Checklist of Extracts Cultural Analysis

Checklist of Extracts Cultural Analysis
(Culture Course Exam)

Prepared by
Ahmed Gamal


A) Extracts from Literary Works:

1- Identify Context: (Situation/Frame)

Work Title – Genre: Doctor Faustus – Tragedy
Author – Age: Christopher Marlowe – Renaissance

2- Identify Literary Context: (Evidence)

Form: Evil – Good Angels / Chorus
Content: Theme: Overambition for knowledge & eternity
Theme: Regret – Remorse

3- Identify Cultural Context: (Goal)

Conflict Between Middle Ages (religious background – Man as sinner and imperfect) and Renaissance (Humanism: Man as perfect).

4- Conclusion: Relate Evidence to Goal

Conflict in terms of dramatic form & content reflects the cultural conflict between two systems of thought in the England of the sixteenth century.

B) Extracts from Philosophical Works:

1- Identify Context: (Situation/Frame)

Work Title: The Prince
Author – Age: Machiavelli – Italian Renaissance


2- Identify Philosophical/Cultural Context:

Concept (Evidence): Cruelty as a virtue contrary to the medieval ideal of meekness and humility – Qualities of the powerful prince.
Trend/Philosophy (Goal): Humanism – new moral philosophy.


3- Identify Literary Context: (Evidence)

Richard II: Bolingbroke’s indirect involvement in the murder of Richard leads to the establishment of his rule (positive virtue).

Jew of Malta: Barabas’ cruelty towards his daughter and the people of Malta ends in his own devastation (negative vice).


4- Conclusion: Relate Evidence to Goal

The conflict between two literary representations of the same Machiavellian principle of cruelty reflects the cultural conflict between two systems of thought in the England of the sixteenth century.