EN210A:
Special Topics:
The Age of Chaucer
Spring Semester 2011
Monday and Thursday 2:00-3:15
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Syllabus
Subject to revision
Thursday 1/20: Introduction: The Age of Chaucer
- Selected medieval lyrics.
Monday 1/24: Romance
- Introduction to the Middle Ages, Norton Anthology,
Vol. A, pp. 1-3, 7-14
- Christine Chism, "Romance," Cambridge Companion
to Medieval English Literature, pp. 57-69
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
Introduction and Part 1, Norton Anthology, pp. 160-172
Thursday 1/27: Romance
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Parts 2 and 3,
Norton Anthology, pp. 172-202
Monday 1/31: Romance
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Part 4, Norton
Anthology, pp. 202-213
Thursday 2/3: Romance
- Helen Cooper, Introduction to Le Morte Darthur,
pp. vii-xxii
- Sir Thomas Malory, "The Tale of Sir Lancelot and Queen
Guenivere,” Le Morte Darthur, pp. 403-467
Monday 2/7: Romance
Thursday 2/10: Romance
- Sir Thomas Malory, "The Death of Arthur," Le
Morte Darthur, pp. 468-527
Monday 2/14: Drama
- Sara Beckwith, "Drama," Cambridge Companion,
pp. 83-94
- The Chester "Noah's Flood," Everyman and Medieval
Miracle Plays, pp. 33-47
- The
Wakefield Play of Noah
- The Brome "Abraham and Isaac," Everyman and
Medieval Miracle Plays, pp. 49-64
Thursday 2/17: Drama
- "The Annunciation," from the Coventry Shearmen
and Tailors' Play, Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays, pp. 65-73
- The Wakefield Second Shepherds' Pageant, Everyman and
Medieval Miracle Plays, pp. 75-104
Monday 2/21: [No class meeting]
Tuesday 2/22: [Monday classes meet]: Drama
- The York "Crucifixion," Everyman and Medieval
Mystery Plays, pp. 137-148
Thursday 2/24: Mystical writing
- "Christ's Humanity," Norton Anthology,
pp. 355-356
- Selected Middle English Incarnation and Crucifixion Lyrics,
Norton Anthology, pp. 367-370
- Julian of Norwich, "Showings," Norton Anthology,
pp. 371-382
Monday 2/28: Mystical writing
- Selections from The Book of Margery Kempe, Norton
Anthology, pp. 383-397
- Additional selections from The Book of Margery Kempe:
Book 1, Chapters 5, 48, and 80
Thursday 3/3: Social Order and Disorder
Monday 3/7: Social Order and Disorder
- Ralph Hanna, "William Langland," Cambridge
Companion, pp. 125-138
- William Langland, Piers Plowman, Selections from
the Prologue and Passus 1, 5, 6, Norton Anthology, pp. 331-350
Thursday 3/10: Social Order and Disorder
- William Langland, Piers Plowman, Selections from
Passus 7 and 18, Norton Anthology, pp. 350-367
Monday 3/14: The Canterbury Tales
Thursday 3/17: The Canterbury Tales
First
essay due.
[SPRING BREAK]
Monday 3/28: The Canterbury Tales
- The Knight's Tale, Parts 1and 2
Thursday 3/31: The Canterbury Tales
- The Knight's Tale, Parts 3 and 4
Monday 4/4: The Canterbury Tales
- The Miller's Prologue and Tale
Thursday 4/7: The Canterbury Tales
- The Wife of Bath's Prologue
Monday 4/11: The Canterbury Tales
- The Wife of Bath's Prologue
Thursday 4/14: The Canterbury Tales
Monday 4/18: The Canterbury Tales
- The Pardoner's Prologue and Tale
[EASTER BREAK]
Thursday 4/28: The Canterbury Tales
Monday 5/2: The Canterbury Tales
Tuesday 5/10, 11:30 AM: Final exam.
Portfolio
of response papers and summative essay due.