GUIDE SYLLABUS FOR ENGL 458: Major Authors

DESCRIPTION OF THIS COURSE

This class will feature a close reading of Malory’s Le Morte Darthur —the most complete collection of the legends of King Arthur in the later Middle Ages (and one of the first books to be printed in English). The course will also look closely translations of earlier Latin and French sources (Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain and the anonymous French Quest of the Holy Grail ) to understand more about the sources that Malory reshaped. Along with sources, this course will study contested biographical issues, textual and manuscript sources, the historical context of the fifteenth century and the Wars of the Roses, and critical treatments of Malory and Arthurian literature. Finally, the course considers the offshoots of the Malorian tradition in English literature and popular culture. The course is a seminar and requires active participation by all members of the claims.

OUTCOMES SPECIFIC TO THE COURSE

• describe the tradition of Arthurian romance and Malory’s pivotal position within that tradition • understand political, social, and cultural contexts of Malory’s work • become acquainted with secondary literature on Malory • develop familiarity with late fifteenth-century English language • gain experience in critical writing, research skills and oral presentation.

TEXTS

Hardyment. Malory: The Knight Who Became King Arthur's Chronicler. (HarperCollins)

Geoffrey of Monmouth. History of the Kings of Britain. (Penguin)

Malory. Le Morte Darthur. (Norton)

Anonymous (ed. Matarasso). The Quest of the Holy Grail . (Penguin)

Hicks. The Wars of the Roses. (Osprey)

REQUIREMENTS

Discussion leadership for part of one class (with partner[s], 80-90 minutes)—20% of semester grade

Critical monograph presentation (with partner[s], based on the insructor’s shortlist of major critical works on Malory and on Arthurian tradition (25-30 minutes)—10% of semester grade

Précis (write-up of critical monograph presentation) (4—5 pp.)— 5% of semester grade

Annotated bibliography (20 items)—10% of semester grade

Research paper (12-15 pages)—20 % of semester grade Final Exam—20% of semester grade

Class participation: 15% of semester grade

CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

• Malory readings are all from the Norton edition.

• CMP=Critical monograph presentation.

• Note: this class will meet together for 2.5 hours each week. The remaining 50 minutes each week will be spent developing a class bibliography on the myCourses page or Geneseo wiki based on each class member’s “library hour,” requiring reading and reporting (via the wiki) on scholarly articles found through the MLA Online Bibliography. All students may make use of the bibliography in researching the final paper.

WEEK 1: Introduction

WEEK 2: The Arthurian tradition; Malory in context; reading Malory aloud (bring Malory text)

WEEK 3: Discussion of Christina Hardyment ( please bring at least two questions or comments from different parts of the book to add to the discussion)

WEEK 4: Geoffrey of Monmouth , History of the Kings of Britain; Dedication; Part One: Brutus (all); Part Two: Leir’s Daughters, etc., through Gorboduc; Belinus and Brennius sack Rome (98-99); Part Three: Julius Caesar through Claudius (121); Christianity comes to Britain; Rome’s last aid and advice to Britain (124-27); Part Four: Massacre on Mount Ambius, Boy Merlin (165-69); Part Five: Prophecies of Merlin; Part Six: Merlin and Uther (196-211); Part Seven; Arthur of Britain; CMP

WEEK 5: Geoffrey of Monmouth ( conclude with Part 8 ); Malory; The Tale of King Arthur; CMP

WEEK 6: Malory; Arthur and Lucius; CMP

WEEK 7: Malory; Lancelot; The Tale of Sir Gareth; CMP; ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE

WEEK 8: Malory; Tristram (all; note: this is a very long portion of Malory, and the group giving this presentation will be allowed 100-110 minutes for their presentation, as well as receive generous extra credit); CMP

WEEK 9: RESEARCH TOPIC DUE ON INDEX CARD TODAY; The Quest of the Holy Grail (all); CMP

WEEK 10: Malory; The Tale of the Sankgreal; CMP

WEEK 11: Malory; Lancelot and Guinevere; CMP WEEK 12: Malory; Morte Arthur ; Tennyson, Idylls of the King, “Morte D’Arthur” (on myCourses); CMP

WEEK 13: Caxton’s Preface; Hicks, The Wars of the Roses as CMP; FINAL RESEARCH ESSAY DUE

WEEK 14: Video: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

WEEK 15: Final Exam