Myth & Legend Syllabus

EN142: Myths & Legends of Ireland and Britain
Fall 2011

Syllabus

(Subject to revision)

Tuesday 9/6: Introduction: Lands, Languages, and Legends of the Celts

Watch on streaming video: "In Search of Ancient Ireland", episode 1, "Heroes"

Friday 9/9: Otherworld Encounters

Texts:

G. F. Mitchell, "Prehistoric Ireland" (Sourcebook)
F. J. Byrne, "Early Irish Society: 1st-9th Centuries" (Sourcebook)
"The Voyage of Bran Son of Febal" (Sourcebook)
"The Adventure of Conle" (Sourcebook)
"Introduction" (Early Irish Myths & Sagas 1-27)
“The Wooing of Etain” (Early Irish Myths & Sagas 37-59)
“The Dream of Oengus” (Early Irish Myths & Sagas 107-112)

Tuesday 9/13: The Ulster Cycle

Texts:

"The Wasting Sickness of Cu Chulainn and the Only Jealousy of Emer” (Early Irish Myths & Sagas 153-178)
"Introduction" (The Táin ix-xxvii)
"How the Táin Bó Cuailnge was Found Again" (The Táin 1-2)
"How Conchobor was Begotten, and How He Took the Kingship of Ulster" (The Táin 3-6)
"The Pangs of Ulster" (The Táin 6-8)

Friday 9/16: The Ulster Cycle

Texts:

"The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu" (The Táin 8-20)
"How Cúchulainn was Begotten" (The Táin 21-25)

Tuesday 9/20: The Ulster Cycle

Texts:

"Cúchulainn's Courtship of Emer and His Training in Arms with Scáthach" (The Táin 21-39)
"The Death of Aife's One Son" (The Táin 39-45)
"The Quarrel of the Two Pig-Keepers and How the Bulls were Begotten" (The Táin 46-50)
The Táin, pp. 52-58

Friday 9/23: The Táin

In Kinsella's translation of The Táin, read pp. 58-92.

Tuesday 9/27: The Táin

In Kinsella's translation of The Táin, read pp. 92-137.

Friday 9/30: The Táin

In Kinsella's translation of The Táin, read pp. 137-205.

Tuesday 10/4: The Táin

In Kinsella's translation of The Táin, read pp. 206-253.

Friday 10/7: Irish Legend Revived

Read J. M. Synge's Deirdre of the Sorrows.

Watch on streaming video: the Druid Theatre production of Deirdre of the Sorrows.

Tuesday 10/11: No class meeting. [Monday classes meet]:

Friday 10/14: Thesis workshop for first essay.

Tuesday 10/18: The Mabinogion

In The Mabinogion, read the "Introduction" (pp. 9-34) and “Pwyll Lord of Dyved” (45-65).

Friday 10/21: The Mabinogion

In The Mabinogion, read“Branwen Daughter of Llyr” (66-82).

First essay due.

Tuesday 10/25: The Mabinogion

In The Mabinogion, read “Manawydan Son of Llyr” (83-96) and “Math Son of Mathonwy” (97-117).

Friday 10/28: The Legends of Saints: Patrick

Watch on streaming video: "In Search of Ancient Ireland", episodes 2 & 3. (Episode 2 begins at minute 54.) Also read in the Sourcebook:

Tomás Cardinal Ó Fiaich, “The Beginnings of Christianity: 5th and 6th Centuries”
Kathleen Hughes, “The Golden Age of Early Christian Ireland: 7th and 8th Centuries”
"St. Patrick's Writings"
"St. Patrick's Declaration"

Tuesday 11/1: The Legends of Saints: Patrick

In the Sourcebook, read Mirchú's Life of St. Patrick and "The Phantom Chariot of Cu Chulainn."

Friday 11/4: The Legends of Saints: Brigid

In the Sourcebook, read Cogitosus's Life of St. Brigid the Virgin.

Tuesday 11/8: The Legends of Saints: Brendan, Columba

Read “The Voyage of St. Brendan" (The Age of Bede 233-267.) In the Sourcebook, read the Preface, Second Preface, and Book 2 from Adomnan's "Life of St. Columba."