Unit name | Introduction to Old English |
---|---|
Unit code | ENGL10020 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Kate McClune |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of English |
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 them 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.
The unit aims to:
(i) to introduce students to the literary culture of Anglo Saxon England in its historical and aesthetic contexts
(ii) to introduce students to the structures and vocabulary of the Old English language
(ii) to enable students to engage in the close reading of passages of Old English poetry in its original language
(iii) to foster debate on the reception of the literary culture of the Anglo Saxons in present day society, and the application to it of literary critical methodologies.
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 x1-hour seminar and 1x 1-hour reading class per week.
Detailed reading lists will be provided by individual tutors at the start of the academic year.