57 (See also this beautiful new translation of Dream of the Rood.)
• Knight, Priest, & Commoner, pp. 60-74
• A Bestiary, pp. 76-78
• Gaudeamus Igitur, p. 79
• Everyman, pp. 80-85
• Everyman, pp. 85-91
• Everyman, pp. 91-97
• Everyman, pp. 97-103
• Everyman, pp. 103-112 (end)
• Sir Patrick Spens, p. 114
• Robin Hood and Little John, pp. 115-117
• Robin Hood and Allen-a-Dale, pp. 118-119
• Robin Hood’s Death and Burial, pp. 120-121
• Morte d’Arthur, Chapters 1-2, pp. 122-126
• Morte d’Arthur, Chapters 3-4, pp. 126-129
• Morte d’Arthur, Chapters 5-7, pp. 129-132

The British Tradition II: Poetry & Prose from the Elizabethan to the Neoclassical Age (1485-1784 A.D.), Memoria Press [Publisher] – Level 5 Year 2 and Level 6 Year 1

The “Introductions” in the MP books may be omitted.

Year 1

• Introduction pp. 6-9
• Queen Elizabeth I, On Monsieur’s Departure, p. 10
• Queen Elizabeth I, Speech to the Troops at Tilbury, p. 11
• Edmund Spenser, Faerie Queene Canto I, pp. 12-18
• Spenser, Faerie Queene Canto I, pp. 19-25
• Christopher Marlowe, The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, p. 27
• Sir Walter Raleigh, The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd, p. 28
• Sir Walter Raleigh, What Is Our Life?, p. 29 (bonus: As You Came From the Holy Land)
• The Art of the Sonnet (https://tinyurl.com/artofsonnet)
• Sir Philip Sidney, Sonnet 31, p. 30
• Sir Philip Sidney, Sonnet 39, p. 31
• George Peele, A Farewell to Arms, p. 32
• Robert Southwell, The Burning Babe, p. 33. For a more complete account of St. Robert’s heroic life and martyrdom, we highly recommend Alice Hogge’s book God’s Secret Agents [Amaz]
• Shakespeare, Sonnets 18 & 29, pp. 34-35, Optional – Poetry for All podcast episode 64: Shakespeare, Sonnet 29
• Shakespeare, Sonnets 55 & 116, pp. 35-36
• Shakespeare, Sonnet 130, p. 36, Sonnet 73
• King James Bible, pp. 37-39
• Ben Jonson, Song to Celia; Daughter, Mother, Spouse of God, pp. 40-41
• Early 17th Century and Puritans, Introduction pp. 44-45
• Aemilia Lanyer, Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women, pp. 46-47
• John Donne, A Hymn to God the Father, Meditations, pp. 48-52
• John Donne, Death Be Not Proud, p. 53, Batter My Heart, Three-Person’d God
• Herrick all three poems, pp. 54-56
• Herbert, all three poems pp. 57-59
• Milton pp. 60-65
• Milton, pp. 66-70
• Milton, On His Blindness, p. 71
• Richard Crashaw, both poems, pp. 72-73
• Lovelace, both poems, pp. 74-75
• Pilgrim’s Progress, pp. 76-84
• Pilgrim’s Progress, pp. 84-95

Year 2

• Restoration & Neoclassical Introduction, pp. 96-97, Dryden 98-100
• Katherine Phillips and Jonathan Swift, pp. 101-110; optional: A Modest Proposal
• Pope and Johnson, pp. 111-116
• Oliver Goldsmith and Phillis Wheatley, pp. 117-122

The British Tradition III: Poetry from the Romantic to the Victorian Age, Memoria Press [Publisher] – Level 6 Year 1

The “Introductions” in the MP books may be omitted.

• Romantic Introduction, Thomas Gray, pp. 6-16
• William Blake, pp. 17-19
• Burns, pp. 20-24
• Burns, pp. 25-26
• Wordsworth, pp. 27-29
• Wordsworth, pp 30-31
• Coleridge, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, pp. 32-39
• finish Rime of the Ancient Mariner, pp. 39-48
• Byron, p. 49
• Shelley, pp. 50-51; Optional: Poetry for All podcast on Ozymandias
• Keats, pp. 52-55
• Victorian Era Introduction, St. John Henry Newman, pp. 58-61
• Elizabeth Barret Browning, p. 62
• Tennyson, pp. 63-65
• Tennyson, pp. 66-67
• Arnold, pp. 72-75
• Rossetti and Hopkins, pp. 76-77
• Thompson, p. 83, Masefield, 92-93

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Anonymous – Level 5 Year 1

• Introduction parts 1 and 2 (if you are using the Tolkien translation; otherwise pre-read and decide whether to include any Introduction) and stanzas 1-21
• stanzas 22-45
• stanzas 46-62
• stanzas 63-79
• stanzas 80-101

Beowulf, Anonymous – Heaney translation [Amaz] – Level 5 Year 1

• pp. 3-29 (lines 1-398)
• pp. 29-57 (lines 399-835)
• pp. 57-81 (lines 836-1159)
• pp. 82-109 (lines 1160-1569)
• pp. 109-135 (lines 1570-1962)
• pp. 135-159 (lines 1963-2344)
• pp. 159-185 (lines 2345-2728)
• pp. 185-213 (lines 2729-3182) finish

Canterbury Tales, Chaucer [Amaz][online version] – Level 5 Year 1

• Prologue, lines 1-200. The student could memorize lines 1-18 to recite in Middle English. There are many YouTube versions to help with pronunciation.
• Prologue, lines 201-400
• Prologue, lines 401-600
• Prologue, lines 601-800
• Prologue, lines 801-858
• The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
• The Pardoner’s Tale
• The Tale of Sir Topaz

Paradise Lost, Milton [Amaz][online version] – The lesson plans do not include Paradise Lost, but we have included a reading plan here if you are interested in assigning it to your student. Optional resource: The Life and Writings of John Milton, Lerer (audio lectures) [Amaz] – Level 5 Year 2

• Lecture 5: Paradise Lost-An Introduction
• Book 1 lines 1-330
• Book 1 lines 331-798
• Lecture 6: Paradise Lost, Book 1
• Book 2 – lines 1-283
• Book 2 lines 284-628
• Book 2 lines 871-1055
• Lecture 7: Paradise Lost, Book II
• Book 3 lines 1-371
• Book 3 – lines 372-742
• Lecture 8: Paradise Lost, Book III
• Book 4 lines 1-357
• Book 4 lines 358-719
• Book 4 lines 720-1015
• Lecture 9: Book IV—Theatrical Milton
• Book 5 lines 1-307
• Book 5 lines 308-576
• Book 5 lines 577-907
• Book 6 lines 1-295
• Book 6 lines 296-608
• Book 6 lines 609-912
• Book 7 lines 1-338
• Book 7 lines 339-640
• Book 8 lines 1-356
• Book 8 lines 357-640
• Book 9 lines 1-375
• Book 9 lines 376-833
• Book 9 lines 834-1189
• Lecture 10: Book IX—The Fall
• Book 10 lines 1-382
• Book 10 lines 383-866
• Book 10 lines 867-1104
• Book 11 lines 1-555
• Book 11 lines 556-901
• Book 12 lines 1-371
• Book 12 lines 372-649
• Lecture 12: Milton’s Living Influence

American literature

Poetry and Short Stories for the Logic Stage Anthology, Memoria Press [Publisher] – Level 6 Year 1

The “Introductions” in the MP books may be omitted.

• Introduction, Rip van Winkle, pp. 6-21
• Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, pp. 22-43
• Longfellow, Whittier, pp. 44-51
• Longfellow, Paul Revere’s Ride
• Poe, To Helen, The Tell-Tale Heart pp 52-57
• Poe, The Raven, pp. 58-61
• Holmes, Lowell, pp. 62-68
• Dickinson, pp. 69-71
• Lanier, Riley, pp. 72-79
• O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi, pp. 80-84
• O. Henry, The Random of Red Chief, pp. 85-92
• Walt Whitman, “I Hear America Singing,” “O Captain! My Captain!”
• Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear the Mask,” “Ships That Pass in the Night”; Optional: Poetry for All podcast episode 39 on “We Wear the Mask”
• Thayer, Hovey, Lowell, pp. 93-100
• Frost, Sandburg, pp. 101-106
• Meigs, pp. 107-108, Claude McKay, “The Recollection of Claude McKay” (Benedict XVI Institute) and “Saint Meinrad”

Readings in American Prose, selected authors selected for this Mater Amabilis course [PDF] – Level 6 Year 1

• American Transcendentalism, Self-Reliance,  pp. 1-8
• Self-Reliance, pp. 9-16
• Self-Reliance, pp. 17-23
• Thoreau, Walking, pp. 24-33
• Thoreau, Walking, pp. 33-39
• Thoreau, Walking pp. 39-50
• Thoreau, Walking, pp. 51-55
• Hawthorne, Young Goodman Brown, pp. 56-69
• Melville, Bartleby the Scrivener, pp. 70-90
• Melville, Bartleby the Scrivener, pp. 91-104
• Twain, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, pp. 105-110
• Jewett, A White Heron, pp. 111-120

Myths

Great Myths of the World, Colum [Amaz][online version] – Level 5 Year 1, Level 5 Year 2, Level 6 Year 1

Year 1

• The Significance of Mythology pp. iii-v (stop at “Egyptian Mythology”)
• pp. v-vi “Egyptian Mythology”
• Osiris and Isis pp. 1-5
• Re: His Going Down and Uprising pp. 5-11
• “Babylonian” pp. vi-viii and In the Beginning pp. 13-15
• Gilgamesh pp. 15-23
• Uta-Napishtim pp. 23-29
• Ishtar’s Descent pp. 29-33
• “Persian” pp. vii-x &  Jamshid the Resplendent pp. 35-43
• “Jewish: Post-Christian Period” p. x and Jewish Angels, Creation, Fall of Man, pp. 45-47
• Confounding of the Angel of Death pp. 47-50
• “Greek” pp. x-xi & In the Beginning, pp. 51-54
• Prometheus pp. 54-57
• Pandora pp. 57-63
• Demeter pp. 63-70
• Orpheus pp. 70-73
• Dionysus pp. 73-76
• Apollo pp. 76-78
• Herakles II, pp. 89-93
• “Roman”, pp. xi-xii, and The Children of Mars I, pp. 95-100
• Children of Mars II, pp. 100-102
• Numa the Law-Giver pp. 102-105
• The Sibyl pp. 105-107
• Pomona and Vertumnus pp. 107-110
• “Graeco-Roman”, p. xii & Cupid & Psyche I, pp. 111-115
• Cupid & Psyche II, pp. 115-118
• Cupid & Psyche III pp. 118-124

Year 2

• “Celtic” pp. xii-xiv and Irish: Midir & Etain pp. 125-129
• Death of Conaire Mor I and II pp. 129-132
• Death of Conaire Mor III pp. 133-136
• Voyage of Bran pp. 136-142
• Welsh: Pwyll Prince of Dyfed pp. 142-146
• Math I pp. 146-151
• Math II pp. 150-151
• Math III pp. 151-154
• Math IV pp. 154-159
• “Finnish” pp. xiv-xv & Lemmikainen pp. 161-166
• “Icelandic” pp. xv-xvi & In the Beginning pp. 167-170
• The Building of the Wall pp. 170-174
• Mimir pp. 174-175
• Baldr pp. 175-182
• Loki’s Punishment pp. 182-184
• Children of Loki pp. 184-188
• Ragna Rok pp. 188-192
• “Indian” pp. xvi-xviii & Vedic Heavenly Nymph pp. 193-196
• Churning of the Ocean pp. 196-198
• Birth of the Ganges pp. 198-201
• Savitri pp. 201-206
• Damayanti’s Choice pp. 206-209
• Buddhist Gautama’s Attainment pp. 209-212
• “Chinese” p. xviii & In the Beginning pp. 213-215
• The Weaver Maiden and the Herdsman pp. 215-217
• “Japanese” p. xviii & The Sun Goddess & the Storm God pp. 219-222
• The First People pp. 222-224
• “Polynesian” pp. xix-xx & In the Beginning pp. 225-226
• Ma-Ui the Fire-Bringer pp. 226-232
• How Ma-ui Strove pp. 232-233
• Pe-le I pp. 233-238
• Pe-le II-III pp. 238-243

Year 3

• “Peruvian” p. xx & Viracocha pp. 245-249
• The Llama Herder pp. 249-252
• “Central American and Mexican” p. xx-xxiii  & In the Beginning pp. 253-257
• The Twin Heroes pp. 257-266
• Quetzalcoatl pp. 266-268
• Quetzalcoatl’s Enemy pp. 268-270
• The Gods of the Azteca pp. 270-273
• The Azteca pp. 273-276
• “Zuni”  pp. xxiii-xxiv  & Paiyatuma and the Maidens of Corn pp. 277-284

literature study

Structure, Sound, and Sense, Perrine – Use any edition. – Level 6 Year 2

• Fiction 1, Escape and Interpretation
• Fiction 1, Short story, study questions – Remember: Chapters of SSS are narrated, but students are asked to respond to study questions following a story, poem, or dramatic piece, to be invited to closer reading and meditation on the work.
• Fiction 1, Short story, study questions (choose a different story)
• choose one poem to read from the “Poems for Further Reading” section in SSS
• Fiction 2, Plot
• Fiction 2, short story, study questions
• Fiction 2, short story, study questions (choose a different story)
• Poem for Further Reading
• Fiction 3, Character
• Fiction 3, short story, study questions
• Fiction 3, short story, study questions (choose a different story)
• Poem for Further Reading
• Fiction 4, Theme
• Fiction 4, short story, study questions
• Fiction 4, short story, study questions (choose a different story)
• Poem for Further Reading
• Fiction 5, Point of View
• Fiction 5, short story, study questions
• Fiction 5, short story, study questions
• Poem for Further Reading
• 6, Symbol and Irony
• 6, short story, study questions
• 6, short story, study questions
• 7, Emotion and Humor
• 7, short story, study questions
• 7, short story, study questions
• Poem for Further Reading
• 8, Fantasy
• 8, short story, study questions
• 8, short story, study questions
• Poem for Further Reading
• 9, The Scale of Value
• 9, short story, study questions
• 9, short story, study questions
• Poem for Further Reading
• choose a story not chosen in previous chapters, study questions
• choose a story for “further reading,” study questions
• choose a story for “further reading,” study questions
• choose a story for “further reading,” study questions
• Poetry 1, What Is Poetry
• Poetry 1, read all poems
• Poetry 1, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 1, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 2, Reading the Poem
• Poetry 2, read all poems
• Poetry 2, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 2, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 3, Denotation and Connotation
• Poetry 3, read all poems
• Poetry 3, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 3, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 4, Imagery
• Poetry 4, read all poems
• Poetry 4, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 4, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 5, Figurative Language 1
• Poetry 5: read all poems
• Poetry 5, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 5, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 6, Figurative Language 2
• Poetry 6, read all poems
• Poetry 6, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 6, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 7, Figurative Language 3
• Poetry 7, read all poems
• Poetry 7, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 7, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 8, Allusion
• Poetry 8, read all poems
• Poetry 8, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 8, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 9, Meaning and Idea
• Poetry 9, read all poems
• Poetry 9, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 9, choose one poem, study questions
• 10, Tone
• 10, read all poems
• 10, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 11, Musical Devices
• Poetry 11, read all poems
• Poetry 11, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 11, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 12, Rhythm and Meter
• Poetry 12: choose several poems to read ALOUD, listening for stressed syllables
• Do Exercise 1 between the Chapter and the poems
• Exercise 2 in the same set.
• Poetry 12, review the basics of scansion in this chapter
• Poetry 12, choose one poem to copy out, marking stressed and unstressed syllables as indicated in the discussion of scansion.
• Poetry 12,  choose another poem to copy out and mark with scansion marks
• Poetry 12, choose another poem, study questions
• Poetry 13, Sound and Meaning
• Poetry 13, read all poems, including several aloud
• Poetry 13, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 13, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 14, Pattern
• Poetry 14, read all poems, including several aloud
• Poetry 14, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 14, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 15, Bad Poetry and Good (strong opinions alert!)
• Poetry 15, read all poems, including some aloud.
• Drama 1, The Nature of Drama, choose one dramatic selection to read, answer questions
• Poetry 15, choose one poem, study questions
• Poetry 16, Good Poetry and Great
• Poetry 16, read all poems, including at least one aloud
• Drama 2, Realistic and Non-Realistic Drama, read one selection, questions
• Poetry 16, choose one poem, questions
• Drama 3: Tragedy and Comedy
• Poems for Further Reading, choose one, questions
• Drama: choose any dramatic selection not previously read to read at your own pace
• Poems for Further Reading, choose one, questions
• Drama: continue reading your chosen drama
• Poems for Further Reading, choose one, questions
• Drama, continue reading
• Poems for Further Reading, choose one, questions
• Drama, continue reading
• Poems for Further Reading, choose one, questions
• Drama, continue reading
• Drama, continue reading (finish)