Fall 2007 Medieval Studies Courses

The following list is intended to be as inclusive as possible. An effort has been made to include all courses listed in the Medieval Studies program regulations as counting toward the graduate minor or undergraduate minor. Courses which might be of interest to medievalists but which do not count toward one of the minors are also included. Please consult the director of the minor program with questions about the relevance of specific courses.

This information is subject to change. Please consult the Registrar's online schedule or the websites of individual departments for up-to-date information on spring courses.

UNC students may also take courses at Duke University through inter-institutional registration. See the courses webpage of the Duke University Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies for the most up-to-date information on medieval courses at Duke.

Comparative Literature

CMPL 621 [ENGL 621, FOLK 621] (153): Arthurian Romance (TR 12:30-1:45) Kennedy.

English

ENGL 320 (52): Chaucer (MWF 11-11:50) Wittig.
In this course we will read a representative cross-section of Chaucer's most important poetry: Troilus and Criseyde, The Parliament of Fowels, and much of The Canterbury Tales. We will read these works in the original Middle English (and students will be expected to give this their best shot). But the emphasis will be "literary," not linguistic, concentrating on what Chaucer has to say and on understanding him in his historical, intellectual and literary context. Class attendance is expected. Teaching methods: Lecture and discussion. Requirements: Midterm and final exam; weekly modernization quizzes; one term paper.

ENGL 320 (52): Chaucer (TR 3:30-4:45) Kennedy.
The study of Chaucer's poetry; emphasis on The Canterbury Tales and Troilus and Criseyde, with some attention to TheBook of the Duchess, The House of Fame, and The Parlement of Foulys. We will learn to read Chaucer in Middle English and also learn to pronounce it. Attention also to the fourteenth-century English culture in which Chaucer wrote. Translation quizzes, paper, and mid-term and final exams.

ENGL 314 (38): History of the English Language (10-10:50) O’Neill.
A study of the development of the English language from its humble beginnings as a Germanic dialect to its present status as the language of greatest prestige.
We will trace how the English language changed over the centuries, using (as far as possible) works from English literature (e.g. Chaucer, Shakespeare) to illustrate the changes.

German

Germ 218 [RELI 218] Christianity and Islam in the Middle Ages (MWF 2-2:50) Wenzel. In this course we will concentrate on a close-reading of medieval Christian literature and Islamic reactions, and we will also read modern scholarly literature, focusing on the question of "orientalism" and "occidentalism" as part of our modern notion of Islam.

GERM 310 (85): Courtly Culture (TR 9:30-10:45) Starkey.
In this interdisciplinary course we will discover and explore the fantasies and realities of medieval court society. Topics will include music, art, literature, everyday life, warfare, fashion, love, religion, and food. Prerequisite: GERM 301 and 303, or permission of instructor. Readings & Class Discussions in German. A&S Western Historical Perspective, Literary Arts, Foreign Language Enhancement, North Atlantic World, World Before 1750.

History

HIST 258 [WMST 258] (58): Women in Europe before 1750 (TR 3:30-4:45) Harris.

Italian

ITAL 357 (057 ): Petrarch and Boccaccio (TR 12:30-1:45) Cervigni.

ITAL 535 (135 ): Boccaccio and Narrative (TR 3:30-4:45) Cervigni.

Religion

RELI 161 (27): Introduction to the History of Christian Traditions (MW 2-2:50) Kaufman.

RELI 180 [ASIA 138, HIST 138]: Introduction to Islamic Civilization (TR 11-11:50) Ernst.

Spanish

SPAN 367 (78): Cultural and Linguistic History of the Spanish Language (TR 2:-3:15) Binotti.

Women's Studies

WMST 258[HIST 258] (58): Women in Europe before 1750 (TR 3:30-4:45) Harris.