Arthurian Legend
MARS Course (NYU) Spring 2001 Prof. N. Black
Office: 726 Broadway, Room 740 (Medieval and Renaissance Studies Office)
Class hours: Mondays, 2:00-4:45 p.m.
Office hours: immediately following class, or by appointment
E-mail: nblack@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Home page: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/black/
Course Description: This course traces the development of Arthurian legend in the Middle Ages and focuses on texts produced in England, France, and Germany between 1100 and 1500. In addition to studying the aesthetic features of the texts, we will look at the way in which Arthurian literature was produced and consumed: performances; the religious and political contexts; the languages; the relationships among orality, aurality, and literacy; the production, distribution, and preservation of manuscripts.
Required Texts:
1. Geoffrey of Monmouth. The History of the Kings of Britain. Trans. Lewis Thorpe. Baltimore: Penguin, 1966. ISBN: 0140441700.
2. Chrétien de Troyes. Arthurian Romances. Trans. W.W. Kibler. London: Penguin, 1991. ISBN: 0140445218.
3. Lancelot of the Lake. Trans. Corin Corley. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. ISBN: 0192837931.
4. The Quest of the Holy Grail. Trans. P.M. Matarasso. Baltimore: Penguin, 1969. ISBN: 0140442200.
5. Gottfried von Strassburg. Tristan. Trans. A.T. Hatto. London: Penguin, 1967. ISBN: 0140440984.
6. Wolfram von Eschenbach. Parzival. Trans. A.T. Hatto. London: Penguin, 1980. ISBN: 0140443614.
7. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. Burton Raffel. New York: New American Library, 1970. ISBN: 0451628233.
8. King Arthur and His Knights: Selected Tales by Sir Thomas Malory. Ed. Eugene Vinaver. London: Oxford UP, 1975. ISBN: 0195019059.
Schedule of Classes and Weekly Reading Assignments
January 22: Introductions. The Historical Origins of Arthurian Legend. Oral Transmission and Written Sources. Xeroxes and websites.
January 29: Geoffrey of Monmouth. History of the Kings of Britain, pp. 186-261.
February 5: Chrétien de Troyes. Yvain, pp. 295-380 in Arthurian Romances.
February 12: Chrétien de Troyes. Perceval pp. 381-494 in Arthurian Romances.
February 19: Presidents' Day, No Class
February 26: Lancelot of the Lake pp. 3-24, 27-38, 47-335, 358-413.
March 5: The Quest of the Holy Grail, pp. 31-284.
March 12: Spring Vacation, No Class
March 19: Review and Mid-term Examination.
March 26: Gottfried von Strassburg. Tristan, pp. 41-197.
April 2: Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan, pp. 198-297.
April 9: Wolfram von Eschenbach. Parzival pp. 15-40, 70-175, 222-255, 366-411.
April 16: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, pp. 49-125.
April 23: Sir Thomas Malory. The Death of King Arthur, pp. 3-39, 51-70, 157-226.
April 30: Malory and Caxton: From Manuscript to Print Culture.
Course Requirements and Grading:
In order to receive a passing grade in this course, you must attend regularly and arrive promptly to class. You are encouraged to participate in class discussion. In addition, grades will be based upon one short at-home essay due on February 26 (20%), a mid-term examination (20%), a long paper for which a first draft is due on April 9 and a final draft due on April 30 (40%). The final examination will be given during the examination period (20%).