GEC 015

WORLD
LITERATURE
MODULES FOR MIDTERM

1st SEMESTER
S.Y 2024-2025

Prepared by:
SHAMPAINE DIANA ROSE ANDAYA, MAED

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
1
 Module 5
THE MIDDLE AGES

Overview

The Middle Ages present a picture in which the answers in most of man’s questions were
certain. Man was certain about his God and he was certain that he (man) had a definite purpose
in the universe. Even the presence of evil, catastrophe, misery, and sorrow was explained, so
men had few questions about them and their disturbing occurrence in life.

Discover if the only realistic literature about the Middle Ages is

LESSO written by a modern author. Moreover, how do the beauty of the
N1 cathedrals and the profound thought about religion arise this time?
Thus, let’s find the answers to these questions as we journey across

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

1. explore what castles looked like during the Middle Ages through presenting the research
findings creatively;
2. explain the way of life of the Middle Ages people by creating a mind map; and
3. appreciate the lesson of the novel ‘Don Quixote’ by role playing the assigned
scenario.

TOPIC OUTLINE:
1. The Middle Ages

A. History of Western Europe

B. Influence of the Church
C. Enlightenment ear of the Dark Ages
D. Credits to the Middle Ages

INTRODUCTION
Warm –up Activity
1. Let’s check how much you remember about “The Middle Ages.”

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
2
 2. Answer the statements written below with TRUE or FALSE.
 The Middle Ages is also referred to as the Dark Ages.
ANSWER:
 Greek civilization was revived during the Middle Ages.
ANSWER:
 During this time, the government became more powerful than the church.
ANSWER:
 Chivalry arose during this time.
ANSWER:

What have you found out after accomplishing all the items?
Let’s know more about it.

Essential Question:
How does the ‘Middle Ages’ contribute to the era where we are today?
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
______________________________.
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Let’s __________________________________________________________
______________________________.
Explore
Together!

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
3
 INTERACTION

DISCUSSION 1
For a period of several centuries, civilization for most people became
almost entirely lost. These centuries are called the Middle Ages –the period of
the history of Western Europe between the end of the Roman Empire and the
beginning of the modern world. The date commonly used for the end of the
ancient times is 476 A.D. when the last of the Roman emperors, Romulus
Augustus was overthrown by barbarian invaders. The beginning of modern
times was marked by the following events: Fall of Constantinople (1453),
Discovery of America (1492), and the Protestant Reformation (1517).

The Middle Ages were called the Dark Ages because they were a time of
turmoil and anarchy, between the ordered civilization of the Roman empire
and the Renaissance, which people at that time thought of as a rebirth of the
ancient world. Europe developed slowly. Art, music, literature, science, and
commerce progressed little when compared to progress in the periods before
and after. Specifically, the Middle Ages (which is also called the Medieval or
Feudal Period) was characterized by the following:

1. The Roman civilization disintegrated and went out of existence.

2. The learning and leisure of Greek civilization were lost.

Do you still remember the famous slogan, “The glory that was Greece, the
grandeur that was Rome?”

Do you think the Middle Ages represented a sad state of affairs? Yes,
indeed. Let’s find out why.

Life became a bitter struggle for most men, with little joy or refinement to
lift them from the routine of their everyday lives. National boundaries
disappeared as feudalism held sway, and as local lords set up their own
states, almost completely self-contained and self-sufficient. With the decline
in Roman order, trade and commerce also declined; thus, making self-
sufficiency necessary. One factor only brought order in this dark world.
That was the Roman Catholic Church. In its monasteries, some forms of
learning was kept alive. Its priests brought comfort to their flocks. While
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
4
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
 DISCUSSION 2
How influential was the church then?

The church, thought it was the supreme spiritual head of the Western world,
was also much interested in secular affairs. The Pope was the head of a small state
surrounding Rome, and most of the higher officials were lords or vassals of estates
throughout Europe. The monasteries and abbeys were the centers of large states.
Thus, the church was a very high organization, and one whose duties consisted not
only in saving souls, but also in waging wars, collecting taxes, and in managing vast
farms.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 1
1. Feudalistic estates were self-sufficient.
____ Yes ____ No

2. Secular affairs refer to saving souls.

____ Yes ____ No

3. The serfs were more powerful than the lords.

____ Yes ____ No

4. Aside from saving souls, clerics also became tax collectors.

____ Yes ____ No

5. The Roman Catholic Church shed some “light” during the Middle Ages.
____ Yes ____ No

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
5
 DISCUSSION 3
What then can we suggest from this unenlightened
era of the Dark Ages?

In the first place, life on earth was so hard that men looked forward to
death and a life after death, which they imagined as more beautiful than the
present life. A second development is that the literature of the time and all the
cultural life, in fact, would be a retreat from realism. When people told stories or
sang, they did not want to be reminded of their present life, but of a fanciful and
wonderful life which could occupy their imaginations.

As a result of these influences, the thinkers of the time (which were, of

course churchmen), built up a most elaborate system for this life and the life
after death. Sins and virtues were carefully catalogued and rewards and
punishments in the afterlife were certain. Absolutism reigned supreme, from
these rewards and punishments in heaven or hell to the authority of kings.

The institution of chivalry was another answer to the warrior class’

craving for escape from the squalor of their existence. Chivalry comes originally
from the French word for horse, the modern cheval. As this derivation indicates,
it was essentially a cult of the mounted warrior or knight, the type of fighter
dominant in medieval warfare. The knight rode into battle mounted on the
richly-trapped horse and clad in armor, which made him almost invulnerable to
the foot soldier until the invention of the crossbow. He found fighting a
glamorous and exciting occupation with ample scope for individual exploits and
personal glory.

A whole literature grew up around such people. Whereas, in the earlier

Middle Ages, as indeed in ancient times, literature had centered mainly on the
hero’s warlike ability, the cult of chivalry properly addred an important new
element, which had scarcely existed before. This was the ideal of devotion to
women in the relationship of romantic love. Previously, women had played a
comparatively small part in literature except in their purely formal relationship
as queens in the political context and wives or mothers in the family group. But
with such stories as those of King Arthur’s knoghts and their ladies, the lady,
who is beloved by the knight and for whose favour he does great deeds, becomes
this module is forfigure
a central the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
in literature.
6
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
 Other literary appeals to be found in these romances of chivalry in the appeal
of far-off places to which knights go on their exploits; in the appeal of mystery (as
when a tournament is won by a familiar hero appearing in disguise). Actually,
however, the life of most people was very drab; they travelled little, and most of the
luxury and courtliness of the time existed only in the imagination of the writers.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 2
Directions: Supply the missing letters in the blanks to form a word or
concept.
1. Literature and cultural life during the Dark Ages can be characterized by
a departure from R _ _ L _ _ _.

2. The _ _ _ R _ H _ _ _ were the greatest thinkers during the Dark Ages.

3. _ H _ _ A _ R _ originated from the French word for horse.

4. The _ _ _ _ of chivalry gave importance to the devotion to women in a

romantic relationship.

DISCUSSION 4
What can be credited to the Middle Ages?
Although we often tend to look down on the Middle Ages as a period of
ignorance, turmoil and material discomfort we should not forget that we owe them
credit for many of the most important non-material things of our life. In art, they left
us the great cathedrals with stained glass which no modern craftsman has ever
equalled; in scholarship, they founded the universities of which modern universities
are descendants; in literature and manners the new importance which the cult
(system of belief) of chivalry gave to the position of women in society is probably the
faint beginning of the vastly different positions which women occupy today.

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
7
 Based on the topics presented, what are the things that you acquired? Let’s
TAS check what you’ve understood by accomplishing the given activities.

ACTIVITY 1
DIRECTIONS: Research what castles looked like, the different parts of a
castle, the purpose of each part, and what materials were used in their
construction. Present your findings in a creative way possible.

ACTIVITY 2
DIRECTIONS: Select one group of people living in the Middle Ages, a peasant, Lord or Lady or
a child. Then, research what life was like for them during this time. Create a mind map detailing
your research.

ACTIVITY 3
DIRECTIONS: Based on the scenario that you picked from the novel ‘Don Quixote,’ come up
with a one-act play.

Presentation- 10pts.
 convincing character portrayal
 appearance of spontaneity
 ability to handle props casually and naturally

Poise/Self-Confidence- 10pts.
 movements, gestures, voice inflections, diction, eye contact and posture appear natural
 proper volume and articulation

Delivery- 10pts.
 actor projects voice using diaphragm for support (not yelling)
 actor employs voice and tempo variations (not monotone)
 actor speaks with clear diction (not mumbling)

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
8
  actor recreates mood, experience, emotion of character
 actor uses emotion to bring character to a dramatic climax
 actor creates spontaneity of situation and character

INTEGRATION

Evaluate
!
Essential Question:
How does the ‘Middle Ages’ contribute to the era where we are today?
SUMMARY:
The Middle Ages, which is also commonly referred to as the Medieval Period and sometimes as
the Dark Ages, spanned from the late 5th century to the beginning of the 14th century. This time
in history was largely governed by feudalism and the Catholic Church. Moreover, medieval
castles were extremely important during this period because they provided people with safety
and protection.
REFERENCES:
Books
 Fosdick, Carolyn et. al. (1954). Literature for Philippine High Schools. NY: The
MacMillan Company.

Websites
 The Middle Ages. Retrieved from https://elearn.eb.com/middle-ages-activity/

 The musing during the Middle Ages. Retrieved from

https://www.musingsofahistorygal.com/2022/01/4-activities-to-include-in-your-
middle.html

Module 6
THE RENAISSANCE

Overview

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
9
 Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Raphael. Do these names ring a bell? No, they are not
the four (4) Ninja Turtles! They are the great men of the Renaissance. The word “Renaissance”
means rebirth, revival, or reawakening and it is what, in many ways, the period is. Few periods
in history have been so full of events as the period called the Renaissance.

Don’t you think this age is worth going back to? Buckle up, then, young
LESSO fellow, as we go to the Age of the Renaissance.
N1

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Identify the different Renaissance authors;
2. determine the similarities and differences of Heaven and Hell based on Alighieri’s Divine
Comedy;
3. explicate the moral of the story “A Piece of String” through a creative presentation; and
4. extract the value rooted in the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ through an activity titled 3, 2, 1
Ready.

TOPIC OUTLINE:
I. The Renaissance
A. Italian Literature
B. French Literature
C. English Literature

INTRODUCTION:
Warm –up Activity
How much do you remember?
Answer the following questions by just choosing the letter of the best option.

1. The Renaissance started in ______.

A. Italy C. France
B. Germany D. England
2. Renaissance was a period of ______.
A. Absolutism C. Scholasticism
B. Humanism D. Naturalism
3. The Canterbury Tales was written by ______.
A. Cervantes C. Dante
B. Chaucer D. Shakespeare

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
1
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 0
 4. The leader of the Protestant movement who translated the Bible into the German
language was _____.
A. Luther C. Hitler
B. Kierkegaard D. Wittgenstein
5. The Renaissance was a revival of the _____.
A. Portuguese language C. Greek language
B. Spanish language D. French language

What have you found out after accomplishing all the items?

Let’s know more about it.

Essential Question:
Among the contributions of The Renaissance in literature, what do you think is
the greatest? Why?
____________________________________________________
Let’s __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Explore ______________________________.
Together!
INTERACTION

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

DISCUSSION
The Renaissance or rebirth began in Italy about 1300 and lasted till about 1600. It
ushered in cultural and intellectual transformation. Jules Michelet who coined the word,
defined Renaissance as the discovery of the world of man –the awakening of
individualism and secularism.

The 14th century marked the general beginning of national literature. The living
language of the people, as well as Latin was used for writing. In the early years of this
century, Dante Alighieri, an Italian, composed his Divine Comedy, one of the greatest
epic poems. In England, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote his Canterbury Tales. France has
Francois Villon.
1
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
In Italy, Francesco Petrarch became the father of new learning. Like Dante and
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
Giovanni Boccaccio, Petrarch studied ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts brought
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 1
from Constantinople. He respected this classical literature for its beauty of style and
depth of thought. Under its influence, Petrarch and his followers turned their attention to
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
1
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 2
 No longer feeling that knowledge was a bad thing, men begun to place all their
hopes in learning. Instead of believing that God completely ruled their lives, men
thought that it was up to them to make the world that they wanted it to be.
Individuality might well be the keynote for the whole Renaissance. Up to this
time during the Middle Ages, the individual was forgotten, or held by so many
systems of religion and government, that he was unable to free himself. In the new
period, he rose, threw off many of his bondages and became important as a single
individual man, able to express himself in whatever way he chose.
In Spain, Miguel de Cervantes wrote his famous satire, Don Quixote which
stands as one of the finest works of all time. The Frenchman, Francois Rabelais,
made people roar with laughter as he wrote about hearty human beings enjoying
themselves in Gargantua and Pantagruel. In England, the marvellous Age of
Elizabethan literature produced Edmund Spenser (The Faerie Queen), Christopher
Marlowe (Doctor Faustus), and William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet, As You
Like It, Othello, Macbeth, etc.) and many lyric and dramatic poets.

Painting by Raphael

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
1
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 3
 COMPREHENSION CHECK 1
A. Talking It Over

1. Who coined the word “Renaissance?”

ANSWER: _______

2. Who were the three Italian writers who pioneered the study of ancient
Greek and Roman manuscripts brought from Constantinople?
ANSWER: 2.1. _______
2.2. _______
2.3. _______

3. Who is the English author who wrote Utopia?

ANSWER: _______

4. In your own words, how would you define humanism?

ANSWER: _____________________________________________

B. Talking about Authors

Enumerate the authors who became famous during the Renaissance. Cite
their works, too.

England
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________
Italy
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
France
1. _____________________________________________
Spain
1. _____________________________________________

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
1
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 4
 C. Sharing Insights
Answer the following questions:

1. Would it have been more fun to live in the Middle Ages than in the
Renaissance?

2. In which period could you have been more productive and creative? More
experimental and unconventional? More secure and settled in your way of
living?

LESSO Italian Literature

N2
Have you ever imagined how hell, purgatory, and heaven looked like? Or, have you ever
dreamed that you were being pulled down to the fires of hell? Do you believe that our souls will
embark on a journey after death? In this lesson, we shall take a selection from the fifth canto of
Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. Let’s find out whether Dante can give you a believable picture
of hell.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 2
How well do you remember?
1. Dante Alighieri is a native of Florence, Italy.
____YES ____NO

2. Virgil, Dante’s guide, is the symbol for theology in the Divine Comedy.
____YES ____NO

3. The Pilgrim in the Divine Comedy was named Dante.

____YES ____NO

4. A canto is made up of three lines with a uniformly structured pattern.

____YES ____NO

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
1
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 5
 Purgatory in Dante’s Divine Comedy

Dante Alghieri was a native of Florence, Italy and the last of the great
poets of the Middle Ages. His work, Divine Comedy, is a great narrative poem
written in the Tuscan dialect (Latin) and originally titled Commedia. Not content
with a single word title, later generations have called it Divine Comedy. This is an
allegory which dramatizes and glorifies the ways of God and at the same time
protests the medieval man’s thwarting (changing) of the divine plan. The Divine
Comedy is a complete literary summation of the philosophy of the Middle Ages
and in it, Dante builds the most complicated and absolute structure of the
universe. The poem traces Dante’s imagined journey through the three levels of
the Christian afterlife: the Inferno, where those guilty of the seven deadly sins
are forever punished; the Purgatorio, where Christians still having to perform
penance dwell; and Paradiso, where blessed live.
Dante gives two reasons for calling his work comedy. First, its sad
beginning (Inferno), and its happy ending (Paradiso and the vision of God in His
essence). Second, it is written in a lax and humble style.
There are hundred cantos in the Divine Comedy, all following the same
structural pattern. The stanzas in a canto are made of tree lines, each with a
rhyme pattern that carries over from one stanza to the next and ties all the
1
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 6
 Example: Translation:
Non isperate mai veder lo cielo Forget your hope of ever seeing
heaven
I’ vegno per menarvi a l’altra riva’ I come to lead you to the other
shore
Ne le tenebre etterne, in caldo e’n gelo To the eternal dark, to fire and
frost
E tu che se’ costi, anima viva And you approaching there, you
living soul
Partiti da cotesti che son morti Keep well away from these, they are
dead
Ma poi che vide ch ‘io non mi partiva But when he saw I made no
more to go

The following is a synopsis of the first, second, and third cantos.

Canto I
Halfway through his life, Dante, the Pilgrim wakes to find himself lost in the
dark woods. Terrified at being alone in so dismal a valley, he wanders until he
comes to a hill bathed in sunlight, and his fear begins to leave him. When he starts
to climb the hill, his path is blocked by three fierce beasts: first, a Leopard (fraud),
then a Lion (all kinds of violence), and finally a She-Wolf (avarice and
unproductivity). They fill him with fear and drive him back down to the sunless
woods. At that moment, the figure of a man appears before him; it is the shade of
Virgil (human reason), and the Pilgrim begs for help. Virgil tells him that he cannot
overcome the beasts which obstruct his path; they must remain until a Greyhound
(love and wisdom) comes who will drive them back to Hell, rather, by another path
will the P ilgrim reach the sunlight, ad Virgil promises to guide him on that path
through Hell and Purgatory, at which time another spirit, more fit that Virgil, will
lead him to Paradise. The Pilgrim begs Virgil to lead on, and the Guide starts
ahead. The Pilgrim follows.
Canto II
But the Pilgrim begins to waiver; he expresses to Virgil his misgivings about
this module is for thetoexclusive
his inability
reproduction, distribution,
been Aeneas and St.
use of the
undertake
uploading,
Paul and
theUniversity
journeyofproposed
or posting online
he feels
La Salette, Inc.
in any form
unworthy
by Any
toortake
form of
Virgil.
by any means
his
1
His predecessors have
place in their company.
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 7
 Above the gate, and he hears the screams of anguish from the damned souls.
Rejected by God and not accepted by the powers of Hell the first group of the souls
are “nowhere,” because of their coward refusal to make a choice in life. Their
punishment is to follow a banner at a furious pace forever, and to be tormented by
flies and hornets. The Pilgrim recognizes several of these shades, but mentions
none by name. Next they come to the River Acheron where they are greeted by the
infernal boatman, Charon. Among those doomed souls who are to be ferried across
the river, Charon sees the living man and challenges him, but Virgil lets it be
known that his companion must pass. The across the landscape rushes a howling
wind which blasts the pilgrim out of his senses, and he falls to the ground.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 3
Let’s check it out!
1. What are the beasts that blocked the Pilgrim’s path to the “hill bathed in
sunlight?” What do these beasts symbolize?

1.1_________________________
1.2_________________________
1.3_________________________

2. What can overcome the three fierce beasts? What does it symbolize?
ANSWER: _________________________

3. Who is the infernal boatman?

ANSWER: _________________________

Selection
The selection that follows is from the fifth canto of the Inferno. As the poet is
guided in his descent into the Inferno by the spirit of Virgil, they saw two spirits
floating through the air in company directed by Dido, the queen of Carthage. Dante
1
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
asked his guide who they were. The two were called and asked to tell their story.
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 8
They were Paolo and Francesca. This is the first time famous pair of ill-starred
lovers ever appear in literature. Their story has been retold many times since.
 73 And I began: O Poet, willingly
74 Speak would I to those two, who go together,
75 And seem upon the wind to be so light.

76 And, he to me: Thou’lt mark, when they shall be

77 Nearer to us; and then do thou implore them
78 By love which leadeth them, and they will come.

79 Soon as the wind in our direction sways them,

80 My voice uplift I: O ye weary souls!
81 Come speak to us, if no one interdicts it.

82 As turtledoves, called onward by desire,

83 With open and steady wings to the sweet nest
84 Fly through the air by their volition borne,

85 So came they from the land where Dido us,

86 Approaching us athwart the air malign,
87 So strong was the affectionate appeal.

88 O living creature gracious and benignant,

89 Who visiting goest through the purple air
90 Us, who have stained the world incarnadine,

91 If were the King of the Universe our friend,

92 We would pay unto him to give thee peace,
93 Since thou hast pity on our woe perverse.

94 Of what it pleases thee to hear and speak

95 That will we hear, and we will speak to you,
96 While silent is the wind, as it is now.

97 Sitteth the city, wherein I was born.

98 Upon the seashore where the Po descends
99 To rest in peace with all his retinue.

100 Love, that on gentle heart doth swiftly seize,

101 Seized the man for the person beautiful
102
1
Taken from me, how that was done still wounds me.
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
103 Love, that exempts no one beloved from loving,
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
104 9
Seized me with pleasure of this man so strongly,
105 That, as thou seest, it doth not yet desert me;
 106 Love has conducted us unto one death;
107 Caiña waiteth him who quenched our life!
108 These words were borne along from them to us.

109 As soon as I had heard those souls tormented,

110 I bowd my face, and so long held it down
111 Until the Poet said to me: What thinkest?

112 When I made an answer, I began: Alas!

113 How many pleasant thoughrs, how much desire,
114 Conducted these unto the dolorous pass!

115 Then unto them I turned me, and I spake,

116 And I began: Thine agonies, Francesca,
117 Sad and compassionate to weeping make me.

118 But tell me, at the time of those sweet sighs,

119 By what and in what manner Love conceded,
120 That you should know your dubious desires?

121 And she to me: There is no greater sorrow

122 Than to be mindful of the happy time
123 In misery, and that thy Teacher knows.

124 but, if to recognize the earliest root

125 Of love in us thou hast so great desire,
126 I will do even as he who weeps and speaks.

127 One day we reading were for our delight

128 Of Launcelot, how love did him enthral.
129 Alone we were and without any fear.

130 Full many a time our eyes together drew

131 That reading, and drove the color from our faces;
132 But one point only was it that o’ercame us.

this module is for 133

the exclusive useWhen
134
of the was
Being by
we read
University
such a
of the Inc.
of La Salette,
noble
much-longed-for
lover
Any form of
kissed,
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
2
smile

without the written135

permission ofThis one, who
the university ne’erprohibited.
is strictly from me shall be divided,
0
136 Kissed me upon the mouth all palpitating.
 139 And all the while one spirit uttered this,
140 The other one did weep so, that, for pity,
141 I swooned away as if I had been dying,

142 And fell, even as a dead body falls.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 4
A. Talking It Over

1. Who is speaking the first verse of the selection (Refer to verse

73)? ______________

2. Who answers in the second verse? You will need to read the
introduction carefully to know. ______________

3. How does the speaker describe her soul in verse 88?

______________

4. Translate the lines 91 to 93:

If were the King of the Universe our friend,

We would pay unto him to give thee peace,
Since thou hast pity on our woe perverse.

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

5. Comment on the ideas contained in the following lines:

“There is no greater sorrow

than thinking back upon a happy time
in misery – and this your teacher knows.”

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
__________________________________________
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
2
__________________________________________
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
__________________________________________
1
 B. Sharing Insights

1. What other famous pairs of lovers do you know in literature?

__________________________________________

2. Are famous lovers every happy in their lives?

__________________________________________

3. What idea of life after death do you get from reading this poem? Is it
the Christian idea? The idea of all Christian sects?
__________________________________________

Notes on the fifth canto of the Divine Comedy:

97 -The “city, wherein I was born” is the territory of Ravenna, and the
speaker is Francesca de Ramini, daughter of Guido de Polenta, Lord of Ravenna,
who died in 1310. Though married some time after 1275 to Gianciotto Malatesta of
Ramini for political reasons, she fell in love with his younger brother, Paolo. When
Gianciotto discovered their adulterous love, very possibly in 1285, he killed them.
100-107 -These lines recall the 13th century celebration of love –set
against celebrations, these lines become tragically ironic.
101 – “this man” : Paolo Malatesta
102 – For some interpreters the “how” does not refer to the killing of the
two lovers by Gianciotto, which left them no time for repentance, but to the ardent
passion of Paolo for Francesca, a love that still overwhelms her. This translation
does refer the “how” to the killing of the lovers and translated as “wounds.”

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
2
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 2
 107 – Caiña, the first of the four divisions of the Ninth Circle of Hell, is
named afte Cain, who killed his brother Abel (Gen 4:8). Caiña is where those who
betrayed their kin are punished. It “waits” for Gianciotto because he is still alive in
1300.
121 – “Thy teacher” is Virgil.
127-138 – The book they were reading was one of the French Arthurian
romances well known to Dante. It tells of Lancelot, the most famous of the Knights
of the Round Table at the Court of King Arthur. He fell in love with Arthur’s queen,
Guinevere. Since Gallehault is a character who encouraged the queen and her
lover, the book is “a Galeotto indeed,” for it serves Paolo and Francesca as go-
between.

LESSO French Literature

N3
Bon jour! Has there even been a time in your life when you had to defend
yourself because your reputation was at stake? How do you think it feels when the
whole world seems to be at odds with you? This fellow in Guy de Maupassant’s
‘The Piece of String’ characterizes an individual who stood his ground despite all
odds.

COMPREHENSION CHECK 5
How well do you remember?
Match the authors in Column A with their literary works in Column B.
Write the letter of your answer before each item.
Column A Column B
___1. Francois Villon A. Discourse on Method
___2. Clement Marot B. Gargantua and P
___3. Rene Descartes C. Franciade
___4. Francois Rabelais D. Small Testament, Grand
Testament
___5. Michel du Montaigne E. Temple of Cupid
___6. Pierre de Ronsard F. Of Idleness
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
2
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 3
Discussion
At first, French writers during the Renaissance period wrote nothing new about
their own lives. They took their forms and ideas from the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Clement Marot (Temple of Cupid, allegory) also used the old forms, but he helped to
make French a clear and understandable language. Pierre de Ronsard (Franciade,
poetry) however believed that the ancients should be followed very closely. He even
tried to add Greek and Latin words to French. His long epic poem ‘Franciade’ is
modelled after the Latin epics. It is very hard to read, but he also wrote simple love
sonnets and poems.
The most famous prose work produced in the early part of the 16 th century was a
long book in two parts, ‘Gargantua and Pantagruel,’ by Francois Rabelais. Humorous,
philosophical and scientific, it gave a picture of French society and of the author.

Other authors of this century include Francois Villon, (Small Testament,

Grand Testament, poetry) and Rene Descartes (Discourse on Method, essay).
Just as Rabelais gave the feeling of early Renaissance, Michel du
Montaigne (1533-1592) was the spokesperson of the late Renaissance. Although
he agreed that man alone made his world, he did not have much faith in what
man could do with knowledge. All the same, he felt that man should study men in
order to understand life. It was this idea that the next generation of writers
followed. Montaigne is also famous for his essay form of writing.
‘Essays’ are expressions of the author’s various opinions. They are
marginal notes written by Montaigne while he was reading, the purpose of which
was self-exploration: “I myself am the matter of the book. . . It is myself that I
depict.”
(Butler, 1923)

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
2
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 4
 Guy de Maupassant

COMPREHENSION CHECK 6
Challenging your understanding
Match Column A with Column B.
Column A Column B
___1. Pierre de Ronsard A. Discourse on Method
___2. Francois Rabelais B. Temple of Cupid
___3. Michel du Montaigne C. Gargantua and Pantagruel
___4. Francois Villon D. Small Testament, Grand
Testament
___5. Rene Descartes E. Franciade
___6. Clement Marot F. Of Idleness

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
2
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 5
 Selection
Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893), was a champion of the realistic approach
to writing and one of the finest short story writers of all time. He was born in
Normandy, France to wealthy parents. His parents separated when he was eleven
and was raised by his domineering mother who became the basis for his
characterizations of overbearing and slighted women in most of his stories. The
greatest influence in his life and career was Gustave Flaubert who served as
mentor in his adulthood. To Flaubert and his circle, Maupassant was truly at the
center of European literature and his work bears it.
In ‘The Piece of String,’ de Maupassant pictures the many unlovely aspects
of a small French town and French peasant life. He does this because he feels it as
a writer’s business to tell the truth about the environment that he sees about him
and to tell it as vividly and forcefully as possible.
In teaching de Maupassant, Flaubert would set him the task of describing
someone he had met in the street in such vivid and realistic terms, that he,
Flaubert, would recognize the person. This technique was well mastered by de
Maupassant and is clearly evident in the story we have here. The realistic
effectiveness 0f ‘A Piece of String’ can be further accounted for by the shrewdness
of de Maupassant’s observation that often it is a person’s minor habits and traits
which reveal his true personality.
Though illness cut short his promising career which lasted only ten years
from 1880 to 1890, Maupassant managed to write about 300 short stories and six
novels. He achieved fame for ‘The Umbrella,’ ‘A Piece of String,’ and ‘The
Necklace.”

A Piece of String
by Guy de Maupassant

It was market day and from all the country round Goderville the
peasant and their wives were coming toward the town.
The men walked slowly, throwing the whole body forward at every
step of their long, crooked legs. They were deformed from pushing the
plough which makes the left shoulder higher and bends their figures
sideways; from reaping the grain, when they have to spread their legs so as
to keep on their feet. Their starched blue blouses, glossy as though
varnished, ornamented at collar and cuffs with a little embroidered design
this module
and is for the out
blown
reproduction,
exclusive use oftheir
around the University of La Salette,
bony bodies, Inc. Any
looked form
very of
much 2
like balloons
about distribution, uploading,
to soar, whence or posting
issued two online
arms in anytwo
and formfeet.
or by any means
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
Some of these fellows dragged a cow or a calf at the end of a rope.
6
Just behind the animal followed their wives beating it over the back with a
 worth picking up which could be of any use, and he stooped down, but
painfully, because he suffered from rheumatism.
He took the bit of thin string from the ground and was carefully
preparing to roll it up when he saw Maitre Malandain, the harness maker,
on his doorstep staring at him. They had once had a quarrel about a halter,
and they had borne each other malice ever since. Maitre Hauchecorne was
overcome with a sort of shame at being seen by his enemy picking up a bit
of string on the road. He quickly hid it beneath his blouse and then slipped
it into his breeches pocket, then pretended to be still looking for something
on the ground which he did not discover and finally went off toward the
marketplace, his head bent forward and his body almost doubled in two by
rheumatic pains.
He was at once lost in the crowd, which kept moving about slowly
and noisily as it chaffered and bargained. The peasants examined the cows,
this module
went is for
reproduction,
off,the exclusive
came
distribution,
usealways
back, of the University
in doubt of La
forSalette,
fear Inc. Any form
of being of
cheated, 2
never quite
daring to decideuploading,
looking or posting
the seller online in anyinform
square theoreye
by any means
in the effort to discover
withoutthe
the written
tricks permission
of the man of the
anduniversity is strictly
the defect in theprohibited.
beast. 7
The women, having placed their great baskets at their feet, had taken
 As you make a soldier who has been on a campaign tell his story of the battle. His mind kept
growing weaker and about the end of December he took to his bed.
He passed away early in January, and, in the ravings of death agony, he
protested his innocence, repeating:
“A little bit of string –a little bit of string. See, here it is, M’sieu le Maire.”

COMPREHENSION CHECK 7
Checking for Understanding
A. Talking it Over

1. Why did Maitre Hauchecorne disguise his actions while picking

the string?
this module is for the exclusive
ANSWER: use of 2
the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
___________________________________________
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
without the written2.permission
Why was of he
the accused
university is
ofstrictly
finding prohibited.
the wallet? 8
ANSWER: ___________________________________________
 B. Sharing Insights

1. Why do people like Maitre Hauchecorne value their reputation? Cite

concrete examples which happen in real life.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________

2. Using clusters or webs, compare and contrast Maitre Hauchecorne and

Maitre Malandain’s characters.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

C. Vocabulary
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
Match the meanings
reproduction, distribution, uploading,inor Column A with
posting online the
in any foreign
form words
or by any
2
meansin Column B.
without theColumn
written permission
A of the university is strictly prohibited. Column B 9
___1. Small town A. burgh
 ___2. “Mister,” a term of address B. monsieur

LESSO English Literature

N4
Love conquers all. This adage is often said of people who are in love. Have
you ever experienced true love? Or, was there ever a time you thought you were
experiencing true love, when in fact, it was only infatuation or puppy love?

COMPREHENSION CHECK 8
How well do you remember?
Draw a happy face if the statement is true and a sad face if the statement is false.
____1. Friar Lawrence wed Romeo and Juliet.

____2. Romeo is a Capulet. Juliet is a Montague.

____3. Renaissance in England was also called the Elizabethan Period.
distribution, uploading, or posting online
3
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, in any form or by any means
____4. John Milton wrote ‘Paradise Lost.’
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
____5. Mercutio was killed by Benvolio.
0
 Discussion
The 16th and 17th centuries were the period of the Renaissance in England.
The Renaissance or rediscovery of classical learning was a movement that started
in Italy and spread through France and Germany before it reached England.
Renaissance in English (also called the Golden Age of English Literature)
reached its peak during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) and the years
immediately following. New literary forms were created and literature was
enthusiastic and imaginative.
Some sonneteers (sonnet –a 14-line poem often with love as its subject) who
made the literary form famous were:
1. Edmund Spenser –The Faerie Queen
2. Sir Thomas Wyatt
3. The Earl of Surrey
4. William Shakespeare
5. John Milton
6. John Donne
7. George Herbert
Blank verse (unrhymed lines of 10 syllables each) was introduced into
English poetry by the Earl of Surrey in his translation of Virgil’s ‘Aeneid.’ During
the Renaissance, Shakespeare and other dramatists used blank verse in their plays
and Milton used it in his long poem, ‘Paradise Lost.’
The supreme figure in Elizabethan literature and perhaps in all literature is
William Shakespeare. His historical plays reflected the patriotic upsurge
experienced by Englishmen as their country grew stronger and more prosperous.
For his comedies and tragedies, Shakespeare was content in a great majority of

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
3
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 1
 cases to borrow plots from earlier works. His forte lies in his creation of character
–perhaps the richest and most diversified collection conceived by the mind of one
man –and his ability to translate his knowledge of human nature into dramatic
speeches and action. In such works as ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ ‘Measure for Measure’
and ‘Troilus and Cressida,’ Jealousy is analysed in ‘Othello,’ ambition in ‘Macbeth’
and ‘Julius Caesar,’ family relationship in ‘King Lear,’ and man’s struggle with his
own soul, in ‘Hamlet.’ To most literary critics, Dante and Homer are only equal of
Shakespeare in literature. That is why, next to the bible, Shakespeare is the most
quoted of all literary sources in the language.

Prominent English Renaissance writers:

1. Thomas Norton –Gorboduc (first English tragedy performed before
the queen in 1562
2. Thomas Kyd –The Spanish Tragedy
3. Christopher Marlowe –Tamburlaine
–Doctor Faustus
–Edward, the Second
4. Ben Johnson –Volpone (satiric comedy)
The Alchemist (satiric comedy)
5. Francis Bacon –The New Atlantis (essay)

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

Two noble families of Verona, the Montagues and the Capulets, have
been isinfor
this module
are giving
feud
a
for years.
the exclusive
feast, at
use Romeo
which one
is a Montague;
of the University
of the guests
Juliet
of La Salette,
is
is aform
Inc. Any
Paris, a
Capulet.
of
kinsman
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
3
The Capulets
of the Prince
of Verona, and Juliet is asked by her mother to
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited.
Romeo and his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, intrude themselves
pay special
2
attention to him.

unobserved into the crowd on the feast. Romeo and Juliet see each other and
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
3
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 3
 TAS

Based on the topics presented, what are the things that you acquired? Let’s check
what you’ve understood by accomplishing the given activities.

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
3
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 4
 ACTIVITY 1
DIRECTIONS: Compare and contrast Hell and Heaven in a
form of doing a poem or a song.

ACTIVITY 2
DIRECTIONS: Expound your stand on the moral of the story “A Piece of String”
through a creative presentation.

ACTIVITY 3
DIRECTIONS: Complete the table below.

3 things that I have 2 things which are 1 question that I

learned from the still unclear to me want to ask
play, Romeo and
Juliet

INTEGRATION

Evaluate
!
this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
3
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 5
 Essential Question:
Among the contributions of The Renaissance in literature, what do you
think is the greatest? Why?

Summary
The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political
and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. It is generally described as
taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century. The Renaissance promoted
the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art.

References
Books
 Balatbat, A. et. al. (2001). A Journey Across the Miles Through Literature. Mutya
Publishing House

 Fosdick, C. et. al. (1954). Literature for Philippine High Schools. NY: The
MacMillan Company

Websites
 From Darkness to Light: The Renaissance Begins. Retrieved from
https://www.history.com/topics/renaissance/renaissance

 The Renaissance: Home. Retrieved from

https://westportlibrary.libguides.com/renaissance

this module is for the exclusive use of the University of La Salette, Inc. Any form of
reproduction, distribution, uploading, or posting online in any form or by any means
3
without the written permission of the university is strictly prohibited. 6