Syllabus
English 302: Medieval English Literature, Excluding Chaucer
Spring Semester, 1997-98
Meeting Time: MWF 3:30
Meeting Place: King 123
Instructor: R. Longsworth
Office: Rice 128
Office Hours: M 4:30; Tu 10; W 8; F 8
Phone: x 8571
e-mail: robert_longsworth@qmgate.cc.oberlin.edu
Aims of the course: To introduce you who are enrolled to the
range, variety, and general nature of literary works (to the extent that
they have been preserved) that were written in the English language between
the Norman Conquest (in 1066) and the English Reformation (in the early
16th century); and to enable you to read such texts without relying upon
translated versions.
Text: Garbaty, Thomas J. Medieval English Literature.
Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath, 1984 (abbreviated below as MEL).
Course requirements and deadlines:
1. Preparation for and participation in class discussions;
2. Five prep papers (scheduling to be arranged), each of which ought
to deal with the reading assigned for the day on which it is due;
3. An oral presentation of a brief passage of Middle English, to be
read to and discussed with the instructor on or before March 4;
4. Either (a) or (b): (a) submission of a paper (approximately 12-15
pp.), on a topic chosen in consultation with (and approved by) the in-
structor no later than April 26, and due in final form at the end of the
reading period (May 14) (b) a final exam (at a time to be fixed by the
Registrar), co- vering the works read during the term.
5. Only for students who have elected a fourth credit-hour option:
an essay (approximately 6-8 pp.), due at the end of the reading period
(May 14), on Piers Plowman or Everyman
Schedule of topics and assignments:
Feb 4 [Introductory lecture and discussion; no assignment]
Feb 6 Anglo-Saxon backgrounds: read MEL 1-4; Brunanburh (MEL
49-52); Dream of the Rood (handout); The Wanderer (handout)
Feb 9 Pronouncing Middle English, and dealing with Syntax: read MEL
41-44; and "Sumer is Icumen in" (633)
Feb 11 Lyric poetry: read MEL 634-44
Feb 13 " " " MEL 645-58
Feb 16 " " " MEL 659-74
Feb 18 Balladry: read MEL 479-504
Feb 20 " " MEL 514-35
Feb 23 The Romance: the French achievement (read, on reserve, in translation,
Chretien de Troyes, Knight of the Cart, to line 2422)
Feb 25 [continued]: read the rest of Knight of the Cart
Feb 27 The Romance in English: read MEL, King Horn (142-155:
to line 529)
Mar 2 [continued]: read the rest of King Horn
Mar 4 [continued]: read MEL, Sir Orfeo (349-64)
Mar 6 [continued]: read MEL, Sir Launfal (365-95)
Mar 9 [continued]: read MEL, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
part I, through stanza xi (254-63)
Mar 11 [continued]: SGGK, rest of part I (263-69)
Mar 13 [continued]: SGGK, part II (270-89)
Mar 16 [continued]: SGGK, part III (289-316)
Mar 18 [continued]: SGGK, part IV (316-32)
Mar 20 [continued]: read MEL, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame
Ragnell (418-39)
{Spring Break}
Mar. 30 Arthurian Legend: read MEL, from Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia
Regum Britanniae, in translation (122-40)
Apr. 1 [continued]: read MEL, from Layamon, Brut, "Birth of Arthur"
(56-62), "Founding of the Round Table" (71-75), "The Last
Battle" (88-91)
Apr. 3 [continued]: read MEL, from The Alliterative Morte Arthure
(92-119)
Apr. 6 [continued]: read MEL, from Sir Thomas Malory, Morte Darthur
(835-59)
Apr. 8 Autobiography: read Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine
Love, esp. chs. 2-10, 32-33, 58-60, and 86 (on reserve)
Apr. 10 Religious allegory: read MEL, The Pearl, through section
iii (721-26); and Revelation (or The Apocalypse) from the
Bible (of which numerous copies, in sundry versions, are accessible in
Mudd Library)
Apr. 13 [continued]: read the rest of The Pearl (726-53)
Apr. 15 [continued]: read MEL, from Piers Plowman, Prologue
(676-84)
Apr. 17 [continued]: read Piers Plowman, B Passus II and C Passus
VI (684-93)
Apr. 20 [continued]: read the rest of the excerpts from Piers Plowman
(693-720)
Apr. 22 Drama: read MEL, from The York Cycle, the play of Noah
(863-72); and, from the Bible, Genesis 5-9
Apr. 24 [continued]: read MEL, from The Towneley Plays, Secunda
Pastorum ("The Second Shepherds' Play"] (882-906); and, from
the Bible, Luke 2:1-20
Apr. 27 [continued]: read MEL, Everyman (907-31)
Apr. 29 Lore and Learning: read MEL, from The Travels of Sir John
Mandeville (824-34)
May 1 John Gower: read MEL, from Confessio Amantis, "The
Tale of Florent" (800-12)
May 4 The Fabliau: read MEL, Dame Sirith (441-54)
May 6 Scottish Nationalism: read MEL, from John Barbour, The Bruce
(934-41)
May 8 TBA
May 9-12: Reading Period: All written work due on May 12
May 16 (9 a.m.): Final Exam
The English Department welcomes your Questions or Comments regarding
this site--
e-mail The English
Department Web Master
