Course Catalogue

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This course examines the way medieval English authors thought about the world around them, envisioned faraway lands they might never see with their own eyes, and imagined supernatural realms. It brings in multiple voices and world views, to show that the medieval period was not a monoculture but was rich and diverse. The texts studied will be contextualised within the societies in which they were produced and received. But we will also pay attention to how, when studying Middle English texts, we ourselves encounter another world, strange yet familiar in many ways too. Topics covered differ each year, but might include: fairy realms, dream visions, religious visions, magical technologies, travel and exploration, the supernatural, Arthurian otherworlds, and apocalyptic hellscapes.

1x1hr lecture; 1x1hr seminar per week over 10 weeks, as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the Level 3 options in English Language & Linguistics and it may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Grade D3 or above in either English Language & Linguistics 2A and 2B, or English Literature 2A and 2B, or Scottish Literature 2A and 2B, or at the discretion of the Head of English Language and Linguistics.

ENGLANG4042 Medieval Literature: Other Worlds

None

Text translation and commentary (1,000 words) - 25%

Portfolio (consisting of an outline, a scripted podcast of 8-9 min., and a bibliography) - 75%

This course aims to: 

■ give students the opportunity to analyse texts from the Middle English period in the original language;

■ interpret the ways in which texts from the Middle English period engage with contemporary historical events and/or linguistic developments in the period;

■ consider texts from the Middle English period in the light of contemporary literary criticism;

■ give students a well-developed understanding of the idea of 'other worlds' in medieval literature and culture, and of key texts and genres related to this theme.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ translate and comment on selected passages of Middle English literary texts;

■ analyse (in writing and orally) medieval texts within the cultural, social, linguistic, and literary milieux in which they were produced;

■ apply the approaches and techniques available to and used by critics and commentators in the interpretation of these texts;

■ exercise sophisticated analytical skills through detailed close reading;

■ plan and perform a small-scale research project, with findings communicated clearly and effectively.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.