English Literature & Grammar Worksheet for 17-Year-Olds: Mabinogion, Marie de France, Chaucer, Treatise on the Astrolabe + Sentence Diagramming

Instructions

This worksheet explores the intersection of medieval literature and the precise art of grammar. You will first test your knowledge of key medieval texts and authors. Then, you will apply the logical principles of sentence diagramming to sentences inspired by these works. Consider how the structure of a language helps build the complex worlds of both epic tales and scientific manuals.

Section 1: Medieval Voices - A Quick Quiz

Answer the following questions to test your knowledge of these foundational works of medieval literature and science.

1. The Mabinogion is a collection of eleven prose stories compiled from medieval Welsh manuscripts. What is a central theme or element frequently found in these tales?
2. Marie de France, one of the earliest known female poets of France, is most famous for a collection of twelve narrative poems known as the Lais. What is the typical subject matter of her Lais?
3. Geoffrey Chaucer is renowned for The Canterbury Tales, but he also wrote a scientific work called A Treatise on the Astrolabe. Who was the intended audience for this highly technical guide?

Section 2: The Grammar of Storytelling - Sentence Diagramming Basics

Sentence diagramming is a visual way to represent the grammatical structure of a sentence. It shows how words are functionally related. The basic setup involves a horizontal baseline divided by a vertical line. The subject is placed on the left, and the predicate (verb) is placed on the right.

Subject | Verb

  subject | verb
 ---------|---------
          |

Modifiers (like adjectives and adverbs) go on slanted lines below the word they modify. The direct object follows the verb on the baseline and is separated by a short vertical line that does not cross the baseline.

Example: The Welsh bard told a story.

  bard   | told | story
---------|------|---------
\ The    |      | \ a
 \ Welsh |      |

Prepositional phrases are placed on a slanted line below the word they modify, with the preposition on the slant and the object of the preposition on a horizontal line connected to it.

Example: The bard told a story about a king.

  bard   | told | story
---------|------|---------
\ The    |      | \ a
 \ Welsh |      |  \ about
         |      |   \---------
         |      |        king
         |      |        \ a

Section 3: Diagramming Exercises

On a separate piece of paper, diagram the following sentences. Each is inspired by the literary and historical figures discussed above.

1. Pwyll ruled Dyfed.
2. The courtly lover secretly admired the beautiful queen.
3. Chaucer wrote his complex treatise for his young son.
4. The magical birds of Rhiannon sang with great sweetness.
5. The careful astronomer explained the intricate workings of the astrolabe.

Section 4: Connecting the Concepts

Answer the following question in 2-3 sentences. Think about the relationship between structure and meaning.

Chaucer's A Treatise on the Astrolabe required immense precision in language to teach a complex skill. How does the logical, rule-based structure revealed in a sentence diagram mirror the kind of clarity needed for technical or scientific instruction?

Answer Key

Section 1: Medieval Voices - A Quick Quiz

1. Central themes include mythology, folklore, magic, chivalry, the relationship between the mortal world and the Otherworld, and sovereignty.
2. Her Lais primarily deal with themes of chivalry, courtly love, and often involve supernatural or fairy-tale elements.
3. The treatise was written for his ten-year-old son, "Little Lewis," making it one of the first technical manuals for a child in English.

Section 3: Diagramming Exercises

Note: These text-based diagrams represent the structure. Your hand-drawn versions will be clearer.

1. Pwyll ruled Dyfed.

 Pwyll | ruled | Dyfed
-------|-------|-------
       |       |

2. The courtly lover secretly admired the beautiful queen.

 lover     | admired | queen
-----------|---------|---------
\ The      | \       | \ the
 \ courtly |  secretly|  \ beautiful

3. Chaucer wrote his complex treatise for his young son.

 Chaucer | wrote | treatise
---------|-------|------------
         |       | \ his
         |       |  \ complex
         |       \ for
         |        \----------
         |             son
         |             \ his
         |              \ young

4. The magical birds of Rhiannon sang with great sweetness.

 birds   | sang
---------|---------
\ The    | \ with
 \ magical \---------
         |   sweetness
         |   \ great
         \ of
          \----------
             Rhiannon

5. The careful astronomer explained the intricate workings of the astrolabe.

 astronomer | explained | workings
------------|-----------|----------------
\ The       |           | \ the
 \ careful  |           |  \ intricate
            |           \ of
            |            \-------------
            |                astrolabe
            |                \ the

Section 4: Connecting the Concepts

Sample Answer: Sentence diagramming reveals a sentence's logical skeleton, showing how each part functions in relation to the whole. This mirrors the clarity needed in technical writing, where every instruction must be unambiguous and every component's function must be clearly defined. Both systems rely on a predictable, rule-based structure to convey complex information accurately and prevent misunderstanding.