ENGL 2842 Epics and Ethics of the Middle Ages

The literature of the Middle Ages, roughly marked as a period of European history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century to the fall of Constantinople in the 15th century, is unlike any other period of literary history. Crafted during an epoch of commodious circulation and exchange, of goods and resources, as well as peoples, languages, and beliefs; the poetry, epics, prose, and dramas of the medieval period are as rich and diverse as the cultures from which they emanated. In seeking to understand when and how English literature began, we will survey works in translation, originally composed in a variety of languages from Europe, North Africa, and the Near and Middle East, such as Beowulf, The Divine Comedy, The Tale of Genji, and The Thousand and One Nights. Visual art, music, architecture, cultural trends, and socio-political developments of the period will enhance our interactions with texts from a pre-modern past. As we explore emergent genres and thematic concerns of the period, we will also consider to what extent literary discourse from before 1500 carries over into contemporary notions of power/polity, gender equality, civic responsibility, religious freedom, and integrated diversity. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 1100 or ENGL 1200.

Credits

3