The stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are some of the most popular in medieval Europe: how did this tradition arise, and why did it flourish? Why does it continue to inspire books and films today? This course will introduce students to the Middle English language through a study of some examples of Arthurian Romance, including works by Chaucer and Malory, as well as the great anonymous poems Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Alliterative and the Stanzaic More Arthur. Consideration will be given also to European analogues and sources, particularly in French romance, but the primary texts studied will be Middle English. 22.02 Intro to Arthur, Geoffrey of Monmouth 01.03 Layamon’s Brut I: The beginnings 08.03 Layamon’s Brut II: The court (11337-488) 15.03 Breton Arthur: Sir Launfal 1 22.03 Sir Launfal contd. 29.03 Arthur’s Knights: Gawain and the Green Knight 05.04 Gawain and the Green Knight II 12.04 The Green Knight on film 19.04 EASTER VAC 26.04 Gawain and Guinevere: Terne Wathelyne I 03.05 Gawain and Guinevere: Terne Wathelyne II 10.05 Malory’s Launcelot and Guinevere 17.05 Malory’s Arthur: The King’s Death 31.05 Victorian Arthur: Tennyson’s The Passing of Arthur |