ESH6063
Heroes and Outlaws in History and Fiction from 1100 to 1600
Level 6 (30 credits)
This module explores the representations of a range of heroes, heroines, and outlaws, both real and legendary, in literary and historical texts written in England from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. We will study tales of some of medieval England's most famous heroes outside of the Arthurian tradition, along with stories of Robin Hood and other outlaws, tracing the roots of the Robin Hood legend in earlier narratives. We will investigate how accounts of these heroes and outlaws developed across time, and how they took shape in different regions, languages, genres, and material forms. We will consider themes of identity, otherness, monstrosity, Englishness, violence, chivalry, and justice, as we explore how accounts of England's heroes and outlaws blur the distinctions between these categories, testing the limits of the human and the law. You will be expected to read Middle English texts in their original language. Medieval French and Latin sources will be made available in translation.
Preparing for this Module and Approximate Costs
No advance preparation is required for this module. However, we will be reading several texts in their original Middle English. (Texts written in medieval Latin and French will be provided in translation.) If you'd like to do some optional preparation work, then I would encourage you to brush up on your Middle English skills, for example by re-visiting materials from ESH129 (Literatures in Time) and ESH5003 (Chaucer). You might also want to dip into some Middle English learning resources, such as Harvard's University's Learning Middle English webpage or books about medieval English language and literature. One language-focused book is J. A. Burrow and Thorlac Turville-Petre, eds., A Book of Middle English, 3rd edn. (Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005). An earlier edition (published in 1996) is available at the QMUL Library: P281 BUR. However, please don't worry too much about this. If you are new to Middle English, then please feel encouraged to take this module! The module convenor will support you with your study of the language, and the editions we'll be using are well-glossed, so you will have lots of help along the way. To be clear, then, familiarity with Midde English helps, but there is no requirement to have read anything in Middle English before in order to take this module.
Return tube travel to Zone 1 may be required on two occasions for class trips.
Why take Heroes and Outlaws in History and Fiction from 1100 to 1600
?
- Read the exciting stories of a range of medieval heroes and heroines (knights, kings, queens, saints) who move between the genres of history and fiction;
- Analyse the blurring of categories such as us/other, hero/monster, hero/outlaw, and justice/injustice;
- Explore the origins and development of the Robin Hood legend in late medieval England.
| Learning Context |
Long Seminar + Workshop (or equivalent) |
| Semester |
Two |
| Assessment |
- Participation, 10%
- Presentation (5-7 mins), 20%
- Essay (4000 words), 70%
|
| Mode of reassessment |
Standard |
| Contact |
|
There is some content covered on the programme that you may find challenging and sensitive. We do not issue content notes for individual texts (written, performance, visual, sonic etc.), but please do contact your module tutor and/or convenor and/or adviser if you have concerns or problems relating any of the content, themes or discussions.
