English 210: King Arthur and the Middle Ages

T-Th 11:00-12:20 Murphy 109

Teacher: Dr. Cynthia Jenéy

Office: Eder Hall 222-K

Phone: 271-4447

Office Hours: Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday 10:00-12:00 | Friday 10:00-11:00

E-mail: jeney@missouriwestern.edu

Required Texts:

Damrosch, Baswell, and Schotter, Eds. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume 1A: The Middle Ages. (2^nd Edition). NY: Longman, 2003.
Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by Malcolm Heath. NY: Penguin Books. ISBN: 0-140-44636-2

Make sure you have read assigned sections of the textbook before coming to class on the day readings are listed. Come to class prepared to submit formal discussion questions based on the assigned reading.

About ENG 210: Approaches to Literature

Objectives and Means

Upon completion of English 210 a student should be able to (1) Recognize the major characteristics of literary genres;

(2) Discuss literature, orally and in writing, with assurance; (3) Appreciate literary works which are encountered; (4) Understand the different ways in which literary theme may be treated in literature. To reach these goals, the student is expected to: (1) Read poetry, prose fiction, and drama; (2) Investigate various methods of approaching and understanding literature; (3) Write papers, including themes and essay examinations; (4) Read a variety of literary works in which a chosen theme is dominant.

About This Section of English 210:

This section of English 210 will provide an introduction to the literature, language, and historical settings of Medieval England. There will be significant emphasis on heroic verse and the Arthurian Tradition in poems, lais, and tales. Medieval readings are chronological, beginning with the Old English poem Beowulf and ending with Chaucer’s Arthurian “Wife of Bath’s Tale.” Students will build their critical reading skills by studying and discussing Aristotle’s Poetics, noting how the patterns laid forth in classical thought inform literary works of the Middle Ages. In addition, the course will explore some implications of the Arthurian tradition in contemporary treatments of Medieval and Arthurian tales in film and the media.

Attendance:

A total of more than 4 absences (T-Th classes) per semester will result in a failing grade for the course. It is your responsibility to keep track of your attendance. Contact a classmate to get notes and assignments if you miss a class meeting, and make sure you consult the class schedule (attached, below).

Note: Employment issues are the sole responsibility of the student. Failure to attend class, meet deadlines, or participate in assigned work is not excused due to workplace considerations. Should attendance problems become chronic, it is the student’s responsibility to correct the situation. Student employment will not be permitted to disrupt the class or interfere with instruction in any way.

Contacting Dr. Jenéy: Office hours are established for the specific purpose of helping students who have questions concerning the content and assignments of the course or who may wish to discuss the materials further. Hours are posted at the beginning of this syllabus (and on my office door). Polite phone or written messages requesting help with class assignments are answered within 48 hours.

Email: Some general rules for emailing professors:

Email messages should be courteous, clear, concise, and directly related to specific content in the course. (If your email makes the instructor’s life harder, it will probably not garner the results you want).

Messages must include your full name, the course in which you are enrolled, your campus email address, and a specific subject line. Unsigned emails that do not identify the student, the course number and section number will probably be deleted or returned unanswered (“I’m in your class” is not enough to identify you—faculty at MWSU teach several classes).
Emails may or may not receive a response, since the campus technologies sometimes break down or just go offline.
Be nice—nastygrams are saved and forwarded to the Dean of Students (when in doubt, click “save” instead of “send”).
Do not send email detailing personal illnesses, absences or missed lectures/assignments—you are responsible for your absences and missed materials. If you need help, visit or phone the instructor during office hours.

Always use your campus email account to send messages to your professor

Phone:

The telephone is a wonderful thing. It does not, however, replace class attendance. If you missed class, call a classmate and get class notes from that person. Please contact the professor if:

· you don’t understand the assignment, or want to clarify some point from class reading or discussion;

· you want to make an appointment to meet out of class;

· you have drafted a paper, and would like some feedback early in the process;

· your Mom has been kidnapped by French spies, and you must leave the country to rescue her.

Disabilities: Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of abilities should contact the MWSC Special Needs Office as soon as possible so that we can discuss alternative ways to satisfy class requirements.

Written Work Formatting:

Papers will be in standard MLA Style. Papers will be word-processed in Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins all around. Your name and the date will be in the upper-right hand corner. “English 104” (without the quotation marks) and the instructor’s name in the upper-left. Skip one space and center your paper title. Remember that new paragraphs are set off by indenting the first line, not by skipping 2 more spaces. Page numbers appear in the upper right-hand corner (but not on the first page).

GRADED COURSE WORK

10% Paper #1

10% Paper #2

20% Exam #1 Beowulf and the Middle Ages

20% Exam #2 Midterm: 13^th Warrior, Aristotle Poetics, Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, OE poetry,

20% Exam #3 Final Exam: King Arthur & the Arthurian Tradition, “Lanval,” Gawain, Malory, Chaucer.

20% Attendance and In-Class Participation (discussion, quizzes, in-class exercises, etc.)

100% Total Grade

ENG 210 King Arthur & The Middle Ages TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE*

AUGUST
T	28	Introduction; syllabus; policies; survey
Th	31	Middle Ages Longman 3-26; Film: Schama “Beginnings” History of Britain series.
SEPTEMBER
T	5	Middle Ages Longman 3-26
Th	7	Middle Ages Longman 3-26; Film: Birth of a Language
T	12	Beowulf 27-51: “Before the Norman Conquest”; “I.Grendel”
Th	14	Beowulf 27-51: “Before the Norman Conquest”; “I.Grendel”; Beowulf 51-74: “II. Grendel’s Mother”
T	19	Beowulf 51-74: “II. Grendel’s Mother”; Beowulf 74-92: “III. “The Dragon”
Th	21	Beowulf 74-92: “III. “The Dragon”
T	26	13^th Warrior—Film
Th	28	13^th Warrior—Film (cont.)
OCTOBER
T	3	Exam #1
Th	5	Aristotle Poetics 3-25
T	10	Aristotle Poetics 26-48
Th	12	“The Dream of the Rood” 115-119
T	17	Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 134-135;
Th	19	Film Conquest! (Schama series—Hastings 1066 & Domesday Book) “The Wanderer” 153-156; “Wulf and Eadwacer” & “The Wife’s Lament” 156-158 (cont.)
T	24	Exam #2: Midterm
Th	26	Arthurian Myth in the History of Britain 163-177
T	31	Film: King Arthur
NOVEMBER
Th	2	Film: King Arthur
T	7	Marie de France “Prologue,” “Lanval” 181-198; Film Arthurian Legends & Legacy
Th	9	Marie de France “Prologue,” “Lanval” 181-198
T	14	Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 200-258; Arthurian Film & Media Paper #1 Due
Th	16	Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 200-258; Arthurian Film & Media
T	21	Sir Thomas Malory Morte Darthur 259-289
Th	23	THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY—NO CLASS MEETING
T	28	Sir Thomas Malory Morte Darthur 259-289
Th	30	Sir Thomas Malory Morte Darthur 259-289
DECEMBER
T	5	Geoffrey Chaucer: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue & Tale 375-403
Th	7	Geoffrey Chaucer: The Wife of Bath’s Prologue & Tale 375-403; Paper #2 Due
T	12	FINAL EXAM 11:30 a.m. - 1:20 p.m.

*Schedule may change in response to semester needs and events

English 210: King Arthur and the Middle Ages

About ENG 210: Approaches to Literature

ENG 210 King Arthur & The Middle Ages TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE*

Beowulf 27-51: “Before the Norman Conquest”; “I.Grendel”