Undergraduate Course: The Field Full of Folk (ENLI10267)
Course Outline
School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | The dreamer in Langland¿s fourteenth-century Piers Plowman opens the poem with a vision of the world. He sees the earth poised between the Tower of Truth in the East and the Valley of Death in the West. The earth comprises a fair feeld ful of folk, Of alle manere of men, the meene and the riche, / Werchynge and wandrynge. As this image shows, medieval conceptions of the world and of humanity's operation in that world, rest on imaginative assumptions which are often very different from those of today. |
Course description |
This course will introduce you to a varied range of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century English and Scottish literary texts: allegory, romance, dream vision, meditation, lyric and drama. Through these texts we will explore the medieval imaginative models of the physical and metaphysical world, considering issues such as society, the body, gender, God, love, and death. Visual images and other kinds of writing and commentary will be considered alongside the literary texts, to develop an understanding of the imaginative world which the literature both emerged from and helped to shape.
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Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | A MINIMUM of 4 college/university level literature courses at grade B or above (should include no more than one introductory level literature course). Related courses such as cross disciplinary, "Freshman Seminars", civilisation or creative writing classes are not considered for admission to this course.
Applicants should also note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. In making admissions decisions preference will be given to students who achieve above the minimum requirement with the typical visiting student admitted to this course
having four or more literature classes at grade A.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course **
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High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 12 |
Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
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Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Other Study Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
166 )
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Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
one hour per week Autonomous Learning Group
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Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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Additional Information (Assessment) |
2000 word coursework essay (30%) submitted mid-semester;
plus 3000 word final essay submitted during exam period (70%). |
Feedback |
Not entered |
No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- develop a familiarity with a range of medieval literary forms through close study of particular texts.
- develop an awareness of some of the dominant images which shaped medieval conceptions of the world.
- develop a recognition of how medieval literary texts both draw on and develop these images.
- develop an ability to analyse and interpret critically the active engagement of literary texts with medieval models of the world.
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Reading List
Image, Sign, and Allegory: the World as a Book and how to read it - extracts of texts on Learn
The Body: The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle; Henryson, The Paddock and the Mouse; extract from Julian of Norwich, Revelations
Society: Chaucer, The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales; Lyndsay, Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis (extracts)
God: (Mystery and Devotion) Julian of Norwich, Revelations; Scottish Passion lyrics; Henryson, The Preiching of the Swallow
Love: Dunbar, The Goldyn Targe; lyrics; Gower, Iphis and Ianthe.
Women, Men and Marriage: Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale; The Wife of Auchtermuchty; Margery Kempe, The Book of Margery Kempe (extracts)
Cross-cultural encounters: Dunbar, Of Ane Blak-Moir, Ane Ballat of the Abbot of Tungland; The Gyre Carling
Animals: Sir Isumbras; The Talis of the Fyve Bestis
Health & Medicine: Hoccleve, My Complainte; Margery Kempe (extract); Henryson, The Testament of Cresseid
Death: Everyman; William Dunbar,Lament for the Makaris; Robert Henryson, Ressonyng betuix Dethe and Man.
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Additional Information
Course URL |
https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/undergraduate/current/honours |
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Special Arrangements |
Numbers are limited to 15, with priority given to students taking degrees involving English or Scottish Literature and Visiting Students placed by the Admissions Office. Students not in these categories need the written approval of the Head of English Literature before enrolling. In the case of excess applications places will be decided by ballot. |
Additional Class Delivery Information |
Seminar: 2 hour(s) per week for 10 week(s); plus attendance at Autonomous Learning Group for one hour each week - time to be arranged |
Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Kate Ash-Irisarri
Tel: (0131 6)50 8930
Email: K.Ash-Irisarri@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Lina Gordyshevskaya
Tel:
Email: pgordysh@ed.ac.uk |
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