Beginning with The Song of Roland, we will explore the magic, sex and violence to be found in medieval literature, whilst also placing the texts within their complex historical and cultural contexts. These complexities inform presentations of chivalry and, throughout medieval literature, Christian values are often tested when brought into contact with pagan outsiders. In The Song of Roland, students are encouraged to reflect upon the significance of seemingly “good” and “bad” characters, as well as the nature (and limitations) of chivalric heroism.
This discussion will then extend to Gawain and the Green Knight, in which the magical Green Knight challenges Gawain, and by extension the values of the Arthurian court. In Gawain and the Green Knight, courtly love and sex play a role in defining (and threatening) chivalric virtue, and we will spend some time considering this apparent paradox. Gawain and the Green Knight also demonstrates a keen awareness of the natural world, through which Gawain travels as he makes his journey away from civilisation, and we will reflect upon this presentation of nature, and its theological implications. We will also discuss violence, identity and disguise within medieval romance, coupled with the relationships between, on the one hand, nobility (and bloodlines), and on the other, excellence and moral fortitude. The course concludes with a discussion of the significance of women in the texts, with a particular focus on the Lais of Marie de France, which were written in the late 12th Century in Anglo-Norman whilst Marie was living in England.
Texts will be read in modern English translation, although reference will occasionally be made to the original medieval English text. Students are not expected to have read either English or Anglo Norman texts in their original form.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes for this course are:
Develop knowledge and an understanding of medieval literature within its cultural and historical context;
- Show awareness of critical and theoretical approaches to literature from the period;
- Develop keener close reading skills, particularly when engaging with texts in medieval English;
- Articulate and discuss the broader concepts of the course and the relationships between the texts.
Classes
1. Crusades and conflict in the medieval world (The Song of Roland)
2. Chivalry and courtly love (Gawain and the Green Knight)
3. Violence, madness and forgiveness (Folie Tristan and Lai d’Haveloc)
4. Nobility, identity and disguise (Lais of Marie de France and King Horn)
5. A woman’s world? (Lais of Marie de France)
Required reading
The Song of Roland, translated with an Introduction by Glyn Burgess (London: Penguin Books, 1990)
The Lais of Marie de France, translated with an Introduction by Glyn Burgess and Keith Busby (London: Penguin Books, 1999).
Armitage, Simon, Gawain and the Green Knight (Faber and Faber, 2007). There are numerous translations of this Middle English poem. You can also find it online in its original form here: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/
Typical week: Monday to Friday
For each week of study you select a morning (Am) and an afternoon (Pm) course, each course has five sessions, one each day Monday to Friday. The maximum class size is 25 students. Your weekly courses are complemented by a series of two daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.
| c.8.00am-9.00am |
Breakfast in College (for residents) |
| 9.00am-10.30am |
Am Course |
| 11.15am-12.30pm |
Plenary Lecture |
| 12.30pm-1.45pm |
Lunch |
| 1.45pm-3.15pm |
Pm Course |
| 4.00pm-5.15pm |
Plenary Lecture |
| c.6.00/6.15pm-7.15/7.30pm |
Dinner in College (for residents) |
| c.7.30pm onwards |
Evening talk/event |
Evaluation and Academic Credit
If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.
Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £65 per essay.
For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.
Certificate of attendance
A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically within a week of your courses finishing.
