- Week 1
Introduction to the course
- Week 2
The Anglo-Saxon Period
Analysis of the two oldest surviving English poems:
- “Caedmon’s Hymn”
- "The Dream of the Rood”
- Week 3
Analysis of the oldest surviving English epic:
- Week 4
Analysis of Beowulf as an epic poem continued.
- Week 5
- "The Wanderer" as an example of heroic elegies.
- "The Wife's Lament" as an example of love elegies.
Analysis of The Battle of Maldon
- Week 6
The Anglo-Norman Period
- Historical background of the period.
- Introduction to the Arthurian legends.
- Week 7
The Middle English Period
Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight within the context of Arthurian legends.
- Week 8
- Week 9
- Week 10
A brief look at Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.
- Week 11
Analysis of Piers Plowman
- Week 12
A brief analysis of The Chester's Play of Noah's Flood & Everyman
- Week 13
Analysis of Morte d'Arthur as a romance.
- Week 14
A brief overview of Sir Thomas More's Utopia as one of the key texts of the period.