ENGL 320A Wnt 24: English Literature: The Middle Ages
The course offers an advanced (300-level) treatment of the literature of the Middle Ages (now generally referred to as the Premodern period), the level of treatment falling between the introductory courses ENGL 210 and ENGL 211 (expansively addressing English Literature 400-1700) and ENGL 422 (treating the legends of King Arthur). In this offering, an emphasis will be placed on the fictional "universe" of the court, on and the literary medium of the dream-vision. The selections here are notable for the inclusion of Old English prose as well as poetry. In the discussion of early English, we will read and discuss important works from the Old and Middle English periods, including a range of compositions by Old English poets, the early medieval English Life of King Alfred, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and a selection of non-canonical items. There will be a mid-term, final and a major term paper.