Medieval Literature from the Reign of Richard II

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No prior knowledge required, although reading of the set texts is essential.

Content of Course

1. Introduction: Courtly Love, the cultural renaissance at Richard II’s court, and some medieval lyrics.

2. Chaucer and Social Satire: The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales (1380s-90s).

3. Chaucer and Chivalry: The Knight’s Prologue and Tale.

4. Chaucer’s bawdy Fabliau: The Miller’s Prologue and Tale.

5. Chaucer and the position of Women: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tal.

6. Chaucer and the Church: The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale

7. Poetry of social unrest from the West Country: extracts from William Langland’s Piers Plowman (1360-80).

8. Chivalry and Seduction in the north: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (late 14th century).

9. Sacred drama in the provinces: the Chester Noah’s Flood and the Wakefield Second Shepherd’s Play (14th-15th centuries).

Teaching method(s)

Discussion-based seminars.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Explain the historical and cultural context of Ricardian writing;

• Discuss the special concerns of the age;

• Apply techniques of literary analysis to the works.

Sources

Core Readings

Essential

• Chaucer, Geoffrey 2006. Knight’s Tale. London: Dover Thrift (Or any good edition of this may be used.)

• Greenblatt Stephen 2006. Norton Anthology of English Literature vol. 1 8th edition, W. W. Norton: New York.

Recommended:

• Burrow, J A.1992. Ricardian poetry: Chaucer, Gower, Langland and the Gawain poet. London: Penguin.

• Spearing, A C. 1972. Criticism and Medieval Poetry. London: Edward Arnold.

Web Sources

www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer

The Harvard Chaucer website

Class Handouts

Handouts will be provided.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.