Syllabus
CLASS HOURS: W: 16:20-18:50 AM, JR354, Ticket #61573
OFFICE: 803 Sierra Tower
TELEPHONE: 677-0901
E-MAIL: scott.kleinman@csun.edu
OFFICE HOURS: MWF 1:00 pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The texts in this syllabus are not meant as a comprehensive survey
of medieval literature; to take them as such would be like reading
a few science fiction novels and concluding that all contemporary
literature is like science fiction. Nevertheless, the texts selected
here represent an important selection of the formative literary
texts of England from the twelfth century to the end of the fourteenth.
We will look at the development of the so-called Matter of Britain
and Matter of England, and its convergence with the aesthetic
and political identity of a developing nation..
TEXTS
- Medieval English Literature, ed. Thomas J. Garbáty (Prospect
Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1984).
- In addition to the texts scheduled above, we will read numerous
shorter texts to be assigned in the course of the semester. There
will also be a number of handouts.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
| Week
1 (29 Jan) |
Introduction |
| Week
2 (5 Feb) |
Middle
English |
| Week
3 (12 Feb) |
Middle
English |
| Week
4 (19 Feb) |
King
Horn |
| Week
5 (26 Mar) |
King
Horn |
| Week
6 (5 Mar) |
Havelok
the Dane |
| Week
7 (12 Mar) |
Havelok
the Dane |
| Week
8 (19 Mar) |
Havelok
the Dane |
| Week
9 (26 Mar) |
Sir
Orfeo, Sir Launfal, Sir Thopas |
| Week
10 (2 Apr) |
Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight |
| Week
11 (9 Apr) |
Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight |
| 16
Apr |
Spring
Break |
| Week
12 (23 Apr) |
Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight |
| Week
13 (30 Apr) |
Pearl |
| Week
14 (7 May) |
Class
Cancelled |
| Week
15 (14 May) |
Pearl |
Note: This timetable may change depending on the pace of the class.
If you miss class, it is your responsibility to find out what the
assigned work was.
Class Cancellations
| 7
May |
International
Medieval Congress in Kalamazoo, MI.
Papers Presented: "Animal Imagery and Oral Discourse in
Havelok the Dane"; "A Recitation of Cleanness"
Sessions Chaired: "Racial, Ethnic, and Regional Identity
in Medieval England" |
COURSEWORK
Your grade will be based on one in-class report (30%), one short
essay (30%), and one long essay (40%). Guidelines for this work
will be given to you in the course of the semester, but note that
all texts not studied in translation MUST be cited in the original
Middle English or I will not accept it.
OFFICE CONSULTATIONS AND HOURS
Office hours ensure that there is a time when you can always find
me, but I encourage you to come and see me at any time. Either make
an appointment or just drop by to see if I am in.
ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC HONESTY
Regular attendance is essential for success in this course. Frequent
absences will be noted and may be reflected in your final grade.
It is also extremely important that all aspects of your work are
come by honorably. Efforts to gain an advantage not given to all
students are dishonest and regarded as an extremely serious matter
by the academic community. Consequences range from probation to
expulsion. If you have any questions about plagiarism, paraphrasing,
quoting, or collaboration, please consult me.
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