Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission.

Recent offerings:

Summer 2009, Gerard NeCastro

This course is an in-depth literary exploration of representative works of Medieval English literature, emphasizing the cultural and historical background of the period and covering a range of styles and genres, including allegory, dream vision, and romance; drama, lyric, and narrative; alliterative verse, rhymed verse, and prose.  We will employ a number of different approaches to the material, and while we will often emphasize issues of class and gender, we will not limit ourselves to these.  That is, as all members of the course play a part in its construction, we will all have the opportunity to contribute applicable approaches. The course will be available via the web, but will include some face-to-face components.

Probable Texts:

• Chaucer. The Riverside Chaucer. Ed. Benson.
• Anchoritic Spirituality. Trans. and Ed. Savage and Watson.
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Cleaness, and Patience.  Ed. Cawley.
• Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays.  Ed. Cawley.

Fall 2005, Bauschatz

This semester the class focuses in part on learning to read Old English. Some time will be spent on reading Old English prose and poetry. Toward the end of the semester, if possible, we will read part of Beowulf. In addition we will examine translations of Old English poetry analyzing how these modern versions extend, violate, or replicate the originals.

Texts:

• Mitchell, Bruce, and Fred C. Robinson. A Guide to Old English. 6th ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2001.
• Alexander, Michael (ed.) Beowulf. New York: Penguin, 1995.

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