Seeing the 14th century: Les tres riches heures du Duc de Berry

A Bonus Post (don't worry, there is no work for class here--so read or ignore without peril):

In class today, I showed you some of the magnificent images that graced the 'book of hours' for the Duc de Berry. These images showcase all levels of French society throughout the many seasons of the year, and show us glimpses of chivalric love, high court fashion, the daily lives of the peasantry, and the obsession with fate and astrology that hovered over the Christian world.  If you're interested in seeing the entire set, this link will take you there: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/l/limbourg/

For Wednesday: Reading the Pearl Poet

Close Reading Questions for

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Part I-II (pp.3-30)

Answer TWO of the following (I gave you extra questions since I would normally split Parts I and II into two days—so here is a question banquet for the Labor Day holiday!). 

[Click "Read More" under the picture for questions]

For Friday: The World of the 'Pearl Poet'

 For Friday's class there is no reading (unless you haven't finished Beowulf, in which case, you should finish it!), though we will do something important.  To prepare you for the world and culture that produced Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I will take you on a 'tour' of some art and events around the time it was written in the (we think) 14th century.  Though the author is anonymous, we call him the "Pearl Poet" since he is believed to have written three other poems, one of which is called "Pearl."  For more information on the mysterious Pearl Poet, click on the following Wikipedia link (which is actually quite good): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Poet

Be sure you have the correct Norton Critical edition of Sir Gawain since you will need that version and the materials that accompany it.  Otherwise, see you in class tomorrow!  

For Wednesday: Beowulf, Part III

There are no questions for Wednesday's readings; try to finish the poem and when you get to class, you will have an in-class writing question waiting for you based on the third part of the book.  This will count for your daily response, which will be your last one this week.  On Friday, I will discuss art and 14th century life, which will help introduce our second book, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

If you  have to miss class on Wednesday, feel free to e-mail me and I can give you the in-class response questions. Otherwise, see you on Wednesday.

BONUS: Just for checking the blog, I've included a link below for those of you in class who are interested in classical music (okay, probably all 1 of you).  The American composer, Howard Hanson, who was of Scandinavian descent, wrote many pieces inspired by his ancestral heritage.  One of them is this massive work for chorus and orchestra, A Lament for Beowulf, which tries to capture the feel of the Anglo-Saxon world in colorful, dramatic music.  If you like the music from Lord of the Rings composed by Howard Shore, you'll see where he 'borrowed' many of his ideas.  The piece is long--about 20 minutes--so watch as much as you care to, or none at all.  It's just for fun, though I think it's a fantastic piece of music.  The video is pretty static, just the orchestra playing, so go do something else while you listen.

For Monday: Beowulf, Part II

Close Reading Questions for

Beowulf, Part II (pp. 58 to around 135)

Answer TWO of the following in a short paragraph each…

1. What general philosophy of life—or of man—does the poet seem to espouse?  Where in the text can you read or sense this?  Is it explicit (does the poet come out and say this), or is it more implicit, built into the story itself? 

2. On page 87, when everyone is celebrating the death of Grendel and the libration of Hrothgar’s hall, the poet writes: “how could they know fate,/the grim shape of things to come,/the threat looming over many thanes/as night approached and King Hrothgar prepared/to retire to his quarters?”  Based on the logic of the poem (and the values of the poet’s day), why does wyrd/fate continue to ‘punish’ the hall if God wanted Beowulf to destroy Grendel?  Why are they afflicted by Grendel’s mother as well? 

3. The only real description we get of Grendel and his mother occurs on page 95, when Hrothgar says “One of these things...looks like a woman; the other, warped/in the shape of a man, moves beyond the pale/bigger than any man, an unnatural birth.”  Though the poet often claims that they are the spawn of Cain, evil incarnate, some critics suggest that the poet invests them with a subversive humanity.  Where might we see this in the poem?  How might the poet make us question a strict good/evil reading of the poem? 

4. Though Beowulf is quite a ‘manly’ poem, three women appear briefly in its pages: Wealhtheow (Hrothgar’s wife), Hygd (wife of Beowulf’s chief, Hygelac), and Modthryth (the ‘evil’ wife of Offa).  Assuming that Beowulf is somewhat culturally accurate, what view of women does the poem offer us?  What was their role in society?  Related to this, what role do they play in the poem?  Given their almost ‘walk-on’ roles, why include them at all? 

For Friday: Beowulf, Part I

Close Reading Questions:

Beowulf, (pages 3-57, Heaney translation; for other translations, read to the conclusion of Beowulf’s fight with Grendel)

Answer 2 of the following questions in a short paragraph response (a few sentences).  These questions are not meant as busy work; rather, they are to be used as a ‘guide’ to help you through the maze of difficult readings or to give you something specific to respond to or look for.  I don’t want you to skim readings or just read for the plot.  A work of literature is made up of the small moments, powerful phrases, or sudden revelations that occur in the most unlikely places.  Read slowly and carefully, even if you don’t get to the exact end of the reading assignment.  Better to read well than finish poorly.

1.         This poem was written sometime between 700 to 1000 A.D, when most of England had accepted Christianity (though odd areas, including Scotland, held out).  However, the events of the poem take place in the ‘pagan’ world of Scandinavia before Christianity had been introduced.  How does the poem graft the Christian tradition onto the world of pagan monsters and folklore?  Can the two worlds co-exist within the poem, or are there moments of confusion or contradiction?  How do you respond to this as a 21^st century reader?  Cite a specific passage to support your answer.

2.         In a famous passage of the poem (from line 499), Unferth, another warrior at Hrothgar’s court, attacks Beowulf’s claims of heroism.  Why is this passage important to the poem?  How is what he says—and how Beowulf responds to it—dramatically compelling?  You might also consider what this episode says about the culture of the Dark Ages and its heroes. 

3.             Examine a short passage (10-15 lines) and discuss why this passage would be difficult to translate from poetry to prose.  What makes these lines poetic?  How did the poem use the devices of poetry to create a work of art that does more than simply tell a story?  In other words, help us ‘see’ the poetry in these lines (and consider how they might be read!). 

4.         One of the most celebrated words in the poem is “wyrd” which  is often translated as “fate” or “destiny,” as when Beowulf says “Fate goes ever as fate must” (31).  How might we understand what the Anglo-Saxons meant by fate in this instance (and others in the poem)?  Is fate “God” and His decisions?  Is fate related to a Norse/Greek conception of destiny?  Or is it simply luck or random chance?  Discuss a passage that might help us read this elusive word. 

For Wednesday: Giving Life to Dead Words

For Wednesday's class, I want you to watch this brief clip (about 10 minutes) which features Julian Glover's dramatic interpretation of Beowulf.  You might recognize him from many British movies and shows, most recently as Dr. Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.  The clip has a short preface by the famous actor John Gielgud, which gives a brief overview of the poem  for those unfamiliar with it.  However, watch the clip (even though most of you haven't read the poem yet) and consider how he's reading it: why is it so dramatic, so forceful, so over-the-top?  Do we read poetry like this today?  What does such a reading add to the poem?  If you find yourself laughing, consider why such a reading is humorous.  Are we culturally conditioned to find passion and dramatic interpretation silly? Or is this simply a more dated (British?) style of acting?  

However, these questions aside, I hope you enjoy it!

Welcome to the Course!

Sagas and sea monsters.  Lust and love triangles.  Satire and scandal.  Romance and reason.  It’s all here—the most exciting stories ever written, by the most mysterious and inspired authors in the English language.  This course reconstructs the worlds each of these authors lived in, so we can appreciate how their words sounded to its contemporaries, none of whom knew they were listening to ‘classic’ literature.  The challenge for you, as a student, is to be open to the clash of cultures, languages, ideas, and genres that make up the first thousand years of English literature.  So whether you are an ardent Anglophile or are racked with Metrophobia (fear of poetry), you will find something in this class that moves you…confuses you…inspires you…and intimidates you.  Read with an open mind and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Be sure to get the 6 books for class as soon as possible and note that 2 books (Sir Gawain and Sense and Sensibility) must be the Norton Critical edition.  All course texts are available at the ECU bookstore or on-line, but please don't wait until the week we start a text to order it.  We move quickly through each text, and class discussions rely on your active engagement with the book and our daily questions.  So don't fall behind!  

Also, be sure to bookmark this page, since I will post questions, assignments, announcements, and other links that will affect the course.  I look forward to sharing this wonderful material with you in class!