世新大學九十年度轉學考試題

年級	系所別	考試科目
二	英文系	西洋文學概論

*考生請於試卷內(答案卷)內作答

I. Identify and briefly indicate the significance of the following literary figures

in Western literature. 40%

1. Cassandra

2. Dido

3. Phaethon

4. Ruth

5. Lazarus

6. David

7. Samson and Delilah

8. lago

9. Ophelia

10. Puck

I I. Paraphrase the following passages 40%

1.”And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the

Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me

in the wilderness.

And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to

let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us；let us go,

we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the

LORD our God；lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.”

2. [Priam] made straight for the dwelling

where Achilleus the beloved of Zeus was sitting.

He found him

Inside, and his companions were sitting apart, as

two only,

Automedon the hero and Alkimos, scion of Ares,

were busy beside him. He had just now got

through with his dinner,

with eating and drinking, and the table still stood

by. Tall Priam

came in unseen by the other men and stood close

beside him

and caught the knees of Achilleus in his arms, and

kissed the hands

that were dangerous and manslaughtering and had killed so many

of his sons.

3. Experience, even if there were no other authority

In this world, would be grounds enough for me

To speak of the woe that is in marriage；

For, my lords, since I was twelve years old,

Thanks be to eternal God,

I have had five husbasds at the church door

If I may have been legally married so often；

And all were worthy men in their different ways.

But I was definitely told, not long ago,

That since Christ went but once

To a wedding, in Cana of Galilee,

By that example he taught me

That I should not be married more than once.

4. I have possessed your Grace of what I purpose,

And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn

To have the due and forfeit of my bond.

If you deny it, let the danger light

Upon your charter and your city’s freedom!

You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have

A weight of carrion flesh than to receive

Three thousand ducats. I’ll not answer that.

But say it is my humor. Is it answered?

What if my house be troubled with a rat,

And I be pleased to give ten thousand ducats

To have it baned? What, are you answered yet?

5. Why are our bodies soft, and weak, and smooth,

Unapt to toll and trouble in the world,

But that our soft conditions, and our hearts,

Should well agree with our external parts?

Come, come, you forward and unable worms!

My mind hath been as big as one of yours,

My heart as great, my reason haply more,

To bandy word for word and frown for frown；

But now I see our lances are but straws,

Our strength as weak, our weakness past compare,

That seeming to be most which we indeed least are.

Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot,

And place your hands below your husband’s foot；

In token of which duty, if he please,

My hand is ready, may it do him ease.

I I I. Essay questions 20% (Answer the following questions in essay form.)

1. Oedipus the King

How dose Oedipus’ accepting of his fate ennoble him? Oedipus says that he blinds himself in order not to look upon people he should not.

What further reasons can be given? Why dose he not(like Jocasta) commit suicide?

2. The Divine Comedy：

Why do you think Dante dwells on the physical realities of Hell? He tries to impress the readers with his harrowing descriptions of sounds, sights, and even smells of Hell and he shares with the readers in his repugnance at the horrors the poet encounters. Discuss these images that hint at sense of touch, smell, or taste.