Required Texts
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A Book of Middle English (third edition), ed. Burrow and Turville-Petre
(Blackwell).
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Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The First Fragment, ed. Michael Alexander (Penguin).
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Malory: The Morte Darthur, ed. Brewer (Northwestern University Press).
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The Poems of the Pearl Manuscript, ed. Andrew and Waldron (University
of Exeter).
Books on Reserve at Honnold Library
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Burrow and Turville-Petre, A Book of Middle English (PE 535 B87
1996).
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Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, ed. Howard
(PR 2065 G248 H8).
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Davenport, The Art of the Gawain Poet (PR 1972 G353 D3 1984).
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Johnson, The Voice of the Gawain Poet (PR 1972 G353 J64 1984).
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Malory: The Morte Darthur, ed. Brewer (PR 2041 B758).
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Modern Critical Interpretations: The Knight's Tale, ed. Bloom (PR
1868 K63 G46 1988).
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Oxford Guides to Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales, ed. Cooper (PR 1874
C64 1991x).
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Pearsall, The Life of Geoffrey Chaucer (PR 1905 P43 1992).
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Putter, An Introduction to the Gawain-Poet (PR 1972 G353 P87 1996).
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Sir Gawain and Pearl: Critical Essays, ed. Blanch (PR 2111 B592).
About the Course
In "An Introduction to Middle English Literature," we will spend the semester
reading, translating, and learning to pronounce some of the major texts
in the Middle English corpus. We will concentrate on poetry, but not to
the exclusion of prose. As we attempt to understand the complex literary
qualities of these texts, we will also contemplate them in the historical
context out of which they grew. We will begin with Chaucer, in part because
his work has received so much critical acclaim, and in part because his
grammar, vocabulary, and orthography should seem fairly familiar to us. As the
semester progresses, we will take on works that will challenge our growing
ability to translate Middle English, including the wonderful--but quite
difficult--Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. By the conclusion of Literature 104,
you should be able to:
- summarize, at a basic level, the historical context out of which the English language developed;
- describe the evolution of Middle English;
- competently read and translate, with the help of a good glossary, the assigned texts;
- pronounce Middle English with basic precision by reciting from the assigned texts;
- interpret, through discussion and writing, the key features of the assigned texts.
Our class will meet three times a week. Typically, Mondays and Wednesdays
will be devoted to lecture and interpretive discussion. On most Fridays, the class will be divided into two groups
that will meet at different times (we'll work this part out in the first
week). We will then spend Friday sessions in a very literal recitation,
translating aloud from our texts and working on pronunciation. During recitation,
the burden of running the class session will be, to a large extent, on
all of you. You must come to class well prepared, with your reading finished
and your minds and tongues engaged. Because this is a discussion-based,
participatory course, I expect regular attendance from everyone
(please note that I will feel free to reduce your final grade if you miss
more than three class sessions).
Your first paper will be a passage translation and explication (the latter of which will be
between 1,000 and 1,500 words in length), due in
class on Friday, October 19. You will also either write a researched literary analysis of
between 2,000 and 3,000 words or complete a final project
the details of which are to be worked out with me. Either the paper
or the completed project is due in class on Friday, December 14.
I will calculate final grades using the following categories and percentages:
- Discussion / Participation -- 15%
- Quiz 1 -- 10%
- Quiz 2 -- 10%
- Recitation Preparation and Performance -- 20%
- Paper 1 -- 20%
- Paper 2 or Final Project -- 25%
Letter grades will conform to the standard scale: i.e., the "A" range is
90% or better, the "B" range 80% or better, etc. I will provide you with midterm feedback
on your course performance. |
Readings
|
Monday
|
Wednesday
|
Friday
|
1. 9/3-9/7
|
Oh no! Summer's over! |
Introductions. Topic: A Brief History of England,
55 BCE to 1491. Handouts: "Timeline of Early and Medieval English
History"; Crystal, "The Origins of English," "Old English." |
The syllabus; the course. Topic: A Historical
Introduction to Old and Middle English. Reading: Burrow 3-37; Crystal. |
2. 9/10-9/14
|
Quiz: The Origins of English. Topic: Pronouncing Middle English. Reading:
Burrow 38-71; William of Nassington, from Speculum Vitae (photocopy). |
Topic: Pronouncing Middle English Continued. Reading:
Chaucer, lines 1-18, "General Prologue," The Canterbury Tales. |
Recitation: Chaucer, "General Prologue," lines 1-18.
Additional Topic: Resources for Studying Middle English. |
3. 9/17-9/21
|
Topic: Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales. Reading:
Chaucer, "General Prologue." |
Reading: Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," lines 859-1355
(part 1). |
Recitation: Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," lines 859-892. |
4. 9/24-9/28
|
Reading: Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," lines 1355-1880
(part 2). |
Preparing for the First Paper. |
Recitation: Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," lines 1574-1622. |
5. 10/1-10/5
|
Reading: Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale,"
lines 1881-2482 (part 3). |
Reading: Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale," lines 2483-3108
(part 4). |
Recitation: Chaucer, "The Miller's Prologue," lines
3109-3186. |
6. 10/8-10/12
|
Topic: From the Knight to the Miller: The Interactions
of Frame and Tale. Reading: Chaucer, "The Miller's Tale." |
Reading: Chaucer, "The Reeve's Prologue," "The Reeve's
Tale." |
Reading: Chaucer, "The Cook's Prologue," "The
Cook's Tale." |
7. 10/15-10/19
|
Topic: The Ballad as "Oral Literature." Reading:
selected ballads (photocopies). |
Topic: The Development of Medieval Drama. Reading:
"The York Play of the Crucifixion" (Burrow 272-282). |
Recitation: "The York Play of the Crucifixion," lines
169-300 (Burrow 278-282). |
8. 10/22-10/26
|
Fall Break. |
Reading: The Cloud of
Unknowing, lines 1-30, 213-230 (Burrow 132-140). |
Reading: Layamon, from Brut, lines 1-46
(Burrow 96-101). |
9. 10/29-11/2
|
Quiz: The Evolution of Middle English. Topic: The
Arthurian Mythos. Reading: Layamon, from Brut, lines 47-173
(Burrow 101-105). |
Topic: The Faerie Realm. Reading: Sir
Orfeo (Burrow 112-131). |
Recitation: Sir Orfeo, lines 1-38 (Burrow
114-115). Progress Reports by E-mail. |
10. 11/5-11/9
|
Paper or Project Workday. |
Topic: Who Is the Green Knight? Reading:Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight, lines 1-490. |
Recitation: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
lines 1-35. |
11. 11/12-11/16
|
Topic: Gawain and the Pentangle Shield. Reading:Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight, lines 491-690. |
Topic: Gawain's Journey. Reading: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
lines 691-1125. |
Recitation: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
lines 516-535, 713-739. |
12. 11/19-11/23
|
Paper or Project Workday. |
Paper or Project Workday. |
Thanksgiving Break. |
13. 11/26-11/30
|
Topic: Gawain's Exchange. Reading: Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight, lines 1126-1411. |
Topic: The Structure of the Hunting Scenes. Reading:Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight, lines 1412-1689. |
Recitation: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
lines 1623-1689. |
14. 12/3-12/7
|
Reading:Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, lines
1690-1997. |
Reading: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
lines 1998-2238. |
Topic: Gawain and "Trawthe." Reading:Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight, lines 2239-2531. |
15. 12/10-12/14
|
Reading: Malory, "Lancelot and Guenevere," from TheMorte
Darthur (Brewer 47-99). |
Reading: Malory, "The Morte Arthur," from TheMorte
Darthur (Brewer 100-158). |
Summing up; final projects; course evaluations. |
