ENGH 320: Literature of the Middle Ages

ENGH 320-001: Literature of the Middle Ages: Heroes and Monsters
(Spring 2020)

03:00 PM to 04:15 PM TR

Section Information for Spring 2020

ENGH 320 - 001: Literature of the Middle Ages: Heroes and Monsters

Although Chaucer is the best-known Middle English author, medieval England produced a rich array of poems and prose works, ranging from adventure stories to political satire. This course will survey these fascinating works, focusing in particular on medieval conceptions of heroism and monstrosity. Since both heroes and monsters possess ‘supernatural’ qualities, both exist outside the norms of human behavior. Medieval romances, like modern retellings of fairy tales and superhero narratives, often pay close attention to the thin dividing line between laudable and subversive exceptionalism. The texts we read in this course will explore this fraught terrain, and in the process, help us to reflect on what makes us human.

 

No prior knowledge of Middle English is expected. We will devote ample time to learning how to read Middle English texts in their original form.

 

Image from BL Harley MS 3724 f. 45v

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Introduces Middle English literature, with emphasis on the social, cultural, and political contexts that guided its production and preservation. Readings include selected English narrative, poetry, and drama written between 1300 and 1500, exclusive of Chaucer. Limited to three attempts.
Recommended Prerequisite: Satisfaction of University requirements in 100-level English and in Mason Core literature.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

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