| COURSE NUMBER: |
ENGL 399F |
| COURSE TITLE: |
Special Topics in English - 2013/14 Winter Meeting the Anglo-Saxons: Old English Language and Literature |
| NAME OF
INSTRUCTOR: |
Brett Roscoe |
| CREDIT WEIGHT
AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: |
credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 0) |
| COURSE
DESCRIPTION: |
A course on a topic of figure of special interest to a
member of the English faculty and offered on a non-recurring
basis.
Prerequisites: ENGL 204, 205
2013/14 Winter
According to J. R. R. Tolkien, “the unrecapturable magic of ancient
English verse” lies in “profound feeling, and poignant vision, filled
with the beauty and mortality of the world.” But this magic can
only be experienced by “those who have ears to hear,” those who can
read Old English verse in its original language (“On Translating
Beowulf”). This course introduces students to the language and
literature of the Anglo-Saxons. It combines language instruction
with literary study, readings in the original language with readings of
modern translations, so that students may experience the earliest
English literature.
|
| REQUIRED TEXTS: |
- Chickering, Howell D. Jr. Beowulf: A Dual Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 2006.
- Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Anglo-Saxon World: An Anthology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
- McGillivray, Murray. A Gentle Introduction to Old English. Peterborough: Broadview, 2011.
- Pope, John C., and R. D. Fulk, eds. Eight Old English Poems. 3 rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2001.
|
| MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT: |
| Participation |
15% |
| Quizzes | 10% |
| Midterm | 20% |
| Essay (3-4 pages) | 10% | | Annotated Translation Project | 20% |
| Final Examination |
25% |
|
|
|
100% |
|
| COURSE OBJECTIVES: |
Students will . . .
- become familiar with the Old English literary corpus by reading texts in translation
- acquire the basic grammatical knowledge and vocabulary required to begin reading Old English texts
- practice reading and translating Old English texts
- become familiarized with some of the textual, linguistic, and cultural difficulties of reading Old English texts.
- develop close reading skills by learning to appreciate the relation between the form and content of literature.
- be encouraged to read both sympathetically and critically within a Christian framework.
- practice research and essay writing skills
|
| COURSE OUTLINE: |
- January
- 8 Introduction to the Course
- 17 Crossley-Holland, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (33-43) and The Kingdom of God (155-75)
- 20 Quiz #1; McGillivray, Ch. 6; Crossley-Holland, Allegory (279-89)
- 22 McGillivray, Ch. 7; Crossley-Holland, “The Passion of St. Edmund” (228-33)
- 24
Start to Translate “Abraham and Isaac”; Readings: McGillivray, Ch.
8; Crossley-Holland, “The Fortunes of Men” (301-06) and
“Bede’s Death-Song” (205)
- 27 Quiz
#2; McGillivray Ch. 9; Crossley-Holland “Advent Lyrics” (197-200);
Continue translating “Abraham and Isaac”
- 29 McGillivray Ch. 10; Crossley-Holland, “The Husband’s Message” (57-58)
- 31 Reading: “Thirty-One Riddles” (235-50)
- February
- 3 Quiz #3; McGillivray, Ch. 11; Crossley-Holland, “The Ruin” (59-60) and “Durham” (204-05)
- 5 Crossley-Holland, “Deor” (7-8) and “Waldere” (9-11)
- 10 Reading: McGillivray Ch. 12, Pope 49-58; Translate: “Caedmon’s Hymn” (West-Saxon Spelling)
- 12 Reading: Crossley-Holland The Battle of Brunanburh (19-21), Pope 58-61; Translate: The Battle of Brunanburh ll. 1-32a
- 14 Translate: The Battle of Brunanburh ll. 32b-52
- 17-21 Reading Week (no classes)
- 24 Translate: The Battle of Brunanburh ll. 53-73
- 26 Reading: Crossley-Holland, The Dream of the Rood (200-04), Pope 64-67;Translate: The Dream of the Rood ll. 1-38
- 28 Translate: The Dream of the Rood ll. 39-77
- March
- 3 Translate: The Dream of the Rood ll. 78-121
- 5 Translate: The Dream of the Rood ll. 122-56
- 7 Reading: Crossley-Holland, The Battle of Maldon (11-19), Pope 75-79; Translate: The Battle of Maldon ll. 1-41
- 10 Translate: The Battle of Maldon ll. 42-107
- 12 Translate: The Battle of Maldon ll. 285b-94 and 309-25
- 14 Reading: Crossley-Holland, The Wanderer (50-53), Pope 87-91; Translate: The Wanderer ll. 1-36
- 17 Translate: The Wanderer ll. 37-72
- 19 Translate: The Wanderer ll. 73-115
- 24 Reading: Crossley-Holland, The Wife’s Lament (56-57), Pope 120-23; Translate: The Wife’s Lament ll. 1-20
- 26 IS Conference (regular classes cancelled)
- 28 Translate: The Wife’s Lament ll. 21-53
- 31 Reading: Crossley-Holland Beowulf (74-154) (no translation due this day)
- April
- 2 Translate: Beowulf ll. 86-114, 710-19
- 4 Translate: Beowulf ll. 720-36a, 765b-90
- 7 Translate: Beowulf ll. 1345-96
- 9 Translate: Beowulf ll. 2231b-77
- 16 End-of-Term Celebration
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