Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Latin

Background

In a time of chaos, a great leader rises to power by promising to restore order. He rewards the loyal followers who have helped him. Soon he grows so powerful and arrogant that even his followers no longer trust him and conspire to kill him. In the hands of William Shakespeare, this true story from history became a great tragic drama, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.

Full title

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Author

William Shakespeare

Type of work

Play

Genre

Tragic drama, historical drama

Language

Old English

Time and place written

1599, in London

Climax

Cassius’s death (V.iii), upon ordering his servant, Pindarus, to stab him, marks the point at which it becomes clear that the murdered Caesar has been avenged, and that Cassius, Brutus, and the other... Continue reading "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar: Characters, Setting, and Plot" »

True or False

T Kunta Kinte was born in Juffure.

F The Koro family was friendly with Kunta Kinte. They were enemies.

T Silla is Omoro's brother.

T John Waller owns a tobacco plantation.

T Kunta Kinte tries to escape John Waller's farm during the New Year party.

F Part 2 happens 20 years after part 1. Only 12 years pass.

T Kunta joins the army as an officer.

T Fiddler dies during Kizzy's naming ceremony.

T Noah dies in a big fire in the woods.

T Tom Lea lives in North Carolina.

F Mingo is Kunta Kinte's uncle. Mingo is a friend of Chicken George.

F In the duel, both men have the right to shoot their guns three times. They can only shoot twice.

T Marcellus offers $2,000 for Kizzy's freedom.

F Mingo dies because of sickness. He dies from a beating.

T George is... Continue reading "Roots: A Study Guide" »

Accounting Concepts and Calculations

1. Income Statement

• Gross Sales: Total sales before any deductions.
• Returns: Deducted from gross sales to calculate net sales.
• Cash Discounts: Deducted from gross sales to calculate net sales.
• Net Sales: Gross sales minus returns and cash discounts.
• Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): The cost of the goods sold during the period.
• Other Expenses: Expenses not related to COGS.
• Profit Before Tax: Net sales minus COGS and other expenses.
• Tax Expense: Taxes owed on profit before tax.
• Net Income: Profit before tax minus tax expense.

2. Balance Sheet

• Accounts Receivable: Money owed to the company by customers for goods or services sold on credit.
• Allowance for Doubtful Accounts (ADA): An estimate of the amount of accounts receivable

T.S. Eliot's Influence on Literary Criticism

T.S. Eliot was an influential figure in literature. While the literary canon naturally changes with society, Eliot managed single-handedly to modify the canon of English literature through his criticism.

Revitalizing and Reshaping the Canon

He revitalized whole periods of English literature that were almost forgotten, including:

• The Jacobean drama
• Metaphysical poets
• John Dryden
• The poetry of Dante
• Symbolist poetry

However, he also criticized Romantic poetry, managing to impose a dislike for it because he felt it descended into sentimentalism.

Eliot's Critical Concepts

He introduced a series of critical concepts that have exerted an enormous influence on how criticism was conducted in the 20th century. For Eliot,... Continue reading "T.S. Eliot's Critical Theories and Literary Impact" »

ADDITION

Moreover, beside, furthermore, in addition (además), and also (y también), likewise (asimismo), as well as (como también), not only...but also (no solo...sino que también), further (mas aun), another (otro), still another (aun otro), last but not least (ultimo pero no menos importante).

RESULT

so (asi que, entonces), therefore (por lo tanto), hence (de ahí que), thus (asi), consequently, as a consequence (como consecuencia), for this reason (por esta razón), as a result (como resultado), so that (de manera que), that’s why (por eso es que), accordingly (por consiguiente), so...that (tan...que), such (a)...tan (tan...que), nevertheless (no obstante).

PURPOSE

in order to (con el fin de), in order that (con el fin de que), for the... Continue reading "Connecting Words and Phrases in Spanish - A Comprehensive Guide" »

Vocabulary Definitions

• Annular - (adj) ring-shaped
• Apiary - (n) a place where bees are kept and tended
• Apocalyptic - (adj) relating to a revelation
• Apostasy - (n) abandonment of faith or dedication to basic beliefs
• Append - (v) to attach, add
• Auspices - (n) patronage, sponsorship
• Brusque - (adj) abrupt, rough in speech or manner
• Bucolic - (adj) of the countryside
• Cabal - (n) a group of people engaged in intrigue
• Cache - (n) a secret place for hiding supplies, food, etc.
• Cairn - (n) a heap of stones marking a special site
• Codicil - (n) a supplementary statement, especially as in a will
• Dissimulate - (v) to mask or confuse by false appearance
• Dissipate - (v) to cause to disappear; to scatter
• Eclectic - (adj) chosen or selected from various sources
• Ecumenical

Theory of Criticism

He believes that criticism should be descriptive (tries to describe), interpretative (tries to give the meaning), and objective. A criticism that engages the text directly without personal or historical influences, trying not to add anything of your own personality.

If I form the subject, it will be subjective. So it has to form itself. The critic has not to form the judgment, but it can’t form itself. So knowing that the critic, at the end, is the one able to form the judgment, he has to do it objectively, giving the appearance that it was formed itself.

The critic should “communicate first knowledge and let his own judgment pass along with it”. He assumes it is impossible that your judgment is not yours, but don’t... Continue reading "Objective Literary Criticism: Theory, History, and Race" »

Troy was a city situated in the far northwest of the region known as Asia Minor, now known as Anatolia in modern Turkey, near the southwest mouth of the Dardanelles Strait and northwest of Mount Ida. There were up to 20 cities around Troy. The present-day location is known as Hissarlik. It was the setting of the Trojan War described in the Greek Epic Cycle, in particular in The Iliad, one of the two epic poems attributed to Homer. Homer is a master of narrative. He is the greatest author that has ever lived. His work is classical, but he had some things that are incredibly modern.

The Troy of Homer is Troy 7. It came to a violent end around 1270 BC; houses were burnt, and the city was sacked. The king of Troy was Priam (non-Greek). He was the... Continue reading "The Historical Significance of Troy in Greek Mythology" »

Gulliver's Travels: Publication History

• Swift most probably had a transcribed copy of the text by the end of 1725. To keep the holograph safe (and perhaps to obscure his authorship) Swift had an additional copy made.
• This latter manuscript copy (made by an amanuensis) was sent to the printer in 1726 and was used to set the text of Gulliver's Travels.
• Swift set out for London from Dublin on 6 March 1726, bringing with him the copy for the printer. Shortly afterwards, Charles Ford arrived with the holograph.
• An approach to the publisher Benjamin Motte seems to have been made around 8 August by means of a letter from “Richard Sympson.”
• The letter was accompanied by ‘about a fourth part’ of the text of Gulliver's Travels as a sample.
• All materials

Authors and Works of the 16th Century

Peter Seraph: Poet and painter, his date of birth is unknown, and it is known he died around 1566. His poetry still presents points of contact with March. However, he used proper poetic forms of the Renaissance, such as the sonnet, and he cites poets of Greek and Latin classics (Homer, Virgil, and Ovid) and two Italian dolce stil nuovo poets (Dante and Petrarch) plus March. He also wrote in Catalan.

18th Century Authors

Francesc Vicent Garcia: He is considered one of the most outstanding authors of three centuries. Known as the Rector of Vallfogona, he was born in Tortosa and died in Vallfogona. His reputation is based on one aspect of his work: that which emphasizes a thick, deliberately exaggerated humor,... Continue reading "Authors and Literary Movements: 16th to 19th Century" »