ENH2020

Heroes, lovers and monsters: the literary culture of medieval England

(ART)

C Stevenson

8 points + 3 hours per week + First semester + Clayton

Synopsis: The literary impact of Christianity, medieval cosmology, fate, the importance of the manuscript context, rhetoric, the structures of medieval narrative, love (/courtly0 and otherwise), and the significance of generic contexts. Texts are read in modern English translation (The consolation of philosophy, The romance of the rose) and the philosophical and social issues raised in these texts are studied in two key medieval English literary texts (Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight).

Assessment: Essay (2500 words): 40% + Essay (2500 words): 40% + Seminar assessment (1000 words): 20% + An optional examination (3 hours) may replace up to 50% of the written work.