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ESH5003

Chaucer: Gender, Faith, Identity

Level 5 (30 credits)

The works of Geoffrey Chaucer defined English literature for generations of authors to come. The range of his writing encompassed many possibilities. Described by one follower as 'all women's friend' (it wasn't meant as a compliment), Chaucer wrote poetry that raises complex, unresolved, questions about gender. A European author, deeply influenced by French, Italian, and classical literature, Chaucer framed his most famous work, The Canterbury Tales, as a Christian pilgrimage. Yet its stories include representation of Muslims and Jews, and are by turns comic, pious, and learned in tone. With dedicated sessions on how to understand and translate Chaucer's Middle English, this module uses The Canterbury Tales to introduce and explore Chaucer's multiple identities.

Preparing for this Module and Approximate Costs

You can prepare for this module by reading as much of The Canterbury Tales as possible (ideally in Middle English, or alternatively in modern English translation).


Primary texts costing £33-£37 if purchased new in recommended editions.

 
Why take
Chaucer: Gender, Faith, Identity
?

  • Discover one of the most famous and influential story collections in English: Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'.
  • Read an exciting range of tales, belonging to a variety of genres, which take us across space and time, from England to the Middle East and from the ancient past to the medieval present.
  • Explore the complex formation of religious, gendered, and national identities in late medieval England.
Learning Context Lecture + Workshop + Seminar
Semester One
Assessment
  1. Participation, 10%
  2. Written Assignment 1 (1500 words), 30%
  3. Written Assignment 2 (3000 words), 60%
Mode of reassessment Standard
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