Humanities 338: Medieval Narrative Poetry
Prof. Michael Hanly
Spring 1997
T-Th 1:25-2:40
Office: Avery 471, x5-4081
Todd Hall 404
Required texts:
Early Irish Myths and Sagas . Trans. Jeffrey Gantz (Harmondsworth: Penguin),
1981.
The Song of Roland . Trans. Glyn S. Burgess (Harmondsworth: Penguin), 1990.
The Nibelungenlied (Harmondsworth: Penguin), 1969.
Chrétien de Troyes, Complete Romances. Trans. David Staines (Indiana
Univ. Press), 1990.
Njal's Saga. Trans. Magnus Magnusson (Harmondsworth: Penguin), 1960.
Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron. Trans. G. H. McWilliam (Harmondsworth:
Penguin), 1972.
Methods of Evaluation
Midterm Exam = 20%
Two Oral Presentations on articles (@ 7.5 ea.) = 15%
Project Oral Presentation = 15%
Project Written Report = 15%
Research Paper = 30%
Attendance, Class Participation = 5%
Article Reports: students will be responsible for two in-class reports on
critical articles. The presentations are informal and intended to provoke
discussion (not terror); they should last between 5 and 10 minutes, and
should be accompanied by a one-page typed précis of the material
covered.
Research Project (see attached assignment): you will begin digging for this
project immediately. The first graded stage is a 10-minute in-class "progress
report" on your work, to be followed by a concise but thorough summary
of that report. The final product will be an 8- to 10-page research paper
on one or more of the texts in our syllabus (talk to me about alternatives).
Do not miss class or come in late often if you care for good grades.
No late work accepted unless the instructor is informed in advance.
Schedule of Assignments
***You are to have FINISHED the reading by these dates; come to class ready
with comments and questions.***
I Jan. 14 Introduction; Class expectations and policies.
16 The Middle Ages: a period, a concept
Celtic culture, geography and history
II 21 Read intro. (1-36) and "The Wooing of Étaín"
(37-59) in Myths and Legends
23 "The Dream of Óengus," "The Cattle Raid of Fróech,"
"The Labor Pains of the Ulaid & The Twins of Macha," "The
Birth of Cú Chulaind," "The Boyhood Deeds of Cú
Chulaind"
III 28 "The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulaind & The Only Jealousy
of Emer,"
"The Intoxication of the Ulaid," "Bricriu's Feast,"
"The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu"
30 Tenth-Century England: the Germanic and Christian Traditions
Cædmon's Hymn
IV Feb. 4 Battle of Maldon
6 The Dream of the Rood; The Wanderer
V Feb. 11 Eleventh-Century France, Crusade, and the Chanson de geste
13 Song of Roland
VI 18 Song of Roland
20 Medieval Germany and the epic tradition
The Nibelungenlied
VII 25 The Nibelungenlied
27 The Nibelungenlied
VIII Mar. 4 Icelandic culture; the Saga tradition:
xerox of "Thorstein the Staff-Struck" (Thorsteins fattr stangar
hoggs )
6 Njal's Saga
IX 11 Njal's Saga
13 Midterm Exam
X 17-21: Spring Vacation (it would be a good idea to read Chrétien
while on break)
XI 25 Individual Conferences on Papers: Class Cancelled
27 Twelfth-Century France: Courtly Love, Troubadours, and Trouvères
Chrétien de Troyes, Erec and Enide
XII Apr. 1 Erec et Enide; The Knight of the Lion
BEGIN ORAL REPORTS ON RESEARCH PROJECTS
3 The Knight of the Lion
XIII 8 The Knight of the Lion; The Knight of the Cart
10 The Knight of the Cart
XIV 15 Boccaccio and Fourteenth-Century Italy
The Black Plague and the Brigata of the Decameron
17 Decameron
XV 22 Decameron
24 Decameron
XVI 29 Individual Conferences on Papers; Class Cancelled
May 1 Research Papers Due in Class
May 5-9: Final Examinations
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