| Unit name | Introduction to Old English |
|---|---|
| Unit code | AFACM1012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Cathy Hume |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Arts Faculty Office |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Old English (sometimes also known as Anglo-Saxon) is the form of English that was spoken and written in Britain before about 1100. Unlike later forms of English, which are heavily influenced by French, it is an entirely Germanic language, and it is strikingly different from modern English in terms of both its grammatical structure and its vocabulary. Accordingly, the language is taught from scratch in this unit. Students will be given instruction in the basic elements of Old English grammar, vocabulary and verse form so as to enable you to read a selection of works from the period in the original. These include some of the major examples of 'heroic' verse, such as excerpts from the epic Beowulf and The Battle of Maldon, as well as riddles, elegies, and 'Christian-heroic' verse such as The Dream of the Rood.
By the end of the course students should:
(i) understand some of the major currents of Anglo Saxon written culture in relation to what can be known of the social, religious and aesthetic contexts of its production
(ii) be able to translate examples of Old English poetry into idiomatic modern English with the aid of notes and glossary
(iii) be able to comment on typical and distinctive features of specific passage of Old English poetry
(iv) demonstrate engagement with the nature and diversity of the reception of Anglo Saxon literature in present day society and criticism.
1 x 1 hour lecture per week and
1 x 90 minute tutorial per week
For MA students:- The single assessment for the course is a 5000 word essay on some aspect of Anglo Saxon literature and/or culture, devised in consultation with the tutor. The essay should demonstrate mastery of the original language. MA students may take the language test, and should indicate in advance if they wish to do so, but it is not part of the formal assessment of the unit.
Students are advised to read the relevant chapters in David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of the English Language (Cambridge, 1995) as a basic introduction to the Old English language.
Peter S. Baker, Introduction to Old English 2nd edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 2007); also on-line at http://www.wmich.edu/~medinst/resources/IOE/index.html, accompanied by a self-help site for practising the Old English language, Old English Aerobics, http://faculty.virginia.edu/OldEnglish/OEA/
Bruce Mitchell and Fred Robinson, eds., Beowulf (Oxford 1988)
You will also find the following useful:
M. Atherton, Teach Yourself Old English (London, 2006). Includes Audio CD.
Murray McGillivray’s Old English Course: on-line learning at http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/eduweb/engl401/lessons/index.htm
Bruce Mitchell, An Invitation to Old English and Anglo Saxon England (Oxford, 1995)
B. Mitchell and F. C. Robinson, A Guide to Old English, 6th edn (Oxford, 2001)
Sweet’s Anglo Saxon Reader, revised by Dorothy Whitelock (Oxford, 1967)
J. R. Clark Hall, A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 4th edn (Toronto, 1960)
